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Craig McLaughlin, 21, of Grange Road, Layton, pleaded guilty to an offence of threatening with an offensive weapon. His arrest followed an incident in the Hatfield Avenue area of Fleetwood on September 21 last year.

Craig McLaughlin, 21, of Grange Road, Layton, pleaded guilty to an offence of threatening with an offensive weapon. His arrest followed an incident in the Hatfield Avenue area of Fleetwood on September 21 last year.

Swinging a baseball bat at a stranger in the street has left a Blackpool man facing a six-month spell behind bars.

Craig McLaughlin swung the weapon towards a man riding past him on a bicycle, causing the cyclist to almost fall off his bike.

A court heard the defendant had consumed alcohol as well as cocaine beforehand and had no real recollection of what happened.

McLaughlin, 21, of Grange Road, Layton, pleaded guilty to an offence of threatening with an offensive weapon.

His arrest followed an 
incident in the Hatfield 
Avenue area of Fleetwood on September 21.

Mercedeh Jabbari, prosecuting at Preston Crown Court, said a man was riding towards a junction that afternoon when he noticed a man coming out of a gateway which led to the rear of some flats.

He told the court: “As he rode past the defendant, Craig McLaughlin, was rushing 
towards him saying ‘you think you’re hard, don’t you?’

“He began swinging the bat towards him.

“The male almost fell off his bicycle, but managed to swerve. He hit the kerb.”

The man contacted the police while keeping McLaughlin, who continued to shout, in sight.

While the man was on the phone to the police, the defendant had taken his top off and was running around.

He subsequently dropped the bat.

The prosecution said McLaughlin then showed passive resistance towards a police officer.

He would not providing any details of who he was.

McLaughlin had 35 previous offences on his record.

In October he was given 12 weeks prison for breaching a suspended sentence made in April of last year.

Julie Taylor, defending, said McLaughlin had drunk far too much at the time and had also taken cocaine.

She said: “He had had an argument.

“He had the baseball bat for his protection.

“He picked it up and after that he really hasn’t any recollection of making a threat towards the man.

“He accepts his guilt.

“He simply has no recollection, but accepts the man would have been extremely fearful during the incident.

“It is something for which the defendant has expressed remorse and wishes to 
apologise to him and to the court.”

Ms Taylor added that the prison term passed after the offence last September had been a real wake up call for him.

McLaughlin had given up drinking to excess and now only occasionally smoked cannabis.

BBC News

Craig McLaughlin FB

A THUG who assaulted two 14-year-old girls has escaped going to prison.

Wayne McCurry headbutted one of the girls and punched the other four times.

The 30-year-old, who has a history of violence, was jailed for four years in September 2003 for wounding with intent and affray. Gateshead magistrates considered caging him again and told him: “Only custody is appropriate because these were unprovoked attacks but we are suspending the sentence because of your guilty plea.”

McCurry, of Lansbury Drive, Birtley, Gateshead, initially denied both assaults but changed his plea to guilty three days before his trial was due to take place.

Prosecutor Ian Simpson said the attacks on the girls, who can’t be named for legal reasons, took place in a Gateshead park last November 30.

McCurry attacked the girls as they were sitting on swings.

Mr Simpson said neither girl suffered serious injuries.

One was left with a sore ear and the other had bruising around her left eye.

McCurry was given a 26-week sentence suspended for 12 months and 12 months supervision.

He must do 100 hours of unpaid work and pay each of the girls pounds 50 compensation.

Wayne McCurry

Wayne McCurry in the blue nike top.


The Free Library

Thanks to North East Anti-facists, Indy Media Northern and EDL News for digging out this story from 2009.

Magistrates sentenced Davina Copeland and Steven Henley to 12 weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months after they admitted handling stolen goods.

Steven Henley and Davina Copeland leaving Consett Magistrates court

Steven Henley and Davina Copeland leaving Consett Magistrates court

A pair of convicted fraudsters have walked free from court after being caught with disabled Tilly Lockey’s stolen bike.

The six-year-old’s mum today said her daughter had been left distraught by the “disgusting” act.

Davina Keenan Copeland and Steven Anthony Henley both pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods and obstructing a police officer when they appeared before Consett Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Magistrates handed the pair 12 week jail terms suspended for 12 months.

The callous couple were visited by police on September 17, 36-year-old Copeland answered the door at the couple’s Ritsons Court home in Blackhill, Consett.

Police found the pink bike belonging to double amputee Tilly in a storage cupboard.

Henley, 33, was later found hiding behind a wardrobe.

Vicky Wilson, prosecuting, said: “Sergeant Davis found Steven hiding behind a wardrobe, he was arrested.

“He resisted Sgt Davis and attempted to pull away shouting threats.”

Ms Wilson read from a victim impact statement from Sarah Lockey, Tilly’s mother.

The statement said: “It’s horrible to think that somebody has been through your personal belongings and taken something such a child’s toy which means nothing to them and everything to the child.

“The fact that someone has taken items from a child has confused my six-year-old.

“Tilly, my disabled daughter, has particularly found memories of that bike as it was the first bike she could ever ride and join in with her sisters.

“Even after seeing my children upset on the TV they were not going to say anything – I think that’s disgusting.”

Tilly underwent a double amputation after contracting meningitis as a child and had her hands and toes amputated in 2007 after contracting group B meningococcal septicaemia.

The court heard the bike had been modified and had taken medical staff in Durham four months to carry out the work and the bike had been adapted with special brakes and a special seat which enabled Tilly to use it easily.

The court heard Henley had 14 previous convictions including five counts of fraud while Copeland had also been convicted of fraud.

David Malone, defending, told the court the pair found the bike in a back street and took it.

He added: “They put it in a cupboard in the house and two days later police came.

“Both of them are absolutely appalled at the fact that it belonged to Tilly Lockey.”

Mr Malone said both Copeland and Henley were ‘disgusted’ with their actions.

The court was told the pair both had a history of mental health problems and heroin abuse after their children were taken into care.

But Mr Malone added they had both been clean since January 2014.

The pair were each ordered to pay £150 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

The court was told Durham police provided Tilly with a new bike following the theft of her customised bicycle.

Newcastle Chronicle

henley

English Defence League supporters became involved in ‘grotesque violence’ as they tried to get into a pub on their way back from a rally, a court heard.

The clash between EDL supporters from Rugeley and Tamworth and drinkers at the pub in Nuneaton led to six men being sentenced at Warwick Crown Court for their parts in the disorder.

But because of the long delay in the police getting the case to court following the incident in February 2011, all six were handed suspended prison sentences.

Christopher Tully, John Horton, Neil Grant and Daniel Edkins were all sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for 12 months after pleading guilty to violent disorder.

Tully, 26, of Cadogan Road, Dosthill, Tamworth, was also ordered to do 130 hours of unpaid work and to pay £300 costs.

Horton, 44, of Johnson Close, Rugeley, whose health problems make him unfit for unpaid work, was made subject to a 4pm to 3am electronically-tagged curfew for three months.

Grant, 45, of Stoneleigh Court, Coton Road, Nuneaton, was ordered to do 120 hours work and pay £300 costs, and Edkins, 31, of Marston Lane, Nuneaton, to do 110 hours and to pay £100 costs.

Stephen Ginnelly, 52, of Franklin Court, Nuneaton, who had also admitted violent disorder, and Douglas Tully, 25, of Cadogan Road, Dosthill, who had pleaded guilty to affray, were both sentenced to six months suspended for 12 months. They were both ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work, with Ginnelly having to pay £100 costs and Douglas Tully £200.

A seventh man, Ross Gilbert, 27, of William Morris Close, Rugeley, who had admitted violent disorder, failed to turn up at the court, and his case was adjourned.

Prosecutor Jason Pegg said: “The disorder involved two groups. Both Tullys, together with Horton and Gilbert were part of the EDL group; and the second group was the other three defendants who were enjoying an evening in a pub in Nuneaton, the George Eliot in Bridge Street.

“The EDL group had been to Luton to an EDL demonstration. They got off the train and went into Nuneaton town centre. They bought some fish and chips and made their way to the George.”

CCTV coverage showed that on the way Christopher Tully put on gloves and a ski mask with the cross of St George on it.

When they reached the George Eliot at about 7.15pm people at the pub stood in the doorway to prevent them getting in.

Sentencing the men, Judge Griffith-Jones told them: “I don’t know if any of you thought you were being hard or impressive, you just looked truly pathetic.

“But the most important point in mitigation in this case is the fact that we are now in September 2014, and these events took place in February 2011.

“If I had been dealing with the case in any sort of reasonable period of time, it would have been my duty to set a sentence which would act as a deterrence to drunken thugs fighting in this way – but after three-and-a-half years such a sentence would not be just.”

Express & Star

Mark Hawksby

A FORMER soldier from York racially abused a disabled busker in the city centre because he had seen him on TV boasting about claiming benefits, a court has heard.

Mark Hawksby, 34, spotted Viorel Dinu in Coney Street, a week after having seen him on Channel 5’s Gypsies on Benefits and Proud.

Hawksby, of St Mary’s Close in Wigginton, recognised Mr Dinu while he was playing the accordion and rounded on him.

Mr Dinu, who has no legs, was sitting on a skateboard in a shop doorway.

Hawksby claimed there was so much money in his coat by 11.30am that he tripped over it on the pavement.

At York Magistrates Court, Hawksby said: “I had a go at him about being on the programme and what he had said.

“He said he had come to Britain purposely because it was a soft touch.

“I said ‘You’re out of order for going on this TV programme and saying you can milk the system’.”

The court heard Hawksby threw the coat into the gutter in Coney Street, scattering the money.

He also grabbed Dinu’s accordion and threw it into the road, saying: “This is English money for English people.”

The court heard a puzzled crowd formed and Hawksby was grabbed by a girl from a hen party, then stormed off, yelling: “I will see you do not busk in York again.”

Dinu, who travels the country telling people he lost his legs as a child when he was run over by a train, did not report the incident and did not co-operate with police who investigated after complaints from the public.

Hawksby was arrested after his picture was taken by University of York Professor Nick Brown, who shared the images with North Yorkshire Police on Facebook.

Hawksby told officers: “He is not even from York. It costs 23 to 25 quid on the train so he must be earning some right money busking.”

Hawksby denied racially aggravated threatening behaviour but was convicted.

He was given a four month suspended jail sentence and ordered to pay £100 costs and an £80 surcharge.

Mr Dinu had told the Channel 5 programme that he and other Romanians had come to the UK because it was a “soft touch” the court heard.

The Press

mark yorkie

Lee Cousins

Lee Cousins

ONE football fan has been jailed and four others involved in trouble at the Bristol derby given suspended prison sentences.

Footage of ugly scenes in and around Ashton Gate stadium on the night of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy match between City and Rovers last September was shown to a judge at Bristol Crown Court as the five men were sentenced after all pleading guilty to a violent disorder charge.

They were: James Bagnall, 25, of Shickle Grove, Bath; Lee Cousins, 41, of Soundwell Road, Kingswood; Thomas Burke, 21, of Bredon, Yate; Alexander Parsons, 21, of Walnut Close, Coalpit Heath; Jordan Lloyd, 22, of Filton Avenue, Filton.

Sam Jones, prosecuting, said yesterday: “The violence and public disorder on display that evening was among the worst that the Avon and Somerset Constabulary have ever had to police.”

He said provocation started before the match, when City fans congregated at the Miner’s Arms pub in Bedminster and Rovers fans used the Cross Hands pub, a short distance away, with trouble erupting before kick-off on Trafalgar Terrace, close to Ashton Gate.

Inside the stadium there was further trouble when rival fans infiltrated each other’s seating areas, missiles were thrown and the pitch invaded.

After the game there was large-scale disorder in Winterstoke Road.

The judge was guided through CCTV clips highlighting each defendant’s involvement.

Bagnall was filmed using and threatening unlawful violence in a car park before the game, as well as kicking a woman police officer as she was hit in the face by another fan. He was also shown ripping out a seat in the stadium and throwing it into City fans who had invaded the pitch.

Cousins, who was said to be on the police radar as a member of a risk group, was captured on film opening an emergency gate in the stadium, which contributed to a crowd surge.

Burke was filmed in the Wedlock Stand, involving himself in disorder.

Parsons was filmed verbally abusing police before the game and pushing police in the stadium.

Lloyd told a police officer where he could shove his camera, the court heard, and was filmed pushing other fans and police in the stadium.

Mitigating, Thomas Horder said of stonemason and sportsman Bagnall: “He describes his own behaviour as appalling. He wishes to express profound remorse and apologies to the woman police officer.”

He added that Cousins was also ashamed of what he had done.

Alison Gurden, for Burke and Parsons, said “very embarrassed” Burke was a youth football coach who admitted pushing and shoving.

She said of Parsons, a Rovers fan from the age of three: “He feels he has let himself down and he’s let his family down.”

Darren Burleigh, defending Lloyd, said his client kicked out towards police some distance away.

Judge Graham Hume Jones jailed Bagnall for two-and-a-half years, with a six-year Football Banning Order (FBO). Cousins was given a two-year suspended sentence, a five year FBO and told to do 300 hours’ unpaid work. Burke received a 15-month suspended sentence, with 200 hours’ unpaid work and a three-year FBO.

Parsons received a 16-month suspended sentence, with 200 hours’ unpaid work and a three-year FBO.

Lloyd received an 18-month suspended sentence with 200 hours’ unpaid work and a three-year FBO.

The judge told the men: “There was overall violent disorder to decent football fans, the elderly, young, very young and the disabled, and to the police trying to do their job of protecting the public and keeping the peace.”

Bristol Post

Lee Cousins is an active supporter of the English Defence League and was found guilty of racially/religiously aggravated harassment last year. You can read more here

A soldier has been called a “disgrace” for posting offensive Facebook messages over the death of a three-year-old boy.

Warren Butler, 19, from Carlisle, was handed a 16-week sentence, suspended for 18 months and ordered to complete 250 hours community service.

Mikaeel Kular was found dead in Fife in January, after he was reported missing.

Grenadier Guard Butler, who is based at Aldershot barracks, Hampshire, admitted improper use of a communications network at an earlier hearing.

Basingstoke Magistrates heard Butler had been brought up in a “racist” family background.

‘Great disgrace’

He had been to several English Defence League (EDL) marches and had “liked” EDL and British National Party (BNP) pages on Facebook.

Within five minutes of him sending the message about Mikaeel Kular, it went viral.

Warren Butler received death threats after posting the offensive message

Warren Butler received death threats after posting the offensive message

Butler and several relatives received death threats.

District judge Phillip Gillibrand said: “People were appalled at seeing this sort of prejudice.

“It was cruel, disrespectful, and completely unjustified. You have much growing up to do.

“To post this Facebook entry with you standing there in full ceremonial uniform was a great disgrace, and brought the army into disrepute.”

Butler’s commanding officer, Capt James Stafford Allen told the court prior to the incident he had a “clean slate” in the army and was following a promising career.

Since his arrest, Butler has been kept “in camp” and not allowed to leave the army barracks for eight weeks.

He has had his mobile phone taken away and internet access withdrawn.

Capt Allen said the army was still to decide what disciplinary action to take.

Butler must also pay £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

Mikaeel Kular’s mother Rosdeep Kular, 33, has been charged with his murder.

BBC News

FOOTBALL hooligan Jeff Marsh has been banned from football grounds for five years after admitting affray.

The 44-year-old Cardiff City supporter was found in possession of a knuckleduster when he was arrested for affray outside the Ninian Park pub in Canton, Cardiff, last June.

The self-proclaimed hooligan, who has written two books about his exploits with the city’s infamous Soul Crew and is one of the organisers of the Welsh Defence League, was fighting with Celtic fans after the inaugural match between the teams at Cardiff’s new stadium.

Marsh, from Barry, admitted affray and possession of an offensive weapon at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court in January and was sentenced yesterday.

He was given a four-month suspended jail term, 150 hours’ community service and ordered to pay £600 costs.

He was given a full five-year football banning order that will prevent him attending any football matches for five years.

Detective Constable Simon Chivers, of the Football Intelligence Unit, who arrested Marsh last summer, said: “Jeff Marsh is a convicted football hooligan.

“Behaviour such as he exhibited on the night will not be tolerated by Cardiff City or the police and anyone indulging in that sort of behaviour will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law, prosecuted and banned.”

It is Marsh’s first football banning order as his previous convictions for football violence came before the 1990 Football Disorder Act which introduced the banning orders.

In 1989 he was convicted of grievous bodily harm for stabbing two Manchester United supporters in Cardiff and was jailed for two years. In 1986 he was also convicted of a football-related assault in Halifax.

Marsh is an organiser of the English and Welsh Defence Leagues which describe themselves as “a ready-made army” against Muslim fundamentalists.

There have been riots and arrests in English cities, including Birmingham and Luton, which have led to scores of arrests after the group has clashed with anti-fascist campaigners. There have also been marches in Wrexham and Swansea.

The groups have been described as “divisive” and “hate-based” by Plaid Cymru AM Leanne Wood.

Wales Online

From 2010

THE former leader of the English Defence League has been jailed for 18-months for mortgage fraud.

Lennon, 31, also known as Tommy Robinson and the founder of the EDL, was imprisoned for his part in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain two mortgages amounting to £162,000.

He made two loans to people wanting to buy property and then pointed them towards a bent woman mortgage broker who helped obtain phoney pay slips and income details.

Before he was led off to start his prison sentence, the court heard the 31 year-old father of three will have to spend his time in custody in solitary confinement because he is now in danger.

His barrister Charles Sherrard QC said that in January 2013 when the Yaxley-Lennon was jailed for 10 month for using someone else’s passport to travel to the USA he had spent the whole time in solitary and was moved to four different jails for his safety.

“Even in solitary he was regarded as being in danger,” said Mr Sharrard.

However, it emerged in court today, that since last autumn when he announced he had left the EDL, citing increasingly racist elements within the group, he has now been alienated by the followers in the organisation he once led.

Yaxley-Lennon founded the EDL in 2009 after five Muslim men demonstrated in Luton against a homecoming parade by the Royal Anglian Regiment.

Mr Sherrard said that “He has alienated another large part of the community who saw him as their leader”

That meant, said the barrister, that Yaxley-Lennon would again have to spend his time away from other prisoners.

“He is on a wanted list for Al-Shabab so the prospect of prison for him takes on another level,” said Mr Sherrard.

The court heard how in the past while still the leader of the EDL Yaxley-Lennon’s home had been attacked and he and his family moved to a safe house.

Today at St Albans Crown Court he appeared for sentence having earlier pleaded guilty to mortgage fraud offences.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiring with others to obtain a mortgage by misrepresentation from the Abbey and Halifax building societies.

Judge Andrew Bright QC hearing the case described Yaxley Lennon as the “instigator if not the architect” of some of the frauds.

Passing sentence the judge told him “This was an operation which was fraudulent from the outset and involved a significant amount of forward planning.

Yaxley-Lennon will serve half the 18 month sentence behind bars before he is released.

He described the former EDL leader as a “fixer” by introducing others to bent mortgage broker Deborah Rothschild.

“I am satisfied you took part in a thoroughly dishonest course of conduct.”

The judge said he realised that any prison sentence he passed would be much harder for “Yaxley-Lennon” because of the need to protect him and the fact that he will have to serve it in solitary confinement.

Since leaving the EDL Yaxley Lennon has been travelling around the country with other community leaders promoting cohesion between communities.

On Monday he had been due to attend a Holocaust Memorial Day in Ipswich.

With him in the dock was Steven Vowles 26 of Heron Drive, Bushmead, Luton who admitted conspiring with others to obtain a mortgage by misrepresentation and transferring criminal property.

He also admitted possessing 3.48 grams of cocaine with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Vowles had been a one time apprentice at Yaxley-Lennon’s plumbing business.

Lisa Moore 28 of Newbury Lane, Silsoe, Bedfordshire pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obtain a mortgage by fraudulent misrepresentation.

Mortgage Broker Deborah Rothschild, 44, of Poplar, Toddington, Bedfordshire, pleaded guilty to four charges of conspiring to commit fraud by false representation. The charges involved the obtaining of four mortgages.

Finally a cousin of Yaxley-Lennon, Anjee Darcy, 31, of Hardwick Green, Luton pleaded guilty to two offences of conspiring to commit fraud by misrepresentation and false accounting.

Judge Andrew Bright QC was told how Yaxley-Lennon loans totaling £40,000 to Vowles and later Moore to help them with the deposits for a property in Luton.

But he also introduced them to crooked mortgage broke Deborah Rothschild who specialised in helping people obtain a mortgage who wouldn’t normally be eligible because of insufficient income and capital.

Rothschild the mother of a two year-old son assisted Moore, Vowles and Darcy in their fraudulent applications by providing phoney pay slips and income details.

The fraudulent mortgages she obtain came to a total of £640,000.

She was jailed for 18 months, Vowles was jailed for 27 months and Darcy was given a 15 month sentence suspended for 18 months and told she must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

Moore was given a six month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and told she must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £1,500.

Luton on Sunday

ALCOHOLIC Anthony Forrester attacked two supermarket security guards – after they asked him to pay for a bar of chocolate he had stolen and eaten.

The 44-year-old was in the Marks and Spencer store, in Hanley, on October 17 when he picked up a 69p bar of chocolate and ate it without paying.

North Staffordshire Magistrates Court heard yesterday how store security guards Ian Creed and Bekezela Ndlovu followed Forrester to Iceland, in Charles Street, to ask him to pay for the food.

Prosecuting, Giles Rowden said: “Mr Forrester picked up a bar of chocolate and ate it and threw the wrapper away.

“He was approached by the security guards and told them he would pay for it, but he then left the store.

“The security guards saw the defendant in the Iceland store where he became abusive.” The court heard that he racially abused and swore at Mr Ndlovu claimed he was a member of the English Defence League.

Mr Rowden added: “He was using abusive language towards Mr Ndlovu, who was just trying to do his job.

“The other security guard was then punched in the head and bit on the hand. Forrester was then arrested, but on the way to custody he damaged a Perspex cage belonging to Staffordshire Police.”

Forrester, of St Luke’s Court, in Hanley, pleaded guilty to five charges which included theft, assault by beating, criminal damage and using racially abusive and offensive language.

Defending, Nicola Bell, said: “Mr Forrester has not appeared before the court in a long time. He has tried to tackle what is a very real alcohol problem which he has not been very successful at addressing.

“These are serious offences and they are in the context of the record of a man who is now 44 years of age.”

Miss Bell added: “There are two sides to Anthony Forrester. He can be extremely vile and unacceptable, but then there is the Anthony Forrester who wants to change and wants to address issues from the past.

“There are deep-rooted problems here, but the daily issue is the alcohol.”

Magistrates told Forrester: “This was a nasty, alcohol-fuelled incident.”

He was handed an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months with 12 months supervision and an alcohol treatment requirement for using racially abusive language and the same punishment for the assault on Ian Creed, to run concurrently.

He was given no further penalty for the theft and criminal damage charges.

However, he was told to pay £165 costs and £100 compensation to the victims as well as £20 for damage to Mr Creed’s watch and 69p to Marks and Spencer for the chocolate.


Stoke Sentinal

Anthony_Forrester