Nine Men Sentenced in South Tyneside Garage Torture Case
Nine men involved in the false imprisonment, blackmail, and torture of three men at a South Shields garage have been jailed. The group lured their victims to a lock-up on Fowler Street on September 18 last year, before imprisoning them and subjecting them to extreme violence. The attackers used tools such as a blowtorch and […]
Migrant Smuggling Gang Dismantled as Head of Teesside Crime Group Sentenced to 20 Years
The leader of a Teesside-based organised crime group, Mohammed Kheder Zada, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after a major National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation exposed his involvement in smuggling migrants into the UK. The 43-year-old from Middlesbrough was found guilty, alongside five associates, of coordinating dangerous people smuggling operations. Zada, along with […]
Man Convicted in Fatal Stabbing at Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate
A 68-year-old man Alder Willis has been found guilty of the murder of Andrew Darn, 35, following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court. The incident, which occurred on March 27 this year, stemmed from a long-standing dispute over parking between neighbouring businesses at the Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate. Willis, a business owner, and Darn, an […]
Teenager Found Guilty of Murdering 15-Year-Old Holly Newton in Hexham
A 17-year-old male has been convicted of murdering Holly Newton, a 15-year-old schoolgirl from Haltwhistle, following a six-week trial at Newcastle Crown Court. The defendant, who cannot be named due to legal restrictions, was also found guilty of wounding with intent in a separate charge. A man has been found guilty of murdering Holly Trussler, […]
Sycamore Gap Tree Duo Plead Not Guilty
Gary Pickles/Northumberland National Park
Three Plead Guilty to Violent Disorder Following Sunderland Riots
Three individuals involved in the rioting in Sunderland on Friday have pleaded guilty to charges of violent disorder. Defendants and Charges Leanne Hodgson, 43, of Holborn Road, Sunderland, and Josh Kellett, 29, of Southcroft, Washington, admitted their involvement at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court. Andrew Smith, 41, of High Street East in Sunderland, also pleaded guilty […]
Married Racist Couple Jailed for Attacking Kurdish Man with Metal Pole
A married couple from Gateshead have been jailed after violently assaulting a Kurdish man with a metal pole while screaming racist abuse at him. Damian Smith, 36, and Dawn Thompson, 48, attacked the shopworker in January, telling him to “go back to your country.” The victim, who has been granted asylum in the UK since […]
Drugs courier who delivered cocaine into North East jailed
David Ollive communicated via an encrypted phone messaging app to co-ordinate the collection of the Class A substance from Coventry. Ollive made at least nine trips between March 2020 and May of the same year to deliver 22 kilos of cocaine with a wholesale value of more than £830,000. The courier was also trusted with […]
Pictured: Rapist and His Girlfriend Who Tried to Erase Evidence of His Crimes
Images have been released of a convicted rapist and his girlfriend who attempted to destroy evidence of his crimes by washing his clothes. Aaron Davison, 31, climbed into bed with his victim in a Northumberland home in July 2020. He then sexually assaulted and raped the girl. An investigation by police revealed that his partner […]
Four Men Sentenced to Life for Murder in Corrosive Substance Attack Spree
Four members of a gang have been sentenced to life imprisonment for their involvement in a series of violent chemical attacks, including one that tragically resulted in the death of a man and left a woman severely injured, losing an eye. The horrifying events took place in the Gateshead and South Tyneside areas during the […]
Clapham Chemical Attack Suspect Abdul Ezedi Commited Suicide After Assaulting Family
Abdul Ezedi, the suspect in a horrifying chemical attack in Clapham, was found to have committed suicide by drowning in the River Thames shortly after the assault on January 31. The conclusion comes after his body was discovered on February 19, following extensive searches and analysis of CCTV footage tracing his last movements. At approximately […]
Clapham Chemical Attack Suspect Abdul Ezedi Commited Suicide After Assaulting Family
Abdul Ezedi, the suspect in a horrifying chemical attack in Clapham, was found to have committed suicide by drowning in the River Thames shortly after the assault on January 31. The conclusion comes after his body was discovered on February 19, following extensive searches and analysis of CCTV footage tracing his last movements. At approximately […]
Thug who attacked a man with a knife jailed
A callous thug who viciously attacked a man with a knife in Northumberland has been jailed. Stewart Bestford had already spent the last 14 months in custody on remand and has now been sentenced to six years and 10 months behind bars for the shocking attack on November 21, 2020. The 44-year-old and his brother […]
Second Defendant Denies Charges in Sycamore Gap Tree Case
In a dramatic courtroom appearance, Adam Carruthers, 31, of Wigton, Cumbria, vehemently denied causing over £620,000 worth of damage to the iconic Sycamore Gap tree. The much-photographed Northumberland landmark fell victim to an alleged act of vandalism on the night of September 28, 2023. The Sycamore Gap tree, famously featured in the film “Robin Hood: […]
A dangerous driver has been jailed after leading police on a pursuit in Newcastle which ‘put lives at risk’
Thomas Humphries drove through red lights and at excess speeds of up to 100mph, overtaking vehicles on the wrong side of the road in an attempt to evade arrest on April 22. The pursuit began just after 11.50am, when the licence plates of a silver BMW car travelling on the Great North Road were found […]
Predatory Taxi Driver Jailed for 12 Years After Raping Woman in Secluded Spot
A predatory taxi driver who laid in wait for his victim before taking her to a secluded spot and raping her has been jailed for 12 years. Ian Phillips, 48, worked for a cab firm but had clocked off and disabled his in-car camera to lurk near pubs and bars in Sunderland city centre in […]
Three dealers who conspired to supply cocaine in the North East have been jailed for a combined total of more than 32 years
Antonio Chiarella and brothers Liam and Tony Owens were brought to justice after their illicit scheme was uncovered by officers investigating as part of Operation Venetic. Chiarella, using the handles ‘crown-hawk’ & ‘Wuhan-ten’, coordinated the purchase and wholesale distribution of the Class A substance across the Newcastle area. The Owens brothers were directed by Chiarella, […]
A man has been found guilty of killing Northumberland man Andrew Peart
On August 23 last year, police were contacted by medical staff at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington who were caring for an injured man who was described as having catastrophic brain injuries. The man was identified as 39-year-old Andrew Peart, but despite the best efforts of medical staff, his condition deteriorated, and he […]
