All 23 criminals who lost their liberty in May from murderers to pub row ear biter
Drugs gang members and a pervert were also jailed
Two Stoke-on-Trent murderers who launched a 'pure evil' arson attack on a family home, drugs gang members and a bungling burglar who got stuck climbing through a window were among the many criminals put behind bars in May. Also locked up during the course of the month was a knife-wielding ex-boyfriend and a young woman who stabbed her then partner on a romantic getaway in North Staffordshire.
Our reporters cover the latest proceedings at North Staffordshire Justice Centre, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, Stafford Crown Court, and other courts when local people are in the dock. Here's a round-up of the cases where criminals have been sent to prison by courts in and around the area during May...
Jacob Rose
A woman was forced to flee in terror to her neighbour's house late at night as her knife-wielding ex-boyfriend tried to hunt her down. Jacob Rose searched the street for his former partner who ran for her life after being attacked.
Rose, of no fixed abode in Nantwich, was found guilty of assault, intentional strangulation, and threatening a person with an offensive weapon at a trial at Chester Crown Court. The 31-year-old was sentenced to four years in prison.
Niamh Gallagher
A young woman broke down in tears as she was jailed for more than three years after stabbing her boyfriend on a romantic getaway to North Staffordshire. Niamh Gallagher was treating her then-boyfriend to a birthday weekend away at Quarry Walk Lodges in Freehay near Cheadle when she turned violent.
The then 19-year-old - who was high on cocaine - grabbed two knives from the kitchen, lunged at her victim and stabbed his leg. She then used a set of car keys to leave him with puncture wounds in his head during the January 2023 attack. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the violence erupted when Gallagher had been woken by her boyfriend after he found out she was cheating on him.
Tony Barnett
Bungling burglar Tony Barnett was caught - after getting stuck climbing through a window. The hapless criminal was caught red-handed by the homeowners who were woken in the middle of the night by him shouting, 'Help me. I am stuck'.
They called the police and the defendant was still stuck when officers arrived at the address on Century Street, in Hanley. Now the 55-year-old has been jailed for 18 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.
'Dmo' drugs gang
Members of a drugs gang known as 'Dmo' - whose ringleader had the name tattooed on himself along with the phrase 'can’t stop, won’t stop' - were jailed for a combined total of more than 46 years. Thirteen members have been sentenced for their involvement in the large-scale supply of class A and B drugs.
Six of those individuals who appeared at Chester Crown Court between April 30 and May 2 were handed immediate custodial sentences. The ‘Dmo’ drugs line operated within Congleton and surrounding areas between March 2020 and June 2023, supplying cocaine, MDMA, cannabis and other illicit substances.
Leo Deen
A pervert was ailed after he had sex chats on Facebook with a woman posing as a 15-year-old girl. Leo Deen even tried to video call the fake schoolgirl a number of times over eight days in late 2023 but she didn’t answer them.
Chester Crown Court heard the woman had set up the Facebook profile posing as the teenager on October 29, 2023 and she made it clear to him that she was 15. He initiated sexual conversation and even told her to be a 'good girl at school'.
Deen, now aged 61, and formerly of the Congleton area, was arrested on November 8. He appeared in court on April 28 for a trial after denying attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to cause or incite a girl 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity – no penetration, and attempting to cause a child 13 to 15 to watch or look at an image of sexual activity.
But the jury saw through his lies and he was found guilty in May. Now the defendant, of HMP Altcourse, has been jailed for four years made up of 28 months for three sex offences and 20 months for stalking and public nuisance. offences.
Daniel Askey
A drugs gang member who went on the run has been jailed. Justice has finally caught up with Daniel Askey after he was sentenced for his part in 'Scouse Chris' drugs line.
A total of eight men and one woman have already been dealt with for their roles in moving heroin, cocaine and cannabis between Liverpool and the Potteries from August 1, 2019 to January 16, 2020.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard 33-year-old Askey - who was using crack cocaine and heroin at the time - couriered a kilo of each of the drugs he was using between the two cities, as well as being involved in ‘street dealing’. Askey, of Evans Street, Burslem, was sentenced to 35 months and two weeks imprisonment.
James Hall
Controlling James Hall restrained and kicked his girlfriend during a torrid relationship where he demanded images to confirm just where she was. Now the 32-year-old is behind bars after spying on the woman and 'monitoring her movements'.
Detectives said Hall's actions caused the victim 'an immense amount of distress' as the thug starts his jail term. The defendant, who previously lived in Sandbach, is said to have been in an on/off relationship with the woman since 2021.
Kieran Mountford
Thug Kieran Mountford threw a puppy at a wall and left a woman in hospital after two relationships turned abusive. The 22-year-old verbally and physically assaulted two different girlfriends over a number of years.
His violent behaviour included hurling a three-month-old dog as a way of controlling one of his terrified victims, as well as strangling one of them and regularly beating them up.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard one of the women was hospitalised after he attacked her for forgetting her PayPal password when he wanted to buy himself something online. The incident left her with two black eyes and a temporary visual impairment. Now Mountford - who the judge described as a 'nasty boy' - has been jailed for three years and 10 months.
Lakan Illsley
Drugs kingpin Lakan Illsley used youngsters to peddle drugs - with some sent more than 130 miles from home. But the 28-year-old's operation began to fall apart when cops caught two youngsters at a train station loaded up with cocaine and heroin.
Now the Staffordshire dad has been hit with a 10-year jail term for different offences. British Transport Police (BTP) say Illsley, of Beresford Close, Burton, had used teenagers to transport drugs across the rail network.
Amarilinto Mersinllari
A man has been jailed after he was caught cropping cannabis plants inside a property in Stoke-on-Trent. Amarilinto Mersinllari, originally from Greece, was found with four Albanian accomplices inside a property in Monsal Grove, Birches Head, filled with 189 plants.
Officers swooped on March 1 after his neighbours reported a strong smell of cannabis. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Mersinllari carried out the crime due to ‘financial difficulties’ he suffered after migrating to the UK. The 27-year-old had entered the country legally with the intention to work in bars, but he struggled to find employment.
Kisielius Naglis
A teenage drug dealer was caught - after he was involved in a car crash. Kisielius Naglis approached officers following the two-vehicle collision in Nile Street in Cobridge.
But the officers noticed a strong 'whiff' of cannabis and ‘three large bags containing vegetation’ worth £1,000 were recovered. A Snapchat account under the name ‘Flavours’ was also discovered, suggesting that he had intent to supply.
Stoke-on-Trent Court heard Naglis - who was 19 at the time - was caught in February 2023, just one month before his probation would’ve ended for the same offence, which he was handed a suspended sentence for in 2021. The defendant has been jailed for 13 months.
James Evans and Justin Keeling
Two teen arsonists who started a fire that saw 350 people from five streets evacuated have been jailed. And detectives say families are still affected by the Crewe blaze which put scores of lives at risk.
Now 19-year-old James Evans, and Justin Keeling, formerly Evans, aged 18, are behind bars after setting fire to a former print works.
Daniel Tatters and Dale Francis
Two Stoke-on-Trent murderers were jailed for life for launching a 'pure evil' arson attack on a family home in what may have been a case of 'mistaken identity'. Daniel Tatters and Dale Francis were handed respective minimum terms of 34 and 36 years for the murder of Akashdeep Singh, 26, and three counts of attempted murder.
A three-week trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court heard Tatters was filmed by a security camera as he smashed and removed a bay window at the home of Mr Singh, before using petrol and a lighter to start the blaze. Tatters was filmed callously running away as a fireball erupted, with 'violent' flames immediately engulfing the semi-detached house and trapping victims inside.
Dominic Davis
An axeman was jailed - just 24 hours after being arrested. Dominic Davis was discovered with the axe inside a backpack on Brampton Road, in Newcastle-under-Lyme, on Wednesday, May 21.
The 22-year-old, of no fixed address, was arrested, questioned, charged, and handed a 26-week prison term at North Staffordshire Justice Centre after he admitted possessing the 12-inch axe in public.
Nathan Hammersley
Dad Nathan Hammersley bit off part of a man's ear after a row in a pub. The 23-year-old was out drinking with his dad Mark Hammersley and friend Nathan Williams when trouble erupted in The Village Tavern, on Leek Road, Joiners Square.
A couple had left the pub after a verbal spat and altercation with the Hammersleys. But Nathan Hammersley and his dad followed, dragged the man out of his car, and assaulted him. During the fight Nathan Hammersley bit off part of the man's ear and damaged the victim's car. Williams joined in when he saw the victim getting the better of 44-year-old Mark Hammersley.
Despite the best efforts of medics the man's ear could not be reattached and the victim has been profoundly affected. Now Nathan Hammersley has been jailed for 40 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Mark Hammersley was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and 23-year-old Williams was handed a 12-month community order.
Ricky Williams
Dad Ricky Williams has been jailed after he was caught with £25,000 worth of cocaine stashed down his pants. The 27-year-old had collected the drugs from Coventry.
But he was stopped on his way home as he exited the M6 at junction 15 for Stoke-on-Trent South. Police found a small amount of cannabis in the car and an analysis of the defendant's iPhone linked him to the supply of cocaine and cannabis.
He was taken to custody where officers recovered the stash of cocaine. They searched Williams' partner's address, where he stayed, and found £1,320 worth of cannabis. Now Williams has been jailed for 45 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.