Great Grimsby Crown Court Sentencing Results

Dawid Flis, a 37-year-old Polish lorry driver, smuggled an Albanian woman and her six-year-old child into the UK by concealing them in the bunk area of his HGV cab. He arrived at the Port of Killingholme, North Lincolnshire, from the Hook of Holland on 23 March 2024. The woman had agreed to pay 25,000 euros, having paid 12,500 euros so far, and arranged to meet Flis roadside in Holland.

On May 30, 2024, Kyle Ferguson, aged 30, engaged in a five-hour rooftop standoff at Coventry Close in Scunthorpe, hurling bricks and roof tiles at police officers. Nearly 30 officers responded to reports of a wanted man on the roof. During the incident, a firearm and ammunition fell from the roof. Ferguson climbed down and was arrested. He was also involved in affray, burglary, and theft.

Bradley Lamond, aged 24 from Welholme Road in Grimsby, groomed, 'love bombed', and engaged in sexual activity with a 12-year-old child. He was 18 when he first met the child, manipulated them into providing social media details, gained their trust, and coaxed them into sending explicit photos. Charged with nine counts of sexual activity with a child.

Lee Wray, 41, of Anlaby Road, west Hull, stalked his ex-partner's daughter and mother between May 2023 and January 2024 following the end of their five-year relationship. He appeared at the daughter's home multiple times, including three times in one week in March 2023, demanding to speak to his ex-partner and threatening to smash windows with a brick. Doorbell camera footage identified him, and he sent online messages demanding contact. The family hid in fear, and the behaviour caused significant distress.

Between October 2024 and November 2024, Vince McAllister used messaging apps to send sexually explicit messages to a decoy profile he believed to be a 12-year-old child. An investigation was launched in October 2024 by the South West Regional organised crime unit, during which online conversations continued for two months. He was arrested in January 2025 at his address on Ferry View, Thorngumbald. Over 100 electronic devices were seized and analysed, linking him to the offences.

On 12 July 2024, Jacob Rispin falsely reported to police that he was confronted by two shop workers at a vape shop in Cleethorpes over attempting to steal cigarettes, claiming one pulled him back by his hoodie and another threatened him with a sawn-off shotgun. This led to an investigation, including armed police detaining two shop workers on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, though no gun was found. CCTV footage and witness statements contradicted his story, and Rispin later confessed to fabricating the incident, admitting a prior verbal altercation with a shop worker but no connection to the false report. The shop workers were released without charge.

Danny McNaughton committed 18 counts of sexual offences against two children, including four counts of rape of a child, six counts of sexual activity with a child, three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, four counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child, and causing a child to engage in sexual activity. The offences were non-recent, and the victims bravely came forward, leading to his prosecution.

On Saturday 16 April 2022, Ashley Hutchison was involved in a street fight on Milton Road in Grimsby, which stemmed from retaliation for a fight the previous night outside the Bank Pub on Bethlehem Street. During the altercation, Hutchison damaged a car with a machete while a woman was inside. The woman exited the car to plead with the men to leave, and as she turned around, Hutchison swung a gardening tool at her several times, eventually hitting her over the head. She was knocked unconscious and suffered a life-threatening head injury, requiring surgery and remaining in critical condition for three weeks. She continues to receive treatment for life-changing injuries.

Christian Sollitt groomed a girl by bombarding her with thousands of emails, voice messages and video calls. He arranged to pick her up from school and took her to isolated locations to abuse her. He was convicted of six counts of sexual activity with a child, three counts of making indecent photos of children, sexual communication with a child, meeting a child after sexual grooming, and possession of extreme pornographic images, some showing children as young as three.

David Maddison was involved in a targeted arson attack on five vehicles close to homes in Barmouth Drive, Grimsby, in the early hours of 14 October 2025. CCTV footage showed him and another defendant emptying fuel over the cars and pouring it down the windscreens and into the engine compartments before they were set alight. Residents were evacuated as a precaution.

On 12 August 2025, Salter went bare-chested into a convenience store in Beverley Road, Hull, intoxicated. He asked for food and when refused began putting food down his tracksuit bottoms and racially abusing the shop assistant. He left and returned with others, again being abusive. The victim said he felt sick and feared for his safety, and was looking for another job. Salter had 182 previous offences and was in breach of a 14-month suspended sentence.

Gary Mills was involved in the aftermath of a targeted arson attack on five vehicles in Barmouth Drive, Grimsby, in the early hours of 14 October 2025. He later tried to sell a Volvo that had been used to flee the scene.

Dr Promise Agbi throttled a boy during an angry confrontation. He pushed the boy and put his hands around his neck while others shouted and screamed. The boy lost breath and thought his life was over. During the incident, the boy grabbed Agbi's groin area, which made him stop initially, but Agbi started strangling him again. The boy scratched him in self-defence. The victim said the violence left him emotionally impacted, unable to cry on several occasions.

In 2020, Anthony Merrikin, then 42, of Blundell Avenue, Cleethorpes, a builder and prominent charity founder, was convicted of grooming and sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl. He used his private professional office to isolate the teenager and engaged in repeated sexual activity, causing severe long-term trauma. The abuse was uncovered when his wife, suspecting an affair, installed a hidden camera in the office and discovered the footage. She immediately contacted the police. Merrikin had raised over £30,000 for good causes through his charity Memory Mascots, which the judge said he used as a mask for his calculated campaign of exploitation.

Jason Gladding was involved in a targeted arson attack on five vehicles close to homes in Barmouth Drive, Grimsby, in the early hours of 14 October 2025. CCTV footage showed him and another defendant emptying fuel over all five cars and pouring it down the windscreens and into the engine compartments before the vehicles were set alight. Residents were evacuated as a precaution.

Keith Newsum failed to have a suitable fire risk assessment in place, failed to take general fire precautions, failed to equip premises with appropriate fire detectors, did not provide self-closing fire doors and failed to ensure fire doors were not wedged open at a multiple-occupancy rental property in Bursar Street, Cleethorpes. A fire caused by a discarded cigarette swept through the property just over two years prior to sentencing, with fire alarms failing to activate, forcing tenants to flee for their lives.

On the evening of 6 January 2021, Kai Smith, then 17, was with Connor Hadi and Bradley Jenkins who drove a stolen black Nissan Qashqai with fake number plates to Castledale Croft in the Manor area of Sheffield. The group opened fire on a residential street targeting a 23-year-old man after a prior argument on Hastillar Road South. The man's mother was hit, suffering wounds to her shoulder, face, and head, requiring hospital treatment. The trio fled on foot after abandoning the car.

Stirling, a six-month-old kitten, died on 2 February 2024 after suffering multiple injuries from at least three separate incidents of physical abuse. Luke Wilcock, of Sherwood Road, Grimsby, took the kitten to a vet after it coughed up blood, suffered a fit and collapsed, but it was already dead. A post-mortem examination revealed repeated trauma including rib fractures sustained over different time periods and evidence of attempts to suffocate the cat via smothering. Wilcock denied causing unnecessary suffering but was convicted of two counts. He had previously taken the cat for treatment in November 2023 for injuries reportedly caused by a fall.

Matthew Somerfield was involved in a targeted arson attack on five vehicles close to homes in Barmouth Drive, Grimsby, in the early hours of 14 October 2025. Detectives reviewed CCTV from the surrounding area and saw him filling petrol cans at a petrol station around 45 minutes before the arson was reported. The cans were later identified as those used in the attack.

Dr Promise Agbi, 45, strangled a boy during a heated altercation. He shoved the victim and placed his hands around the boy's neck while others present shouted and screamed, causing the boy to lose breath. The victim believed his life was 'going to be over'. Agbi then grabbed the boy's groin area, which made him stop, but he began strangling the boy again, causing further loss of breath. The victim scratched Agbi in self-defence. The boy suffered significant emotional trauma, saying there were several occasions when he wanted to cry but could not.

Pamela Martin, 44, a teaching assistant, took indecent images of pupils while working at a school in South Yorkshire and shared them with her partner Christopher O'Kane. She was arrested on 8 January after indecent images were found on her devices following O'Kane's arrest on 10 December 2025.