Guildford Crown Court Sentencing Results

Kolawole Erunkulu, a taxi driver, fell asleep at the wheel and caused a fatal collision on the A23 in Merstham shortly before 6.30am on 17 August 2025. He had been driving for around 53 hours over the previous three days and had been working for around 12 hours before the collision. His car veered across the carriageway into a layby and struck a 59-year-old man who was standing by his parked car; the man died at the scene. Erunkulu's own camera footage showed him experiencing microsleep episodes before the collision. He pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

Benjamin Usher intentionally strangled a woman on November 16, cutting off her breathing, then pushed her to the ground and punched her in the face, leaving her with a black eye and haemorrhaging. On January 29, he attacked the same woman while she was asleep in bed, repeatedly striking her with a sealed beer can, which burst and left her with two black eyes and haemorrhaging.

Susil Pun became obsessed with a woman he believed he was in a fictional relationship with and sent threatening messages to her and her parents, including threats of death and serious sexual assault. He was reported as a high-risk missing person by his family in early July 2025, and officers found the messages on his phone. The victim did not know his name until officers told her and did not know him well, though they had been in the same year at college.

Between 2006 and 2009, Simon Thornton committed sexual offences against a child, including sexual activity with a child over 13 and taking indecent images. The abuse targeted one victim and only came to light in October when officers arrested Thornton. Police said his crimes have affected the victim through childhood and into adult life, causing low confidence, depression and difficulties in building trusted relationships.

Benjamin Whitcher, a former Metropolitan Police officer, was twice caught speeding on camera on the M3 in Sunbury, Surrey in April 2021. When contacted by police, he falsely claimed he was not the driver on both occasions. He resigned from the police ahead of a misconduct hearing.

In the early hours of 11 May 2025, Eden Mander drove a Toyota Yaris while over the legal alcohol limit at traffic lights on Epsom High Street, colliding with a stationary motorcycle. The motorcyclist was thrown from the bike and suffered serious injuries requiring multiple surgeries and ongoing medical treatment. Mander's car overturned and struck another vehicle. He fled the scene without assisting victims or calling emergency services, but was later located by police and admitted driving. Roadside breath test indicated he was over the limit, and blood analysis later confirmed an alcohol level of 121mg per 100ml (legal limit 80mg). Forensic reconstruction estimated his level at the time of the crash was around 186mg per 100ml.

John Maddox sexually abused multiple children aged between eight and 15 at his home in Farnham between 1972 and 2004.

Between January 1, 2017, and June 11, 2025, Ernie Jones subjected the victim to repeated controlling and coercive behaviour, which had a serious effect on her. During that time, she was assaulted on multiple occasions. The court heard Jones punched and kicked the victim in the face, stamped on her head, threatened her with a knife and damaged her property, including her phone. He also subjected her to verbal abuse, prevented her from seeing her children and threatened to take them away or report her to social services. On February 23, 2025, Jones assaulted the victim while driving her car. She was in the passenger seat and two young children were in the back. After a disagreement about brambles damaging the vehicle, Jones began beating her while the car was stationary at traffic lights, causing injuries amounting to actual bodily harm. Jones was arrested on May 21, 2025, and released on conditional bail. Between May 19 and June 10, he breached those conditions on several occasions through repeated unwanted contact, leading to a stalking charge. His behaviour during that period included frequent communication, turning up unannounced at the family home, contacting relatives and making threats, causing the victim serious distress.

Brian Manders sexually abused a child repeatedly over several years in the 1970s and 1980s before she reached the age of 16. He also forced another girl to be present during the attacks and abused her too, although he was not tried for those offences. The court heard victim statements describing ongoing effects on mental and physical health and relationships.

Ben Price, 45, of Guildford, was involved in handling stolen goods from an organised crime gang that targeted vehicles, machinery and small businesses in thefts worth more than £347,000. The group targeted building sites, car parks and residential driveways during hours of darkness, stealing high-value 4x4 vehicles like Land Rovers and Range Rovers, along with vans used to transport small plant machinery. Offenders used stolen 'mission vehicles' with cloned number plates that were changed regularly. Stolen items were left parked for several days before being moved.

Freddie Stevens, 22, of Bordon, was part of an organised crime gang that targeted vehicles, machinery and small businesses in thefts worth more than £347,000. The group targeted building sites, car parks and residential driveways, stealing high-value 4x4 vehicles like Land Rovers and Range Rovers, along with vans used to transport small plant machinery. Offenders used stolen 'mission vehicles' with cloned number plates. While on bail, Stevens assisted in the theft of two Range Rovers used to ram into Clayden & Co Jewellers in Bognor Regis, stealing £30,000 worth of jewellery and causing £20,000 damage. DNA from blood splatter linked him to the scene.

James Sayers, 36, of Bramley, was part of an organised crime gang that targeted vehicles, machinery and small businesses in thefts worth more than £347,000. The group targeted building sites, car parks and residential driveways during hours of darkness, stealing high-value 4x4 vehicles like Land Rovers and Range Rovers, along with vans used to transport small plant machinery. Offenders used stolen 'mission vehicles' with cloned number plates that were changed regularly. Stolen items were left parked for several days before being moved.

James Smith, 38, of Guildford, was part of an organised crime gang that targeted vehicles, machinery and small businesses in thefts worth more than £347,000. The group targeted building sites, car parks and residential driveways during hours of darkness, stealing high-value 4x4 vehicles like Land Rovers and Range Rovers, along with vans used to transport small plant machinery. Offenders used stolen 'mission vehicles' with cloned number plates that were changed regularly. Stolen items were left parked for several days before being moved.

Ben Belhaj-Farhat, 38, of no fixed abode, was a passenger in a white Ford Transit van pursued by police on October 10, 2025, after it ran a red light in Addlestone. The van was driven extremely dangerously through Chertsey and Lyne and abandoned at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water. Belhaj-Farhat was found hiding in undergrowth nearby using police dogs and thermal imaging. The van contained a gun safe stolen from a burglary in Ockham earlier that day, where a homeowner's address was targeted at around 5pm, and a personalised birthday card with his picture linked him to the crime. He was arrested for conspiracy to burgle.

Junior Suban, 40, of Sullivan Court, Fulham, was a passenger in a white Ford Transit van pursued by police on October 10, 2025, after it ran a red light in Addlestone. The van was driven extremely dangerously through Chertsey and Lyne and abandoned at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water. Suban was found hiding in undergrowth nearby using police dogs and thermal imaging, with £255 cash on him. The van contained a gun safe stolen from a burglary in Ockham earlier that day, where a homeowner's address was targeted at around 5pm. He was arrested for conspiracy to burgle.

Samuel Russell, 37, of Sutton, was more than 10 times over the drug drive limit and nearly three times over the drink drive limit when he drove his vehicle and collided with pedestrian the victim on Bakeham Lane in Englefield Green on January 27, 2024. He had spent three hours consuming large quantities of alcohol and had taken cocaine in the early hours of that day. The victim, 62, was taken to hospital but died from his injuries. Russell had no memory of the collision.

Fawaz Ali participated in an organised crime group that laundered money from romance frauds, exploiting victims by creating fake online relationships to extract funds, with the group responsible for defrauding 99 victims of £1.8 million in total.

George Melseaux was involved in an organised crime group that laundered proceeds from romance frauds, where victims were deceived through false identities on dating platforms, leading to financial losses exceeding £1.8 million for 99 identified victims.

Ebenezer Tackie was part of an organised crime group that laundered proceeds from romance frauds, involving the use of false identities to deceive victims into sending money via dating websites and WhatsApp, affecting 99 victims with losses amounting to £1.8 million.

Michael Quartey was involved in an organised crime group that conducted romance frauds using fake identities on online platforms, tricking victims into transferring money for supposed emergencies or investments, resulting in £1.8 million in losses for 99 victims.