Newcastle Crown Court Sentencing Results

On March 24, 2022, Michael Sharp was involved in an argument in a back lane on Fenwick Street, Penshaw, Sunderland, accusing a woman of fly-tipping and moving his wheelie bin. He became aggressive and hit the woman. A man intervened to protect her, leading Sharp to later arm himself with a large mallet and a knife. Sharp attacked the man at his home, stabbing him in the neck, causing a wound under his chin that extended to the floor of his mouth. The victim suffered severe physical and psychological effects, including panic attacks, scarring, voice changes, weight loss, and required surgery and counselling for depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

David Bloomfield, 56, of Craster Gardens, Wallsend, sent sexual messages to a decoy account he believed belonged to a 14-year-old girl named Olivia. The conversations became explicit, with him suggesting kissing and sex, sending images of underwear and bikinis for her to wear, and sharing images of his penis. He arranged to meet her in October 2022, but was detained outside his address by Yorkshire Predator Hunters, leading to his arrest.

Paul Wallis, a 48-year-old from Ovingham, Northumberland, was previously convicted of sexual offences in 2021 and placed on the sex offenders’ register for life with a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) that prohibited unsupervised contact with children. He breached this order by befriending a family with a child and gaining unsupervised access in 2024. He was arrested in April 2024, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court in April 2025 where he pleaded guilty, and was sentenced on May 27, 2025. Police reported that he did not physically or sexually harm the child during this breach.

Stephen McLean, 25, of Cherrytree Square in Hollycarrside, Sunderland, sexually exploited a girl, groomed her, made threats including to sell her images to other paedophiles, and distributed indecent images of children online. Police searched his address in October 2024 following intelligence, seizing devices containing almost 500 indecent images, some sent by the victim. He had also sexually communicated with an undercover officer posing as a 12-year-old child. All offences breached an interim SHPO.

Kenneth Scott, a 69-year-old accountant from Crook, Durham, ran an accountancy firm from five bases across the North East. He orchestrated a £1.7 million tax fraud by charging clients VAT but failing to pay it to HMRC, and deducting tax and National Insurance from over 50 staff members without declaring it. This impacted employees' State Pension entitlements and benefits. Scott spent the proceeds on lavish holidays, including a £30,000 cruise, and an Aston Martin. He was arrested in April 2021.

Lee Cole of East Hill Road, Gateshead, posted a series of racist, homophobic, transphobic and antisemitic messages on social media and shared a video made by the proscribed extreme right wing terrorist group National Action. He was arrested in July 2024 after Counter Terrorism Policing internet specialists identified the material. He pleaded guilty at Newcastle Crown Court in January to six offences of inciting racial hatred through recklessness.

On October 3, 2023, in Shiney Row near Sunderland, the victim, 54, threw a stone at Christopher Bell's home in Maple Terrace, breaking a window. Bell, 45, left his door open while chasing the victim barefoot, allowing his two XL bully dogs, Titan and Sapphire, to escape. Titan overtook Bell, knocked the victim to the ground after about 100 metres, and latched onto his neck, causing catastrophic injuries. Bell pulled the dog off and called emergency services, but the victim died less than two hours later in hospital. Titan was destroyed at the scene, and Sapphire was euthanised. Prior incidents included Titan attacking a Yorkshire Terrier on July 26, 2022, and both dogs attacking another dog in June 2023.

Dilovan Sindi entered a barber shop on May 23, 2023, carrying a can of petrol. He poured petrol over furniture and several people inside, then ignited it with a lighter, causing an explosion. This resulted in serious burn injuries to himself and others, including one victim with 65 per cent burns who required months of hospital treatment. A child and his father suffered psychological effects, and the incident stemmed from Sindi's belief in a financial interest in the business.

Charlie Jovanovic, along with Valentino Nikolov, Giacomo Nikolov and Jela Jovanovic, targeted high-value properties in the North East, including the home of a Liverpool striker in Darras Hall on April 4, 2024, stealing cash (£5,000-£10,000), jewellery (£68,000), an empty safe, and keys to an Audi car which was later stolen and damaged. They conducted surveillance near Newcastle United's Benton training ground. Earlier, on March 31, 2024, they burgled the home of a couple in Jesmond, stealing items worth over £1 million including a safe with CBE medal and gold coins, watches, designer clothing, jewellery, and handbags. On April 1, 2024, they targeted a single mum's home in Whitburn, South Tyneside, stealing designer handbags, jewellery, and shoes worth over £100,000. The gang used a Citroen C3, wore masks and gloves, exchanged number plates, and switched off phones to avoid detection.

Valentino Nikolov, along with Giacomo Nikolov, Jela Jovanovic and Charlie Jovanovic, targeted high-value properties in the North East, including the home of Liverpool striker the victim in Darras Hall on April 4, 2024, stealing cash (£5,000-£10,000), jewellery (£68,000), an empty safe, and keys to an Audi car which was later stolen and damaged. They conducted surveillance near Newcastle United's Benton training ground. Earlier, on March 31, 2024, they burgled the home of the victims in Jesmond, stealing items worth over £1 million including a safe with CBE medal and gold coins, watches, designer clothing, jewellery, and handbags. On April 1, 2024, they targeted a single mum's home in Whitburn, South Tyneside, stealing designer handbags, jewellery, and shoes worth over £100,000. The gang used a Citroen C3, wore masks and gloves, exchanged number plates, and switched off phones to avoid detection.

Giacomo Nikolov, along with Valentino Nikolov, Jela Jovanovic and Charlie Jovanovic, targeted high-value properties in the North East, including the home of the victim, a Liverpool striker, in Darras Hall on April 4, 2024, stealing cash (£5,000-£10,000), jewellery (£68,000), an empty safe, and keys to an Audi car which was later stolen and damaged. They conducted surveillance near Newcastle United's Benton training ground. Earlier, on March 31, 2024, they burgled the home of the victims in Jesmond, stealing items worth over £1 million including a safe with CBE medal and gold coins, watches, designer clothing, jewellery, and handbags. On April 1, 2024, they targeted a single mum's home in Whitburn, South Tyneside, stealing designer handbags, jewellery, and shoes worth over £100,000. The gang used a Citroen C3, wore masks and gloves, exchanged number plates, and switched off phones to avoid detection.

Jela Jovanovic, along with Valentino Nikolov, Giacomo Nikolov and Charlie Jovanovic, targeted high-value properties in the North East, including the home of the victim, a Liverpool striker, in Darras Hall on April 4, 2024, stealing cash (£5,000-£10,000), jewellery (£68,000), an empty safe, and keys to an Audi car which was later stolen and damaged. They conducted surveillance near Newcastle United's Benton training ground. Earlier, on March 31, 2024, they burgled the home of the victims in Jesmond, stealing items worth over £1 million including a safe with CBE medal and gold coins, watches, designer clothing, jewellery, and handbags. On April 1, 2024, they targeted a single mum's home in Whitburn, South Tyneside, stealing designer handbags, jewellery, and shoes worth over £100,000. The gang used a Citroen C3, wore masks and gloves, exchanged number plates, and switched off phones to avoid detection.

James Aspin published a video on TikTok on or before 8 August 2024, which was threatening and intended to stir up religious hatred, contrary to Section 29E of the Public Order Act 1986.

On October 15, 2023, Steven Wallace, who was more than five times over the drug driving limit, drove his BMW 320i at excessive speed on a residential street in West Denton, Newcastle, while showing off to a passenger. He lost control of the vehicle after taking a roundabout far above the 30mph limit, swerving across the road and colliding with a bus stop where the 19-year-old victim and his girlfriend were waiting. The victim was killed instantly from severe head injuries, and his girlfriend sustained serious leg injuries requiring hospital treatment for five days. Wallace fled the scene after the crash.

On September 20, 2024, at around 9.30pm, Sean Bell, 34, of Goschen Street, Blyth, stole a BMW 1 series which the driver had left with the keys in the ignition while dropping off food. The victim tried to remove him from the driver's seat but Bell reversed into a parked car before pushing the victim to the ground and driving off. The BMW was later spotted by police on the A188 Benton Lane, in North Tyneside, weaving across the road. Bell drove off at speed, doing 50mph in a 20 zone, in heavy rain. Officers activated lights and sirens but he failed to stop. He was seen throwing a can of alcohol out of the window. Bell then lost control while a double decker bus headed towards him, causing the bus to collide with the car, which was pushed onto a grass verge. Bell ran away but was detained with the help of the police dog unit and found to be over the alcohol limit.

Kieran Usher participated in disorder in Sunderland on 2 August 2024, captured on CCTV initially donning a face-covering before encouraging others to participate in violence and throwing a missile at nearby police. He was later captured on camera again as part of a large mob throwing missiles at attending officers.

Leanne Hodgson, 43, of Holborn Road, Sunderland, repeatedly pushed industrial bins at a police line, deliberately ran into an officer, called another a racial slur, picked up a glass bottle as if to throw it, broke bricks to be used as missiles, and threw an object at a parked police vehicle smashing the windscreen, during disorder in Sunderland on 2 August. She was clearly under the influence of alcohol and shouting abuse at officers. Identified from social media videos. Tried to buy a balaclava earlier.

Andrew Smith, 41, of High Street East, Sunderland, played a role in the harmful disorder in Sunderland city centre last weekend, which was fuelled by deliberate online misinformation, creating fear for residents and damage to local businesses.

Bradley Makin, 21, of Simonside Road, Sunderland, played a role in the harmful disorder in Sunderland city centre last weekend, which was fuelled by deliberate online misinformation, creating fear for residents and damage to local businesses.