Newcastle Crown Court Sentencing Results

Jamie Harding, an off-duty pub manager, engaged in a street attack in Whitley Bay in July 2023. He argued with the victim over the victim's alleged persistence with a woman, punched the victim repeatedly, followed him, and later bit the victim's left ear, partially detaching it. The victim required surgery to reattach the ear, suffered scarring, and experienced psychological effects, leading him to move away. Harding was involved in a melee where the woman was knocked unconscious.

Stephen Robinson engaged in a campaign of stalking against his former partner from November 30, 2024, to March 10, 2025. He bombarded her with unwanted contact, including turning up at her home, repeatedly calling and messaging, sending gifts, posting on social media, sexually harassing her, making threats to blow up her house and harm others, and physically grabbing her on occasions. This left her feeling unsafe, isolated, and in fear for her life.

On November 6, 2023, at her home in Felling, Gateshead, Toni Powell smashed a ceramic plant pot over the head of a police officer who was assisting in the arrest of her daughter. She claimed officers were using excessive force, but body-worn footage showed this was not the case. The officer sustained a head injury, including a wound that required gluing at the hospital, and experienced dizziness, sickness, and pain for around four months.

David Bloomfield, 56, of 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.

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.

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 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 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, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.