Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court Sentencing Results

Explore 26 verdicts at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court (Newton Aycliffe, Newton Aycliffe). Updated with the latest court outcomes.

Ian Cummings

Theft from a shop

September 1, 2025

Sentence: 18 weeks imprisonment

On August 29, 2025, Ian Cummings entered Sainsbury’s at the Arnison Centre near Durham and stole food and household items worth £998.11. The theft was considered serious due to the scale of the items taken and his prior criminal history.

Pleaded guilty to theft from a shop. The offence was aggravated by disregard for other people’s property and his criminal record, which was taken into account at sentencing.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Jake Lee Kay

Assault causing actual bodily harm

August 28, 2025

Sentence: 48 weeks in prison

On the afternoon of June 14, Jake Lee Kay ran up to a woman and another individual in the street on Derwent Avenue in Crook and attacked the woman with a baseball bat. He then assaulted a neighbour who came to help, fracturing the neighbour's hand. Kay returned the following day and smashed the neighbour's window before being arrested shortly after.

Pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm, possessing an offensive weapon, assault by beating, and criminal damage. Ordered to pay £500 compensation to the victim whose hand was fractured and for the baseball bat to be destroyed.

Sources: chroniclelive.co.uk

Adam White

Criminal Damage

August 12, 2025

Sentence: £150 compensation

Adam White damaged a glass door at Cestrian Service Station on August 11, 2025, without lawful excuse. The property damaged was valued under £5,000, in breach of sections 1(1) and 4 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971.

Pleaded guilty to criminal damage. The court considered the guilty plea when deciding the penalty. A collection order was made to deduct the amount from benefits, to be paid within 14 days.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Carl Robinson

Shoplifting

July 30, 2025

Sentence: 40 weeks imprisonment

Carl Robinson, a 32-year-old from Parker Terrace, Ferryhill, was arrested after stealing meat and butter from Co-op and B&M stores in Ferryhill. He attempted to disguise himself by covering his face with a pair of boxer shorts and was captured on CCTV. He was charged with 10 shop thefts and one attempted shop theft, and he was identified due to prior interactions with neighbourhood officers. Robinson was described as Ferryhill's most prolific shoplifter, responsible for 14 out of 17 shoplifting charges that month, and the offences had a detrimental impact on store staff and the community.

Pleaded guilty to the offences. In breach of a previous conditional discharge for similar offences. Ordered to pay nearly £700 in compensation.

Sources: chroniclelive.co.uk

Daniel Crawford

Assault

July 10, 2025

Sentence: £200 fine, £50 compensation, and £85 costs

Daniel Crawford, 34, of no fixed abode from the Chester-le-Street area, assaulted a police constable during an incident in Durham on June 18, 2025. He also used threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, and resisted the police constable while the officer was carrying out his duty.

Pleaded guilty to assaulting a police constable and other offences. The offence was aggravated due to the victim being an emergency worker. Court took guilty plea into account.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Patricia Hewitt

Theft

July 1, 2025

Sentence: a fine and a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order banning her from Durham city

Patricia Hewitt walked into Poundland in Durham last month and stole underwear, including a bra, along with other items of clothing. Once outside the shop, she stripped naked in front of passers-by, dressed in the stolen items, and binned her old clothes.

Pleaded guilty to theft and a public order offence. She is 41 years old and of no fixed abode.

Sources: chroniclelive.co.uk

Mark Blanchard

Stalking

March 5, 2025

Sentence: 12-month Community Order with 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 80 hours unpaid work, plus 2-year restraining order

PC Mark Blanchard, a former Northumbria Police officer, engaged in stalking behaviour towards Person A between January 16 and January 27, 2025. This included repeatedly messaging them with emotional blackmail and suicide intimations, attempting five phone calls, visiting their house at least three times, sending emails, approaching them in a supermarket, and leaving a bouquet of flowers, bottle of red wine, and bag of dog food at their home. He also contacted Person A's son on January 28 with ominous messages. His Facebook posts on January 20 were perceived as directed at Person A. Person A felt uneasy, anxious, and scared, having repeatedly asked him to stop. Blanchard was arrested on January 21 and stated he was not in a good mental place.

Admitted the charge. Expressed remorse. Would have been dismissed from Northumbria Police if not retired.

Sources: chroniclelive.co.uk

Graham Michael

Breach of domestic violence protection order

October 2, 2024

Sentence: 19 days imprisonment

Graham Michael breached a domestic violence protection order by assaulting a woman at Chatton Close, Chester-le-Street on September 30, 2024, just six days after the order was issued.

Admitted to breaching a domestic violence protection order. The court emphasised the serious nature of the offence.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Kurt Lewis Dilks

Carrying on business as a scrap metal dealer without authorisation

October 2, 2024

Sentence: Fined £133, £53 victim surcharge, and £300 in costs

Kurt Lewis Dilks carried on business as a scrap metal dealer without authorisation between June 1, 2023, and July 13, 2023.

Pleaded guilty to carrying on business as a scrap metal dealer without authorisation. Payment deadline of October 31, 2024.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Paul Britton

Breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order

October 2, 2024

Sentence: Fined £660, £264 victim surcharge, and £150 in costs

Paul Britton breached a Public Spaces Protection Order by begging on Union Street, Darlington on June 8, 2024, in contravention of section 7(c) of the Public Spaces Protection Order – Darlington Town Centre number 1 of 2022.

Samantha Rush

Causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal

October 2, 2024

Sentence: Fined £576, £230 victim surcharge, £300 in costs, and disqualified from keeping horses for three years

Samantha Rush caused unnecessary suffering to a horse named Marvel by failing to address the animal's poor condition and weight loss between February 6, 2024, and February 29, 2024.

Barry Nesbitt

Causing unnecessary suffering to an animal

August 6, 2024

Sentence: Fined £80 and a two-year community order with up to 27 days' rehabilitation activity requirement

Barry Nesbitt caused unnecessary suffering to a dog by pinning it down, beating it, and throwing it across a room in Darlington on August 1, 2023. In a separate incident, between October 24 and November 12, 2023, he stalked a woman by repeatedly messaging her, tracking her whereabouts, attending her mother's address on November 9, 2023, and loitering outside her sister's address on November 11, 2023, amounting to harassment without causing fear, alarm, or distress.

Admitted offences of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and stalking; magistrates viewed animal cruelty as a brief loss of temper and poor judgement; also subject to a one-year restraining order and ordered to pay £199 in costs and surcharge.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Robert Peter Holliday

Driving whilst disqualified

August 5, 2024

Sentence: 18 weeks imprisonment

Robert Peter Holliday, a 37-year-old from Billy Row, Crook, was spotted driving his Ford Transit van whilst disqualified. He refused to stop for police in Staindrop on August 4, speeding up to 70mph in a 30mph zone before pulling over on the A688. He was arrested for driving whilst disqualified and having no insurance, and appeared in court the next day.

Pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified and having no insurance. He has six prior disqualifications and was remanded into custody overnight. The magistrates added a further 33-month driving disqualification and ordered him to pay more than £200 in court costs.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Christopher Thompson

Sending communications threatening death or serious harm

July 10, 2024

Sentence: Two-year community order with 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days and £199 towards court costs

Christopher Thompson made several threatening and abusive phone calls to the police, including threats to kill the Chief Constable and to stab an officer in the neck. He had a large kitchen knife tucked in his waistband when police arrived at his Darlington home on June 14, 2024. He was intoxicated and experiencing a mental health episode at the time.

Pleaded guilty; was intoxicated and suffering from a mental health episode; has a previous conviction for a similar offence; the judge warned of potential prison time for future offences.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Ashley Allan

Drug driving

July 10, 2024

Sentence: 12-month community order with 27 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 6-month drug rehabilitation order, 18-month driving ban, and £199 costs

Ashley Allan, 29, of Emerson Way, Newton Aycliffe, lost control of his car on Burnhill Way on January 4, 2024, after suffering a medical episode. He swerved across the road, nearly colliding with another vehicle before crashing into a tree. Tests revealed he had cocaine, cannabis, and benzoylecgonine in his system above the legal limits. This incident occurred amid personal struggles, including increased drug use due to grief over his mother's death and related financial debts that pulled him into criminality.

Pleaded guilty to the offense. Mitigating factors include diagnosis of PTSD and ADHD, loss of mother in 2024 leading to increased drug use and debts. Judge commented on his mental wellbeing issues and drug misuse, noting he had stayed out of trouble for the last five years.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Nikki Alderson

Fraud by False Representation

July 10, 2024

Sentence: 8 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and repay £3,900

Nikki Alderson stole £3,900 from an elderly couple in New Brancepeth by withdrawing cash from their bank account without reasonable excuse. She had been given access to their account to buy essentials as their health failed, between September 2023 and March 2024. The couple, who treated her like a daughter, had complete trust in her, but she betrayed that trust. One victim has since passed away, and the other is in a care home due to dementia. The family was devastated by the breach.

Pleaded guilty to theft and fraud by false representation. The court noted it was a breach of trust of vulnerable victims, committed over several months, and that she had already paid back £780. The chairman of the bench stated she could be rehabilitated and pay back the money.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Peter Harrison

Theft

May 19, 2024

Sentence: Detention until court hearing (already served) and £60 compensation

Peter Harrison stole a Gillette intimate grooming razor worth £60 from Boots in Darlington on May 13, 2024. He was detained in custody before his court appearance on May 19, 2024.

Pleaded guilty to the charge. Had been detained in custody prior to the court appearance.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Tracey Spensley

Theft

May 19, 2024

Sentence: Community order with 18 days of rehabilitation appointments and 300 hours of unpaid work, plus £87.30 compensation

Tracey Spensley, 34, of Salvin Street, Croxdale, Durham, stole 18 tubs of Lurpak worth £87 from the Co-op in Consett on April 20, 2024, and stole washing items worth £100 from The Range at Fieldon Shopping Park in Bishop Auckland on May 18, 2024.

Abigail Flatman

Shoplifting

April 14, 2024

Sentence: 24 weeks in prison

Abigail Flatman, a 21-year-old from Shildon, stole £70 worth of chocolate from Morrisons in Chilton or Newton Aycliffe on Saturday. She was banned from the shop under her Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), leading to her arrest on Sunday for multiple offences, including four shopliftings and two breaches of her CBO.

Ordered to pay compensation. Prolific shoplifter with a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO); arrested for six offences including four shopliftings and two breaches.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Grant West

Shoplifting

April 10, 2024

Sentence: 22 weeks in prison

Grant West, a 35-year-old from Ferryhill, stole £58.50 worth of Red Bull and chocolate from a Co-op in Ferryhill. He was arrested and charged with shoplifting, assault, and breaching a suspended sentence order.

Ordered to pay compensation. Charged with shoplifting, assault, and breaching a suspended sentence order.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Pamela Mary Brown

Causing unnecessary suffering to animals

March 6, 2024

Sentence: 11-week curfew from 9pm to 7am daily until May 21, with electronic monitoring

Between January and May 2023, Pamela Mary Brown neglected the well-being of two horses, Rosealee and Topsy, by failing to provide effective equine dentistry care and addressing their underweight and poor bodily conditions.

Pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to two horses; disqualified from dealing with horses for ten years, and ordered to pay a £114 surcharge and £300 in costs at £20 per month starting April 3.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Lee Henley

Theft

March 6, 2024

Sentence: Eight-month conditional discharge

On February 27, 2024, Lee Henley stole four men's Regatta coats worth £200 from Boyes Ltd in Consett; on March 1, 2024, he stole Lurpak butter valued at £32.90 from Village Store in Consett.

Pleaded guilty to two theft charges; ordered to repay £232.90 for stolen items and pay £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Gavin Engleby

Assault

March 5, 2024

Sentence: 12-month conditional discharge

On July 17, 2023, Gavin Engleby assaulted a man and caused criminal damage to the man's bicycle in Ryhope.

Pleaded guilty to assault and criminal damage; ordered to pay £200 compensation for assault, £581 for criminal damage, £85 costs to Crown Prosecution Service, and £26 surcharge, payable in £50 monthly instalments starting April 2.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Chelsea Mcstravick

Burglary

March 5, 2024

Sentence: £80 fine, £50 compensation for stolen cash

On November 6, 2023, Chelsea McStravick burgled the till area of a Morrisons store on Whiteheart Crescent in Darlington, stealing £50 in cash.

Pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary; ordered to pay £85 legal costs and a £32 surcharge, with payments in £20 monthly instalments starting March 19.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Toni Marsh

Drink driving

March 4, 2024

Sentence: Community order with 200 hours of unpaid work within a year, and 29 months driving disqualification (reducible by 29 weeks upon course completion)

On September 7, 2023, Toni Marsh drove a Vauxhall Corsa while having 125 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the legal limit.

Pleaded guilty to driving over the alcohol limit; ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £114 surcharge.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

Stuart Blackburn

Burglary

August 29, 2023

Sentence: 16 weeks imprisonment

On August 22, 2023, Stuart Blackburn entered the KFC on Wellington Street in Stockton as a trespasser and stole food items. He was found in possession of a claw hammer at the time of arrest. He appeared in court and was sentenced on August 29, 2023.

Admitted charges of burglary and going equipped for burglary. Offences committed while subject to a suspended sentence, which was activated. A claw hammer was ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.

Sources: thenorthernecho.co.uk

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