Northampton Crown Court Sentencing Results

Aimee Duke, a 26-year-old prison officer at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, was caught on CCTV entering prisoners' cells on numerous occasions without any professional reason. She also took her personal bag into the prison wing, which was prohibited. In August 2022, a search revealed a piece of paper with a prisoner's ID number in her purse. She was arrested on September 23, 2022, and her mobile phone contained text messages showing intimate communications with inmates, including requests for pictures and expressions of wanting to be together. The relationship continued even after the inmate was transferred to another prison.

On February 19, 2025, Tony James used an accelerant to set a blue Mazda car on fire in Fotheringhay Road, Corby, causing £5,500 worth of damage. In the process, he accidentally set himself on fire, sustaining substantial burns. Police investigation identified him through forensic evidence and CCTV, leading to his arrest in his caravan where they discovered cocaine worth nearly £10,000 and some cannabis. He was charged with multiple offences related to the incident.

Hammanjulde Hammawa, a 65-year-old vascular consultant, was driving his black Mercedes and crossed double white lines to overtake a lorry while rushing to work. This dangerous manoeuvre resulted in a head-on crash with a silver Yamaha motorbike ridden by Maciej Stepien on November 29, 2022, near the village of Hargrave, Northamptonshire, leading to Mr Stepien's death at the scene.

Casey Edwards, 26, led police on a high-speed chase in a silver Mercedes C200 along the A45 near Great Doddington, Northamptonshire, on April 27, 2025. He reached speeds of 130mph on a 60mph dual carriageway, nearly forced a police car off the road near a broken-down vehicle, drove at 60mph through residential streets, went the wrong way around roundabouts, mounted a pavement, and performed dangerous undertaking manoeuvres. He crashed into a Kia Niro, causing minor injuries to its occupants, then lost control and collided with wooden bollards before stopping in a bush. He attempted to flee but was arrested after a short foot chase.

Iurie Gavrilita was driving a black Mercedes in Aldershot when police noticed suspicious behaviour on March 8, 2024. A search revealed 18 wraps of cocaine hidden in a sock in his underwear, £375 in cash, and two mobile phones in the vehicle. He was charged with possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of Class A.

Daniel Carter, a 35-year-old employed by the Raunds site of logistics giant DPD, stole electronic items worth an estimated £2,327 while working there. He was already a serving prisoner at HMP Fosse Way in Leicester at the time of sentencing.

Wayne Stead stalked a female victim and her partner for three months between August and November 2024. He visited her home address in Rushden, repeatedly messaged and called her, followed her when she left her home, and placed a surreptitious tracker on her car. The stalking had a substantial adverse effect on her usual day-to-day activities.

Louis De Zoysa shot and killed Metropolitan Police Sergeant Matt Ratana in a holding cell at Croydon's Windmill Road custody centre on September 25, 2020. While handcuffed, he retrieved a concealed .41-calibre revolver and fired multiple shots, hitting Sgt Ratana in the chest and thigh, leading to his death. De Zoysa also sustained injuries from his own gunfire. He was arrested earlier that day in Norbury and had bullets and cannabis on his person.