Norwich Magistrates' Court Sentencing Results

Explore 12 verdicts at Norwich Magistrates' Court (Norwich). Updated with the latest court outcomes.

January 2026 2 cases

James Connell-Shaw

Failing to meet the welfare needs of animals *

Sentence

9 weeks imprisonment

James Connell-Shaw, 29, of Coronation Avenue in Nordelph, failed to meet the welfare needs of two dogs, Princess (staffie cross boxer) and Talula (female staffie), by not providing a suitable environment, adequate care and supervision, and failing to address ear infections in Princess. The RSPCA attended his home multiple times due to reports of the dogs being left unattended in a filthy property. The outdoor area was dirty and cluttered with overflowing bin bags, broken furniture, glass, and soiled mattresses. Inside, the kitchen lacked flooring and was untidy with rubbish, and the living room had shut curtains. Officers sealed the property and later obtained a warrant to enter. Upon entry, they found piles of faeces and urine in the living room and utility room, with scratch marks on the door. The bathtub contained dirty blankets and fabric. Both dogs were rescued and examined by a vet, who confirmed Princess had suffered from a significant chronic ear infection for at least two weeks and neither dog had access to a suitable environment for normal behaviour.

Pleaded guilty to failing to meet the welfare needs of two dogs. District judge commented that the dogs were sentient living creatures treated abominably. Also given a ten-year ban on keeping all animals and ordered to pay a £134 victim surcharge.

16 Jan 2026

Leon Dowd

Assaulting a police officer *

Sentence

7 days imprisonment and £100 compensation

Leon Dowd, a man from King's Lynn, was arrested on Monday, January 6, 2026, during a police search as he was wanted on recall to prison. He assaulted a police officer during the incident. He was subsequently charged with two counts of assaulting a police officer.

Charged with two counts of assaulting a police officer. Wanted on recall to prison. Prior similar offence in November.

7 Jan 2026

October 2025 2 cases

Faruc-Emilian Alexandru

Theft from shops *

Sentence

30 weeks imprisonment and £1,378.50 compensation

Faruc-Emilian Alexandru, 36, of Cromwell Road, Peterborough, committed eight offences of theft from shops between September 2024 and October 2025 in King's Lynn, Cambridgeshire, and Nottinghamshire. The thefts included 25 cases of energy drinks worth £250 and 38 tubs of chocolate worth £168 from a store in Lynn, as well as other items worth more than £2,600 in total across multiple locations.

Pleaded guilty to eight charges of theft from shops.

13 Oct 2025

Viorel Constantin

Theft from shops *

Sentence

£440 costs and compensation

Viorel Constantin, 37, of Alma Road, Peterborough, committed two offences of theft from shops between September 2024 and October 2025 in King's Lynn, Cambridgeshire, and Nottinghamshire. The thefts were part of a series involving items worth more than £2,600 in total, including from stores in Lynn town centre.

Pleaded guilty to two charges of theft from shops.

13 Oct 2025

September 2025 2 cases

Mark Wilson

Shoplifting *

Sentence

2 weeks imprisonment

Mark Wilson, a 38-year-old man with links to King’s Lynn, was arrested after attempting to steal raincoats worth £339 from Mountain Warehouse in Norwich. He was wanted on recall to prison for breaching the terms of his licence and appeared in court, where he admitted the offence. The court determined that the offence was serious enough to warrant immediate imprisonment.

Pleaded guilty. The court justified the custodial sentence due to his flagrant disregard for people and their property. No compensation was ordered as the raincoats were recovered.

19 Sep 2025

Daniel Eldridge

Causing unnecessary suffering to an animal *

Sentence

12-month community order with 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days and 120 hours of unpaid work, £1,000 in costs, and banned from owning dogs for two years

Daniel Eldridge caused unnecessary suffering to a Patterdale Terrier named Spud by using it for badger hunting at a farm in Marshland St James and failing to seek veterinary care for severe facial injuries, including skin avulsions from the lips and chin, likely caused by a badger bite. The injuries occurred between December 1 and 4, 2021, and January 11 and 15, 2023, resulting in the dog suffering for at least three to four days without pain relief. Additionally, evidence showed he illegally docked the tails of six puppies, a procedure not permitted under the law.

Pleaded guilty to three offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The judge remarked on his deliberate disregard for the dog's welfare. In mitigation, his lawyers claimed the incidents occurred during legal hunts and noted his good character, brain injury from 2018, and reflection on actions.

18 Sep 2025

May 2025 1 case

Craig Bragg

Burglary *

Sentence

8 weeks imprisonment

Craig Bragg, 30, of Tennyson Avenue, burgled two town businesses over the recent bank holiday weekend by breaking into a building on King Street and stealing over £1,500 worth of items, including laptops and electricals.

Admitted to breaking into a building. The vast majority of stolen goods were recovered and returned to the owners.

29 May 2025

September 2024 1 case

Robin Couzens

Arson *

Sentence

27 months imprisonment

Robin Couzens was jailed for attempting to burn down two shopping centres, including Chantry Place, after committing arsons that targeted these locations.

Released after three months and later arrested for returning to one of the shopping centres.

2 Sep 2024

August 2024 1 case

Matthew Oarton

Theft *

Sentence

46 weeks imprisonment

Matthew Oarton, 39, of no fixed address, was involved in a series of incidents in Norwich between January and July 2024. On January 3, he was found with a machete in a bag and a small amount of cannabis after being spotted outside a home in Kett’s Hill. On May 22, he stole an electric bike from outside a gym in Copenhagen Way. On June 23, he stole a bracelet worth £1,100 from a second-hand shop in St Benedict’s Street and £145 of meat from a shop in Catton Grove Road. CCTV also captured him stealing items, including laundry products and alcohol, from the same shop on two other occasions. He was arrested on August 6 and remanded to court.

Pleaded guilty to four counts of theft from a shop, theft of a pedal cycle, possession of a bladed article and possession of cannabis. Ordered to pay a £187 victim surcharge.

7 Aug 2024

July 2024 1 case

Rafal Soltys

Production of cannabis *

Sentence

12 months imprisonment for production of cannabis and 4 months for abstraction of electricity, to be served concurrently

On July 7, 2024, a large cannabis farm valued at more than £100,000 was discovered at a property in north Norfolk. Rafal Soltys was arrested at the scene, taken to Aylsham Police Investigation Centre for questioning, and subsequently sentenced.

Aged 36. Charged with production of cannabis and abstraction of electricity. All drugs and related paraphernalia were forfeited and destroyed.

9 Jul 2024

October 2023 1 case

Hallum Elgood

Shoplifting *

Sentence

12 weeks imprisonment

Hallum Elgood committed a series of shop thefts, stealing items such as pet products, laundry products, and meat from shops in Earlham Green Lane, Lovelace Road, and Colman Road between July 13 and August 9. The total value of stolen items exceeded £1,500. He was caught on CCTV, arrested for breaching his Criminal Behaviour Order, and subsequently sentenced.

Pleaded guilty to six shop thefts and admitted to a further 11 thefts. Issued a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order banning him from Co-op stores.

28 Oct 2023

February 2021 1 case

Sophie Carter

Breach of Criminal Behaviour Order and Restraining Order *

Sentence

18 weeks imprisonment and £173 costs

Sophie Carter, 26, breached a three-year criminal behaviour order (CBO) and a restraining order just days after it was imposed, following incidents between November 2020 and January 2021 where she attempted to coerce vulnerable residents into giving her money. She was arrested on February 7, 2021, after breaching the order and appeared via videolink to plead guilty.

Pleaded guilty to breaching a criminal behaviour order and a restraining order. The order was imposed to prevent her from coercing vulnerable residents into giving her money.

8 Feb 2021

Disclaimer: The information on this page is compiled from publicly available court records and published media reports. It is provided strictly for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as a definitive record of any individual's criminal history or legal status.

Offence names marked with an asterisk (*) reflect descriptions used in media reporting and may not correspond to the formal legal charge or indictment. Sentencing details are as reported and may be subject to subsequent appeal, variation, or correction by the courts.

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Norwich Magistrates Court Bishopgate, Bishopgate, Norwich NR3 1UP, Norwich, NR3 1UP, United Kingdom

+441603679500

Wheelchair accessible parking, Wheelchair accessible entrance

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About Norwich Magistrates' Court

Norwich Magistrates' Court, located in Norwich, is a Magistrates' Court that deals with summary offences, some either-way offences, and preliminary hearings for more serious cases. With 12 sentencing records in our database, it serves the Norwich area and surrounding communities. Magistrates' Courts handle the majority of criminal cases in England and Wales, with cases heard by a bench of magistrates or a district judge.

The court can be found at Norwich Magistrates Court Bishopgate, Bishopgate, Norwich NR3 1UP, NR3 1UP.

Accessibility provisions at this court include wheelchair accessible entrance and wheelchair accessible parking.

For enquiries about cases heard at this court, you can contact the court by telephone on +441603679500.

All sentencing information published on this page has been sourced from publicly-available records and verified by our editorial team. If you believe any information is inaccurate or should be removed, you can submit a removal request directly from the relevant listing above.