Nottingham Crown Court Sentencing Results

T'Arnie Simpson carried out a slashing attack on Boxing Day, leaving a victim with a 'Joker-style' scar in Nottingham. The incident involved violence that resulted in significant injury, and Simpson was identified as the perpetrator.

Steven Mayfield, a junior school teacher from Gedling, was driving to work when he overtook an Audi at speed on Shelford Hill in Shelford on July 8, 2024. He pulled in too quickly, clipping a cyclist who was wearing reflective clothing and had reflective equipment. This caused the cyclist severe injuries, including a fractured right forearm that required surgical removal of a metal fragment believed to be from Mayfield's car. The victim spent two days in hospital, suffered sleep disturbances, and has been unable to cycle that route or engage in family activities as before.

Ben Straw conducted a nine-month campaign of controlling and coercive behaviour against his partner between February and November 2023. This involved placing tracker devices in her handbag and car, altering security cameras to monitor her movements, accusing her of infidelity with her employer, and invading her privacy by checking her WhatsApp messages and perfume usage.

On December 26, 2021, in Truman Close, St Ann’s, Nottingham, an argument broke out involving the victim and a group including Tyree Wilson. The victim and his girlfriend were arguing outside when she approached a parked Mercedes containing Wilson, T'Arnie Simpson, and another man. The victim followed and argued with the group, leading to a scuffle where the group rushed him. Wilson was present and participated in the incident but did not wield the knife. The victim sustained a slash wound to the face, leaving a permanent scar.

On January 4, 2025, at the family home in Devitt Drive, Hucknall, Robert Steptoe, while intoxicated, confiscated a bottle of rum from his wife and pushed past her aggressively. He later retrieved an air pistol from the garage, pointed it at his son, and threatened to shoot any police who arrived. The family, fearing for their safety, locked themselves in a bedroom. Police were called, and Steptoe handed over the weapon. He has no previous convictions.

On March 2, 2022, Jayden Greenfield fled from police in Bulwell after they attempted to stop him on Commercial Road. He accelerated to speeds of 40mph in a 20mph zone on Ravenshead Road, failed to stop, made a jolty movement towards a police car in an attempt to ram it, braked hard leaving him on the wrong side of the road, and exited the moving vehicle. He was arrested nearby and had a passenger in the car at the time.

Shaun Beckford became involved in a parking dispute in Player Street, Radford, on May 8, 2022. He lost his temper and retrieved a wooden implement from an address, which residents mistook for a machete, raising it above his head and making threats. The incident involved children and other residents who tried to intervene. Beckford claimed it started because he believed the other man was selling drugs near his mother’s address. He has nine previous convictions but none since 2013.

Zakariya Navid was driving his Audi A3 at speeds between 56mph and 58mph in a 30mph zone on Alfreton Road, Bobbers Mill, on March 17, 2023. Despite wet and dark conditions, he failed to slow down or avoid the victim, who was crossing the road. Navid was uninsured, did not stop immediately after the impact, drove through a red light, and later returned to the scene. The collision resulted in the victim's death at the scene.

On September 16, 2024, Andrew Mayfield contacted Nottinghamshire Police to report a blackmail attempt via social media, accusing him of exchanging explicit messages with a teenage boy. He handed over his mobile phone, which contained indecent images and messages, some of which he had tried to delete. A forensic examination revealed multiple indecent images of children. Despite being released on conditional bail prohibiting contact with anyone under 18, he ignored the conditions and exchanged explicit messages with decoys he believed to be teenage boys. This led to further arrests, including for similar offences with another decoy believed to be 14 years old. He was remanded into custody and charged with multiple sexual offences.

Juraj Argay, while heavily intoxicated, returned to the Hammer and Wedge Club in Edwinstowe after an argument and punched 68-year-old the victim in the face on January 19, 2025, causing him to fall and sustain a catastrophic brain injury. Argay had earlier been bragging about being a bare-knuckle fighter and challenging others to arm wrestles. The victim required part of his skull to be removed and is unlikely to regain consciousness or live independently, leading to a lifetime in a care home.

Scott Walters, from School Street in Syston, repeatedly turned up at the victim's workplace on October 12 and October 25, 2024, identifying himself and being told to leave each time. He was arrested at Nottingham railway station. This followed a previous conviction for stalking the same victim in 2023, for which he served 16 months in prison. Walters became obsessed and fixated with the victim since 2019, sending over 400 emails to police officers involved in the case, causing the victim to live in fear and feel her life was ruined.

Tautvydas Balionis abducted a 15-year-old girl from her parent or carer between August 29, 2024, and September 1, 2024. The girl went missing from her home in Derbyshire and was found at his address on Victoria Road, Netherfield. Police investigations revealed they had contacted or attempted to contact each other 1,541 times between August 22 and 30. He claimed he reasonably believed she was 16 and that the friendship was appropriate despite the 12-year age gap, but the judge highlighted his encouragement of her infatuation.

Rayner Middleton was driving a car at speed when she struck and killed the victim, an 89-year-old woman on a mobility scooter who was crossing Huntingdon Street on her way to help a homeless man.

Justin Davis deliberately set fire to a mid-terraced property in Booth Crescent, Mansfield, in the early hours of March 13, 2025, using lighter fluid in the kitchen. The fire endangered lives, as a dog and a pet rabbit were inside; the dog escaped, but the rabbit perished. The residents, a woman and her daughter, had already fled to a neighbour's house due to Davis's volatile and drunken behaviour. The woman suffered smoke inhalation requiring hospital treatment after attempting to re-enter the property. The act caused extensive damage and was motivated by anger and spite following a argument, including cruel comments about a past miscarriage.

Kieran Bennett, a 30-year-old welder from Bulwell, strangled his former partner during an argument over money at her house in Arnold, while their two young children were present. He also threw a beer can at her and punched her, causing a cut to her face. This incident occurred while he was subject to a previous restraining order issued earlier in the year for harassing her. The argument escalated after they met for Father's Day, and he lost control briefly.

Nathan Hames, aged 23, was a passenger in a car driven by Kallumn Dolan when police stopped them in Ravenshead. Officers smelled cannabis, and a search revealed a deal bag of crack cocaine, cannabis, and £22,760 in cash in the footwell. Hames was charged with possessing criminal property (the cash) and possessing a Class B drug. He pleaded guilty to both offences. No evidence linked him to the reported burglary.

Andrew Campbell, a former Nottinghamshire Police officer, amassed a collection of weapons including modified firearms, crossbows, knives, batons, and knuckle dusters at his home in Nottingham Road, Toton, and a connected storage unit. These items were discovered during a search in January, and he was convicted for possessing prohibited weapons.

Samuel Kelham attacked his ex-partner on her birthday in December of the previous year. He kicked in the door of her home, injuring her nonverbal autistic daughter who was behind it, then punched and kicked her, knocking her into the bathroom and putting his hands around her throat while threatening to kill her. The assault continued for around 25 minutes inside the home, after which she fled outside with her daughter, but he followed and dragged her to the ground, kicking her in the face and body, causing a shattered eye socket and fractured jaw that required a metal plate. He later messaged her to apologise and was arrested after damaging a police car.

Gary Hardy headed an 'assassination kit' gang, involved in supplying weapons and other criminal activities, leading to his conviction for organised crime offences.

Ronald Knowles acted as the armourer, converting blank firing handguns into viable firearms at his home. He was paid by Gary Hardy and supplied over 30 weapons, which were part of a large-scale enterprise selling firearms to criminals. Police seized various weapons from his property during a raid in August 2023.

Jason Hill, involved in drug dealing, purchased a live weapon supplied by Steven Houston as part of the 'assassination kits' operation. This was linked to a larger conspiracy involving the manufacture and distribution of firearms to criminals.

Steven Houston, a leader of an organised crime group, received and distributed 'assassination kits' supplied by Gary Hardy. He provided weapons to criminals, including convicted murderer Jason Hill, as part of a far-reaching enterprise involving the manufacture and sale of firearms for use in crimes across the country.

Edward Vines harassed BBC broadcaster the victim for nearly 30 years by sending letters to her and her parents, breaching a restraining order imposed on September 5, 2022. The letters expressed distress over the end of their university friendship and included claims of depression. He sent these from HMP Lowdham Grange between May 2023 and February 2024 while already serving a prison term, leading to his conviction.

Julian Mead, 41, of Welstead Avenue, Aspley, attacked the victim with a hammer on October 1, 2024, outside the victim's home in Cinderhill. He chased the victim across the road, hitting the victim multiple times with a wooden hammer, causing fractures to the victim's skull, face, shoulder blade, and three ribs. The attack was part of a planned operation, fuelled by cocaine, to steal the victim's pedigree British Bulldog named Winnie for breeding purposes. Another unidentified man was involved in restraining the victim's partner and stealing the dog. Mead was arrested a week later, with evidence including matching footprints and cell site data from his mobile phone.

Roy Shepard, while living as a lodger at his former partner's address in Anderson Crescent, Beeston, threatened the victim with a knife as he lay in bed, including threats to slit his throat and burn the house down with both inside, on the evening of August 16 of the previous year. Additionally, around August 7, he sent a barrage of abusive messages to another ex-partner, threatening to kill him at his workplace. His erratic behaviour was linked to alcohol consumption and stopping his medication.

Dean Kirkby subjected his girlfriend to a sustained three-hour assault on December 23, 2024, at her address in The Meadows, Nottingham. The attack involved strangling her until she almost passed out, head-butting her, kicking her in the ribs, threatening to kill her and drain her blood, attempting to stab her with a fork, and preventing her escape by pulling her back from a first-floor window. He also urinated on her bed and threw a TV at her. While in custody, he assaulted a police officer.

Ian Barnes, a 33-year-old disqualified driver, led police on a high-speed chase in Hucknall on May 17, 2025, reaching speeds of up to 120mph, overtaking dangerously, swerving onto the wrong side of the road, and exceeding 80mph in 30mph zones. The pursuit ended in a crash at the junction of Ward Avenue and Wighay Road, where he attempted to evade responsibility by jumping into the back seat and instructing passengers to claim they were driving. A female passenger reported shaking in fear of losing her life.