Portsmouth Crown Court Sentencing Results

Tia Paget drove an uninsured black Vauxhall Insignia at speeds of up to 130mph during a 13-mile police pursuit along the A34 and into Newbury. She failed to stop when police attempted to stop her near Whitchurch, undertook other vehicles at speed, weaved between rows of traffic, and cut up a lorry on a roundabout before being caught on the A339 in Newbury. She failed a roadside drug wipe for cannabis and cocaine.

Archie Phillips carried out an unprovoked road rage assault in Paulsgrove, Portsmouth, on 2 July 2025. The victim stopped his car to allow traffic through a narrow road when Phillips became aggressive, shouted racial abuse, got out of his vehicle, tried to open the victim's door, reached through the open window, grabbed the victim by the shirt and punched him in the face. The victim suffered a fractured cheekbone, facial bruising and ongoing vision problems. Phillips fled the scene but was later identified and admitted causing grievous bodily harm without intent.

Stephen Street, 65, of Gosport, was convicted of multiple sexual offences against a girl aged under 10, occurring between 2021 and 2024 at an address in Gosport. He was found guilty of seven counts of sexual assault of a girl under 13, one count of sexual assault by penetration of a girl under 13, one count of causing or inciting sexual activity with a girl under 13, one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, and one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child. At an earlier hearing he admitted six offences of making or possessing indecent images of children and one offence of possession of extreme pornographic images.

Mwiya Kamutumwa, 25, also known as “Kush” and of West Broyle, targeted local stores including Co-op, One Stop, and TK Maxx over a prolonged period, racking up 17 counts of shop theft. He also admitted 13 breaches of a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), plus burglary and obstructing a police officer. Identified via Sussex Police’s Operation Apprentice—aimed at prolific retail criminals—Kamutumwa showed total disregard for the law despite the CBO restrictions meant to curb his offending.

Edward Waller, a history teacher at St Anne’s School in Southampton, abused his position of trust by targeting and grooming a vulnerable 16- to 17-year-old girl between 2004 and 2006. He gave her extra attention due to her home issues, messaged her privately with increasingly sexual content including sexting and sending naked images of himself. In December 2005, he invited her to his home and had sex with her.

On 30 October 2025, police raided a cannabis farm on North End Avenue in Portsmouth, discovering a large number of cannabis plants. A subsequent search of a property on Manners Road uncovered around 100 more plants. The total value of the drugs seized was approximately £75,600. Topali was involved in the cultivation of these plants.

On 30 October 2025, police raided a cannabis farm on North End Avenue in Portsmouth, discovering a large number of cannabis plants. A subsequent search of a property on Manners Road uncovered around 100 more plants. The total value of the drugs seized was approximately £75,600. Vani was involved in the cultivation of these plants.

On 30 October 2025, police raided a cannabis farm on North End Avenue in Portsmouth, discovering a large number of cannabis plants. A subsequent search of a property on Manners Road uncovered around 100 more plants. The total value of the drugs seized was approximately £75,600. Haxhiaj was involved in the cultivation of these plants.

On 30 October 2025, police raided a cannabis farm on North End Avenue in Portsmouth, discovering a large number of cannabis plants. A subsequent search of a property on Manners Road uncovered around 100 more plants. The total value of the drugs seized was approximately £75,600. Cela was involved in the cultivation of these plants.

Vladyslav Cherniavskyi, 38, and Oleksandr Yavtushenko, 43, were caught aboard their yacht 'Uforia' by Border Force officers 4.5 miles off the coast of Chichester on 20 July 2025, smuggling four Albanian men and a teenage girl from Vietnam. They picked up migrants from the French coast before sailing across the English Channel. Previous occasions included June 2025, where CCTV showed Yavtushenko helping a young child, a woman, and a man board the yacht in France, and August 2024, where footage from Itchenor in Chichester showed six people with backpacks leaving the yacht and heading towards the village. The operation was supported by French police and prosecutors who shared crucial evidence.

Vladyslav Cherniavskyi, 38, and Oleksandr Yavtushenko, 43, were caught aboard their yacht 'Uforia' by Border Force officers 4.5 miles off the coast of Chichester on 20 July 2025, smuggling four Albanian men and a teenage girl from Vietnam. They picked up migrants from the French coast before sailing across the English Channel. Previous occasions included June 2025, where CCTV showed Yavtushenko helping a young child, a woman, and a man board the yacht in France, and August 2024, where footage from Itchenor in Chichester showed six people with backpacks leaving the yacht and heading towards the village. The operation was supported by French police and prosecutors who shared crucial evidence.

Bradley Talbot was a member of an international organised crime group that blackmailed more than 100 children worldwide into producing sexual abuse material. He used the username 'DaveTheStag' to market the material to paedophiles on Telegram, sharing links that included the victims' names and ages. In August 2024, officers searched his address and seized 19 devices containing thousands of indecent images of children. Evidence also showed he had incited a child to engage in sexual activity and had disposed of a hard drive and deleted the Telegram app on his phone days before the seizure.

Lee Comley was arrested on July 1 after a vigilante group live-streamed a confrontation with him before police arrived. A crowd of about 100 people formed, chanted and threw objects, requiring officers with riot shields and a temporary dispersal order. Comley had contacted a fake online profile purporting to be a 14-year-old girl via Facebook and WhatsApp, asking for bikini photos and then requesting naked images and sexual acts.

Leo Norman, a 46-year-old English and media teacher at St Anne’s Catholic School and Sixth Form College in Southampton, Hampshire, abused his position of trust by targeting three teenage girl pupils between 2014 and 2019. He paid them extra attention, complimented them, and took an interest in their personal lives to build trust, enabling him to touch them sexually and inappropriately. The offences included sexual touching on school premises, such as in his office, and making inappropriate comments that left the victims feeling confused and uncomfortable.

Olegas Podolianko, aged 53, was caught exposing himself near a children’s play area at Bognor Regis Beach. Alert parents spotted the act, confronted him, and prompted police to arrest him.

Steven Colin Hardy, of no fixed address, stabbed a 32-year-old victim in the back from behind outside a café on West Street in Fareham on the morning of 23 September 2024. The victim and his partner had been dining at the café and became unsettled by Hardy staring at them. As they left and walked near the Quay Street junction around 11am, the attack occurred. The victim initially thought he had been punched but soon realised he was seriously injured. He and his partner fled to the nearby police station for help, where witnesses saw Hardy hide the knife and follow them. Police arrested Hardy upon his arrival at the station, and he surrendered the weapon. The victim's injuries were not life-threatening, but the incident could have resulted in more serious harm.

Robbie Hawes was driving a blue BMW 120d at speeds exceeding 120mph in atrocious weather conditions with heavy rain and surface water on the road. The vehicle, carrying five occupants, lost control and crashed eastbound on the A27 Havant bypass at around 11.55pm on Saturday, 5 November 2022, resulting in the death of the victim at the scene.

On 20 December 2024, Inde Sneddon shouted homophobic abuse at a bus driver and smashed a bus window in Bognor. He then stole a metal motorcycle chain and used it to smash the windows of several parked cars in the Nyewood Lane area. When police arrived, he continued to wield the chain, threatened to kill a police officer, and kicked a police dog. He was arrested after a struggle during which he was bitten by a police dog.

Rachael Cole, 44, of Warren Close, Whitehill, committed 26 offences between July 4 and December 12, 2024, including 20 counts of shoplifting from stores such as Liphook Sainsbury’s, B&M Bordon, Tesco Fleet, Tesco, Waitrose, and Marks & Spencer in Haslemere, with total value of goods stolen just under £5,000. She also had four counts of failing to surrender to bail and one count each of driving while unfit through alcohol and assaulting a police officer after a car accident in Bramley near Guildford on October 29, 2024. Breath test showed 33 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath (limit 35). Behaviour suggested possible influence of other substances. Admitted all offences on January 10, 2025, at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court. Has been in custody since at least January 10, 2025.

On 18 August 2023, two Rottweilers owned by Chloe Taylor escaped from a property in Bognor and attacked the victim as he walked his dog. The victim suffered life-changing injuries, including amputations of his left leg, right arm, and left hand. The dogs were shot dead by firearms officers. Taylor pleaded guilty to being the owner/person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury.

On 18 August 2023, two Rottweilers owned by Matthew Roberts escaped from a property in Bognor and attacked the victim as he walked his dog. The victim suffered life-changing injuries, including amputations of his left leg, right arm, and left hand. The dogs were shot dead by firearms officers. Roberts pleaded guilty to being the owner/person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury.