Preston Crown Court Sentencing Results

David Holt, director of V10 Polymers Ltd, operated a waste plastics recycling business at Rockcliffe Works, Paterson Street, Blackburn. Despite Environment Agency interventions from 2012, including a formal notice to remove waste and later issuance of an environmental permit in April 2014 requiring fire prevention measures, he stored excessive quantities of combustible plastic waste presenting a fire risk, breaching the permit. Permit revoked February 2016 with requirement to remove waste by 21 March 2016, but he continued illegal operations. Multiple fires occurred, including on 21 August 2017.

Dean Mercer, a mechanic, was recruited to repair a broken-down low loader carrying a stolen dumper truck. He carried out an emergency prop shaft repair on the vehicle before it could transport the stolen load out of Lancashire. His Ford Transit van was captured on CCTV travelling in convoy with the low loader as it was driven away from Bacup. He was paid £110 for around half an hour's work. The dumper truck was later recovered by police. Mercer had 21 previous convictions for 44 offences, including handling a stolen car and theft of plant machinery.

Gary Bates attacked his ex-partner on 17 January 2026, two days after being released from prison. He waited outside the house where she was staying, entered as she was leaving with a friend, punched her to the head, and assaulted the friend when she intervened. He then threw a dinner plate at the victim, causing a 3-4cm laceration above her eye that required 16 stitches and left significant scarring.

Police received information that child sexual abuse material had been shared from an IP address in Cleveleys. When officers searched Gary Hawkins' home in October 2023, they seized electronic devices. Forensic examination of an HP laptop found 98 indecent images of children stored in an area not readily accessible to other users, including 54 Category A images, 17 Category B and 27 Category C. The images had been downloaded between December 2020 and April 2023. Hawkins admitted he was solely responsible for the laptop's activity and initially claimed the images must have arrived while viewing adult pornography, but the court heard they had been deliberately stored.

Gary Kennedy stalked his ex-girlfriend over a 12-day period in May, bombarding her with abusive messages, damaging her home, breaking a door lock, smashing windows, throwing a beer bottle and fence panel, and striking her in the face. Her young daughter was in the house and was left terrified. He later drove dangerously while trying to evade police, reaching more than 105mph on the M55 and 100mph in a 50mph zone before losing control and crashing into a field.

Fakhrul Islam carried out a revenge arson attack on Seventy One Indian restaurant in Poulton while disguised in a blonde wig.

Emma Croft, Ryan Wellings' then partner, discussed the ongoing trial with him and instructed him on how to give evidence, including advising him to show emotion, mention self-defence and link incidents to the victim's mental health, in breach of a court order.

At around 4.04am on August 9 last year, emergency services were called to a stabbing on Church Street, near the Slug and Lettuce in Preston. A 21-year-old man suffered a deep cut to his arm. Harry Orton, 21, was charged with Section 18 wounding with intent and possession of a knife. The victim's injury was described as 'really significant' and detectives said it was only good fortune he was not more seriously hurt or killed. Orton was sentenced at Preston Crown Court on Tuesday June 2.

Gary Wolstenholme, previously convicted of rape in 2003 and placed on the sex offenders register for life, was released from prison in July 2024 after serving a sentence for ABH. He left his approved premises in Manchester in September after harassment by other residents and failed to notify police of his change of address or homelessness. He was at large for around six weeks before being found hiding in a derelict property in Central Drive, Blackpool, with a vulnerable woman present. He refused to give his identity to officers.

Halmat Hassan drove an Audi at speeds of up to 90mph in 30mph areas through Deepdale, Fulwood, and Ribbleton while trying to evade police late on 26 January 2026. He went through red lights, collided with a wall in Gamull Lane, and then ran off leaving a female passenger in the damaged vehicle. He was arrested at his home later that morning and initially denied driving. Neither he nor the passenger was injured.

Hamera Shah, 55, became angry after her son-in-law sought a divorce from her daughter. During a family meeting at a restaurant in Preston, she threw a water bottle at him and a card reader at his mother, causing a cut. Around three months later, she drove from Birmingham to Preston, poured petrol from a jerry can over her son-in-law's parked car and set it alight, also setting fire to herself. A witness saw her pouring liquid onto the burning car and identified her. She suffered burns to her face and hands. The car, worth about £4,000, was written off. The son-in-law described trauma, difficulty sleeping and fear of further retribution.

James McKeown was part of a five-man gang convicted of conspiracy to steal vehicles in the Lancashire and Merseyside region between January and November 2025. The gang used relay devices to bypass vehicle security and stole cars, vans and motorbikes. He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and handling stolen goods.

Jason Miller was part of a five-man gang convicted of conspiracy to steal vehicles in the Lancashire and Merseyside region between January and November 2025. The gang used relay devices to bypass vehicle security and stole cars, vans and motorbikes. Miller drove a stolen Jaguar E Pace during a police pursuit after it was spotted on cloned registration plates and later boasted about the incident on Snapchat. He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

Jayden Cammock was driving an Audi S4 north on the A5087 Coast Road near Priors Lea in Rampside when he overtook several vehicles and collided with a Volkswagen UP that was turning into a parking area. A 19-year-old passenger in the Volkswagen died at the scene; the driver sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to hospital. Cammock's passenger had minor injuries.

John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was convicted at Preston Crown Court of allowing the death of a child. The child had been adopted at nine months and was subjected to sexual and physical abuse before dying on 27 April 2023 after a sexual assault four months later.

Jordan Gorman drove a van dangerously through Blackpool while trying to evade police on July 3. He drove on the wrong side of the road, crossed a mini-roundabout, and reached speeds of more than 55mph in 30mph zones. At the end of the pursuit he deliberately rammed a police car, causing around £10,000 damage. He had a passenger in the van at the time.

Kenneth Booth sexually abused girls and was convicted of multiple sexual offences, including indecent assault, gross indecency on a girl under 14, assault by penetration on a girl under 13, causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, assault by touching, and sexual assault on a female.

Kevin Hardwick, a prisoner at HMP Kirkham, used a smuggled phone to pose as a 14-year-old boy and groom a 12-year-old girl. He sent sexualised messages, researched child grooming and social media platforms for children. He also communicated with at least one decoy he believed was a child. He was charged with possession of a specified item in a prison, attempting sexual communications with a child, sexual communications with a child, and inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity including penetration.

Levi Wilson went to the victim's home at about 5pm on October 31 last year, let himself in, went upstairs and charged towards the 36-year-old victim. He punched the victim repeatedly in the face, causing multiple facial fractures to the jaw, eye socket, cheek and nose. The victim was taken to hospital and required corrective surgery.