Stoke On Trent Crown Court Sentencing Results

Samuel Wilton, aged 24, of Barrie Gardens, Talke, engaged in controlling and coercive behaviour towards his pregnant partner between March and October 2025, restricting her movements, isolating her from friends and family, monitoring her actions, preventing her from leaving the address, controlling her personal care, pestering her for sex despite her illness, and making threats about the unborn baby including restrictions on cuddling or walking it and suggestions it would not be kept. On September 26, 2025, he assaulted her by repeatedly pushing her, dragging her into the living area, and taking her phone when she sought help. After the relationship ended and while on bail, he breached conditions by sending threatening messages to her and her mother, including threats to burn down the family home and harm family members. Victim now suffers flashbacks and panic attacks; discovered prior similar behaviour via Clare's Law.

Rafakat Abbas, aged 30, from Lilleshall Street in Dresden, was the driver of a grey Audi A4 in the early hours of 3 November 2020 when it was involved in a single-vehicle collision on Sandon Road in Meir at the junction of Queensmead Road. The Audi was travelling at 115 miles-per-hour as it approached the right-hand bend, on a 30 mile-per-hour road. Abbas lost control of the vehicle, and following its collision with a residential wall, the vehicle was found on its roof. Front seat passenger the victim, aged 65, from Meir, was pronounced dead at the scene. Abbas failed to provide a specimen of blood for analysis and admitted during police interview that a quantity of cannabis found at the scene belonged to him.

Paul Leon suggested that he, his wife Christine, and the victim sleep together. He had sexual intercourse with Christine and with the victim, with Christine participating throughout.

Omar Farooq failed to surrender to Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on July 31. He denied the charge, but the judge found him guilty after hearing evidence. Separately, he denies arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered on June 24, with trial listed for February 2027.

Nathan Cotton was identified through forensic examination of evidence from the 19 April 2020 incident involving Adams and Vernall. On 24 December 2020, officers attended Sheppard Street, Stoke-on-Trent, where Cotton identified himself. He was voluntarily interviewed at Longton Police Station. Seized mobile phones contained messages detailing Cotton's involvement in the supply and operation of dealing cocaine and cannabis.

Levi Watkis from Meir was found guilty of sexual activity with a girl, aged between 13 and 15, between July 2006 and July 2007. He took advantage of his victim’s age by paying her compliments in the run up to the attack. They were alone and he pressurised and scared her into doing what he said.

Matthew Charlesworth, of St Aidan’s Street in Tunstall, contacted who he thought were four 14-year-old girls on social media in May 2020. The girls were in fact adults who later arranged to meet Charlesworth on 11 June. The police were alerted and seized Charlesworth’s phone before he was arrested a day later. In interview, Charlesworth initially denied the communications and claimed his phone and social media accounts had been hacked, but later admitted the offences.

Matthew David Worthington, a registered sex offender, breached his sexual harm prevention order through determined and persistent actions, ignoring warnings from officers during unannounced visits. He also made and possessed indecent images of a child. He was arrested in November 2020 after checks on his electronic devices revealed the breaches.

On 10 February 2023, at around 4:00 AM, Martin Sigley encountered a rival at the BP garage on Dividy Road, Bentilee, Stoke-on-Trent. Due to longstanding bad blood, Sigley confronted the man, retrieved a hammer from an associate’s bag, and chased the victim, who fled into the shop and barricaded himself inside. Sigley repeatedly threatened to kill the man, causing the victim to fear for his life. The victim stated he is now too frightened to return to the area.

In the early hours of Wednesday 14 September 2022, Hange ran over a dog near Cherry Hill Lane in Knutton, killing it. A confrontation broke out with the dog’s owner. After the victim walked away, Hange got into his Vauxhall Insignia, drove off towards Silverdale Road, turned around, and drove back towards Cherry Hill Lane at speed, directly at the victim, who hit the windscreen before falling to the ground. The victim was not seriously injured.

Harrison set fire to his bedding while naked during a monkey dust-fuelled incident on 17 August 2024 at his home in Leek, Stoke-on-Trent. The fire spread through the property, causing around £100,000 of damage and requiring the house to be gutted. He was arrested at the scene and treated for smoke inhalation.

David Lockett, 53, participated in widespread disorder in Hanley on 3 August 2024, centred around Town Road near a mosque. He shouted 'You dirty Muslim b******s, come on', abused counter-protesters and police including saying 'I will f*****g stab you, you black c**t', made threatening gestures, and moved towards a police line before being pushed back. His actions were caught on CCTV. He was arrested in October 2024 and later pleaded guilty to violent disorder. He had 27 previous convictions for 51 offences.

Brwa Abdulla, 19, from Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, sat in his BMW on College Road in Shelton on the evening of 4 August 2025 when he spotted his victim, a teenage boy, out walking. He deliberately drove the car at him at speed, hitting him at the junction with Beresford Road. The victim was taken to hospital with serious injuries. It was described as a targeted attack. Abdulla drove away but returned to the scene later that day and was arrested after presenting himself to officers.

Officers stopped a black BMW 7 Series car on 27 January 2021 at junction 12 of the M6. Officers discovered a large green carrier bag in the boot of the car, containing more than £160,000 in cash, in brown packages. The cash, along with mobile phones and a bank card were seized by officers. The car had also been used between September 2020 and January 2021.

Christine Leon participated in her husband Paul Leon having sexual intercourse with the victim, aiding and abetting the sexual offence.

Angela Vickers, aged 35, who had lived in her flat on Ruxley Road in Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent for six years, started a fire in her own home in the early hours of December 13 after discovering eviction proceedings by landlord Staffordshire Housing. She had made repeated threats to 'torch' the block following neighbour complaints about her abusive and noisy behaviour. The blaze caused £1,850 worth of damage but firefighters arrived within four minutes and found her asleep on a mattress.