York Magistrates' Court Sentencing Results

Max Midgley subjected his former partner to a prolonged campaign of controlling, abusive and intimidating behaviour during and after a relationship lasting around two-and-a-half years. Incidents included strangling the victim while threatening to kill her, attempting to push her down stairs, forcing his way into a bathroom where she had sought refuge, pushing her against tiles causing her head to hit a wall, spitting at her, grabbing her hand with enough force to cause injuries including a suspected broken finger and bruising, and throwing hot tea into her face. After the relationship ended, he drove directly towards the victim's vehicle on a country road, forcing her to brake heavily and swerve to avoid a collision.

On October 5, 2025, Josh Jones, 23, from Sowerby, became aggressive at Adams Pizza in Northallerton after being refused free garlic sauce for his chips. He racially abused the pizzeria owner, assaulted a staff member, and smashed the shop window causing over £500 damage. When police arrived, he bit one officer on the leg, breaking the skin, and later grabbed another officer by the wrist and refused to let go, spitting in their face.

Dr Robert Jones, 64, was filmed by a neighbour dropping a cigarette butt on Ashville Street, York, in November 2025. He was issued a fixed penalty notice of £500 by City of York Council but claimed the footage was AI-generated and refused to pay, leading to court proceedings. He eventually accepted it was him and pleaded guilty.

An employee, the victim, was killed on 8 October 2021 while operating a ride-on lawnmower near a village pond in North Stainley, near Ripon. The mower descended a steep incline and ended up in the pond. The mower's safety-critical roll-over protection system (ROPS) had been removed prior to the incident. The company failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient site-specific risk assessment for the work being undertaken on uneven or sloping ground near water.

Ela Guneri used a stolen Blue Badge in Castle Car Park, York, to park in a space dedicated for Blue Badge holders on 23 May 2025 during a parking day of action. Checks showed the badge had been reported stolen in 2024. The investigation found the badge had been misused on at least two other occasions. She claimed she found the badge and displayed it so the holder could reclaim it.

Sara Knaggs used a relative's Blue Badge to park fraudulently on Stonebow, York, on 15 April 2025. The vehicle was parked on a single yellow line in a restricted parking zone. A council officer checked the badge and could not verify the badge holder's location. When Knaggs returned to the vehicle, she used abusive language and said the badge was hers before driving off. She later admitted it belonged to a relative who had been dropped off in town.

Andrew Bartle owned a nine-year-old grey Staffordshire bull terrier, Lola, which was un-microchipped and had been dangerously out of control. In January 2025 he was given a Community Order after convictions for breaching a Community Protection Notice and for having an un-chipped bull terrier-breed dog dangerously out of control. Despite conditions requiring that only he handle the dog outside the home and that it be muzzled and kept on a fixed length lead, the dog escaped his control five times in the following 18 weeks. He admitted continued breaches and that neither of his two dogs was microchipped. After further straying incidents, the court imposed a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order and financial penalties.

Joel Humberstone targeted an 11-year-old girl on June 11, 2024, in Ripon, by following her, lifting her skirt, and taking a picture, which was witnessed by builders who intervened. He committed a similar offence against a 17-year-old girl on February 27, 2025, in Harrogate, while on his way to court, by approaching her from behind, pulling up her skirt, and taking a photograph or video. He was identified through investigation and public appeals, and his phone was seized as evidence.

Richard Benjamin Moore was driving a vehicle involved in a collision on West Street on March 22, 2025. He was arrested that night and pleaded guilty to the offenses. The incident involved driving while disqualified, without insurance, theft from a shop, and possession of a bladed article in a public place.

On 12 May in the early hours, Brogan Smithson and three other men drove from Stockton and Middlesbrough areas to Kilburn in North Yorkshire in a Jeep Cherokee with a pit bull and a lurcher. Smithson filmed as the pit bull attacked a badger, mauling it to death while the men watched. Police were alerted by members of the public and arrived to find the men ‘looking into the bushes’ at the dog savaging the badger. The men fled but were later arrested. The badger squealed in pain before dying. Smithson was charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and ill-treatment of a badger.

On 12 May in the early hours, Liam Parkinson and three other men drove from Stockton and Middlesbrough areas to Kilburn in North Yorkshire in a Jeep Cherokee with a pit bull and a lurcher belonging to Parkinson. The pit bull attacked a badger, mauling it to death while the men watched. Police were alerted by members of the public and arrived to find the men ‘looking into the bushes’ at the dog savaging the badger. The men fled but were later arrested. The badger squealed in pain before dying. They were charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and ill-treatment of a badger.

On 12 May in the early hours, Marcus Crosby and three other men drove from Stockton and Middlesbrough areas to Kilburn in North Yorkshire in a Jeep Cherokee with a pit bull and a lurcher. The pit bull attacked a badger, mauling it to death while the men watched. Police were alerted by members of the public and arrived to find the men ‘looking into the bushes’ at the dog savaging the badger. The men fled but were later arrested. The badger squealed in pain before dying. They were charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and ill-treatment of a badger.

On 12 May in the early hours, Timothy Tyres and three other men drove from Stockton and Middlesbrough areas to Kilburn in North Yorkshire in a Jeep Cherokee with a pit bull and a lurcher. The pit bull attacked a badger, mauling it to death while the men watched. Police were alerted by members of the public and arrived to find the men ‘looking into the bushes’ at the dog savaging the badger. The men fled but were later arrested. The badger squealed in pain before dying. They were charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and ill-treatment of a badger.

Sylvia Woodward starved two young German Shepherd dogs, Sam and Merlin, at her property in Burythorpe. Sam died from starvation, and she buried his remains in her garden. Merlin was found emaciated, taken into RSPCA care, and later euthanised due to his deteriorating physical and mental health. The abuse involved malnutrition, neglect, and inappropriate living conditions, with evidence showing the dogs had suffered for months.

William Langley was driving a blue Ford Transit van on the B6165 in Burnt Yates, North Yorkshire, on 20 August 2024 when he collided with a cyclist from behind at about 18:30 BST. The victim was airlifted to hospital and later died. The prosecution said Langley had a 16-second gap to notice the bicycle but failed to do so; Langley said he could not see the cyclist because the sun was low and shining in his eyes.

Lee Moran hung a St George's Cross flag near Walmgate Bar in York on 16 September 2025 bearing an abusive message directed at a Labour MP, with her surname deliberately misspelled. The MP had called for St George's Cross flags to be removed from lampposts. The Communications Act offence related to a heated discussion with a Facebook user after a photo of the flag was posted, and one public order offence related to him abusing a woman who accidentally knocked one of the flag poles.

On August 1, 2021, Oliver Hartley, from Meanwood, Leeds, took his mother’s car without permission, was not insured to drive it, and drove with alcohol level well above the legal limit, leading to a head-on collision on the A6055 between Catterick and Leeming Bar.

Gamekeeper Racster Dingwall pleaded guilty to two charges, including conspiracy to kill a Hen Harrier on a grouse moor on the Conistone & Grassington Estate in the Yorkshire Dales National Park on 2nd October 2024.

On Good Friday (7 April 2023), Chelsea Carten was driving a Subaru Impreza near Easingwold when it collided with a Ford Fiesta at the junction of Alne Road with Youlton Lane. A female passenger in the Fiesta sustained multiple serious life-changing injuries, her husband (the driver) suffered a broken wrist, and a child passenger in the Impreza sustained a serious head injury requiring hospital treatment. Emergency services including ambulances, air ambulance, fire crews and police attended the scene.

Edward Silmon-Monerri, 37, of Moor View Road, Northallerton, harassed a woman by sending her a number of unwanted emails between 25 October and 18 December 2019. He was found guilty after a trial at an earlier hearing and sentenced at York Magistrates' Court.

Aaron Topham subjected his former partner to harassment, threats, intimidation and physical abuse over a period of around 18 months. He repeatedly breached police and court bail conditions by stalking her. During the abuse he strangled her in front of others, kicked her in the stomach while she was pregnant, and caused damage to her home including a dangerous gas leak. He also made false reports against her and attacked a 16-year-old boy during a drug-fuelled episode. His previous offending history was taken into account.

Alastair Nigel Burt sent several grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing messages on February 13 and 14, 2021. He also damaged a Suzuki Alto without lawful excuse on February 9, 2021. The offences occurred while he was subject to a 12-week suspended sentence for a previous conviction of sending malicious messages, imposed on December 9, 2020. He admitted the charges.

Brian Barker drove a Toyota Avensis on Hambleton Drive in Thirsk on September 9, 2020, with 45 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the legal limit of 35 micrograms. He also drove without insurance.

Elizabeth Law failed to give a breath test without good reason at Harrogate Police Station on December 13, 2022, after being suspected of drink driving. She pleaded guilty to the offence.

Emrah Aktas, owner of a pizza business in York, was not licensed to sell hot food after 11pm or alcohol, but the business did so in September 2024. City of York Council officers made a test purchase of hot food and drink online and visited the premises to confirm the order. Officers had previously visited the premises several times, giving warnings and advice about applying for a licence. Mr Aktas did not respond to a request for an interview or to the summons and did not attend court.

Jamie Orchard was caught riding an e-scooter on Bullamoor Road, Northallerton, on 13 October while disqualified from driving following a drug driving conviction in November 2020. He failed to stop for a police officer and had no insurance. He also possessed cannabis. The court activated a 16-week suspended sentence for the earlier drug driving offence and imposed a 16-week custodial term.