A former drug addict who stabbed a 25-year-old man to death is among the criminals jailed in Greater Manchester just before Christmas.
A masked burglar who terrified a woman when he burst into her bedroom has also been handed prison terms this week. A violent thug who strangled, kicked and punched his girlfriend in a series of horror attacks and told her: "Oh baby, I like it when you cry," has been handed prison terms.
Prison sentences are handed out to the worst offenders each week and Manchester Evening News reporters are in court to cover the most serious cases.
Read more: GMP officer handed suspended sentence for having indecent image of children
Here are some of the criminals locked up in Greater Manchester this week...
Former drug addict jailed for life for the murder of Tyrone Williamson
A former drug addict had been jailed for life after brutally stabbing a 25-year-old man to death. 42-year-old Anthony George had been drinking vodka and smoking cannabis throughout the day when events escalated at Tyrone Williamson’s home in Bolton in December last year.
Mr Williamson lost his phone, and George was later found to have it. He was accused of stealing the phone and some money. George was ejected from the house and in the ensuing confrontation he stabbed Mr Williamson multiple times with ‘severe force’. He was left with three major stab wounds to his chest including one which penetrated his heart.
Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, Mr Williamson died just hours later. George, of no fixed abode, denied an offence of murder, but was unanimously found guilty by a jury. On Monday (December 19), he was jailed for life to serve a minimum term of 21 years in prison.
George, of no fixed abode, was also handed a three year driving ban after pleading guilty to driving whilst under the influence of drugs in August 2021.
Vile racist locked up after investigation by counter terrorism police
A racist has been jailed after making several anti-Semitic posts on social media. Stuart Sutton, 45, of Wigan, was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court on Wednesday (December 21) after being convicted of five counts of publishing or distributing written material likely to stir up racial hatred, contrary to Section 19 of the Public Order Act 1986.
It followed an eight-month period in 2021 when he made a number of vile posts. Sutton was caught following an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW). Officers raided his home in Broadway, Hindley, on February 2 of this year and he was arrested.
He has now been jailed for 16 months after pleading guilty to the crimes. Amanda Bomsztyk, Northern Regional Director of the Community Security Trust (CST), said: “CST welcomes this outcome which follows our alerting CTPNW to Sutton’s incitement just over a year ago. It is important that such extreme Jew-hatred and racism leads to arrest and imprisonment.”
Heroin and crack dealer caught red-handed after members of public reported him
A heroin and crack dealer was caught red-handed by police after members of the public reported him.
Officers raided Syed Itshaan Ali's home on Bell Lane in Bury on October 24 after they received reports of drug dealing from the local community. They found drugs with an estimated street value of around £630.
Police also found a drug dealing 'tick list', a suspected drug dealing 'shot line' and more than £1,720 in cash. Multiple mobile phones were also found in the living room of the 20-year-old's home, as well as a wood-chopping axe and a large wood 'machete-shaped' saw.
On Monday (December 19), Ali was jailed for 25 months for possession of heroin and crack with intent to supply and possession of cannabis. He pleaded guilty at a previous hearing.
Masked intruder who burst into terrified woman's bedroom jailed
A woman has told of the terrifying moment she was confronted in her own bedroom by a burglar wearing a mask. The 27-year-old was sitting in her room when Jamie Fitzgerald burst in uninvited.
She screamed, which sent Fitzgerald, 35, running from the flat, before she locked herself in her bathroom along with her sister. She later discovered that he had stolen her TV and laptop, Manchester Crown Court heard. Fitzgerald, of Salford, went on to flog the goods, worth £1,400, to fund his drug habit.
Pleading guilty to burglary, and separate offences of assault and breaching a restraining order, he jailed for three years and three months on Tuesday (December 20). The court also heard that on November 26 of last year, Fitzgerald breached a restraining order and punched his former partner after they had both been drinking at the same pub unexpectedly.
Fitzgerald, of no fixed abode, was jailed for three years and three months.
Drug dealer, 27, found with 'stun gun' in his house
A drug dealer who was found with more than £30,000 of cocaine for street dealing and a 'Taser' has been jailed. Adil Rafiq was stopped by police in Bolton town centre on July 10 this year for being drunk and disorderly, but after a search of him found cocaine and a large amount of cash, officers decided to search his home where more drugs, cash, and a 'stun gun' were found.
Bolton Crown Court heard that Rafiq had been struggling with drug and alcohol abuse in the months leading up to his arrest. This led to him first of all being paid to store drugs in his house on Bradford Road, Bolton, before being paid to deal on the streets.
A search of his house found a 1kg block of cocaine in the 27-year-old's bedroom, worth £28,000, with other snap bags of the drug found, taking the total to £30,875 worth.
Rafiq was sentenced to six years in jail by Judge Martin Walsh.
Thug who nearly killed his friend after stabbing him in the neck found in hiding in Europe after two years on the run
A thug was caught on the run in Europe after he slashed his friend's neck with a knife and left him with permanent brain damage in a sickening attack in Manchester. Petre Dumitru left his victim fighting for his life following the attack in Westbury Road, Crumpsall, in the early hours.
His victim, who was also a Romanian national, was left with permanent brain damage, epilepsy and impaired mobility on his left side. Following the attack of June 2, 2019, Dumitru fled England and was only arrested in the Netherlands in December 2021 after being on the run for over two years.
Prosecutor Bob Sastry told Minshull Street Crown Court on Wednesday (December 21) that the fight broke out after a group of four men had been drinking when Dumitru and his victim had a 'minor' argument which had spilled over from a car journey. Dumitru had previously been charged with attempted murder but pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.
Her Honour Judge Tina Landale sentenced him to ten years and nine months in jail.
Violent thug strangled, kicked and punched girlfriend in horror attacks
Prosecuting, Tom Challinor told the court Adam Coulson, 27, was drinking and taking cocaine and his behaviour became "erratic." They were approached by a male family friend and Coulson grabbed the male and dragged him outside by his jacket, putting him to the floor and punching him in the face and head.
Mr Challinor said: "Coulson then left the pub and criticised his girlfriend for not backing him up. She walked away but he followed her into an alleyway and attacked her. He pulled her by her hair, kicked her in the stomach and punched her in the face."
When the complainant started to cry, Mr Challinor said Coulson, 27, told her: "Oh baby, I like it when you cry." He then put his hands around her neck, held her jaw and told her: "he could snap it."
Coulson, of Mutual Street in Heywood, was charged and brought before magistrates, where he was bailed. On October 10, Mr Challinor said Coulson started messaging the complainant, pestering her to get back together with him.
He then went to her address and broke in by smashing the glass in the backdoor. He ran at her and put his hands around her throat, then pushed her by her neck and struck her head repeatedly against the radiator.
Judge Recorder Pope sentenced Coulson to ten months for intentional strangulation and 18 months for assault causing actual bodily harm, a total of two years and four months in custody and issued a restraining order until further notice.
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