A man whose out-of-control dog bit his neighbour's hand was one of the criminals locked up in Greater Manchester last month. Prison terms were also handed to a thug who deliberately smashed into a bungalow where an elderly woman lay sleeping in an attempt to take his own life.
A 'bodybuilder' who sucker punched a defenceless mum after escaping from prison was also jailed in our region.
Read more: Married man sent sick messages to 'teen' before being caught in sting
Jail sentences are handed out to the worst offenders each week and Manchester Evening News reporters are in court to cover the most serious cases.
Here are some of the criminals dealt with in Greater Manchester in September.
Vile sex beast who subjected girls to horrendous abuse finally faces justice
A vile sex beast who raped and abused two girls decades apart has been locked up for 18 years. Keith Bate, 73, finally faced justice for the horrendous abuse committed against his first victim throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, and against a second child in the 2010s.
Bate told his first victim, who he abused for about decade, that they were like 'boyfriend and girlfriend'. He was also violent, punching her and banging her head against the wall, and threatening her not to tell anyone about his crimes.
Bate, from Moston, broke her noise on one occasion, Manchester Crown Court heard. "She feared that he would kill her," prosecutor Peter Cadwallader said. The abuse, which she described as a 'never ending nightmare', left her depressed and 'suicidal'. She started drinking as a teenager and described herself as being 'off the rails'.
"By the age of 14 I had begun drinking alcohol, I was drinking excessively," she said in a statement read in court. "I also felt suicidal. It had an impact in my personal life, I have also had a lack of trust in my relationships. I blame myself."
More than two decades after Bate stopped attacking her, he then inflicted horrendous abuse on a second young girl. Bate showed the girl pornography on a tablet computer in a bid to 'desensitise' her before subjecting her to horrific abuse.
He will serve two-thirds of his sentence in jail before the Parole Board decide whether it is safe to release him.
Two jailed following deaths of 50-year-old in hit-and-run and 'cherished' son killed by 'friend' in 100mph police chase
Two men have been locked up following the tragic deaths of a 50-year-old killed in a hit-and-run and a 'cherished' son who died after his 'friend' fled police during a 100mph chase. Jason Goostrey, 50, was crossing the road in Rochdale when he was hit by a stolen Skoda.
Two months later, Simbarashe Prosper Mhepo, 27, was killed after his 'close friend' Alan McDonagh crashed in Heywood after fleeing from police, reaching speeds of more than 100mph. McDonagh tried to blame Mr Mhepo, a mental health worker who was the front seat passenger, by claiming he'd been driving at the time of the crash, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
McDonagh had been a passenger in the Skoda weeks earlier, with another man named Patrick Doran. Both were sentenced for aggravated vehicle taking, after prosecutors were unable to prove who was driving the Skoda when Mr Goostrey was killed.
McDonagh, 19, who admitted killing Mr Mhepo, has been jailed for nine years while Doran, 32, was locked up for five years. Both will serve half of their sentences in prison.
Dealer caught running 'Dyno' drugs line from old Nokia months after being released from prison during lockdown
A dealer was caught running a ‘Dyno’ drugs line months after being released from prison during a coronavirus lockdown. Levi Sparrow, 28, came out to find he was out of work and resorted to dealing heroin and crack cocaine.
Earlier this year, police executed a warrant at his house and found wraps of drugs, cash and paraphernalia such as digital scales and a chopping board with white residue on it. Sparrow, of Eccles, was arrested and recalled on his licence where he served 10 weeks in prison, but upon his release, he was again caught dealing drugs.
He admitted four offences of possession with intent to supply class A drugs, as well as two offences of possession of criminal property, namely cash. On Tuesday (September 27) he was jailed for four-and-a-half years. Manchester Crown Court heard that on March 28 this year, officers searched Sparrow’s address and found snap bags of class A drugs and a large amount of cash in the kitchen. Inside the pockets of two coats were further quantities of cash, as well as a knife, an extending baton and a balaclava which were found in his girlfriend’s car parked outside.
Police also found the drug paraphernalia along with two Nokia phones, an Alcatel phone and an iPhone, which belonged to his partner. Sparrow was arrested whilst he was attending his probation appointment, prosecutor Thomas Worsfold said.
The total value of the drugs recovered was £8,460 and the total of cash was £3,172.71. The phones were also analysed and showed various messages and flare messages between users and the drug line.
In mitigation, his lawyer Dan Gaskell said this was a ‘classic case of street dealing’. He said Sparrow was a relatively ‘low level player’, and was one of a number of people who was running the drugs line.
Sparrow, of Crown House, was jailed for 54 months.
Gang threw dozens of packages over prison walls containing drugs and phones
A gang threw dozens of packages containing drugs, phones and tobacco over the walls of Forest Bank jail after they'd been ordered by serving prisoners. Police claim they have now dismantled an organised criminal gang behind the smuggling of contraband into the Salford prison, after two men were locked up for their part in the plot.
Boss James Rourke, 34, recruited others to help him throw packages over the walls into the prison exercise yards, after he'd put together the 'prepared to order' packs. Police noted that at least 47 packages were thrown over on six occasions between September and October last year when Rourke or 20-year-old Mitchell Murden, who he had recruited into the scheme, were seen outside Forest Bank with other unknown offenders.
Officers seized five packages which contained a mixture of cocaine, cannabis, tobacco, phones, SIM cards and USB sticks. Within prison, where values are inflated, the five packages could have been worth up to £30,000, Manchester Crown Court heard.
Detectives estimate that the 47 packages could have been worth more than £200,000 within the jail. Rourke and Murden, both from Salford, have now both been locked up. Defending, Adam Brown said cocaine addict Rourke became involved after wracking up debts with dealers, and that he was put under pressure to comply.
He now 'deeply regrets' what he did, the court heard. Dan Gaskell, defending Murden, said it was 'difficult to fathom' why he had become involved. He claimed Murden wanted to 'curry favour' with older men, which he said displayed immaturity.
He said Murden, a shop fitter, was naive and didn't realise the seriousness of the crime he embroiled himself in. Rourke was jailed for four years and eight months, while Murden was locked up for two years.
Both will serve half of their sentences in prison. Rourke, of Ventnor Street, Salford, and Murden, of Carina Place, Salford, both pleaded guilty to three counts of conveying prohibited items into prison. Rourke also admitted four counts of possession with intent to supply drugs; cocaine, ketamine, cannabis and the steroid Stanozolol.
Thug who smashed BMW into sleeping gran's bedroom and left her trapped is jailed
A thug who deliberately smashed into a bungalow where an elderly woman lay sleeping in an attempt to take his own life has been jailed for four years. Michael Vose, 40, got behind the wheel of his BMW after his girlfriend called the police following a vicious row, which saw Vose attempt to throttle her before punching a hole in the wall and damaging a wardrobe mirror.
He told her he was going to kill himself, and took off in the car, driving over a mini roundabout before smashing through a fence and into a bungalow in Westhoughton, Bolton. Bolton Crown Court heard that had got behind the wheel of his BMW despite being more than double the drink drive limit and almost five times over the driving limit for cocaine.
Vose smashed through the wall, leaving his BMW smashed into the bedroom of 92-year-old Edna Kearns. The car hit Mrs Kearns' bed, and left her with two fractured ankles and severe cuts to her legs. As she cried for help, Vose stumbled away, with police eventually finding and arresting him on Snydale Way, a nearby dual carriageway.
Mrs Kearns, of White Horse Grove, Westhoughton, died less than five months after the crash but, according to expert evidence, there was no link between the smash and her death. Vose, of Mount Pleasant Avenue, St Helens, who has nine previous convictions for 21 offences, including kidnap and blackmail in 2015, two counts of driving while disqualified, and one count of driving with excess alcohol, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of criminal damage, and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
A mitigation statement drafted by Vose's solicitor, and read aloud by Mr Reid in Monday's hearing due to the ongoing barrister strike, said: "If was able to turn back time he would do so. He is truly sorry for the sadness and distress he has caused. He is unable to forgive himself for his actions."
On Tuesday (September 27) Mr Recorder Walsh jailed Vose for four years, handing down a 12-month sentence for the assault on his former partner, to run consecutively to the three-year sentence for injuring Mrs Kearns. He was also banned from driving for five years, starting from when he is released from prison.
Man jailed after dog bites beautician in her garden
A pit bull is set to be destroyed and her owner has been jailed after she attacked a woman outside her home. Missy the dog bit the woman's hand in the communal garden at her home in Southcross Road, Gorton.
The victim, a neighbour of Boswell's, had complained about Missy to the housing authority about her being allowed to run free in their communal garden. In August 2020, the victim's hand was bitten by the dog through fencing.
The woman went to hospital and needed surgery, requiring stitching to her hand. The dog's owner, Gary Boswell, has been locked up for 10 months after admitting being the owner of a dog which was dangerously out of control and causing injury.
The court heard he used Missy as 'protection' from drug dealers who were 'cuckooing' his flat. Manchester Crown Court heard Missy was a 'banned breed' and had been seized by police in 2017, but Boswell had been allowed to keep her after gaining an 'exemption certificate.'
Defending, Natalie Goffe, said Missy had been let out by a friend of Boswell's. She said Missy provided 'protection' for Boswell. She said he has had 'long standing' drug issues but has been clean since last year.
Boswell, of Chester Road, Stretford, was also banned from having a dog for 10 years, after the judge said he was 'not a fit and proper person to have custody of a dog'. The judge also ordered that the dog should be destroyed
Predator jailed for four years for raping girl
A predator has been locked up for raping a girl more than three decades ago. Nicholas Caro, from Bramhall in Stockport, attacked his victim in 1991, police said. She was under the age of 16 at the time.
The 51-year-old was found guilty of the historic rape at Manchester Crown Court on July 15 this year. On Tuesday (September 6), a judge jailed him for four years and made him sign the sex offenders' register for life.
Investigating Officer, Edward Hooley said: "We are pleased that this predator has today received 4 years for the rape of his victim over 30 years ago. She has had to live with this for the past three decades and has now been vindicated with this sentence.
"GMP work hard to bring sex offenders to justice and if anyone believes they have been a victim of rape, we urge them to come forward and speak to us. We can be contacted via https://crowd.in/dD1S3U, 101 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, quoting reference number 06/JJ/00580/19."
'Bodybuilder' who escaped from prison sucker punched mum after she confronted him over slapping woman in pub
A 'bodybuilder' sucker punched a defenceless mum when she challenged him over slapping a woman in a pub. Macauley Heald, who had escaped from prison three weeks earlier, left the woman with a broken jaw.
She has only recently been able to eat soft food more than two months after the attack, having been on a liquid diet. The woman, in her 20s, had challenged Heald after he slapped a woman in the Stocks Hotel in Walkden, Salford.
Heald, 25, punched her once to the face with significant force after she'd said: "So you hit women?" She has been left terrified and now wants to leave Salford.
Heald has been locked up again for the shocking attack. Manchester Crown Court heard that Heald had been serving a 13 year sentence for aggravated burglary imposed in 2017.
He was part of a gang which broke into a house, with a man being seriously injured. Heald, of no fixed address, was jailed for four years and 10 months after pleading guilty to escaping from lawful custody, wounding and common assault.
He will serve two-thirds of the sentence before the Parole Board will consider whether it is safe for him to be released, after the judge declared him a 'dangerous' offender.
Dad's double life running £40m crime gang exposed after cops hack his phone and raid his luxury home
A dad-of-two who led a double life as a ‘lynchpin’ of a £40 million drugs conspiracy has been jailed for 23 years. Bolton businessman Irtiza Bashir used Encrochat to concoct elaborate plans to smuggle huge quantities of cocaine and cannabis from Holland to the North West.
Bashir, 46, kept ‘meticulous’ notes on his Encrochat profile ‘Weststreet’, including a proposed import route and plans to hide the drugs in frozen chicken vans , a court heard. There were also references to more than 500kg of heroin, cocaine, and cannabis.
His plans came crashing down when the Encrochat system - used exclusively by members of organised crime groups to plan criminal activities - was hacked by police. After a nine day trial, a jury at Bolton Crown Court unanimously found him guilty of two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to fraudulently evade prohibition on importation of Class A drugs, conspiracy to fraudulently evade prohibition on importation of Class B drugs, and conspiracy to possess criminal property.
Defending, Peter Wright KC told the court that Bashir is the “primary” carer for his teenage son and mother, as well as a “core” carer for his father. He said that Bashir’s imprisonment would have a “disastrous effect on them”.
Deputy Circuit Judge Elliot Knopf said that the quantities of drugs involved in the conspiracy “pass all comprehension” as he jailed Bashir for 23 years. Sohail Ali, 37, of Revidge Road, Blackburn, has also pleaded guilty to being involved in the conspiracy and will be sentenced on October 21.
A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing in connection to the charges is set to take place on February 9 2023.
Rapist headbutted woman in face and said 'I don't care if you don't want to have sex'
A man has been jailed after beating and then raping a woman in a vicious booze-fuelled attack. Martin Read, 52, had been out drinking before he launched the 'spontaneous' attack on his victim at an address in Oldham.
Afterwards, as she tried to flee, he followed her home and began banging on her windows before the police were called. Read's behaviour suddenly changed and he began behaving aggressively towards the woman shortly before he attacked her on Friday September, 18, 2020, Adam White prosecuting, said.
He grabbed hold of her by the hair and pushed her onto a coffee table, before grabbing her again and headbutting her in the face. He then chillingly told her: 'I don't care if you don't want to have sex, you're going to do it anyway', Mr White said.
The court heard she tried to 'placate' him in the hope of making an escape. However, after going upstairs in the property for a short time he returned with no clothes on. At this point he forced her head towards him and forced her to perform oral sex on him for up to three seconds, Mr White said.
Shortly afterwards she managed to make her escape but Read followed her and began banging on the windows of her house, prompting her to call 999. Read returned to his house where he was arrested.
Read, of Honeywell Lane, Oldham, who has eight previous convictions but none for sexual offences made "full admissions" in his police interview and pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) and rape at the first opportunity.
Mark Friend, defending, said his client admitted what he had done 'through a genuine prism of remorse'. Read was handed a four-year jail term by Recorder Hudson.
A five-year restraining order was also put in place and Read will remain on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.
City centre ‘menace’ left numerous small businesses out of pocket after burglary spree in Arndale
A serial burglar and ‘menace’ to the city centre left numerous small businesses out of pocket after carrying out a spree in the Arndale. Callum Fleming, 25, repeatedly targeted shops, cafe’s and salons throughout the city centre shopping mall.
He was caught on CCTV jumping over entrances before breaking into tills and cupboards in order to steal cash and other valuables. In one burglary he stole a personal laptop, which the manager couldn’t afford to replace, Manchester Crown Court heard.
A total of eight stores were affected, all of which have been left having to deal with the financial consequences. Fleming admitted eight offences of burglary, an offence of theft and possession of class A drugs.
Fleming was said to have previous convictions for 32 offences including for burglary, and the majority of which took place at the Arndale. Appearing unrepresented due to the current industrial action, Fleming consented to being sentenced without legal representation.
Speaking over a videolink, he said: “I was going through a hard time at the time, innit. I’m sorry for what I did.” The sentencing judge, Recorder Neil Usher said there was 'no doubt' Fleming is 'an absolute menace to businesses in the city centre.'
Fleming, of no fixed abode, was jailed for 59 weeks.
Thug headbutted partner and filmed her as she lay unconscious
An abusive thug who headbutted his partner before filming and mocking her claimed she was 'winding him up'. Brent Lambert, 40, knocked the woman out after returning home from a night out.
A court heard she woke to find 'blood everywhere'. Lambert, from Rochdale, then filmed the woman and mocked her, accusing her of winding him up, Minshull Street Crown Court heard. A month later, Lambert attacked the woman again following an argument. He repeatedly hit and kicked her. She was left badly bruised.
Lambert pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and jailed for 32 months. Prosecuting, Simon Barratt said the couple entered into a relationship in October last year. Things started to deteriorate, with Lambert becoming 'aggressive and violent'.
The police were called on a number of occasions, before a Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) was put in place. The first attack happened after the DVPO had expired, on June 5 this year.
Lambert has previous convictions for violence, but not against former partners. In mitigation, Michael Johnson asked the judge not to send his client to prison, but said he would have 'no complaint'.
He said he had an 'unattractive' criminal record, and has an 'inability to manage' his emotions. Lambert, of Beswicke Royds Street, was jailed for 32 months and made the subject of a restraining order for eight years, prohibiting any contact with his former partner.
Pervert was carrying artificial cream when he was arrested at tram stop en route to meet 'girl'
A vile pervert travelled 150 miles to meet up with what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. Instead, Andrew Masters was confronted in Manchester by a 'paedophile hunter' group who had been controlling a decoy Facebook account.
In a series of sick chats, Masters told the 'girl' to perform sexual acts on herself and asked questions about her underwear, despite being told that she was aged 13 "at the very start" of their communication. The 63-year-old sent 44 photographs to the account, including explicit images, and asked if he was "big enough", prosecution barrister Lisa Boocok told Minshull Street Crown Court.
He travelled to Manchester where he was met by the paedophile hunting group at a tram stop on July 26 and was arrested. Masters also had a can of 'artificial cream' on him, that he had previously discussed using on the girl in a sexual manner.
Masters, of Mortimer Common, Reading, pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a child to engage in a sexual act, facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, attempted sexual communication with a child, and causing a child to watch a sexual act.
Defending, Mark Fireman admitted that Masters had "taken matters a great deal too far" and said that he had suffered with "considerable self delusion". Judge Mark Savill slammed Masters' chats with the account as "foul" and "filthy" as he jailed him for three years and nine months.
Masters will have to sign the sex offenders register for life and will also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
'Brazen' shoplifter seen filling his bag before walking out of Boots jailed for six months
A prolific thief who admitted 15 counts of shoplifting has been jailed for six months. Ashley Morrison, 32, of Delamere Road in Levenshulme, was arrested by police on Friday, September 16, for a series of thefts from shops.
He was brought before the Manchester Magistrates Court on Monday, September 19, where he pleaded guilty to nearly two dozen charges against him, and was sentenced to six months imprisonment. A copy of the indictment sheet seen by the Manchester Evening News states that Morrison faced FIFTEEN counts of shoplifting, one count of theft from person, one count of refusing to provide a sample, two counts of using threatening, abusive, or insulting words, one count of common assault, one count of trespassing on railway board property, two counts of possession of heroin, and one count of failing to surrender to custody.
Although the indictment sheet does not detail which shops were targeted by Morrison, or how much was taken from each store, Greater Manchester Police confirmed that one of the shoplifting counts related to an incident in the Castle Street Boots branch in Edgeley at around 1.10pm on April 11, where Morrison was filmed "brazenly" filling up a holdall bag with items from the shelves before walking out.
Morrison was sentenced to two months imprisonment for 14 of the 15 shoplifting charges, and many of the other charges he faced, with a three month sentence handed down for one of the incidents. All sentences were ordered to run concurrently, except from the sentence for theft from a person, where a three month sentence of imprisonment was ordered to run consecutively, bringing his total sentence up to six months.
'Jealous' thug throttled and repeatedly punched girlfriend in terrifying attack in her own home
A drink-fuelled thug left his girlfriend bloodied and bruised and fearing for her life as she 'gasped' for air while he throttled her. Nathan Burgess, 26, has been locked up for the brutal attack on his partner in her own home following a boozy night out.
Burgess became 'jealous' during a row between the pair and after they returned to her house in Swinton he launched an appalling assault. He repeatedly punched the mum then began strangling her as she 'feared for her life', Manchester Crown Court heard.
Burgess had been in court weeks earlier for attacking the victim during a separate incident. He appeared before magistrates but his partner did not ask for restraining order, and the relationship, which began in July last year, continued.
Prosecutors told how the victim had been out with friends on July 21, and Burgess met up with her later that night before they returned to her home. Something was said which caused Burgess to become 'jealous', the court heard.
A row developed with both swearing at each other and Burgess becoming 'aggressive'. During the attack the woman suffered 'significant' bruising to her arms and neck. Burgess, who the judge said was 'no stranger to the courts', was said to be 'genuinely remorseful' for his actions.
Burgess was sentenced to two years and eight months in jail. Before sending him down, Judge Goddard told him: "The relationship very clearly had its ups and downs on both sides. Your problem very clearly is alcohol." Burgess, of Peatfield Avenue, Swinton, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm and intentional strangulation.
'Grotesque' torturer kidnapped dad and poured boiling water on genitals in 12-hour ordeal
A thug has been jailed for taking part in a 'grotesque' 12-hour campaign of torture against a drug dealer who they kidnapped, assaulted and sexually humiliated. After being snatched from the street, the victim was tied up, beaten repeatedly, had boiling water poured onto his genitals and had what he was told was rat poison forced down his throat as they demanded a six-figure cash sum.
On Tuesday (September 20) the thug who inflicted the majority of the violence on the victim, 29-year-old Anthony Richardson, was jailed for his role in what the judge said was 'grotesque' torture. The attack began when the victim, a married father, was snatched from a street near his home in Blackley at 7.30pm on November 12, 2019.
He was bundled into a car and taken to a nearby house of a drug addict mother where he was tortured for the next 12 hours by a gang of at least eight men. Alexandra Sutton, prosecuting, told Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday: "At this house he was imprisoned and assaulted over a number of hours.
"Demands were made that unless he handed over a six-figure quantity of cash, he would be gravely injured if not killed." When the victim told them he didn't have the money, his captors unleashed 'extreme and sometimes cruel and degrading violence', said the prosecutor.
The gang produced a needle and threatened to inject him with heroin. Later, they pulled down his trousers and Richardson sexually humiliated the man. After he had been held captive for 12 hours, the man managed to bite through his bindings, forced open the wardrobe and ran out of the house, pursued by one of his captors who chased him with a hammer as he begged for help from passers-by.
Richardson had convictions from his youth for assault, robbery and possessing a knife but since 2014 his only court appearance were for motoring offences. Andrew Alty, defending, pointed to a report by the probation service which noted his client was 'genuinely sorry' for what he had done and that he wanted to address his offending behaviour while behind bars.
Judge Elizabeth Nicholls told Richardson his victim had suffered 'violent and humiliating treatment', most of it inflicted by the defendant and a second member of the gang, Richard Simanis, and that it had had a 'profound effect' on him.
Last month Campbell, 26, of Derville Road in Harpurhey, was jailed for 15 years for his part in the torture. He pleaded guilty to kidnap and was found guilty of false imprisonment following a trial. He was on bail for serious drugs offences at the time of the kidnapping.
Another member of the gang, John Robertson, 23, of Waterson Avenue in Moston, was jailed for 18 months. He pleaded guilty to assisting an offender. Richard Simanis, 29, of Lord Street in Stockport, is to be sentenced at a later date. He has pleaded guilty to kidnap and false imprisonment.
Kai East, 22, of Turves Road in Cheadle Hulme, was due to be sentenced for assisting an offender but he did not appear in court on Tuesday.
'Obsessive' stalker travelled 4,000 miles to confront ex after she dumped him then held her cousin hostage
An American stalker dumped by his girlfriend after subjecting her to 'horrific' online abuse travelled almost 4,000 miles to confront her - before holding her cousin hostage for hours while armed with a hammer. Edward Best, 26, bought a one way ticket from Chicago to Manchester to challenge his ex after she'd built up the courage to block him following a campaign of vile abuse.
The pair had never met in person, but struck up a relationship online and had played video games together since 2018. But after Best became increasingly obsessive and bombarded her with disgusting messages, including telling her terminally ill father that he hoped his death would be 'terrible', she blocked him on all platforms in March.
He spent 12 days in Manchester after catching a flight from the US, spying on her home in Hyde. He eventually broke in but inside was the woman's cousin who had popped round to feed her cat.
For three hours, armed with a hammer, he kept the woman imprisoned in the terraced property by barricading the front door with furniture and locking the back door, said Greater Manchester Police. He fled when the woman managed to get help, triggering a manhunt.
Best took a train to Birmingham after booking a flight to New York but missed the flight by 40 minutes. With GMP's Critical Wanted Unit searching for him, he got on a ferry from Holyhead in North Wales.
But GMP had issued an alert to all forces and when he arrived in Dublin, The Garda refused him entry to Ireland. They then escorted him on a ferry back to Holyhead. Footage shows GMP officers on the boat taking him from Garda officers.
Best was charged with false imprisonment, aggravated burglary, possession of an offensive weapon and stalking. Defending, Brendan O'Leary said Best, who has no previous convictions, accepted he subjected his two victims to a 'horrifying' experience.
Mr O'Leary said Best is 'disgusted with himself' and is remorseful. "He describes how this should never have got as far as it did," he said. He said Best was diagnosed with ADHD and OCD as a child and has 'autistic traits'. He'd been bingeing on drink and cannabis prior to travelling to the UK, the court heard.
Best admitted stalking his ex-partner between January and April, false imprisonment, attempted false imprisonment, and possession of an offensive weapon before being sentenced to seven years for those offences on Friday (September 16). He will serve two-thirds of his seven year sentence in jail, before the Parole Board decide whether it is safe to release him.
Downfall of award-winning chef jailed after leading cops on mammoth 29 MILE chase
A former award-winning chef has been jailed after leading police on a 29 MILE high speed chase from Skelmsdale to Salford. Daniel Wallace, 26, previously won the Observer Food Awards (OFA) Young Chef of the Year Award in 2019 whilst working as a chef de partie at Gary Usher’s restaurant, Kala, based in Manchester.
However, after losing his job due to the COVID pandemic, his relationship with his partner deteriorated and they split in December last year, prosecutor Nicholas Flanagan said. Matters came to a head in March this year following an argument, after which he accused her of treating him ‘poorly’ and became ‘aggressive and violent’.
He then packed up his belongings and left, taking her blue BMW, Manchester Crown Court heard. “After that, the defendant constantly threatened to kill her and burn her car out,” Mr Flanagan said. He also made threats to take his own life.
During a work trip, she changed the locks on her flat, and after returning home Wallace turned up five minutes later, leading her to think he had been watching her. She later installed a Ring doorbell as she became ‘scared’, and on April 1 she discovered that Spyware had been uploaded to her phone.
Wallace admitted an offence of harassment, but denied downloading the spyware. She later reported to the police that her car had been stolen after it wasn’t returned. Wallace went on to bombard the woman’s mum with 50 messages.
Days later, on April 4, the blue BMW was circulated as stolen and spotted by patrolling officers leaving Skelmsdale and joining the M58 where it took the M6 southbound. Wallace moved from the M62 to the M6 and back onto the M602, repeatedly went onto the hard shoulder to overtake and undertake other cars and was driving in excess of 100mph.
The chase eventually came to an end when Wallace turned off at junction 3 in Salford but was blocked by traffic. Officers were forced to use a baton to break the driver's window and deployed their tasers in order to detain him.
The arresting officer said in a statement that it was one of the worst incidents he had ever seen in 13 years of service, and described restraining Wallace as a ‘life or death situation’.
Mitigating, Rebecca Caulfield said the relationship began to ‘take a turn’ when her client lost his job as a result of the pandemic. “The one thing he was successful at, he lost,” she said.
“He accepts his behaviour went too far, he did not want to let go of the relationship. The ending of that relationship led to his state of mind which led to the chase, starting in Cheshire and culminating at the end of the M602. He tells me he was not thinking clearly.”
Wallace, of no fixed abode, was jailed for 14 months and banned from driving for two years and seven months, after pleading guilty to harassment and dangerous driving.
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