A machete attacker, a drug dealer nicknamed 'BaldBonsai' and a schoolgirl shooter are among the criminals jailed this week in Liverpool.
A woman who had a suspended sentence activated after sending abusive messages to her ex boyfriends dog's Facebook account, and a paedophile caught in B&Q with images of children on his phone were also sent to prison. Another man was given a further sentence after breaking a prison officers jaw because he was told to remove his flip flops.
Here is our round up of 12 criminals put behind bars this week across Liverpool.
READ MORE: Liverpool prisoners shoot rap video in jail
Malcom Lewis
Malcom Lewis attacked a Tesco security guard with a machete after he foiled his shoplifting attempts.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Tuesday that the 52-year-old entered the Tesco Express on King Street in Wallasey, Wirral, at around 10pm on November 26 last year. Lewis filled up a basket with various goods to the total value of £9.31, but walked out without paying.
A security guard chased him, but he dropped his basket near to a pedestrian crossing before producing what was described as a "large meat cleaver or small machete" from under his clothing. Lewis raised the weapon above his head before striking down as the undeterred staff member tackled him.
The victim was hit in the eye, but thankfully only suffered a minor graze. Dad-of-two Lewis, who appeared via video link to HMP Altcourse wearing a black Hugo Boss jumper, pleaded guilty to theft, making threats with an offensive weapon and assault. He was jailed for 20 months.
Sentencing, Judge Andrew Menary KC described the blade as a "fearsome looking item". The Honorary Recorder of Liverpool added: "This will have been a terrifying event, and it could have resulted in very serious injury."
Mykal Owoo
Mykal Owoo was found with 22 images and videos of children being abused on his phone.
The 27-year-old appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday after being found with 22 indecent images and videos of children on his phone. He was confronted by police while he was working on shift at B&Q, and voluntarily handed over his Samsung phone and passcode to police.
He accepted using the phone to access legal pornography, but denied accessing any images of children. The sum total of 18 of the 22 videos, including most of the category A content, was around 17 minutes long, and there were “a large number of different victims in this case.”
In sentencing, His Honour Judge Brian Cummings KC shared brief details of the footage found on the defendants phone, including a video of child rape. He said: “That is a factor which I am required to give significant weight to, and I do.” Judge Cummings criticised Owoo for refusing to fully accept his crime, and for delaying the sentencing by refusing to plead guilty until the day of trial.
He addressed the defendant: “You weren’t the person directly committing these appalling acts but you share responsibility because without people like you, the customer, the material would not be created in the first place, not least on the scale that it is. I cannot accept that you feel any genuine remorse for what you did.
“First of all it is apparent that you continue to deny any real responsibility, you continue to maintain that this material was sent to you without your desire, you continue to deny you have any sexual interest in children.”
Owoo was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for the first count relating to Category A images, five months for count two and three months for count three, but to be served concurrently.
A sexual harm prevention order and notification requirements were implemented for ten years. He was prohibited from using any device which can connect to the internet without informing police, and a forfeiture order for his Samsung phone was also made.
Jamie Dugdale
Jamie Dugdale admitted to the supply of class A drugs after his dad flushed his drugs down the toilet after seeing him get arrested.
When caught red-handed by police, he claimed he was being forced into the supply of class A drugs by those higher up the chain. But his concerned father intervened and made a desperate bid to cover up his illicit activities. Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday that plain clothes police officers on patrol on Page Lane in Widnes spotted known drug users loitering in an alleyway leading to Harris Street, a "well-known area for drug dealing", on November 3 last year.
Derek Jones, prosecuting, described how the PCs attempted to detained Dugdale when he approached the men, but he fled towards his then home on Harris Street. His dad, Alan Dugdale, came out of their house when he saw what was happening and began acting "aggressively".
The 51-year-old subsequently went back into his home, and when officers followed him inside they heard the sound of the toilet flushing. The dad came out of the bathroom and police found wraps of drugs floating on top of the water in the bowl.
He later said under interview he had taken the substances from his son's bedroom and tried to "get rid of them". A total of £1,565 in cash was seized from the property. Dugdale, now of Church Street, admitted possession of heroin with intent to supply. He was jailed for three years.
Alan Dugdale, of Harris Street, admitted obstructing police and possession of cannabis at Warrington Magistrates' Court in November. He was handed an 18-month conditional discharge and told to pay court costs plus a victim surcharge.
Rio Jones
Rio Jones was jailed after shooting an innocent 15-year-old schoolgirl in the neck by accident whilst aiming for someone else.
The girl was caught in the crossfire as she waited for a bus home from school after Rio Jones discharged six gunshots at a rival as he pursued him through the streets of Toxteth on an electric bike. The 19-year-old was found guilty of attempting to murder the target, Shakur Watson, and inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent by a jury in October following a trial.
He returned to Liverpool Crown Court this morning, Tuesday, to be sentenced having also admitted possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Jones - appearing via video link to HMP Manchester wearing a grey Nike jumper - showed no emotion as he was imprisoned for life with a minimum term of 16-and-a-half years.
Sentencing Jones for what he described as a "planned attack", the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC said: "You claimed to have used the gun only to frighten and not to harm. That claim was plainly nonsense and was rejected by the jury.”
He added: "It may be that the shooting of the girl was unintended, but it was entirely predictable given that you discharged this weapon six times from a fast moving bike on a main residential and commercial street in broad daylight. Your actions were outrageous."
Megan Woodham
Megan Woodham used her job as a healthcare assistant at a prison to conceal and smuggle ketamine into the jail.
Woodham handed over to inmate Daniel Doran. She also used her home as the "safehouse" for a wider ring involved in the supply of millions of pounds of cocaine, members of which were handed lengthy spells behind bars at Liverpool Crown Court this afternoon, Tuesday.
A trial previously heard that Doran - of Hall Lane in Kirkby - was a serving prisoner at HMP Risley in Warrington between December 2021 and February 2022, with Woodham having been employed as a health worker in the jail. David Watson, prosecuting, described how they - together with co-defendants Kelsey Higgins and John Butler - were "involved in the supply of a very large quantity of high purity cocaine".
The inmate had access to a mobile phone while behind bars and "organised the moving of cocaine from location to location" from his cell "under the noses of authorities". Woodham was said to have "formed some sort of relationship" with the 32-year-old through her work and would "willingly assist him by allowing her home address to be used for the storage of parcels" of drugs.
Higgins meanwhile was described as a close associate of Doran's cousin Butler, who was arrested while travelling to his home in possession of 10kg of cocaine on January 8 last year. Doran, Higgins and Woodham were all arrested on Valentine's Day last year and gave no comment under interview.
Daniel Doran was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine but admitted conspiracy to supply ketamine and was today jailed for 15 years by Judge Stuart Driver KC. Appearing on video from HMP Altcourse, he shook his head before laughing.
Higgins was convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine by a jury. He was handed 13-and-a-half years and similarly reacted by shaking his head before taking off his glasses, leaning back and smiling.
Woodham, now of Ormskirk Road in Pemberton, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine and ketamine. She burst into tears after being jailed for six years then turned to members of her family in the public gallery and said: "I love you." Butler, of Clements Way in Tower Hill, was jailed for eight years in February last year. The 27-year-old admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply.
Sean Fagan
Sean Fagan, 29, stole an Audi A6 but was spotted and chased down by police only hours later.
Fagan of Whitney Road, Liverpool, was spotted driving the Audi A6, now on cloned plates, down the East Lancashire Road hours after stealing it on the night of October 9. He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday for three charges relating to the theft of the car, which was stolen from Vincent Staunton while he cared for his sick mother.
Derrick Jones, prosecuting, explained police began a pursuit of the vehicle at around 1.30pm on October 10, when the vehicle was seen “weaving in and out of traffic" before managing to turn down a nearby crescent. Soon after the car chase, other officers arrived at the scene and the defendant was spotted walking away from the vehicle.
Mr Jones said: “When he saw police he started to run but was soon detained. He had some black gloves on him and a couple of what was described as ‘cloned car keys’. The key to the Audi was found afterwards by a police dog very near to where he had been arrested."
His Honour Judge Brian Cummings KC said: “You claimed to have forgotten to have been disqualified, that is nonsense of course but it reflects your contemptuous attitude towards the law. There is no mitigation of substance beyond the fact you pleaded guilty.
“Only immediate imprisonment in my judgement constitutes accurate punishment.” Fagan, who had to be told to “sit up” by the judge before sentencing, was given nine months imprisonment for the aggravated taking of a motor vehicle, and to four months to be served concurrently for driving while disqualified.
He was also disqualified for 22 months, and must take an extended retest before being able to drive again. A woman in the public gallery cried as he was sentenced.
James Ashton
Drug dealer James Ashton asked "is that all?" after being jailed for breaking a man's jaw during a "straightener" at a pub.
He repeatedly punched a man in the face and threw a chair at him after a dispute arose between the two over an alleged stolen sum of money. Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday that victim Kane Rimmer had accused the 33-year-old of stealing a sum of money from him.
But the defendant denied these accusations and the two "agreed to have a straightener to sort out the dispute". Derek Jones, prosecuting, described how Mr Rimmer was already present in the Lodge pub on Lark Lane in Aigburth when Ashton, of no fixed address, arrived on November 23 2021.
But, "as soon as he saw him", the thug punched him to the side of the face "with force" then threw a wooden chair at him before raining down more blows. The complainant ran away after suffering a fractured right cheekbone in the attack, but later made a "good recovery".
Ashton was arrested on January 19 last year in connection with the incident, but made no comment under interview. Ashton, who appeared via video link to HMP Altcourse, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was imprisoned for seven months by Judge Gary Woodhall.
After learning his sentence, he was heard to say: "Is that all? "Nice one Mr Nolan. Thank you."
Ashton's latest term will be served consecutively to a seven-and-a-half year stretch he received at Bristol Crown Court in October last year. It came after he was arrested in 2018 following a joint operation between Gloucestershire Police and Merseyside Police, which led to the seizure of a shortened shotgun inside a vehicle in Liverpool.
Paula Higham
Paula Higham, 38, threatened to kill her ex partner after being banned from contacting him has appeared in court again.
She appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday after breaching the terms of a suspended sentence imposed in August last year after she breached a non-molestation order by messaging her ex's dog on Facebook. Higham, of Sandringham Drive, Sefton Park, also threatened to kill her former partner, and issued threats towards his mum, calling her “rough”, adding “she will be looking worse soon”.
In August 2021, she was handed a non-molestation order by the family courts preventing her from contacting her ex Mark Davies for one year. Recorder Tim Harrington handed Higham a one-year imprisonment suspended for 18 months and ordered her to complete 100 hours of unpaid work plus a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
Despite the non-molestation order, she continued in a "persistent breach", sending a string of "deeply unpleasant" messages. A total of 13 emails were sent from two different accounts on the morning of of August 25, 2021, only a week after the order was imposed.
Three days later, Higham messaged a Facebook account which had been set up in the name of Mr Davies' dog. One abusive note read: "What's happened to your mum? She's looking very rough. She will be looking worse soon." Another message added: "Enjoy your weekend. I've posted your name and address over the internet, rapist."
A court heard that Higham failed to attend two unpaid work appointments on November 10 and November 24 last year, leaving her in breach of her suspended sentence. Zara Baqri, prosecuting, said Higham’s continued alcohol abuse means she has missed appointments, and when she is there, she is sometimes intoxicated and acts aggressively towards staff.
In sentencing, Recorder Eric Lamb said: “You have been presenting in a way in which you were verbally aggressive towards your offender manager, and there have been occasions in which you were sporadic in your engagement with unpaid work.” “I have concluded that activation of the sentence would not be unjust.”
Recorder Lamb activated the suspended sentence of 12 months imprisonment, but reduced it to eight months to take into account the elements of the community order Higham has already completed.
Jason Revill
Jason Revill, a heroin and cocaine dealer who used the pseudonym "Bald Bonsai" gave a judge the thumbs up after he was jailed for 15-and-a-half years.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Thursday that the 46-year-old used the handle BaldBonsai while trading on encrypted communications platform EncroChat. Alex Langhorn, prosecuting, said the dad had been involved in the distribution of "multi kilo amounts" of heroin and cocaine while acting as a "commodity broker".
Secret chats evidenced that Revill, of Stonegate Drive in Dingle, "appeared to be middle managament" and had discussed the supply of 14kg of cocaine and 1kg of heroin. Merseyside Police raided his home in June 2022 after he had "just recently taken delivery" of 10kg of heroin, a stash with which he was inevitably caught "red-handed" by officers.
The 10 1kg packages were between 49 and 61 per cent in purity when tested, although the "bulk" was between 56 and 61 per cent purity. The wholesale value of the class A drugs was estimated at around £125,000, although the potential street value was "far in excess of that sum".
Revill admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin, possession of heroin with into to supply and possession of criminal property during an earlier hearing. Wearing a grey Berghaus fleece in the dock, Revill smiled and said "thank you very much your honour" as he gave a thumbs up to the judge upon learning his sentence of 15-and-a-half years behind bars before being led down to the cells.
He could now be ordered to repay his ill-gotten gains under the Proceeds of Crime Act, and will be brought back before the same court later this year.
Colin Shannon
Colin Shannon shouted "have some of that" as he knifed his victim at the Ship Hotel in New Brighton. He embarked upon his savage attack after being confronted as he abused a barmaid who had earlier banned him from the establishment.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Thursday afternoon that 52-year-old Adam Najis went to the pub where he was a regular at around 5.30pm on July 5 last year after finishing work. As he left the premises, he saw Shannon approach a female member of staff, and act aggressively towards her.
The thug was "getting right in her face, towering over her, pointing his finger at her" with his "aggressive body language" leaving her "deeply uncomfortable". Mr Najis returned to intervene and pushed Shannon away, telling him "not to speak to her in that manner".
The defendant punched him, and he returned a blow. The knifeman then pulled the weapon from his pocket and jabbed it towards the complainant's chest as he said: "Have some of that."
Shannon ran away from the scene after the stabbing. Mr Najis meanwhile was heard to say "oo, that hurt".
He "initially thought it was a forceful punch" and only realised he had been stabbed when he looked down to see a bloody hole in his t-shirt. Members of the public came out of the pub in order to give him first aid after he suffered two wounds to his chest and abdomen, as well as a cut to his arm.
One of the blows from the knife had penetrated his bowel and bladder. Mr Najis had to undergo emergency surgery and remained in hospital for six days before being discharged on July 11.
Shannon, who has five previous convictions for 15 offences, admitted wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article in a public place. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was jailed for four-and-a-half years.
A restraining order imposed will also prevent him from entering the Ship Hotel for five years.
Dean Newland
Dean Newland, 33, who assaulted and threatened two Wetherspoons workers while drunk, was jailed on Wednesday.
He appeared before the courts on three counts of assault for an incident in the Richard John Blackler branch of JD Wetherspoon on Great Charlotte Street, Liverpool city centre, and one count of failing to comply with sex offenders register notification requirements.
Yvonne Dobson, prosecuting, said that on October 10 at around 11.45pm, victims Sophie Barends and Reece Wilde were both at work in the Wetherspoon pub. Ms Barends noticed Newland standing near a group of men in the pub and asking them for money, so she approached and asked him to leave the premises.
He then became aggressive and demanded a drink, and when she refused, Newland sat at a nearby table which had a half-finished drink on it. Ms Barends tried to remove the glass from the table, as “he was acting in a very aggressive and threatening manner” so she was concerned, the court was told.
She asked her colleagues for assistance, at which point Mr Wilde approached and also attempted to get Newland to leave. He continued behaving aggressively towards the Wetherspoons staff, and threatened Ms Barends, claiming his sister would “assault her”.
Newland then assaulted Ms Barends, pushing her in the chest area. Ms Dobson said: “The defendant poured the half pint over the floor and raised the glass as if he was going to throw it.
“He continued making threats, and then leaned over, touching her left breast area. Ms Barends felt instant pain at this point.
"He continued to be aggressive until police arrived at the scene and arrested him.” The court was told Newland has failed to comply with notification requirements six times, and this offence took place while he was subject to two suspended sentences for previous sexual offences.
Judge Hatton activated two previous suspended sentences, of eight weeks and 12 weeks each, both previously given for breaching the sexual offences notification order. For the latest breach of a notification order, he was sentenced to a further 16 weeks, to be served consecutively. For the four cases of assault relating to the incident in Wetherspoons he was handed four weeks each, to be served concurrently.
In total, he was sentenced to 36 weeks imprisonment. A community order was also imposed, stating Newland cannot have alcohol of any kind on his person in Liverpool city centre for two years.
Rory Payne
Rory Payne, 26, was serving a six year sentence in custody at HMP Risley, Warrington, for possession of a firearm when he broke a prison officers jaw.
Payne began the ferocious attack after he was told to remove his flip flops by the officer. At Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, Chris Taylor, prosecuting, detailed that on January 5, 2022, at around 9.15am, Payne tried to enter a room in the prison while wearing flip flops.
He was told by prison officer Vincent Shanahan that he had to change into trainers before going into that room, as per prison rules. At this, Payne began acting verbally abusive and said “f*** off you d***head” to the officer, so Mr Shanahan tried to escort him out of the area using “minimal force” and asked other officers to assist.
Payne then punched Officer Shanahan hard in the face, and he described feeling “ a sharp pain to his jaw” before blacking out. CCTV of the attack was shown in court, and the defendant could be clearly seen punching the prison officer, and then continuing to hit Mr Shanahan even after he had fallen to the ground.
Payne pleaded guilty to one count of wounding without intent in December. In sentencing, District Judge Sarah-Jane Griffiths said: “You rained a number of blows on him.
“Once on the ground, you continued to throw punches at the officer.” She added: “I am pleased to hear that you want to turn your life around, but you are where you are because of your offending, but I hope that you mean what you say.”
“Within that letter you are still blaming the victim and there is some minimisation of your culpability and for what you did. “If you felt the officer was belittling you, there are different ways to go about that.”
“This was a violent assault on a police officer who was doing his job. “The rules in prison are there for a reason.
“The fact of the matter is the officer asked you to change your shoes when you did not do that, you didn’t listen to the officer, and you lost it.” Judge Griffiths sentenced Payne to 24 months imprisonment to be served concurrently with his current sentence of six years.
She also ordered the £156 victim surcharge to be paid directly to the victim in compensation.
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