Manchester's courts often see teenagers and young people in the dock for a variety of serious crimes. From robbery to antisocial behaviour and knife crime, judges have had to hand out tough sentences to some of our region's youngsters.
The age of criminal responsibility in the UK is 10, and children under 18 can be brought before the Crown Court for serious crimes, including murder.
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The Manchester Evening News’ court reporters regularly cover cases involving teenagers brought before the court - here are some recent examples.
Brodie Stott
Brodie Stott had been a law-abiding citizen until he moved in with his 42-year-old father Anthony Stott. Over a two-year period - and under his dad’s impression, the then 17-year-old started by collecting drug debts from addicts, before he then sent out group texts marketing their illicit products, then peddled crack on the streets from a car.
Both were arrested after police raided a lock-up and their shared property and found packages of cocaine and cannabis, four mobile phones and more than £4,000 in cash. Police claimed Stott Snr had also been in possession of a loaded firearm whilst his son carried a retractable baton as part of his drug debt collections activities.
Text messages between them referred to high purity cocaine as 'raw power' and cannabis as 'bud' or 'cali', with Stott Jnr sending out a group text to addicts saying: '''Shout me for cali - its the cheapest your gonna get.''
At Minshull Street Crown Court in April, Stott Jnr, now 20, was jailed for three years after admitting possession of drugs with intent to supply being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs between May 2019 and February 2021, acquiring criminal property and possessing an offensive weapon.
Stott Snr was jailed for 58 months in October last year after he admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis and acquiring criminal property.
The judge said he was ‘indoctrinated’ and ‘under the thrall’ of his dad.
Sean Reilly
18-year-old Sean Reilly avoided prison 'by the skin of his teeth' after leading police on a high speed chase through Bolton and Salford. A judge told him that it was "by sheer fortune and good luck that no one was seriously injured or killed" during the pursuit on January 17.
CCTV footage played in Bolton Crown Court showed Reilly turning down Piggott Street, in Farnworth , after being spotted by cops on Albert Road just after 4.20pm. Ms Alton said that Reilly had tried to cover his face when he saw police, as he had been arrested on suspicion of careless driving just 10 days earlier.
Reilly, of Parkway Grove, Little Hulton , raced towards Buckley Lane and then Cleggs Lane, reaching speeds in excess of 70mph and forcing other cars to move out of the way. He then drove down a number of narrow residential roads, before making his way towards Logistics North.
The teenager eventually mounted the kerb and drove into Cutacre Country Park, despite signs prohibiting it. He then abandoned the car and ran away but witnesses told police which way he went and they caught him.
Reilly initially denied driving the car and claimed he was a passenger who 'screamed' for the driver to stop. He admitted that he had smoked a joint of cannabis earlier that day and a roadside test came back positive but he later refused further tests at the police station.
Reilly was handed one year in a young offenders institution which was suspended for two years and he was banned from driving for three years in April this year.
Summer Downie and Wiktor Ostrowski
Summer Downie and Wiktor Ostrowski, both 18, turned up at a taxi office in Chorlton claiming they had tried to ring in. They were told by the taxi dispatcher that the phone lines had been down.
The teenagers said they ‘did not care’ and wanted to retrieve their phone. They then both pushed into the office and came towards the dispatcher and pushed him. He was hit to the face and pushed them both back in an attempt to protect himself.
They continued to attack him, but were eventually pushed outside by two operators. A group of ten young men and women then appeared and started attacking the shopkeepers who owned the shops across the road and who tried to push them back. One of the girls threw a glass bottle at a shopkeeper.
Another taxi operator called the police as the group continued the violent melee outside. During this, one of the males came up to the hatch and started spitting at the window. Bricks and bottles were thrown at the office during the attack.
Both Downie, of Parrswood Road, Withington , and Ostrowski, of Horton Road, Fallowfield , were handed a 30 month community order (two-and-a-half years), 25 days of rehabilitation activity requirements and 200 hours unpaid work after pleading guilty to affray. They must also both pay £200 compensation.
Kalesha Hemsley
Teenage mum Kalesha Hemsley stabbed a friend in cold blood after she flew into a rage at him spending the night with her new boyfriend's former lover.
The 19-year-old armed herself with a kitchen knife then plunged it into the chest of Matthew Hope telling him: ''You don’t sleep with your mate's ex, you scumbag.’'
When Mr Hope exclaimed: ''What the f*** are you going?’ Hemsley replied: ‘'What the f*** do you mean, what am I doing?’' before walking off.
Mr Hope managed to stagger home to discover blood 'spurting' from his wound. Doctors later discovered the blade had breached the muscle around his heart but miraculously he has made a recovery.
Inquiries revealed the stabbing in Farnworth, near Bolton, was carried out in revenge after the victim had gone back to the home of Jennifer Settle who had previously dated Hemsley's boyfriend Jack Davies.
At Bolton Crown Court, Hemsley, now 20, of The Pungle, Westhoughton, who has a daughter aged two, wept as she was jailed for two years after admitting unlawful wounding contrary to S20 of the Offences Against the Person Act and possession of an offensive weapon. Her daughter is currently being looked after by the child's grandmother.
Davies, 18, of Bolton who was at the scene of the attack was initially charged with wounding but the case against him was dropped.
Cleo McNally
18-year-old Cleo McNally was ‘trying to start a fight’ with her friend, and was heard swearing and shouting on November 14 last year.
One of the officers asked her to stop swearing, at which she replied: “Don’t care, she’s a f***** little b***h” and “Do you think I actually care - she is a s**g”.
The officer explained that children and elderly people were close and could hear her and again told her to stop swearing. She refused and then got close to the officer shouting abuse at the girl who was standing behind her.
The officer told her to go home at which McNally said: “no, you f****** go home” and pushed her backwards. A struggle ensued, and the officer had to be assisted by two other officers.
McNally, of Danes Square, Macclesfield, continued to resist and kicked out at all three police officers on Castle Street, Macclesfield . One was kicked to the wrist and knee, and the others were kicked to the knees.
She was sentenced to a 12 month community order in March this year, 15 days of rehabilitation activity requirements and 60 hours unpaid work. She must also pay £50 compensation to each police officer.
Declan Hawley
Declan Hawley, 18, was one of a gang of teen thugs who were armed with fearsome meat cleavers who targeted delivery drivers during appalling armed robberies. The gang struck twice within an hour, lying in wait as two takeaway drivers tried to do their jobs in Oldham on a busy Saturday night.
Hawley, 18, who said he didn't wield any weapons, was caught and has been locked up for almost five years. He said he hadn't been in trouble with the law previously, said he'd got involved with a 'bad crowd' and suffered peer pressure.
During one incident a 28-year-old man was delivering some food at a house at about 8pm on November 20 last year. After dropping off the takeaway, he went back to his Nissan Micra and was surrounded by four men.
He saw two were armed with large meat cleavers, and they all wore dark clothing and surgical masks. One knifeman held the blade to his neck and ordered him to hand over his car keys.
The robbers got in the car and drove off, also stealing his phone and wallet which contained £600. Within an hour, the gang were back on the prowl in Oldham, targeting a man who was delivering food to another house.
Hawley, of Shakespeare Road, Oldham, was jailed for four years and nine months in March this year after pleading guilty to two counts of robbery, and one of attempted robbery.
Nana Vandevelde and Zane Arshad
Teen robbers Nana Vandevelde and Zane Arshad lured unsuspecting victims into terrifying knifepoint attacks after they'd agreed to buy or sell iPhones on Facebook Marketplace. One victim feared he was going to be killed after he had a knife held to his throat, while a pregnant woman was caught up in one horror attack.
Facebook profiles were set up under fake names to entice people. Victims were attacked and threatened with knives, and a man and his pregnant wife were chased down the street by a machete wielding robber.
The robbery spree occurred in September and October 2020, with Vandevelde being involved in another similar attack the following year.
Ringleader Nana Vandevelde, 19, who said he plotted the robberies to pay off a drugs debt, has been jailed for five-and-a-half years. Another robber, Zane Arshad, was locked up for four years and six months.
Vandevelde, of Penroyson Close, Gorton pleaded guilty to five counts of robbery, and one count of attempted robbery. Arshad, of Slade Grove, Longsight was previously jailed for four years and six months after pleading guilty to two counts of robbery.
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