Here we take a look back on cases we have featured on Nottinghamshire Live of those who are awaiting sentencing and those who have recently been jailed. In one case, investigated by South Yorkshire Police, two Nottinghamshire defendants were among nearly 20 people convicted of their roles in the largest prison drugs conspiracy in the UK, believed to be worth well over £1 million.
Sentencing is planned at Sheffield Crown Court later this year. More details about the case were revealed by police after a 19-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court concluded on Thursday, April 27, with 58-year-old Paul Whittingham, of Halifax Road, Bradford, found guilty of money laundering – the last of the criminal group to face legal proceedings.
South Yorkshire Police said the investigation began in October 2019 when the force received information that drugs and items including lock knives were being smuggled into HMP Lindholme, near Doncaster. Police went to the prison and arrested a mental health nurse as she arrived for her shift - and what they found led to the unravelling of the group’s criminal enterprise.
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The nurse was 37-year-old Amy Hatfield (pictured), who disclosed to Detective Constable Scott Jarvis that she had “some stuff” on her when she was arrested at the prison. When officers searched Hatfield’s belongings, they found multiple wraps of cannabis, tobacco, anabolic steroids, vials of liquid, MDMA, phones and chargers. She also had in her possession several bottles of ‘Ribena’, which in fact contained a liquid form of the synthetic cannabinoid spice.
The prison value of the liquid spice recovered from Hatfield that morning was estimated by prison experts to be around £1 million.
Hatfield, of HMP Newhall, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, two counts of conspiracy to convey List A articles into prison (drugs and knives), conspiracy to convey List B articles into prison (phones), and money laundering.
The Nottingham defendants were: Audrey Needham, 56, of Comfrey Close, Nottingham, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and money laundering, and William Francis, 56, of Hogan Gardens, Nottingham, who pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin, possession with intent to supply spice and cannabis, and conspiracy to convey List A articles into prison. Read the full story here
Another recent case before the courts involved defendant Salmou Njie who ran off after kicking a Nottingham tram worker on the back of her knee and trying to grab around her neck. Njie, of Cairo Road, Old Basford, was later arrested.
On Monday, April 24, Njie appeared before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court and was found guilty of assault by beating and pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis. The 30-year-old was also convicted of two further counts of cannabis possession, on January 22, 2023 and August 12, 2022, as well as two counts of failing to surrender to custody.
He received 26 weeks in prison. Read the full story here
And, over at Lincoln Crown Court, 62-year-old Victor Grimmer, of Main Street in Huthwaite, was jailed for five years after a horror crash. Tara Green, 32, died on December 12 in 2020 after a crash on the A158 between Lincoln and Horncastle.
Her Vauxhall Mokka collided with a Ford Mondeo being driven by Grimmer. Grimmer was also given a three year sentence for causing serious injury to Miss Green's partner, which will run alongside his current sentence, Lincolnshire Live reports.
He was also banned from driving for seven and half years, and ordered to take an extended retest. Read the full story here
Police also released images of two brothers involved in an attack on a former employee who was dragged into a phone shop and beaten. Car wash owner Shalow Omer, recruited his brother, Shaho Omer, and the ex-car wash worker was dragged into Shalow's other shop, Mobile Point phone repairs, in Alfreton Road, Radford, on October 29 last year.
Once the man was dragged and trapped inside, another car wash worker, Bahroz Rashid, aided and encouraged the brothers on a video call to beat the man, with Shalow Omer using a plank of wood. Rashid asked the man to pay £1,000 for the chemicals he stole.
Shalaw Omer, 30, of The Cliff, Bulwell; 23-year-old Shaho Omer, of Manifold Gardens, The Meadows, and Bharoz Rashid, 51, of Claygate, Carlton, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday, April 25.
Shalaw Omer was jailed for 21 months after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and false imprisonment. Shaho Omer received a 19-month jail sentence after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm and false imprisonment. Rashid was locked up for 18 months after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
All three were also given a restraining order not to contact the victim directly or indirectly for five years. Read the full story here
And Michal Kruszewski, 27, of no fixed address, was jailed after he was found in possession of a knife and class A drugs during a stop and search. Officers were alerted by a member of the public about a man routing through bins at One Stop, Queen's Road, Beeston.
He was charged to appear at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on the April 9 for possession of Class A drugs and possession of a bladed article. He was sentenced to 21 weeks imprisonment. Read the full story here
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