Callous murderers, violent thugs, burglars, drug dealers and perverts were among those locked up at Teesside Crown Court in August.
And these are just some of the people who faced justice last month. The Northern Echo has pulled together a list of some of the most prolific.
See them below and find out why they were locked up.
Callous killers
A pair of callous murderers have been locked up for a minimum of 21 years each after a drug turf war descended into fatal violence.
Brandon Ali and Joey Matthews took the fortuitous opportunity to exact revenge on Carl Eland when the spotted their drug dealing rival riding his bike with his partner on the handlebars.
Jurors gasped when they watched CCTV footage of the white Vauxhall Insignia smash into the bike as Mr Eland cycled through Middlesbrough.
Judge Paul Watson QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, sentenced both to life in prison and told them they would serve a minimum of 21 years.
Mr Eland died four days later after suffering fatal head injuries. His partner, Kassi Weir, was also thrown from the bike but only suffered minor injuries.
Ali, of Dalwood Court in Hemlington, and Matthews, of Newcomen Green, both Middlesbrough, were found guilty of murder and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.
Dodgy gardener
A rogue gardener ‘ruthlessly exploited’ a vulnerable pensioner when he scammed her out of thousands of pounds for work he never carried out.
David McDonagh answered the widow’s appeal for a tradesman to carry out gardening work but instead he ripped her off instead.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the 33-year-old carried out three days of labouring work before disappearing after failing to provide the summer house or make the garden accessible to the pensioner.
Kelly Sherif, prosecuting, said the 77-year-old pensioner had handed over more than £5,000 for gardening work at the home she had recently moved into following the recent death of her husband.
Judge Jonathan Carroll jailed McDonagh for 16 months as he show no remorse for his offending.
Career criminal
A career criminal who left a pensioner terrified when he tried to break into her home twice in a matter of weeks has been locked up.
Carl Finn has racked up more than 230 offences in the last 20 years to fund his Class A drug habit.
The 42-year-old went a crime spree earlier this year when he targeted a number of businesses and a hospital to steal cash, mobile phones and even charity boxes.
Teesside Crown Court heard how Finn was identified by CCTV footage after he carried out ten offences in a matter of weeks, including stealing £4,500 in cash from Ormesby Institute.
Finn, of Frampton Green, pleaded guilty to seven commercial burglaries, two attempted burglaries and a theft from shop – all carried out earlier this year.
Recorder Paul Reid branded the defendant’s crimes as despicable as he jailed him for 40 months.
“You have been convicted of 225 offences, now 235, in the main for dishonestly but some violence as well,” he said.
“You have caused untold misery to the people you have taken from or property you have violated by burgling it. You have been sentenced to periods of imprisonment totalling 20 years – none of that has stopped you committing these unpleasant offences.”
Drug warehouse
A man who stashed 1.5kg of heroin in a bag inside dog kennels on behalf of drug dealers to pay off his own debt has been locked up.
Amar Majid admitted acting as a warehouseman for the £30-40,000 worth of Class A drugs but denied being responsible for dealing the narcotic saying there was ‘nowt on his phone’.
The 33-year-old was staying at his girlfriend’s Darlington home when police carried out the raid last October.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the defendant was ‘warehousing’ the drugs for someone he was too scared to name in a bid to reduce his own debt.
Peter Sabiston, prosecuting, said officers found the bag of heroin inside a bag hidden in a dog kennel where the defendant kept his dogs at the property on Mossbank Grove, Darlington.
He said the estimated street value of the Class A drug recovered from the scene would be in the region of £167,000 but with a wholesale, bulk value of £30-40,000.
Recorder Marco Giuliani sentenced Majid for 40 months for his role in the drug supply network.
McDonald's lover
A burglar used a stolen bank card to buy a McDonald’s after creeping into a house and grabbing a pensioner’s wallet before buying £18 worth of food.
Cory Davison targeted three homes in a matter of hours when he crept into the properties to help himself to cash, bank cards and car keys.
The 34-year-old also stole 50p when he rummaged through a parked van looking for cash to fund his drug habit.
Teesside Crown Court heard how Davison carried out the seven offences over a six-day period last month and on at least occasion he was wearing a Halloween-style mask.
Davison, of Talbot Street, Stockton, pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary, two fraud charges for using the stolen bank cards, a theft from a motor vehicle and taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent.
Emma Williams, in mitigation, said her client had turned to drugs following a difficult few years but was now clean after being remanded in custody and wants to stay of drugs.
He added: “It was drugs that got you into trouble in the first place.”
Tobacco scam
Two men violently attacked and robbed their victim of cash after luring to a house under the pretence of buying some tobacco from him.
Daniel Johnson persuaded the man to come to his east Cleveland home but within minutes his friend, Ben Lancaster, pounced on the man, punching him repeatedly and threatening to bite his face.
The victim’s quick thinking meant he managed to record some of the attack on his mobile phone as a knife was used to cut the straps on his manbag while Lancaster kept him pinned down using his knee.
Teesside Crown Court heard how Lancaster, who has a long history of violent offending, was the main protagonist throughout the man’s ordeal but it was Johnson who provided the knife use to cut through the strap.
Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, said the victim suffered superficial wounds but had been left traumatised by the violence he suffered on March 27 this year as the pair stole £100 in cash and a quantity of tobacco.
Lancaster, of Eskdale Terrace, Lingdale, pleaded guilty to robbery and was give a six-year extended sentence as he was branded a ‘high risk’ offender.
Johnson, 37, of Thirlmere Drive, Skelton, pleaded guilty to the same offence and was jailed for four years and two months for his role in the robbery.
Judge Chris Smith the robbery ‘nasty’ as he locked the pair up.
Sentencing Lancaster, he said: “I have some real concerns about the risk that you pose in the future – you have a very worrying record, featuring as it does a conviction for violence and for inflicting serious harm.”
And addressing Johnson, he added: “This was a serious offence, and whilst it was unfolding before your eyes, you lent your assistance to it be arming Lancaster with a knife, that makes your position serious.”
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