Here are some of the people sentenced at Teesside Crown Court last month.
They include a series of Darlington offenders including a man who stabbed his wife and two men who robbed a petrol station.
Wife attack
A man who repeatedly stabbed his wife was in the grip of a ‘nihilistic’ depressive episode due to wrongly fearing he was facing financial ruin has been jailed.
Colin Finch grabbed a 12 inch kitchen knife before heading into the bedroom of their Darlington home and carrying out the ‘heinous’ attack on his wife of decades.
The 78-year-old admitted attempting to murder his wife of 21 years, Laura, just before 7am on March 18 this year while planning to take his own life.
His wife, in her 70s, suffered knife injuries to her liver and a kidney after Finch attacked her in bed before repeatedly stabbing her, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Stephen Littlewood, prosecuting, said the defendant wrongly believed that the couple faced financial ruin and would be forced to sell their home before attempting to murder his wife.
Finch, of Hummersknott Avenue, Darlington, pleaded guilty to attempted murder after being passed fit to enter a plea after psychiatric reports were carried out.
Judge Francis Laird KC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, sentenced Finch to eight years and eight months in custody for the attempted murder of his wife of 21 years.
Petrol station
Two men who violently attacked a petrol station worker after he was accused of getting a sandwich order wrong have been jailed.
Daniel Davis and John Wilson, who were unknown to each other, stole booze and vapes after the man was left seriously injured after being repeatedly stabbed and hit with a metal bar.
The pair managed to get their way into the BP Garage on High Northgate, Darlington, in the early hours of Thursday, January 8.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the man grabbed a metal bar to protect himself before he was assaulted by the two ‘heavily intoxicated’ men.
Sam Ponniah, prosecuting, said the violence erupted when the worker refused to take money for the sandwich order and the pair entered through an unsecured door.
Judge Francis Laird KC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, said Davis became angered when he thought the worker was getting the sandwich order wrong and entered the store where a melee erupted.
The man tried to force the defendants out of the premises after grappling with the men and Davis dropped his knife during the "persistent" attack.
Davis was sentenced to eight years and three months in custody with three years on extended licence when released.
Wilson was sentenced to nine years in custody with three years on extended licence.
Violent attack
A balaclava-clad thug armed with two knives barged into a neighbour's house and doused three people inside with petrol, telling them he'd 'light them up', and they were 'all going to die'.
Ryan Love forced his way into a neighbour’s property before launching the horrific attack on the people inside the home who he had known for some time.
The 31-year-old armed himself with two blades and the petrol in a squeezy bottle before carrying out the violence, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Annelise Haugstad, prosecuting, said three people were inside the house during the defendant’s prolonged attack on a couple and one of their friends.
“He entered the property wearing a balaclava carrying a bottle of accelerant and a five-inch knife,” she said.
Ms Haugstad said he told them they were ‘all going to die’ as he assaulted each of the three people inside the house.
One of the victims, a woman in her 60s, said she had known the defendant for around 14 years.
The court heard how Love slashed one of the men across the face with a small knife before he pulled out a larger knife and threatened them all with it.
Ms Haugstad said the defendant then started throwing ornaments, fridge and hoover at them before hitting another male with a metal bar.
Judge Richard Bennett branded Love a dangerous offender as he passed a 15 year and eight-month extended sentence.
“You were described as being angry and your face was contorted,” he said.
Psychotic man
A man in the grips of a psychotic episode left a woman terrified when she found him picking up knives in her kitchen.
Elroy McArthur walked into the Bishop Auckland home at around 10.30am before he was confronted by the woman, who tried to force him out.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the 29-year-old eventually fled her home before being arrested while running around the streets bare-chested and without any shoes on.
Erin Kitson-Parker, prosecuting, said officers were forced to use pepper spray to subdue McArthur after he repeatedly jumped into a river in a desperate attempt to evade arrest.
Ms Kitson-Parker said McArthur ran in front of a police car as he tried to flee the scene on St Andrew’s Road, South Church, before banging on the window after the driver carried out an emergency stop.
Jonathan Walker, mitigating, said his client was deeply ashamed of his actions but was in the grip of a psychotic episode at the time.
Recorder Ian Mullarkey locked McArthur up for two years for all offences after he left the burglary victim terrified of being in her own home.
Headstone deal
A father-of-three who turned to dealing to fund a headstone for his father’s grave has narrowly avoided an immediate prison sentence.
John Whyman was arrested when police spotted him driving a Nissan Navarro which they believed was using cloned number plates.
The 32-year-old was driving through Middlesbrough before stopping at a shop where police confronted him about the 4x4, Teesside Crown Court heard.
She said analysis of the Nokia mobile phone had messages making reference to drug dealing activity.
Whyman, of Upper Napier Street, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and possession of criminal property from February 12.
Joel Wootten, mitigating, said the father-of-three had started to deal drugs in order to raise money to pay for a headstone for his father’s grave.
Judge Deborah Sherwin told Whyman she was taking a chance on him when she sentenced him to two years in prison suspended for two years.
Whyman was also ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work, attend 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and was made subject to a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement order.
Stockton fraudster
A fraudster who cheated the system during Covid when he falsely claimed housing benefit for his dead mother’s address has been locked up.
Neil Raynor kept up the deception for two years and pocketed £11,624.69 to help cover non-existent housing costs.
The 49-year-old initially claimed for Universal Credit in January 2020 but added the claim for housing benefit several weeks later on April 7 and used his mother's former address.
Jon Harley, prosecuting, said Raynor changed the address on his online application to the address his mother lived in up until her death in November 2019.
Raynor, of Grange Avenue, Stockton, pleaded guilty to benefit fraud between April 2020 and December 2022.
Uzma Khan, mitigating, said her client was going through a difficult time when he committed the benefit fraud.
Judge Aisha Wadoodi sentenced Raynor to 38 weeks in prison.
Darlington robber
A man who robbed a Darlington shop twice while on bail for his role in a violent attack on a couple walking home after a night out has been locked up.
Carl Sowerby targeted the B&G Mini Mart in Darlington in October and November last year just months after he was involved in a violent attempted robbery and affray in Middlesbrough town centre.
Kieran Foley, Sarah Chedzey and Robyn Birkbeck were all involved in the attack on the couple as they tried to rob them as they made their way home after a night out, Teesside Crown Court heard.
The 38-year-old knocked the Darlington business owner unconscious when he robbed the shop on Yarm Road, said Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, dealing with the robberies.
Mr Dryden said Sowerby returned to the same shop on November 26 when he targeted the female owner of the shop and pushed her out of the way before going behind the counter and stealing the till with £100 cash in it.
Sowerby, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two robbery charges, assault, affray and theft, while Birkbeck, also of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.
Foley, of Roman Road, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, theft and affray, while Chedzey, also of Roman Road, pleaded guilty to affray.
Dealing with Sowerby, Judge Jo Kidd said: “You were clearly incapable of exercising any control over your addiction and the way you chose to fund that was to target people who were vulnerable in order to pay for your drugs.”
The judge sentenced Sowerby to a total of seven years and three months for all offences, Foley was jailed for 42 months for his offences, Birkbeck was sentenced to 42 months in prison while Chedzey was locked up for a total of 21 months.
Rabbit poacher
A prolific poacher who was made subject to a criminal behaviour order (CBO) to curb his illegal hunting has landed himself back in court.
Ryan Spence was caught on Christmas Day after he bagged four rabbits before being spotted by a gamekeeper.
The 36-year-old was banned from walking or driving on private land without the landowner’s express permission after he was caught repeatedly hunting for animals.
Teesside Crown Court heard how Spence dropped the rabbits and left the land when he was confronted by the gamekeeper.
Christopher Morrison, prosecuting, said Spence drove away in one vehicle before getting into a white Corsa van and continuing his attempt to flee the scene which was stopped by police.
Mr Morrison said Spence was stopped again for driving whilst disqualified on April 11 following in incident in Richmond before he fled the scene.
Police stopped the defendant as he driving along the A19 at "considerate speed" and arrested him.
Spence, of St Cuthberts Walk, Liverton Mines, near Saltburn, pleaded guilty to breaching his CBO, two charges of driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance.
Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Spence to a total of 46 weeks in custody, suspended for 18-months.
He said: “These breaches of your CBO represent a rather persistent disregard for an order designed to protect landowners from your persistent attempts to steal from their land.
“It’s a continued risk of criminal behaviour.”
Spence was also banned from driving for three years.
Care worker
A care worker who left a vulnerable woman with a bruise on her leg after he manhandled her back into bed has narrowly avoided an immediate prison sentence.
Care home staff noticed a woman’s injury and carried out a review of CCTV which showed Abdel Nane physically forcing the woman into her bed.
The 61-year-old’s behaviour left colleagues ‘horrified’ when they watched the footage.
Teesside Crown Court heard how he had an exemplary career in the care sector before losing his patience with the woman last October.
Judge Stephen Ashurst said: "You were finger-pointing to her face and rough-handling her, trying to get her to lie down, forcefully pushing her by the legs or thighs.
"Footage was looked at by staff and they were horrified by what they'd seen. They were surprised by the way you had behaved."
Nane, of Ottowa Road, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and being a care worker who wilfully neglected a patient between October 25 and 28 last year.
Nane was sentenced to 12-months in custody suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 120 hours of community service and attend 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Violent attack
A thug who battered the father of his ex-partner when they were drinking together following a chance meeting has been locked up.
Jacob Skidmore left the man unconscious in his own home before taking his bank cards and spending £70 in two shops, Teesside Crown Court heard.
The 30-year-old left his victim, who is in his 60s, with facial injuries as a result of the brutal attack in August 2024.
Albany Kidd, prosecuting, said Skidmore had split up with the victim’s daughter and they had not seen each other for several years before the men shared a few drinks together in his flat.
Miss Kidd said Skidmore used the victim’s bank card on two occasions spending around £70.
Skidmore, of Bridgepool Close, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two count of fraud and breaching his suspended sentence order.
Stephen Constantine, mitigating, said his client wants to settle down and is working to address his personal issues.
Judge Jonathan Carroll jailed Skidmore for a total of three years for all offences.
“The victim was 63 at the time, he is an alcoholic,” he said. “For no identifiable reason at all, suddenly without warning, you set about thrashing him, you were punching him to the face and head."
E-scooter robbery
A violent offender who robbed a vulnerable man of his e-scooter just a month after his release from prison is back behind bars.
Kalem Lodge and another man approached the victim before demanding that he turned out his pockets with the intent of robbing him wrongly believing that he was drug runner.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the 36-year-old was planning to ‘tax’ the dealer when he stole the £650 scooter off the innocent man.
Cainan Lonsdale, prosecuting, said the pair targeted the victim when he was outside his aunt’s house in Hartlepool.
Mr Lonsdale said Lodge then forced the victim to leave go of the e-scooter and rode off on it.
Rachael Landin, mitigating, said her client had only been out of prison for around a month.
Judge Aisha Wadoodi sentenced Lodge to 27 months in custody for the robbery.
She said: “It seems that you misunderstood who he was and he was pushed into the doorway by you causing him to lose his balance and fall backwards.
“Within moments you removed his hands from his scooter and made off with it.”
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