Here are some of the people who appeared at Teesside Crown Court last week.
They include a pervert, a robber and an arsonist.
Drunken attack
A drunken man attacked a police officer launching a "running kick" before going on the run for eight months.
Lee Spencer assaulted the officer as they tried to arrest him at around 11pm on March 7, 2025, in Bishop Auckland.
The 44-year-old was heavily intoxicated when the assault took place, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Elisha Marsay said Durham Police were called to an address after reports of a disturbance.
The defendant then launched a "running kick" on the officer before he was eventually subdued and arrested.
Judge Richard Bennett sentenced Spencer to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.
Spencer was given six-month drug rehabilitation and alcohol treatment orders.
He was also ordered to complete 12 rehabilitation activity days and pay the officer £100 in compensation.
Taxi robbery
A teenager who punched a taxi driver in the face before robbing him of £30 has narrowly avoided an immediate custodial sentence.
Brandon Moloney booked a taxi in Middlesbrough, then carried out the “unplanned” robbery, Teesside Crown Court heard.
The 18-year-old was arrested on unrelated charges before the taxi driver identified him as the attacker.
Moloney, of Evenwood near Bishop Auckland, admitted the robbery on June 11.
Moloney has since moved away from Middlesbrough, the court heard.
The judge gave Moloney a 22-month sentence, suspended for two years.
Moloney was ordered to pay the taxi driver £100 in compensation.
Fire starter
An arsonist who set fire to her own home during a mental health episode has been given a chance to turn her life around.
Kayleigh Gallon used lighter fuel to start the fire, then called emergency services and left the property, Teesside Crown Court heard.
The 37-year-old caused extensive smoke damage when she started the blaze at the terraced house on December 9, 2024.
Prosecutor Emma Atkinson said Gallon’s former partner and another man entered the burning house on Herbert Street, Middlesbrough, to check nobody was inside.
The court heard she initially claimed she had fallen asleep with a cigarette and accidentally started the fire before accepting responsibility.
Gallon, of Eleventh Street, Horden, County Durham, pleaded guilty to reckless arson.
Judge Richard Bennett gave her a three-year community order with several conditions.
He said: “You have a truly terrible start to life which has continued – that is extremely powerful mitigation.”
Gallon must complete 50 rehabilitation activity requirement days, attend a 12-month alcohol treatment programme and obey a 120-day alcohol abstinence order.
Sick pervert
A sex offender who tried to persuade a ‘young girl’ to send naked pictures has been jailed just weeks after escaping prison for similar offences.
Ameer Ali was handed a suspended sentence in April and warned to stay out of trouble.
By June, the 26-year-old was targeting children again when a decoy posing as a young girl caught him online, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Ali encouraged the decoy to send sexually explicit images and naked videos.
Ali also sent images and videos of himself to the person he believed was the young girl.
The court heard that Ali used an unregistered alias on Snapchat.
Ali, of Trimdon Avenue, Middlesbrough, admitted five offences: trying to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, trying to sexually communicate with a child, breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), attempting to breach an SHPO and failing to comply with notification rules.
Judge Anthony Dunne jailed Ali for four years and six months.
He said: “You communicated with that 12-year-old girl, as you thought, and throughout that communication you repeatedly demanded that they take naked photographs of themselves and send it to you."
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