Over the past year, the courts have heard the details of heinous crimes committed by dozens of people in Wiltshire. As a result, these dangerous people were taken off the streets and put behind bars.
It’s been a long 12 months and officers at Wiltshire Police have been working round the clock to make our county safer and apprehend the perpetrators of some of the most unthinkable offences. They include numerous rapists, paedophiles, drug dealers and a mum who abandoned her baby to die.
Thanks to the dedication and hard work of our local law enforcement, Wiltshire is a safer place and many of these lawbreakers are spending the New Year behind bars, and will stay there for several years.
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Below we run through some of the most serious cases linked to Wiltshire, whether the crimes were carried out in the county or the criminal was from Wiltshire. Ages and addresses were correct at the time of sentencing.
Former head of finance stole more than £53,000 to fund lifestyle
In January, the former head of finance at Equimedia – a digital marketing agency with a £20m turnover – was jailed for fraud.
Appearing remotely before Swindon Crown Court on Thursday, January 6, Nick Gray, 42, from Haydon End, Swindon was sentenced by Judge Jason Taylor QC to four years and nine months.
He had pleaded guilty just prior to the trial to fraud by abuse of position and one count of failing to surrender. The court had heard that Gray, who had worked for the Swindon-based company for 13 years, stole more than £53,000 to fund his already comfortable lifestyle.
Read the full story here.
Drug dealing funded Wiltshire gang’s lavish spending
(Image: Wiltshire Police)
A group’s drug dealing in Wiltshire helped fund a lavish spending spree of high end cars and Rolex watches, a court heard. In January, two men were jailed and a woman was issued a suspended sentence after dealing Class A drugs across Wiltshire.
Connor Flower, 29, of no fixed address, Matthew Hiscock, 34, of Melksham and Lilybeth Rumens, 21, of Melksham, all appeared in Winchester Crown Court on Friday, January 7 and were also sentenced for their involvement.
The investigation began when Flower’s silver Vauxhall Vivaro was stopped in Shaw by two officers from the Op Fortitude team in November 2019.
Read the full story here.
Swindon rapist jailed after abusing two young girls
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In January, a rapist who sexually abused and raped two young girls was jailed for more than 20 years. Joseph Smith, from Swindon, abused his position of trust and abused the girls for more than four years in Wolverhampton until his arrest in June 2019.
Smith, aged 37, was living in Wolverhampton when he began his abuse of the first girl by sexual touching her before raping her.
The abuse continued for several years until the girl found the courage to report what was happening. Following investigations from West Midlands Police’s Public Protection Unit, it emerged that Smith had also abused a second girl by sexually assaulting her.
Read the full story here.
Rip-off roofers scammed customers out of thousands with terrible building work
(Image: Wiltshire Police)
In February, rogue roofers who ripped off people in Wiltshire were jailed. Brothers Michael and Richard Coffey scammed £44,600 from people for their poor quality work which required customers to spend more money to put right.
Michael Coffey, 29, and Richard Coffey, 25, both of Northwood Park, Old Gloucester Road, Winterbourne, both pleaded guilty to participating in a fraudulent business.
They were directors of MRC Roofing and Building Ltd, Bristol Crown Court heard.The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Peter Blair QC jailed Michael for two years and two months and Richard for 18 months.
Read the full story here.
Salisbury thief Lenny Wells stole from 36 cars in four months
(Image: Wiltshire Police)
A thief from Wiltshire who stole from 36 cars in four months by smashing windows at beauty spots was locked up for four years.
Detectives say Lenny Wells showed a “blatant disregard” for the law on a crime spree across five counties of southern England.
The 34-year-old, of Eyres Way in Salisbury, stole valuables from vehicles in a “persistent and targeted” way, Salisbury Crown Court heard on February 25.
Read the full story here.
Swindon thief sent to prison for ‘constant’ shoplifting in town centre
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In March, a thief was sent to prison for his “constant” shoplifting in Swindon town centre.
Martin Morgan targeted shops such as Co-Op, Marks & Spencer and Boots. Police described him as a “prolific offender” who stole from a range of shops on a “constant” basis.
Morgan, 36, of Whitworth Road in Swindon, had previously only been given a suspended prison sentence. But he blew his last chance to avoid a spell behind bars when he stole again.
Read the full story here.
Man jailed for raping woman he met on dating website
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In March, a 60-year-old man from Keynsham was jailed for five years for raping a woman he met online. Malcolm Compton, of Carpenters Lane, had earlier been found guilty of rape following a trial at Salisbury Crown Court on January 28.
The jury heard how Compton had initially met his victim on a dating website in September 2020 and had been communicating with her online for about a week before agreeing to meet in person. Compton’s victim made it clear that she was seeking companionship and that she just wanted to be friends but Compton ignored her wishes and tried to pressure her into sexual activity.
Compton went on to rape her and his victim reported the offence to Wiltshire Police the following day.
Read the full story here.
Drug dealer sent dozens of texts to vulnerable people asking them if they wanted crack cocaine
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In March, a drug dealer who sent dozens of texts to vulnerable people asking them if they wanted crack cocaine was jailed for more than two years. Aaron Rogan, 23, had been living in Swindon when the offences were committed, was investigated by officers from Wiltshire Police’s Fortitude team had been investigating Rogan as part of their enquiries into the Star drugs line.
As part of a wave of police activity called Operation Accentor, a warrant was executed at his then-home address in Bourne Road, Moredon. During the search of the property, officers seized a mobile phone which proved he was running the Star drugs line, advertising the sale of Class A drugs to large groups of vulnerable drug users.
Read the full story here.
Former policeman Darren Thorn jailed after sexual relationship with ‘vulnerable woman’
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In March, a former Wiltshire Police officer was jailed for nine months after pleading guilty to corruption. The charges against Darren Thorn, 44, hinged on the fact that he started having a sexual relationship with a vulnerable woman he met while on duty.
He was also found to have used the police computer system in order to obtain personal data about members of the public and passing on confidential policing information. Thorn had worked as a response officer in Swindon and was arrested in 2018 following the allegations against him. He was later sacked from the force in December last year.
Read the full story here.
Wiltshire Police worker had affair with convicted rapist who smoked drugs at her home
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In March, police civilian worker who had an affair with a convicted rapist she was tasked to manage was jailed. Rachel Beale admitted having an intimate relationship with Marc Few, who released from a jail term in February 2020. Instead of managing him she had him round to her home where he drank and smoked cannabis, Bristol Crown Court heard. And on one occasion her partner found her clad in her nightdress and lying on top of a naked Mr Few.
Beale, 53, of Kencot in Oxfordshire, pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office. The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Peter Blair QC jailed her for six months.
Read the full story here.
Drug dealer cuckooed and took over vulnerable person’s home to run his drugs line
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In March, a drug dealer who took over a vulnerable person’s home in Swindon to run his drugs line to run his drugs operation was jailed. Samual Ackah, 43, of no fixed address, was arrested by officers from Wiltshire Police’s Fortitude team.
They had been carrying out an investigation into the Ninja drugs line and their enquiries led them to an address in the Freshbrook area of the town, where Ackah was believed to have taken over the home of a vulnerable drug user. During a search of the property, police seized Class A drugs and a mobile phone, which directly linked Ackah to the Ninja drugs line.
Read the full story here.
Swindon cocaine and heroin dealer, 19, hid phone key to lavish lifestyle in his bed
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A cocaine and heroin dealer hid the mobile phone which was key to funding his lavish lifestyle in bed as he slept. Femi Dadey, 19, bought designer goods from the thousands of pounds he made by selling illegal drugs to vulnerable users in the Swindon area. His phone was the key to the whole operation.
But Dadey, of Bath Road in Swindon, was locked up for four years in April, in a young offenders’ institute. He pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on Friday, April 1 after also pleading guilty to possession of criminal property.
Reads the full story here.
Swindon rapist jailed for life following string of sexual assaults
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In April a rapist from Swindon was jailed for life after numerous sexual offences committed over a two-year period. Patrick Dean Williams, 46, previously of Gooch Street, was found guilty of rape, assault by penetration, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, following a trial at Swindon Crown Court in January this year.
The offences relate to a period of time in 2016 and 2017 and came to light in 2019 when the victim called the police to report the crimes. At that time Williams was in prison for separate offences.
Read the full story here.
Wiltshire rapist who sexually abused two girls receives increased prison sentence
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In April, a man from Wiltshire who raped two children over a number of years received an increased prison sentence, after the Solicitor General Alex Chalk QC MP referred his case to the Court of Appeal.
Semi Lave, 32 and from Tidworth, was found to have sexually abused and raped two children between 2015 and 2020 on no fewer than 30 occasions. Both the children were threatened with violence if they told their mother about the abuse and both reported being physically held by the jaw by the offender. One of the victims also stated that Lave had slapped her round the face when she refused his sexual advances.
Read the full story here.
London drug dealer jailed for cuckooing vulnerable Swindon man
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In May, a drug dealer who was found in a vulnerable person’s home during a welfare check by officers in Swindon was jailed for more than two years. Officers attended a property in Tadpole Garden Village in September 2020 to check on the person who lived there, as he was known to be vulnerable. Joseph Hombessa answered the door, but could not give a valid reason for why he was at the property.
Police carried out a search and found evidence of drug supply and a rucksack with more than £800 in cash inside. Hombessa, 22, who is from the London area, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, being concerned in the supply of heroin and being concerned in the supply of cannabis.
Read the full story here.
Sailor jailed after filming sex on ship and sharing the video on Snapchat
(Image: Will Dax/Solent News)
In May, a Royal Navy weapons engineer was locked up after he secretly filmed himself having sex with a female crew mate on a warship and showed the ‘humiliating’ clip to colleagues on Snapchat for ‘bragging rights’. Able Seaman Louis Pottage left a party in the frigate’s mess hall to have sex with the woman and then took out his phone while standing behind her to record it without her consent.
A court heard he then returned to the party, boasting to friends and telling them he ‘had the video to prove it’. The 21-year-old from Eyemouth, Berwickshire, deleted the video after colleagues called him out on his behaviour.
Read the full story here.
Knife-wielding drug dealer exploited vulnerable addict
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In May, a knife-wielding drug dealer who exploited a vulnerable addict and sold drugs from a Salisbury home was jailed. Officers attended the address of a known vulnerable drug user in Salisbury on November 30, 2021 following concerns related to ongoing drug dealing at the address.
Ismael Correia, aged 20, was found inside the property and he was arrested after he was found in possession of class A drugs, cash, knife and a mobile phone with evidence of drug supply on it.
Correia, of Haslemere Avenue in Hounslow, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, possession of a zombie style knife and breaching his suspended sentence. He was jailed for 26 months on May 9 at Salisbury Crown Court.
Read the full story here.
‘Dangerous’ pervert travelled to Swindon to sexually abuse ‘underage girl’
(Image: South West ROCU)
In June, a “dangerous” man who travelled to Swindon in order to sexually abuse a young girl was jailed for three years. Between February 7 and March 4 this year, Paul Hatton, 55, engaged in conversations online with what he thought was the mother of a young girl.
Hatton discussed meeting the woman, and spoke in detail of the sexual activity he wanted to carry out with her daughter when they met. But the woman was in fact a police officer who had been working in a joint investigation by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SW ROCU) and Wiltshire Police to tackle sexual abuse against children.
He travelled to Swindon in order to meet the woman where he was arrested. During this investigation, there was never a real-life victim and no children were ever in any danger.
Read the full story here.
Swindon man who broke partner’s arm and nose during two year ordeal is jailed
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In August, a Swindon man who subjected his partner to multiple assaults over a period of two years was jailed.
Lee Griffiths, 43, of Milton Road, Swindon, was sentenced to four years imprisonment at Swindon Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to several counts of GBH just one month before the case was due to go before a jury.
Griffiths launched multiple assaults on his partner, isolating her from friends, family and organisations who could assist her. In September last year, he twisted her arm for a prolonged period until it snapped leaving her with her arm in a sling for four months.
Read the full story here.
Cyclist killed after elderly motorist with terrible eyesight crashes into him
(Image: David Clarke/Solent News & Photo Agency)
An elderly motorist whose eyesight was so bad he couldn’t read a number plate from 10 feet away killed a cyclist by smashing into him in broad daylight because he couldn’t see him. Salisbury Crown Court heard how Peter Gardner, 82, had such poor vision he ‘shouldn’t have been driving’.
‘Loving’ grandfather James Tassell, 70, was out cycling on a country road at 10am on a clear summer day when the pensioner’s silver Vauxhall Vectra ploughed into the back of him.
In September, Gardner was sentenced to six months in prison and disqualified from driving for three years and three months.
Read the full story here.
Heroin dealer banged up for four years after being caught by police four times
In September, a Swindon man was jailed for more than four years after being arrested multiple times for drug offences. Leandro Pinto, 19, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 54 months.
Pinto was first arrested in March this year after he was linked to an address believed to be associated with dealing Class A drugs. He was found by police with wraps of heroin and cocaine in his underwear, as well as eight wraps in his mouth. Officers also found more than £400 in cash and a burner phone on him at the time of his arrest.
Read the full story here.
Woman sentenced after causing death of motorcyclist by careless driving
In September, a woman in her 70s was sentenced for causing death by careless driving. Margaret Blake, 74, of Fovant, was driving a Volkswagen Golf as she left the Ansty Farm Shop on March 21, 2020, and pulled out into the path of a motorcyclist.
The motorcyclist – Gillian Watts, 38, from Southampton, tragically died at the scene. She was riding with two friends at the time and was travelling in the middle of the group of three.
Read the full story here.
Man sent to prison after police raid uncovered large cannabis factory in Swindon flat
In September, a man was sent to prison a day after police officers uncovered a large cannabis factory inside a flat. Following a tip-off from the public, police officers visited a flat on Bridge Street in Swindon town centre on Thursday, September 15.
Officers located almost 200 cannabis plants and arrested and charged Klodjan Tabaku with the production of cannabis. The 37-year-old appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Friday, September 16 where he was convicted of the offence and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.
Read the full story here.
Swindon man jailed after raping woman at knifepoint
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A Swindon man was jailed in October for 13 years after raping a woman at knifepoint. Sam Knight, 38, held a knife to her neck and demanded sex from her in May last year.
A trial at Swindon Crown Court last month heard how, on another occasion, Knight sexually assaulted the victim while she was sleeping.
Knight denied the rape and sexual assault, forcing the victim to relive the experience through the courts. However, the jury found Knight guilty on one count of rape and sexual assault, and the sentence means he will be behind bars for the foreseeable future.
His behaviour came to light after the victim bravely approached a police officer about it in public, and he was arrested shortly after. Knight was sentenced to 13 years behind bars plus another four years on extended licence.
Swindon man sentenced to six years in prison for setting his own bed on fire
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In October, a homeless man from Swindon was sentenced to six years in prison after setting fire to his bed at a hotel, putting his own life and others at risk. Clive Gonsalves was found guilty of arson and criminal damage after the incident at the Great Western Hotel in April.
The 36-year-old had been housed at the hotel by Swindon Borough Council during the pandemic. During the night on April 6 he called the ambulance service – on attendance a crew found him to be well and he was signposted to other services.
Then in the early hours of April 7, Gonsalves set fire to his bedding or mattress, setting off the fire alarms. Staff found Gonsalves lying on his bed and dragged him to the car park.
Read the full story here.
Swindon man who had more than 300 indecent images of children jailed for 42 months
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A man from Swindon has been jailed after pleading guilty to multiple offences relating to indecent images of children. Adrian Weston, of Haydon End, appeared at Swindon Crown Court on November 4.
Swindon Police reported Weston, aged 37, pleaded guilty to arranging and facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, possessing a prohibited image of a child, distributing an indecent photo of a child, two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and possession of extreme pornographic image.
In the summer of 2021, officers received information relating to Mr Weston and indecent images of children. He was arrested and over 300 ‘Category A’ indecent images of children were found on his devices. Category A refers to those depicting the most serious child abuse.
Read the full story here.
Swindon man jailed for five years after robbing sheltered housing
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A man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to two burglaries in Swindon, where he targeted elderly residents living in sheltered accommodation. Michael Loraine, of County Road, Swindon, received a five-year and three-month sentence at Swindon Crown Court on Tuesday, November 22.
Loraine, 57, was arrested back in June following a series of burglaries which has left the elderly residents feeling like ‘a nervous wreck’. Yesterday, he was also ordered to pay a £190 surcharge, as well as his jail sentence.
DC Jared Yalden from Operation Fortitude in Swindon said: “These crimes have had a big impact on their victims. Wiltshire Police take all burglaries very seriously and are determined to bring offenders like Loraine to justice.”
Read the full story here.
Man jailed over fake GoFundMe page in memory of fatal crash victims
A man was jailed after setting up a fraudulent online donation page. Jason MacDonald, 38, set up the GoFundMe page in the memory of four men from Calne who died in a collision in August 2020.
MacDonald, of Blackbird Court, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire was found guilty on Friday, October 28 of possessing the criminal property of that fraud and possession with intent to supply class A drugs. He was sentenced to 26 months behind bars.
The conviction comes after a long investigation into the page titled ‘Jordan, Corey, Matt, Ryan Memorial’ which was set up shortly after the fatal collision on the A4 Derry Hill. Jordan Rawlings, 20, Corey Owen, 19, Matthew Parke, 19, and Ryan Nelson, 20, were killed when the car they were travelling in left the road near Chippenham in August 2020.
Read the full story here.
Trowbridge man threatened victim with fake firearm and stole their bag
(Image: Wiltshire Police)
A man from Trowbridge has been sentenced to four years and ten months behind bars after robbing someone by threatening them with a fake firearm.
Swindon Crown Court heard in an October hearing how Connor Mockridge, 25, of Studley Rise, Trowbridge, approached the victim – a 20-year-old man – in Biss Meadows Country Park and threatened him with a weapon, then forcing him to hand over his bag.
The victim then managed to escape without any injuries and dial 999, enabling firearms officers from Wiltshire Police to quickly find Mockridge and arrest him.
He was taken to Melksham custody for questioning, where he was subsequently charged and remanded. He was sentenced to jail on December 2.
Read the full story here.
Prolific Amesbury burglar stole charity box and broke into homes
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A prolific burglar stole a charity box and cash and items during break-ins across Amesbury. David Clift, aged 45, broke into an address in The Packway on November 5, where he stole a charity box.
He pleaded guilty to burglary in Old Sarum between November 2 and 6 and a further burglary in Tidworth on September 1 where cash and other items were stolen. Clift was arrested on November 9 following reports of a number of non-dwelling burglaries in the Larkill and Tidworth area.
Clift, of Truckle Road, was sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court on Friday, December 2 after he pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary. Eleven further burglary offences were taken into consideration ahead of sentencing.
Read the full story here.
Melksham mum left her baby alone at home to die
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A mother from Melksham has been jailed after leaving her baby home alone to die in 27C heat with a fractured skull while she got a car wash and went shopping. Stacey Davis, 35, left one-year-old Ethan Davis alone in his cot for two hours – running errands and visiting a park.
The youngster was abandoned at home alone – trapped in a warm room with no windows open or fans on in hot weather. Davis – who regularly smoked cannabis around her son – returned to the property and then began texting a friend.
She failed to check on him for at least another 30 minutes, a court was told. Davis, of Melksham, then went into his room and discovered him lifeless and unresponsive in his cot. He was rushed to hospital on June 27, 2018 and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
Davis appeared at Salisbury Crown Court on Thursday, December 1. and was jailed for two years for an offence of child cruelty. She had admitted the offence at a previous hearing in May 2022.
Read the full story here.
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