Duncan Leatherdale

David McNeill, 38, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison for supplying cocaine, cannabis and codeine through an extensive street-dealer operation in Gateshead between March 2024 and September 2025. His 22-year-old son James was sentenced to two and a half years, suspended for two years, after admitting conspiracy to supply drugs. The judge found that James may have become involved through pressure, control, naivety, immaturity or exploitation; he must complete unpaid work, mental-health treatment and probation work.

Daniel Cowie admitted burgling two boats at Royal Quays Marina in North Shields while their owners slept and using a stolen phone to make about £200 in purchases. Despite 108 previous offences, including numerous thefts, robberies and burglaries, Newcastle Crown Court suspended his 20-month prison sentence for two years so he could undergo drug rehabilitation and supervision. He must also complete 150 hours of unpaid work, with the judge warning that this was his last chance to break the cycle of offending.

Former soldier Mark Pearce was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to kidnap a man in April 2024. The victim was abducted outside his Stockton home by men disguised as delivery drivers, taken to a caravan, bound, beaten and forced to record naked ransom videos seeking money from a relative. He escaped when left unattended and was helped by motorists on the A19. Co-defendant Donald Hammond was previously sentenced to six years, while the court found Pearce actively involved despite uncertainty over his precise role.

Patricia Hewitt, 42, was detained indefinitely in a secure psychiatric hospital after admitting the manslaughter of 56-year-old Angela Lloyd on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Hewitt attacked Lloyd in her Newton Aycliffe home shortly after being released with a suspended sentence for an unrelated assault. Lloyd, who was disabled and relied on a wheelchair, suffered at least 47 stabbing-type injuries and died from catastrophic blood loss. Psychiatrists said Hewitt was experiencing psychosis, probably linked to schizophrenia, with paranoia, hallucinations and delusions substantially impairing her judgment. The judge concluded that indefinite hospital detention was necessary for public safety, warning that Hewitt might never be released.

Robert Tait, 60, was sentenced to four years and 11 months in prison after admitting intentionally wounding a longtime friend at the victim’s Northumberland cottage in November 2025. While drinking vodka, Tait stabbed the man twice in the neck and then left without helping, later disposing of his clothes and the knife. The victim suffered multiple injuries and continuing severe anxiety, could not return to work, and said the lack of an explanation had left him without closure. The judge said Tait had been struggling after the breakdown of his marriage and several house moves and had been using alcohol and cocaine. A 10-year restraining order was imposed.

Owen Caris, 24, from Ryton, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison after admitting involvement in supplying cocaine and cannabis. His county-lines phone sent 10,221 bulk messages advertising drugs over 22 weeks, with potential sales valued at up to £131,000. Police linked the number to him because he had given it to Gateshead Council and the Department for Work and Pensions. Officers also seized cash-value items including a phone, watch and gold jewellery, which prosecutors said were attributable to criminal activity. His defence cited a traumatic childhood, a serious stabbing injury and past drug use.

Andrew Jeffrey, 63, of Middlesbrough, was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by three years on extended licence after being convicted of five sexual offences, including two rapes, against a primary school-age girl in the 1990s. He had previously served a prison sentence for sexually abusing another child. The victim said the abuse had caused lifelong effects, including anxiety, depression and PTSD, but that the conviction and sentence had given her justice and closure. The judge said the passage of time did not reduce the seriousness of Jeffrey's conduct or the harm caused.

A 79-year-old Stockton man, Michael Wall, admitted to murdering his wife Dorothy Wall, with the court hearing he also took a drug overdose around the same time. He was remanded ahead of an October sentencing, with further psychiatric and probation reports ordered. The judge confirmed a life sentence is mandatory, with the minimum term yet to be determined.

A 41‑year‑old woman, Rebecca Hackett, has been charged with murdering 77‑year‑old Harry Heslop at Cedar House, a supported living retirement home in Stockton. She also faces a charge of possessing a bladed article and is due to appear at Teesside Magistrates' Court. A second woman remains on bail as Cleveland Police continue their investigation. Police expressed condolences to the victim’s family and urged the public to avoid speculation, while the housing association that runs the facility said it was deeply saddened by the incident.

Closing arguments in a Teesside Crown Court trial detail how Alexandra Walker and Harrison Simpson each deny abusing and murdering two‑year‑old Isabelle Welsh and accuse one another of inflicting the child’s fatal injuries. Prosecutors argue both were responsible for prolonged physical and sexual abuse, while defence lawyers contend there is no evidence their respective clients harmed the girl. The judge notes it is undisputed Isabelle died from unlawful assault. The trial continues.

Families of British victims of the 1980 Kielland oil rig disaster have met for the first time in more than four decades, finding comfort in shared experiences and long‑sought information about the tragedy. Many only recently learned of the Kielland Network, which supports survivors and bereaved relatives. Attendees described decades of unanswered questions, delayed repatriation of bodies, and limited official information. Frustration persists over Norway’s slow development of a compensation scheme approved by parliament in 2025. Families continue to seek truth, justice and closure while emphasising the emotional support gained through new connections with others affected by the disaster.

A jury inquest concluded that serious failures across multiple NHS mental health services contributed to the death of 18‑year‑old Emily Moore, who experienced traumatic treatment at West Lane Hospital and later died after inadequate monitoring at Lanchester Road Hospital. Her father criticised staff for cruelty, unsafe conditions and ignored warnings, while experts and family condemned the policy requiring immediate transfer to adult care at 18. The Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust issued an apology and accepted the inquest’s findings and recommendations.

A Redcar father, Bradley Thomas, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years for murdering his three‑month‑old son, Emmerson, by violently shaking him. Prosecutors said the baby’s injuries were comparable to those seen in severe crashes, and the court found Thomas lied about the circumstances, delaying treatment. The judge concluded Thomas acted out of exhaustion and frustration, causing irreversible brain injuries, and criticised his continued refusal to accept responsibility despite expert evidence. Thomas will be eligible for parole after serving 14 years, minus time already spent in custody.

An inquest heard that staff at a Durham mental health hospital failed to record a father’s warning call about his daughter Emily Moore just hours before she fatally injured herself. Evidence detailed concerns over insufficient information during her transfer, unclear triggers for her self-harm and incomplete implementation of CQC‑identified safety fixes. Clinicians described rushed arrangements, limited background knowledge and gaps in documentation, while jurors were told Emily’s fatal injury involved an uncorrected risk point. The inquest continues.

Testimony at an inquest into the death of 18-year-old Emily Moore described her transfer from a youth mental health unit to an adult ward as unusually rushed and poorly managed. Clinicians said the move contradicted national guidelines requiring a stable, gradual transition, particularly important for patients with emotionally unstable personality disorder. Staff at the receiving unit reported limited information and preparation before her arrival, while uncertainty around her placement and strained relations between her family and the trust added to instability. Emily was placed on reduced observation after an incident-free initial period and fatally harmed herself days later, shortly after her father warned staff about a concerning social media post. The inquest is ongoing.

A coroner’s inquest heard that Emily Moore, an 18‑year‑old from Shildon who died in February 2020, showed significant improvement after being moved from West Lane Hospital run by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust to Ferndene, operated by Cumbria, Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Trust. Staff at Ferndene reported reduced self‑harm, better engagement with treatment, and positive responses to structure and education. Plans for her transition to adult services began months before her birthday, but a lack of available adult beds at CNTW led to her return to TEWV, which she feared due to previous traumatic experiences. Days after the transfer to Lanchester Road Hospital, she fatally injured herself despite recommendations for close observation. The inquest is ongoing.

A father told an inquest that two mental health hospitals run by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust provided chaotic and unsafe care that failed to protect his daughter, Emily Moore, who died after self-inflicted injuries in 2020. He described poor supervision, staff indifference and repeated self-harm incidents at West Lane Hospital and raised concerns about her safety shortly before her fatal injury at Lanchester Road Hospital. Testimony from former patients portrayed West Lane as unsafe and lacking routine, while Emily was said to have stabilised during a period of care at Ferndene, a separate, more secure unit. The inquest heard that hospital management had been warned about problems, and proceedings remain ongoing.