Nick Frame

Daniel Town was jailed for 21 months after being convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm for knocking a police officer unconscious during a struggle in Leeds city centre. The officer reported lasting headaches and memory problems. Town also admitted criminal damage and a public order offence, and was accused of threatening officers, spitting at them and directing sexist abuse at a female officer. The court heard that he had 31 previous convictions for 60 offences.

Logan Callaghan was jailed for three and a half years after being convicted of two counts of actual bodily harm and coercive behaviour against his partner in Leeds. The court heard that cocaine and steroid use coincided with worsening jealousy and possessiveness, leading to repeated assaults, strangulation, threats with a hammer, an attack with a metal clothes horse and an attempted forced entry using a garden spade. Callaghan, who has previous convictions, was also given a 10-year restraining order.

Justin Swaddle, who used the online alias “Epstein,” admitted nine offences involving the grooming, coercion and sexual exploitation of children worldwide. The investigation found 132 images and videos involving children aged three to 17, with more than 100 potential victims identified. Swaddle targeted children for explicit material, threatened at least one victim with exposure and coerced another into self-harm. Leeds Crown Court sentenced him to two years in prison, imposed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order restricting his internet use and placed him on the sex offender register for 10 years. The National Crime Agency said the case highlighted the serious and lasting impact of online offending groups.

Residents watched via CCTV as burglars broke into their Adel home while they were on holiday, after the same pair had unsuccessfully tried to enter another nearby property. Police arrived after the alert and arrested Scott Wright and his accomplice inside the house. Wright, who had 30 previous convictions including 13 dwelling burglaries, admitted burglary and attempted burglary. Leeds Crown Court heard that he had resumed using crack cocaine after a relationship breakdown, but the judge sentenced him to three years in prison; his accomplice will be sentenced later.

Reece Manley admitted causing the death of pedestrian Alan Lloyd by careless driving after initially denying the more serious charge of causing death by dangerous driving. The 26-year-old had no licence or insurance for his Kawasaki and was reportedly travelling at up to 74 mph in a 40 mph zone before the 2022 collision on Beeston Ring Road in Leeds. The Crown accepted the lesser plea, the jury was discharged, and Manley was granted bail pending sentencing on September 2.

An inquest found that 38-year-old Emma Atkinson deliberately propelled herself from a ninth-floor window at Shakespeare Towers in Leeds while 33 weeks pregnant, but the coroner could not determine whether she intended to end her life. Her unborn daughter was delivered by emergency Caesarean section and survived. Evidence included Atkinson's history of overdoses, self-harm and emotional unstable personality disorder, alongside family testimony that she had been happy and excited about her pregnancy. Her father also reported that she had feared missing a shoplifting court hearing and going to prison shortly before her death. Assistant Coroner Naomi McLaughlin recorded a narrative verdict.

Mohammed Jabbar was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court to 16 months in prison and a further 54-month driving ban after driving his Toyota Yaris onto the wrong side of Harehills Lane while heavily intoxicated and colliding head-on with a police car. His roadside breath reading was 141 microgrammes per 100 millilitres, four times the legal limit, and he refused to provide an evidential sample. One police officer suffered broken ribs, another experienced significant psychological harm, and the police vehicle was written off. Jabbar, who had two previous drink-driving bans, admitted dangerous driving and failing to provide a specimen.

A street in Cookridge, Leeds, was evacuated after 34-year-old Paul Allen threatened to blow up his home, held a chainsaw to his neck, fired objects at neighbours with a catapult and attacked police during an attempt to enter his flat. He had placed butane canisters around the windows and turned on a gas bottle, prompting negotiators and specialist officers to intervene. Allen admitted affray and making threats to kill. Leeds Crown Court heard that he was experiencing an acute mental-health crisis and intended to kill himself. He received a 16-month prison sentence suspended for 24 months, along with rehabilitation work and 200 hours of unpaid work.

Richard Page, 44, admitted breaching a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and possessing 17 prohibited AI-generated images after police monitoring software detected his internet activity. The Leeds man had previously been convicted of possessing indecent images of children and sexual assault. Despite the judge describing his continuing interest in children as persistent and worrying, Page avoided prison and received a two-year community order requiring 200 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation days.

The 2026 Leeds Anime & Gaming Con drew thousands of fans to the Leeds Marriott Hotel for cosplay, gaming and manga-related activities. The programme included guest appearances and Q&A sessions with voice actors Zee Andrews and Izzy Valkyrie, live music, DJ sets, gaming concerts, VR workshops, K-pop dance activities and appearances by digital creators and cosplayers. The gallery features attendees from Leeds, Dewsbury, Bradford, Hull and surrounding areas.

David Auckland was jailed for 14 months and banned from driving for 31 months after driving a stolen Ford Fiesta from Durham to Leeds, fleeing police in Bramley and crashing into two cars. The 37-year-old admitted dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and having no insurance. The court heard he reached speeds of up to 50mph in built-up areas, forced oncoming vehicles to take evasive action and had an extensive history of driving offences. His defence cited ADHD, autism, heavy drinking and panic during the police pursuit, but the judge said his record and history of non-compliance made a non-custodial sentence unrealistic.

Jordan Brown and Aaron Conlon were jailed at Leeds Crown Court for stealing two five-month-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppies from a woman’s home in Armley. Brown pushed the owner while taking one puppy, while Conlon wrestled her to the ground after taking the other. The puppies’ mother chased the thieves and was accidentally struck and killed by an arriving police car. One puppy was recovered the next day and the other was later found advertised on Facebook for £200. Brown, who has 47 previous convictions, received 35 months in prison, while Conlon, who has 38 previous convictions and admitted assault, received 40 months.

Darrin Docherty and Nathan Deighton were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court for burglaries and vehicle thefts in Belle Isle. The victims recovered their stolen van after tracking it, while an Apple AirTag attached to the keys led police to addresses connected with the defendants. Docherty received 49 months in prison for two burglaries and two vehicle thefts, while Deighton was sentenced to 26 months for one burglary. Both defendants had previous convictions, and mitigating statements cited homelessness, family breakdown and substance misuse.

West Yorkshire Police has appointed Lee Berry and Elliott Sharrard-Williams as assistant chief constables, the force’s third-highest rank. Berry, who joined the force in 2021 after beginning his career in South Yorkshire, will lead the Safeguarding Central Governance Unit. Sharrard-Williams joins from Staffordshire Police and will oversee operational support, following experience in response policing, local policing, CID and initiatives against serious and organised crime. Chief Constable Sir John Robins said the appointments would strengthen operational activity and provide continuity for the force’s leadership team.

Sameer Afsar, a 23-year-old student from Stanningley, admitted three counts of making indecent images of children after the National Crime Agency alerted West Yorkshire Police to his online activity. Police found 21 images on his phone, including 15 Category A images. Leeds Crown Court suspended his six-month prison sentence for 18 months because he was a full-time student, while ordering rehabilitation work, unpaid work, seven years on the sex offender register and a seven-year sexual harm prevention order restricting and monitoring his internet use.

Kyle Foster was jailed for 16 months after admitting assaulting his partner in Middleton, Leeds, including pinning her down and repeatedly punching her in the face, leaving her with missing and damaged teeth. He also admitted a previous assault involving repeated slapping and criminal damage to her phone. Leeds Crown Court heard that Foster had been drinking, had a history of childhood trauma and struggled with alcohol. Judge Geoffrey Marson KC described the attack as persistent, brutal and cowardly, and imposed a five-year restraining order.

Jordan Fulthorpe was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court after pleading guilty to sending his former partner a video of his dog suffering a seizure after he had thrown it against a wall. Judge Ray Singh called his behaviour “despicable,” ordered him to stop contacting his former partner and imposed an indefinite restraining order. Fulthorpe received a three-month prison sentence, with immediate release because of time already spent on remand; the judge declined to activate a previous suspended sentence.

Scott Silkstone was found unanimously guilty at Leeds Crown Court of murdering his friend Dwayne Tuohey in a Burmantofts flat on New Year’s Day. Evidence showed a sustained assault involving Tuohey’s prosthetic leg, followed by Silkstone dragging and kicking the body outside and walking to a shop. Silkstone claimed he had been too intoxicated by crack and heroin to remember the attack, but acknowledged having glimpses of striking Tuohey. He faces a mandatory life sentence, with the minimum term to be decided at a later hearing.

Joanne Lawson, 47, admitted falsely claiming Universal Credit for more than three years while failing to declare four bank accounts, including one containing £22,000. The Department for Work and Pensions found she had been overpaid £25,131. Leeds Crown Court sentenced her to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months, after considering her guilty plea, childcare responsibilities and evidence that she had turned her life around. A Proceeds of Crime Act timetable was set to recover the money, and Lawson has entered a repayment plan.

Scott Silkstone, 51, admitted striking his friend Dwayne Tuohey, an amputee, on the head with Tuohey’s prosthetic leg during the early hours of New Year’s Day at a flat in Gargrave Court, Leeds. He denied causing all of the injuries that led to Tuohey’s death and maintained that he had only fragmented memories of the incident. CCTV allegedly showed Silkstone dragging Tuohey’s body outside the building, punching and stamping on him, before leaving and buying a milkshake. Silkstone described Tuohey as a friend and called the death a tragic accident. The murder trial at Leeds Crown Court is continuing.

Scott Silkstone, 51, told Leeds Crown Court that he had no memory of fatally assaulting his friend Dwayne Tuohey, saying they were both heavily addicted to crack and heroin and that Tuohey was his pal. CCTV showed Silkstone dragging Tuohey’s bloodied body from his flat and repeatedly stamping on him before leaving him outside the Burmantofts tower block. Prosecutors allege Silkstone beat Tuohey with objects including a heater and a prosthetic leg, causing extensive injuries and a fatal brain bleed. Silkstone denies killing him, and the trial is expected to conclude this week.

Colin Mann, 52, appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court after being charged with murdering 58-year-old Tracy Davenport at Cottingley Towers in Leeds. No bail application was made, and he was remanded in custody to appear at Leeds Crown Court on July 29. West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team continues to investigate and is appealing for witnesses and information.

Aumair Ahmed was jailed for 18 months at Leeds Crown Court after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm, criminal damage and using violence to gain entry to premises. He broke into a man's home in West Park, Leeds, after throwing a brick through a window, demanded money he claimed the victim owed him and repeatedly assaulted him, leaving him unconscious. Ahmed was also given a five-year restraining order. His barrister cited remorse, progress in prison and grief over his mother's death, while the judge said Ahmed had been pestering the victim over money.

Ryan Dunwell admitted dangerous driving after accelerating away from a plainclothes special constable who tried to intervene in a suspected drug deal in Leeds in May 2024. The officer was dragged about five feet and feared being killed. Dunwell, who has 34 previous convictions, was sentenced to 15 months in prison suspended for 18 months because the delay in prosecuting him was not his fault. He must complete rehabilitation days, serve a two-year driving ban and pass an extended driving test before regaining his licence.

The planned trial of Pippa McGrath, who is accused of murdering her three-year-old daughter Hope in Colton, Leeds, has been cancelled because of continuing questions about her fitness to plead. McGrath remains in a secure hospital and was absent from the latest hearing at Leeds Crown Court. A further hearing on November 6 will consider psychiatric reports and determine whether she will stand trial or whether a trial of fact should proceed without her presence.

Police pursued Shahed Miah after he fled in a BMW at high speed, narrowly missing other vehicles. Arrested two days later, he was found with cocaine, ketamine, cash and phones containing drug-dealing messages, along with footage of him driving at up to 90mph. He admitted multiple drug and driving offences and was jailed for four years, given a 42‑month driving ban and required to take an extended test before regaining his licence.

A Leeds man was defrauded of more than £177,000 over several years by Joshua Teale, who fabricated stories about family deaths, illness and financial emergencies while pretending to be his boyfriend. Teale spent the money on gambling and supported his deception with fake legal documents and claims of medical crises. After the victim’s bank raised concerns, police intervened and Teale admitted fraud on the day of trial. He received a five-year three-month prison sentence and a lifelong restraining order, with the judge highlighting the prolonged and highly planned nature of the deception.

A Leeds court upheld a criminal behaviour order imposed on Philip Hoban, founder of Predator Exposure, who argued the order prevents him from carrying out his paedophile-hunting activities and affects his mental health. Judge Howard Crowson ruled the restrictions were based on Hoban’s conduct during a 2024 protest involving racist and religiously abusive behaviour, and said the order does not interfere with lawful activity. Hoban apologised for his actions, denied being racist, and insisted his past work securing numerous convictions is being unfairly hindered. The court declined to amend or remove the order.

A man arrested in Leeds with heroin and crack cocaine attempted to claim the jacket containing the drugs was borrowed, despite messages on his phone indicating dealing. Ibocwa Toyi changed his plea to guilty mid‑trial after four days in court. The judge dismissed his explanation and imposed a three‑year suspended sentence along with rehabilitation days and unpaid work.

A 62-year-old man, John Pinner, was jailed for 28 months after admitting grievous bodily harm with intent for attacking his long-term partner at a Leeds social club, leaving her with a severe head wound requiring stitches. The assault occurred after he became angry over her speaking to another man. His mitigation cited remorse and personal difficulties, but the judge also imposed an indefinite restraining order to protect the victim.

A 19-year-old woman who attempted to attack another woman with a broken bottle in Wakefield city centre received a suspended two-year sentence after admitting attempted grievous bodily harm, assaulting a police officer and possessing an offensive weapon. Intoxicated and under the influence of drugs, she was stopped by an officer before reaching the intended victim. The court heard she has since sought help for substance misuse and expressed remorse. The sentence includes rehabilitation days, an alcohol-abstinence requirement, mental health treatment and compensation to the injured officer.

A homeowner in Castleford restrained repeat offender Danny Rudd after spotting him on CCTV stealing alcohol and crisps from a garden bar. Rudd threatened the resident while being held and later admitted aggravated burglary. With 17 prior convictions for 39 offences, he was deemed unlikely to be rehabilitated and was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court to three years in prison.

A prisoner at HMP Wealstun, Christopher Hope, received an additional 10‑week sentence after officers found a tiny Zanco phone and two USB sticks concealed in a specially made compartment in his boxer shorts. Officers had suspected he was using a phone based on monitored mobile activity. Hope, already serving more than four years for burglaries, admitted possessing a prohibited item. His lawyer said he was holding the phone for another inmate and was making progress in custody. Judge Howard Crowson ordered the new sentence to run consecutively to his current term.

A man who posed as a teenager on Snapchat to groom and sexually abuse a girl was jailed for 11 years after admitting 17 offences, including sexual activity with a child and creating indecent images. The victim’s mother told the court the abuse left her daughter feeling worthless and stole her teenage years. The judge imposed a lifetime placement on the sex offender register and a lifelong sexual harm prevention order, with prosecutors and defence counsel outlining the severity of the crimes and the defendant’s early admissions.

A report from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman found that staff at HMP Lindholme failed to perform required welfare checks on prisoner Stephen Baddeley, who died from a cocaine-induced heart attack. Records had been falsified the night before his death, and an officer responsible resigned during a disciplinary investigation. Baddeley was found unresponsive by another inmate, with emergency responders unable to revive him. The report confirmed no evidence of suicidal intent and noted unresolved questions from his family regarding injuries found on his body.

A man with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder threatened to blow up a BP petrol station in Woodlesford after being refused cash and threw lit cigarettes toward fuel pumps, though no fire was sparked. He pleaded guilty to affray, with the charge reduced from attempted robbery. The court heard he was recently discharged from hospital and off his medication. A judge imposed a 12‑month community order with 20 rehabilitation days, citing his mental health issues and escalation driven by frustration.

A student confronted repeat burglar Damien Robinson after he entered her Leeds flat and stole items including her iPhone. Robinson, who later attempted another break-in and burgled a Tesco staff area, has 148 prior offences. Diagnosed with schizophrenia and homeless, he reportedly stole to buy food. He received a mandatory third‑strike sentence of just over 29 months at Leeds Crown Court.

A 25‑year‑old man from Wakefield was sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to grooming a 10‑year‑old boy through Xbox chat, making sexual noises, coercing him into sexual activity and possessing indecent images of children. Investigators found images across all severity categories, and the court determined his actions were planned and involved prolonged grooming. He received an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and will remain on the sex offender register for ten years.