2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Sophie Corcoran)
Every week, hundreds of criminals step through the front doors of the region's courts to face their fate. Some are handed lengthy prison sentences, whereas others are given a second chance and made the subject of suspended sentence orders - meaning if they get into any more trouble they will find themselves behind bars - or community orders. A whole range of sentences cover a whole range of crimes, with the judges across our courts delivering what they think will be best to serve the community outside the walls they work in.
This week, a number of people have been convicted of theft, dangerous driving and exposure and have been sentenced. They have appeared in the docks at Leeds Crown Court , Bradford Crown Court, Sheffield Crown Court and York Crown Court. You can find out more about them below.
Dias stalked his victims before exposing himself and assaulting them on rural paths in Rotherham . The 44-year-old exposed himself to a woman in Moor Road, Wath-upon-Dearne, and then continued to follow the victim after she ran away from him. The day after, two teenage girls were approached in the same area by Dias who performed a lewd act in front of them.
CCTV enquiries captured Dias following the girls in his car before running to the footpath they were on. A week later, Dias approached a woman on the TransPennine Trail in the Dearne Valley. He exposed himself and sexually assaulted her.
A CCTV trawl showed Dias stalking his victim for over a mile before waiting until she entered a rural pathway. The extensive CCTV evidence linking Dias’ car to the crimes, as well as the recovery of clothing matching the description his victims gave, led to his arrest. Dias was charged with three counts of indecent exposure and one charge of sexual assault.
He pleaded guilty to all charges at Sheffield Crown Court on 1 October 2024. He was sentenced to 54 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, at the same court earlier this week. Dias was also ordered to a 55 day rehabilitation order, 43 accredited sex offender programme days and 66 hours unpaid work.
Detective Sergeant David Baker and DC Dawn Murray, the officers in charge of this case, said: "Dias’ displayed dangerous, predatory behaviour. He repeatedly stalked his victims until they were alone and isolated, and he could assault them. "We want to commend the women and girls in this case for their bravery in reporting these heinous crimes to us.
Their commitment to see justice done was to their credit, despite the length of time this took. “This result is important in showing others affected by similar offences that when they come forward, they will be listened to and treated with respect through every step of the prosecution process.” Prolific shoplifter Becker was handed a three-year criminal behaviour order banning him from entering any One Stop or Heron Foods stores in Doncaster as well as the Lidl in Askern Road, Bentley.
It comes after Becker pleaded guilty to a spree of reckless thefts which saw him steal £100 of meat from Lidl, 44 Cadbury's chocolate bars from One Stop and five tubs of butter from Heron Foods. Any person or business who sees Becker breaching the terms of his CBO should report it to police on 101 or by submitting information to us online via South Yorkshire Police's website. Sergeant Steve Roberts, of Doncaster Central Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "Becker had already been to prison twice this year for shoplifting offences and we are pleased to have now secured a CBO against him.
CBOs are given to criminals who engage in incessant anti-social behaviour, and to obtain this particular CBO, officers had to gather evidence to show his repeated lack of respect for law. "We will be keeping a watchful eye on Becker's behaviour over the next three years to make sure he abides by the strict conditions of the CBO and I hope this sends out a warning that the police and courts will hold serial shoplifters accountable for their actions. "Shoplifting isn't a victimless crime and we will not let our businesses, communities, retail workers and shoppers suffer at the hands of thieves.
" Ward was convicted of a string of animal welfare offences after police executed a search warrant at his home in Seacroft earlier this year. Four dogs were seized from the address after they were found being kept in appalling conditions – covered in faeces and with untreated injuries which officers suspected had been caused by animal fighting. They were taken for immediate vet care and one of the dogs was covered in ticks and had fresh puncture wounds to the side of its face, which was severely infected and swollen.
Ward was interviewed at a later date and charged. He went on to admit three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, one count of causing an animal to fight and four counts of failing to ensure the welfare of an animal. Ward was sentenced last Friday and made the subject of a 26-week custodial sentence, suspended for a year and ordered to undertake a five-day rehabilitation order, 200 hours of unpaid work and a 10-year ban on keeping animals.
Sergeant Andy Katkowski, who led the investigation, said: “The conditions these four dogs were found being kept in were truly appalling and we believe the injuries to one of the dogs was the result of it being involved in animal fighting, most likely with a badger. Badger-related offences are a particularly cruel form of wildlife crime where badgers face a horrific and prolonged death purely for the entertainment of those involved. “It is an illegal activity that is often linked to other types of crime and the police and our partner agencies will continue to target those who take part in this so-called bloodsport.
“We encourage anyone who witnesses any suspicious activity in the countryside that could be linked to this type of offending or who has any information about those involved to contact us via 101 or online referencing Operation Molehill.” Four-time dangerous driving Nazir, 22, of Agar Street in Bradford was given another chance earlier this week in the form of a suspended sentence. The judge said he was taking an "exceptional course" despite the fact Nazir had offended within three months of a suspended sentence being made.
The offending in August 2023 was captured on video footage from a pursuing police vehicle which had gone “nose to nose” with the VW Golf Nazir was driving that afternoon. In the dashcam footage played in court Nazir, who had a passenger in the Golf, could be seen reversing hundreds of yards down residential streets, over speed bumps and round corners in his bid to get away. Prosecutor Joel Wootten said at one point a member of the public had to take evasive action to get out of the way.
After turning his car around Nazir continued at 50mph along Springroyd Terrace and then mounted a pavement on Lingwood Road. After Nazir drove between bollards the police officers lost sight of the Golf which was later found abandoned. He was handed a sentence of 12-months suspended for two years and ordered to pay a contribution of £300 towards the prosecution's costs.
Burglar Ambler was caught in the room of an elderly person living with dementia at a Leeds care home. Staff at the care home in Armley were alerted when a movement sensor in the room was set off in the early hours of September 6 this year. When they went to check on the woman, who is aged in her eighties, they found her asleep but discovered Mark Ambler hiding in the bathroom.
They kept him on the premises until police arrived and arrested him on suspicion of burglary. An examination of the scene showed Ambler had used wire cutters to cut a security band on the ground floor window to get in. When he was searched in police custody, he was found in possession of a quantity of crack cocaine.
Ambler, 42, was jailed for three years and nine months on Wednesday. Timmins was bravely apprehended by a Sheffield home owner after he was caught trying to burgle their home. He was arrested at the house on Penistone Road during the early hours of 2 September after he alerted the homeowners to his presence by switching on a downstairs light.
Officers were at the scene within ten minutes of receiving the 999 call and found Timmins being pinned down on the sofa by the homeowner. Timmins was jailed for two years and six months. Get all the latest big and breaking Yorkshire news straight to your mobile via WhatsApp by clicking here .
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