A landmark case to jail the leader of a drugs network exploiting children into dealing crack cocaine and heroin and a man who posed as a teenage girl online to entice boys were among those jailed in Lincoln in September.
Here’s a summary of notable court reports from the last month:
Zakaria Mohammed
Zakaria Mohammed. Photo: West Midlands Police
Birmingham man Zakaria Mohammed was jailed for 14 years after admitting running a drugs supply chain and trafficking two boys and a girl, to deal on his behalf.
It’s the first time in UK legal history that child trafficking convictions have been secured under the Modern Slavery Act as part of a ‘county lines’ operation.
The case was brought forward following a joint investigation by Lincolnshire Police and West Midlands Police.
Read the full story here and watch the moment the child grooming dealer was caught by police here.
Ethan Brown
Ethan Brown has been sentenced to 10 years and two months in jail. Photo: Lincolnshire Police
Ethan Brown, 20, of Station Road, Waddington was jailed for 10 years and two months after being found guilty of posing as a teenage girl online to entice boys to send him sexual images and perform sex acts on themselves.
Brown, who was 16 at the time of the offences, used Facebook and other social media to target the boys, who were aged between eight and 17.
Working with the National Crime Agency, Lincolnshire Police identified 75 boys from across the UK over eight months.
A total of 25 prosecutions were brought against Brown, who was charged with Causing and Inciting Children to Child Sexual Exploitation and Possession of Indecent Images Of A Child.
Marcus Weeks and his younger brother Dalji Waldron were each jailed for four years and four months. Photo: Lincolnshire Police
Two sons of a Bermudan Government minister have been jailed for over four years each after Lincoln Crown Court heard how they ran their own drug dealing operation targeting university students in the city.
Marcus Weeks and his younger brother Dalji Waldron, whose father Michael Weeks is the Minister of Social Development and Sports in the Bermudan Government, ran what was described as “a mobile shop” selling cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis.
Weeks, 28, and Waldron, 23, both of Clarina Street, Lincoln, admitted charges of conspiracy to supply cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis between August 17 2016 and September 22 2017. They also admitted production of cannabis on September 22 2017.
They were each jailed for four years and four months. Waldron was given a two month consecutive sentence for being in breach of a suspended jail sentence imposed for affray.
Two businessmen who carried out a VAT fraud have been jailed – Craig Williamson and Mark Creswell. Photo: Lincolnshire Police
Businessmen Craig Williamson and Mark Creswell were jailed for 18 months and a year respectively after carrying out a VAT fraud.
Williamson, 43, of Crowtrees Lane, Brighouse, West Yorkshire, admitted being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of £179,000 of VAT by submitting false VAT returns for Lincoln Car Sales between October 2008 and April 2014.
He also admitted fraudulent evasion of £13,700 of VAT by submitting false returns for Martin & Co, which was run by Mark Creswell, between June 2008 and July 2009.
Williamson also admitted fraudulently claiming £17,356 of tax credits over a 10 year period between 2005 and 2015 by failing to declare his true income.
Mark Alan Creswell, 52, of The Green, Ingham, admitted being knowingly concerned in the evasion of £148,000 of VAT by allowing the submission of false VAT returns between June 2008 and August 2014.
Creswell also admitted evading paying £16,581 of income tax between April 2009 and April 2014 by failing to declare his true income.
Lee Rousseau has been jailed for four years. Photo: Lincolnshire Police
Lee Rousseau, 48, of Turner Avenue in Lincoln, was jailed for four years after stealing a replica hand gun from the Museum of Lincolnshire Life.
Rousseau took the replica Luger pistol from a soldier mannequin in the World War One trenches display at the attraction off Burton Road. He ripped the arm from the mannequin and disappeared into the toilets where he removed the hand gun and walked off.
He admitted charges of theft, criminal damage and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence as a result of the incident on March 14 this year. He also admitted three charges of possession of a knife after being stopped by police 10 days earlier.
Stuart Parsley (Left) and Darren Parsley (Right) walked into the wrong takeaway.
A robber armed with an axe was jailed for seven and a half years after being overpowered by staff when he tried to hold up a Chinese takeaway in January.
Stuart Parsley, 47, of Francis Street, Lincoln, walked into Lucky takeaway on Burton Road and attacked staff with an axe, but Bee Wu Wong managed to parry the blow and fought him off and shouted for help.
Her husband Yashi Zheng ran downstairs to help, but Parsley’s cousin Darren Parsley entered the premises as well.
Stuart Parsley admitted attempted robbery and possession of an offensive weapon and was jailed for seven and a half years. Darren Parsley, 47, of St Rumbold’s Street in Lincoln, admitted affray and possession of an offensive weapon and was jailed for 18 months.
Michael Nelson, 24, whose address was given as c/o Riseholme Road in Lincoln has been jailed for 10 months after using a bottle to carry out a street attack.
Nelson and another man were involved in a confrontation with a group of men on Lincoln High Street on the night of Friday, August 24, with Nelson initially appearing to act as a peacemaker.
He then produced a beer bottle from his pocket and struck his victim Sean Clifford in the face causing his cheek to swell up.
Nelson admitted charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon arising from the incident. He was also given a consecutive one month jail sentence for breach of an earlier suspended jail sentence.
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The 2024 Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are now open for nominations, seeking to spotlight outstanding businesses within the Greater Lincolnshire area.
Hosted by Stonebow Media, the publisher behind The Lincolnite and the MyLocal platform, this prestigious event is designed to honour the achievements of the regional business community.
Thanks to the headline sponsorship from the University of Lincoln Enterprise & Research department, the Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are a unique opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of local enterprises.
The awards are also sponsored by Ringrose Law, Duncan & Toplis, Sills & Betteridge and Pearson Hydraulics. A small number of sponsorship opportunities remain available. Contact [email protected] to discuss partnerships.
Businesses can nominate themselves across eleven awards categories:
The deadline for nominations is May 24, with the judges’ deliberation lunch set for May 29.The judging panel includes business experts and professionals from Lincolnshire and event sponsors.
The Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards 2024 gala will take place at the Engine Shed on July 12, 2024.
Enhance profile & credibility: Securing an award or being shortlisted acts as a powerful endorsement, signaling trustworthiness to potential customers and helping to distinguish your business from competitors. Displaying the award on your communications can significantly boost your brand’s perception.
Insightful focus & feedback: The application process encourages deep reflection on your business strategy and direction, offering invaluable feedback and clarity, even for new ventures.
Team confidence boost: Recognition from the awards can significantly uplift your team’s morale, affirming the value and potential of your business in the eyes of industry experts.
Marketing & PR boost: Being associated with the awards, even as a nominee, can enhance brand visibility, providing ample content opportunities for social media and other marketing channels.
Networking opportunities: The awards connect you with local business leaders and experts, offering a platform to seek advice, share ideas, and foster future partnerships. The ceremony itself is an excellent occasion for networking with peers and celebrating mutual successes.
Potential to win: Entering offers a chance to win and gain all the associated benefits, but even without taking home a trophy, the process can yield significant advantages for your business.
A Lady Gaga loving kitten owned by a couple who run a charity for disabled pets featured on Channel 5’s The Pet Psychic.
Pet Psychic Beth Lee-Crowther comes to the aid of pet owners and in Tuesday night’s episode she met Cookie the kitten, a depressed camel, and looked at whether a dog can predict the future.