HERE is a look back at four of the most shocking court cases we have reported on over the past month.
They include a paedophile caught sending a topless photo to someone he believed was a child, a man who strangled his wife to death, a woman whose dog injured three children, and a burglar.
Nicholas Burns
A CONVICTED paedophile is back behind bars after being caught sending a topless photo of himself dancing to someone he believed was a child.
Nicholas Burns believed he was chatting to two 14-year-old girls online – but the profiles were in fact being operated by paedophile hunters trying to catch child sex predators.
The 31-year-old, formerly of Newton-le-Willows, was also sentenced for sending a nasty threat to have a child cut up and acid thrown in his face over a perverted TikTok post.
Burns was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court, having previously admitted two charges of attempted sexual communications with a child, breaching a sexual harm prevention order and sending a malicious communication.
Burns, of Cleveland Road in Orford, was sentenced to 26 months immediate imprisonment.
The defendant was also told he must abide by a new sexual harm prevention order and sign the sex offender register – both for the next 10 years.
Read the full story here.
Amy Briers
A MUM whose dog attacked three children in two separate incidents due to her "woeful lack of responsibility" avoided being sent to prison.
Amy Briers, of Hempstead Close, Sutton Heath appeared in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court for sentencing after admitting three offences of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.
The court heard that Briers, 33, had previously entered a “voluntary agreement” with the police for her pet, a Sharpei cross Staffordshire bull terrier, to always be on a lead and muzzled in public before the attacks due to the animal having already bitten at least one child.
The dog went on to injure three children in two separate incidents.
The first attack saw an 11-year-old girl bitten to the forearm on July 11, 2023, in St Helens. Then two months later, the dog, which has since been put down, injured two five-year-old boys on September 21, resulting in both suffering “serious injuries” and needing surgery.
Passing sentence on Briers on May 22, Judge Harris said: “In my judgement you displayed a woeful and criminal lack of responsibility, it was your responsibility to ensure the dog was safely kept”.
gave Briers concurrent sentences of two years, suspended for two years in relation to the attacks on the boys and a four-month concurrent term over the earlier attack on the girl.
Briers was disqualified from owning a dog for life and must do 100 hours unpaid work and undertake 10 days of rehabilitation activity.
Read the full report here.
Stuart Robertson
A MAN who strangled his alcoholic wife to death was given a jail sentence.
Stuart Robertson was sentenced for six years at Liverpool Crown Court on May 23 for the manslaughter of his wife Dawn.
On the morning of November 15, 2023, Dawn was found unresponsive inside a house in Cannon Street in Clock Face.
Paramedics attended but sadly 62-year-old Dawn Robertson was confirmed dead.
Detectives charged Robertson, of Cannon Street, with murder but a jury unanimously acquitted him of that offence after a week-long trial.
Robertson had pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced for this offence.
The trial had heard Robertson has been subjected to years of domestic abuse by his alcoholic wife.
The trial heard that on the fatal day, she verbally abused Roberston and came towards him pointing her finger at him and said he was her slave. When he told her he was going to the home of their son, Michael, he claimed she had said he was not his son and at that moment in time he believed her.
Robertson put his hands around her neck and squeezed “and the next thing I knew she was dead.”
The judge said he had “very real doubts” as to whether Dawn had said the words about Michael not being Robertson’s son.
Judge Menary said Robertson’s most significant mitigation was his “remorse which I accept is entirely genuine”, noting that the “history of violence” has “already been reflected in the reducing of the nature of the offending from murder to manslaughter.”
The judge imposed a six-year jail term on Robertson, two-thirds of which he must serve before being released on licence.
Read the full report here.
Jamie Worrall
A MAN from St Helens has been jailed for four years after breaking into a home and stealing medication.
Jamie Worrall, 36, of Randon Grove, St Helens, was found guilty of burglary and sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, Thursday, May 13.
On Saturday, November 25 2023 at about 10pm it was reported by a resident, who was not in her home at the time, that she had received a motion alert on her phone from her security system.
She was able to view a male attempting to enter her home on Tickle Avenue and after returning to the address she realised that a box of medication had been stolen.
Following an investigation, Worrall was arrested and charged with burglary.
As well as a four-year prison sentence, he was also handed a ten-year restraining order so he can’t contact the victim.
Reda the full story here.
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