HERE is a look at some of the most shocking court cases we covered during June.
Anthony McCall
A man who accidentally shot himself in the face with a pistol was sent to prison.
Anthony McCall was sentenced to five years and four months at Liverpool Crown Court on June 11 for the firearms offences which happened in Parr in February.
McCall, 36, of Valiant Close, West Derby, Liverpool, was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court of: possession of a firearm; possession of ammunition without a certificate; possession of a firearm when prohibited for life and possession of ammunition for a firearm when prohibited for life.
At around 11.55am on Monday, February 19, emergency services were called to a house on Derbyshire Hill Road to reports that a man had been injured.
The man was taken to hospital for treatment to a gunshot wound to his face, which required surgery. It transpired that McCall had accidentally fired the weapon, a self-loading pistol, into his own face.
Read the story here.
Dillon Smith and Jack Mather
Two teenagers involved in a violent stabbing attack in St Helens town centre were put behind bars on June 11 at Liverpool Crown Court.
Jack Mather and Dillon Smith, both now 19, chased after their victim, along with a third man and attacked him in a darkened street.
Judge David Potter said that he sentenced them “on the basis you were involved in the attack during which someone, whom the prosecution cannot now identify, stabbed him repeatedly to the chest with a sharply bladed article.”
The victim suffered one-centimetre lacerations but no life-threatening injuries and fortunately did not require surgery.
He was kicked, punched and stabbed with a screwdriver, or something similar.
Judge Potter pointed out that one of the group, which also included Harry Holcroft, used racist language towards the victim.
Jack Mather, of Gerards Lane, Sutton Leach and Dillon Smith, of Lakemoor Close, Sutton, pleaded guilty to wounding during their trial. Smith also admitted possessing cocaine, ketamine and cannabis.
Meanwhile, Holcroft, of Lowfield Lane, Waterside Village, was found guilty of that charge by a jury.
Mather and Smith were both given 22-month sentences by the judge.
The sentencing of Holcroft, who is on bail, has been adjourned until Monday, July 8.
Read the full report here.
Zach Dowling
A man was jailed for his part in a “sickening” attack on a homeless man.
CCTV footage played to Liverpool Crown Court at the sentencing on June 14 showed defendants Zach Dowling and Liam Porter launching the “unprovoked” assault on their vulnerable victim in the street in St Helens town centre.
Judge Mr Recorder Michael Blakey branded the assault, which happened on Church Street shortly after 6am on June 23 last year, as one of “gratuitous” violence.
Dowling, 27, had been convicted of assault causing actual bodily harm (ABH) following a summary trial in the magistrates’ court, and of using threatening words and behaviour.
The sentencing hearing heard that Dowling had “approached” the victim for “no reason” and that Porter “started to kick seven bells out of him”.
During the assault numerous kicks and punches are delivered by Porter but Dowling can be seen assisting by his close presence.
Dowling’s defence barrister said his client has been “experiencing trauma” due to his five-year-old son having an “ongoing health condition” and being given “no more than five years to live”.
Dowling, of Winter Grove, Parr, was sentenced to nine months, of which he must serve half in custody.
Co-defendant Porter, 35, of Phoenix Brow, Fingerpost, did not attend the hearing.
Read the full report here.
Rainford High vandalism
Two teenagers who caused a massive £150,000 worth of damage at Rainford High were sentenced.
The defendants, a 14-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy, were each given the maximum sentence - a 12-month referral order at Merseyside Youth Court on June 18.
The pair, who both live in St Helens, were identified “because they had posted videos of causing damage within the premises on social media.
The court heard that on the afternoon of Saturday, November 25 last year the caretaker at Rainford High Technology College in Higher Lane, Rainford, “became aware that something was afoot because of calls being made from the school.”
Damage to the school included broken toilets, flooding from taps left running, fire extinguishers being let off, furniture thrown across classrooms, and a photocopier smashed beyond repair.
Also, multiple classrooms were damaged and the school submitted an insurance claim in excess of £150,000. They also had to pay a £500 insurance excess.
The duo, who cannot be identified due to automatic reporting restrictions that apply to youth court cases, both admitted burglary and criminal damage.
Read the full report here.
Mert Gercek
A knifeman who stabbed a man to the abdomen in an alley was put behind bars.
Gercek ran at his victim who had been on a night out.
Gercek hit him to the stomach and he responded with a punch before a second blow struck him to the right side of his stomach. He saw police officers approaching and he made off from the scene.
Officers were about to handcuff the victim when they noticed the wound to his right abdomen and administered first aid and called for medical help.
The victim was taken to Aintree Hospital where he underwent surgery and had part of his colon removed. He was kept in intensive care for five days.
Gercek, of Knowsley Road, Eccleston, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, possessing a bladed article and strangulation in relation to a separate incident involving his partner, and was jailed for seven years at Liverpool Croiwn Court on Friday, June 28.
Read the full report here.
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