HERE is a look at five shocking court cases we have covered during November,
Anya Foster
A WOMAN was locked up after admitting causing the death of a ‘kind and loving’ man in a hit-and-run crash after taking drugs.
Pilkington worker David Burrows, from Blackbrook, was riding a pedal bike on Islands Brow, close to its junction with Hinckley Road, on the morning of December 1 last year.
However, he was hit by a beige Skoda Fabia driven by Anya Foster and left injured in the road as she drove off from the scene.
Mr Burrows was taken to hospital for treatment, but the 59-year-old died from his injuries.
Foster, aged 32 and of Gloucester Street in Parr, pleaded guilty to causing death by driving without due care and attention while over the specified limit for drugs at Liverpool Crown Court on November 5.
The drugs found in her blood were namely benzoylecgonine and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main metabolite of cocaine and psychoactive constituent of cannabis respectively.
She also admitted failing to stop after an accident, failing to report an accident, drug driving and driving while unfit through drugs.
The court heard that, following a news report in the St Helens Star, the force received an anonymous phone call revealing the vehicle involved, its present location and the driver.
At 2pm, police attended Foster’s Parr home, where the Skoda Fabia involved in the accident was found, parked up close to the property to hide significant damage to the front and windscreen.
When asked, Foster confirmed that she had been in a crash with a cyclist, but lied by claiming that she stopped straight away, and that Mr Burrows denied her offer to call an ambulance.
She also lied about her drug consumption, claiming to have ‘smoked a spliff’ of cannabis afterwards to ‘calm her nerves’ and consumed cocaine days before.
Foster was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison, of which she will serve no more than half before being released on licence.
She was also disqualified from driving for 11 years and four months, after which she must pass an extended driving test before getting behind the wheel again.
Read the full court report here.
Kelis Smith
Kelis Smith, 24, of Brock Hall Close, Clock Face pleaded guilty to two counts of being the owner or person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury.
She was sentenced to 12 months in prison on November 6, at Liverpool Crown Court.
At around 11pm on Monday, May 15 2023, two XL Bully dogs escaped from an insecure garden and ran onto the street before attacking a woman in her 20s.
Neighbours who heard the victim’s screams came rushing out to help the woman and emergency services were called to the scene.
The attack, which lasted for around seven minutes, resulted in the woman sustaining life-changing injuries to her arms and hands.
As well as a prison sentence, the judge also banned Smith from owning dogs for two years and issued a destruction order for the two dogs, which since the incident have been kept in a secure police kennels.
Read the full story here.
Lee Ablitt
Lee Ablitt, 51, of Hoy Drive, Newton-le-Willows, was jailed for five years at Mold Crown Court on November 14.
Co-defendant Christopher Thompson, 49, of Scot Lane, Wigan, was jailed for two years and nine months.
Both had previously admitted conspiring to supply a controlled class C drug, and acquiring/using criminal property.
Prosecutor Siôn ap Mihangel said the operation, concerning the supply of steroids across the UK, dated from December 2017 to October 2021 – although Thompson’s involvement only started in January 2021.
The operation involved the supply of a “large number” of the drugs, and generated “vast profits”, with up to £2.1million worth of steroids seized by police as part of this investigation.
Proceeds from the sales of these drugs were deposited into both defendants’ bank accounts - £213,845.97 by Thompson, and £255,854.08 by Ablitt.
Ablitt initially ran the operation, before Thompson “effectively took over the day-to-day running of it”.
Sentencing, Judge Rhys Rowlands told Ablitt and Thompson: “The two of you would have known what you were doing was illegal, and of the likely consequences if you were caught by police.
“Nonetheless, it is a risk you both decided to take and, I have no doubt, you both regret now.”
Reda the full court report here.
Grant Plumpton
A THIRTY-YEAR-OLD who was caught dealing class A drugs in Haydock to pay off was spared jail.
Grant Plumpton, of Kenyons Lane North in Haydock, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, November 18.
Police spotted the 30-year-old on a bicycle approaching a group of people who appeared to be drug users in Haydock.
It was heard that he was subsequently approached by officers but proceeded to run away.
He was later detained by police, who found two wraps of heroin and 29 wraps of crack cocaine in his trousers.
It was heard that the 30-year-old had a ‘traumatic’ upbringing with an ‘alcoholic mother’.
The court heard that Plumpton had ‘relapsed’ and had accumulated a growing drugs debt that ‘he knew he soon wouldn’t have the means to pay off’.
Plumpton was sentenced to 22 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and must complete 10 rehabilitation activity days.
The 30-year-old must also complete 150 hours of unpaid work.
The judge said:
“If you breach this order either by not doing the elements that I’m attaching to it, or committing more offences, then we will meet again.
“I’m reserving this case, and you will not get another chance.”
Read the full court report here.
Shane Duckworth
A YOB battered and strangled his ex-partner - after she had kindly allowed him to stay overnight as he was locked out of his home.
The 20-year-old young mum came round after he had grabbed her around the throat when her concerned dog licked her face but Shane Duckworth then began strangling her again.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday, November 22, that the victim had agreed the defendant - with whom she had earlier had a three-month relationship - could sleep on the sofa when he rang her explaining he was locked out.
However, he proceeded to punch her and she tried to protect herself but he then punched her four times to the head and grabbed her by the hair.
He pulled her head up and kneed her in the face and threw to the floor. While she was on the floor he kicked her on the legs and then grabbed her around the throat and started to strangle her.
He stood up and kicked her to the back and when she tried to shout out of the window for help he grabbed her by the hair and threw her on the sofa and said she was not going to get help.
Duckworth, of Lambourne Grove, Parr, pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation, assault causing actual bodily harm and stalking involving fear of violence.
Duckworth was jailed for two years as a judge said that only an immediate custodial sentence was appropriate.
Read the full court report here.
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