Murderers, perverts and prolific shoplifters: Some of the Shropshire criminals locked up in the last two months

From thieves and manic motorists to rapists and prolific perverts, the courts have been teeming with trials of all magnitude since we last looked back in March.

As well as the usual trove of shoplifters and drug dealers, local judges have handed down sentences in cases that have garnered national attention.

This included the sentencing of the five men convicted of brutally hacking a 23-year-old DPD driver to death in broad daylight in Shrewsbury last year.

More recently, it was the return of a familiar name to court, as Telford paedophile grooming gang leader Mubarek Ali was locked up for a further 12 years after another brave victim came forward.

Here are those, and some of the other cases the Shropshire Star has reported on over the last two months.

April

Serving prisoner given extra time inside for sexual assault on female prison worker

Scott Wood, of no fixed abode, was given a nine week custodial sentence for the sexual assault and will be added to the sex offenders register for five years.

The 44-year-old pleaded guilty to the offence that took place in November where he touched a female member of staff’s bottom.

Wood, who was already in prison for grievous bodily harm, was sentenced at Telford Magistrates' Court at the beginning of April.

The class A drug dealer caught running crack and heroin through 'Max' county line

Benjamin Osagie, from Denmark Close, Wolverhampton, admitted nine charges of class A-related drug dealing – involving crack cocaine and heroin.

Shrewsbury Crown Court was told that the 32-year-old had been initially caught by police in Whitchurch, Shropshire, in 2021. A search of the vehicle uncovered packets of brown powder, a bag of white 'rocks', and wraps of white powder when they searched the car.

The second arrest came in March of this year when officers were on patrol near Shrewsbury's Cineworld on Old Potts Way.

They followed him along a dirt track where he ran off, but was caught and searched along with his car. Officers found multiple mobile telephones, along with a glove containing multiple deals of heroin and crack cocaine.

The court was told he was operating what was termed the 'Marcus' or 'Max' county line. Osagie was jailed for a total of four years and six months.

Nurse who 'violated' elderly and disabled woman in her own home

Robert Neill, of Fronheulog Hill, Bwlchgwyn in Wrexham, appeared at Mold Crown Court where he was sentenced for sexual activity and inciting sexual activity with a woman with a mental disorder.

The 62-year-old, formerly employed by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, admitted the offences and was jailed for 14 years, as well as being given a further four years extended on licence.

The entire incident, which occurred in November 2022, was caught on CCTV that had been installed in the victim’s home by her family following concerns about her safety.

'Persistent' Telford thief who stole £30 of steaks from Co-op

Andrew Harley, aged 33, stole £30 worth of steaks from a Co-op supermarket in Telford on March 26 this year.

Harley, of Blakemore, Brookside, Telford, pleaded guilty at Kidderminster Magistrates Court to one count of theft from a shop.

Deputy District Judge Vijaya Monro jailed him for 35 weeks due to his "persistent and wilful failure" to comply with his community order from a previous sentence.

18 years for Telford man who put woman in coma after ferocious meat cleaver attack

Lee Sargent, aged 47, carried out a ferocious attack on his victim at his home in Culmington, Stirchley in August last year, while drunk. He left his victim close to death and put her in a coma for 11 days.

The court heard that the police received a 999 call from the address at around 8pm, but operators could only hear “muffled grunts and cutting sounds”.

But before the police could, a driver delivering vodka and Coke had called at the address, and Sargent had opened the door covered “head to toe in blood”.

Sargent was jailed for 18 years and ten months for attempted murder.

Appalling' danger driver stole council truck and sprayed fire extinguisher at police during chase

Christopher Sargent, aged 51, was jailed and handed a lengthy road ban after his "appalling" behaviour in chases in Shropshire and Walsall.

Shrewsbury Crown Court was shown dash-cam footage of Sargent tearing down the hard shoulder of the A5 in Shropshire and throwing objects out of the window at pursuing police cars, as well as helicopter CCTV of him trying to get away from police after "ramming" a police car in Bloxwich.

He was jailed for 26 months and received a five year driving ban.

Five Black Country men jailed for 122 years for DPD driver killing in Shrewsbury

Five men convicted of killing a 23-year-old DPD driver in Shrewsbury were given a combined prison sentence of 122 years.

Aurman Singh was hacked to death in broad daylight on August 21 last year.

He was attacked by two gangs of masked men brandishing an array of weapons including an axe, golf club, cricket bat and wooden stave.

Arshdeep Singh, 24, of Shaw Road in Tipton; Shivdeep Singh, 27, of Greenfield Road in Smethwick; Manjot Singh, 25, also of Greenfield Road; Jagdeep Singh, 23, of Goodrich Mews in Dudley were all found guilty of his murder.

Prolific Telford shoplifter jailed for third time this year after targeting Tesco again

Shane Chick, aged 36, was jailed for a fortnight shortly after stealing £80 worth of meat from a supermarket in Telford on March 19.

It did not take him long to return to crime, stealing £100 worth of items from Tesco on Friday, April 5.