Killers and kidnappers among criminals locked up in Hull in December (2024)

The extra bank holidays in December and usual Christmas and New Year break may have been the season of glad tidings for many, but for some Hull and East Yorkshire residents, it was the season of sentences behind bars at Her Majesty's pleasure.

Most appeared in court for crimes committed while free from jail, but for a group of eight, they finally received their sentences for their part in a vicious prison mutiny on Christmas Day 2018.

The damage caused by the riot behind bars was so bad that 50 inmates had to be transferred to other parts of the country because the prison wing became unlivable.

Others to receive jail sentences in December include killers, a man who was desperate to go back to prison, a baby abductor and a son who beat up his cancer-suffering mum in her own home.

To read more of the latest Hull Crown Court stories, click here

Patrick Taylor (nine years)

A young couple in Goole suffered a terrifying ordeal when three violent, machete-wielding thugs, including Patrick Taylor, burst into their garden and threatened to "chop up" one of them.

Taylor, 25, and of of Bond Avenue, Rossington, admitted aggravated burglary and assault causing actual bodily harm on April 4.

The couple, both aged 18, were relaxing in the garden of their home in Byron Street, Goole, at 9.40pm when three men brandishing machetes forced their way into the garden.

One of the men grabbed the woman and another member of the gang pinned her boyfriend to his chair.

A raider shouted: "Show us what you have got. Give us everything."

Taylor denied having a machete at the time but pulled out a blade and pushed it against the man's mouth and teeth, causing a cut to his lip.

He also later pushed the man against a storage container and punched him in the face and ear, causing a laceration to his ear.

Taylor was traced from DNA on fingerprints he left on a carrier bag and from blood left in a cupboard.

The other men had so far not been identified.

Read the full article here.

Connor Woodrow (nine years)

Connor Woodrow, 22, tried to kidnap a woman walking her dog on March 29 on a remote area of the riverbank in Rawcliffe, near Goole.

He grabbed her from behind, but the brave victim fought him off and managed to get away after she "played dead".

Woodrow of Boynton Drive, Rawcliffe, then fled the scene himself and sustained serious injuries after jumping from a bridge near Dobella Lane in Rawcliffe onto the M62 motorway.

The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to attempted kidnap at trial.

"Emotionally and psychologically, I have struggled greatly," said the victim of the impact of the ordeal in a statement read out in court.

Read the full article here.

James Tonkin (four years)

Violent and aggressive James Tonkin left his girlfriend with "terrible" injuries after a drunken, drug-fuelled argument during their "toxic" relationship.

His victim was also told by him that if she ever left him, it would be in a body bag.

Richard Butters, prosecuting, said that a woman heard arguing outside a block of flats on June 13 and saw Tonkin “ragging” his girlfriend about.

She heard the victim screaming and telling Tonkin to get off her.

About 10 or 15 minutes later, the lights came on in Tonkin’s flat and the witness saw an "atrocious attack" on his girlfriend.

"She saw the defendant dragging the complainant by her hair and he was punching her in her face," said Mr Butters.

In an earlier incident, Tonkin threw his girlfriend against a wall on April 18, causing injuries including to the nose and eye socket.

Tonkin's problems with drink and crack cocaine were cited in mitigation for his actions.

Read the full article here.

Reece Norrie (two years and two months - Young Offenders' Institute)

A drug dealer who once boasted about being an "all-time legend" started selling heroin and crack cocaine after being put under pressure by "people with funny accents".

Reece Norrie, 19, of Robinswood Drive, Bransholme, admitted possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply on November 30.

He also admitted possessing criminal property and a knife.

When stopped by police on that day, he was found in possession of 11 wraps of heroin and 15 of crack cocaine, as well as £320 cash.

He also had a 19-inch-long hunting knife in a sports bag.

Norrie had previously worked for a caravan company but got involved with "people with funny accents" - thought to be a reference to dealers from the Liverpool area - and threats were made to him.

The seized cash was to be donated to the St Paul's boxing academy, Hull, under a new arrangement in such cases.

Read the full article here.

Gavin Sanderson (eight months)

Gavin Sanderson, 36, beat up his 59-year-old mum who had cancer in her own home.

He began arguing with his mum at their Hull home at around 2pm on October 24 this year.

Initially, the row was over the poor internet signal which moved on to issues around the family pet dog, Hull Crown Court heard.

Sanderson, who has been living at the William Booth Hostel, was so aggressive that his mum felt the need to call the police. for her own safety.

Her son then punched her hard in the face and then pinned her down in the kitchen and struck her several more times.

At the time of the brutal attack, the mum had just completed chemotherapy for breast cancer and was receiving radiotherapy.

The court heard that Sanderson has no previous convictions and that he pleaded guilty at an early stage to the offence of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Judge John Thackray decided only an immediate custodial sentence was appropriate for the "appalling attack".

Read the full article here.

Mark McCarthy (22 months)

Heavy drinking Mark McCarthy viciously headbutted a terrified woman, menacingly held a piece of glass to her neck and even started strangling her dog during a campaign of fear.

She was terrified by him that she was scared to leave the house or take the dog for a walk.

McCarthy, 48, of Victoria Avenue, off Princes Avenue, Hull, admitted breaching a restraining order, assault and criminal damage on October 3.

The restraining order was issued after a previous assault against the same woman.

During the October assault, he pushed the victim into a chair and headbutted her, leaving a lump on her forehead.

He also broke a photograph frame and held the broken glass against the woman's neck.

Described as a "violent bully" by Judge Sophie McKone, McCarthy was sentenced to 22 months behind bars.

Read the full article here.

Barry Dockerty (one year)

Regular criminal Barry Dockerty, who once threatened to blow up police stations and "hurt" people, was found with two knives because he was desperate to go back to prison.

He had regularly been caught with knives before and he preferred being behind bars because he was "not comfortable on the outside".

Dockerty, 35, of Princes Avenue, Hull, admitted two offences of possessing knives on August 18.

He had convictions for 89 previous offences, especially for dishonesty, dating from 2016.

The serial troublemaker got his wish to be back behind bars again.

Read the full article here.

Alix Bowman (10 months - Young Offenders' Institute)

Budding barber Alix Bowman reached "staggeringly dangerous" speeds of up to 113mph as he hurtled along roads and went on the wrong side of a dual carriageway in a desperate bid to shake off police during a hair-raising nighttime chase.

He was giving his new car a test run after carrying out repairs to the brakes and he and his girlfriend recklessly sped through country roads.

Bowman, 20, of Middleton Close, Beverley, admitted dangerous driving and having no insurance and licence on October 18.

He was spotted by police in Swanland Dale in a red VW Golf come from the A164 and head towards Riplingham Road, Raywell, at about 11.55pm.

He was already above the 60mph speed limit when police flashed blue lights to get him to stop.

However, the 20-year-old failed to stop and increased the car's speed further to above 85mph.

The police turned off the warning lights to reduce pressure but Bowman continued at high speed, reaching 113mph.

He also reached speeds of between 70 and 110mph in a 30mph limit in the village of Little Weighton.

Eventually, after a five mile chase, police used a tyre-bursting stinger device to bring the car to a halt.

Read the full article here.

Amadeusz Sekula (life, with 16 years and 277 days minimum)

Amadeusz Sekula, 21, stabbed his defenceless girlfriend, Klaudia Soltys to death in the Hull flat they shared and left her in a pool of blood.

In summer 2020 she formed a relationship with Sekula after apparently meeting him through online gaming.

The jealous and controlling Sekula monitored what she was doing online and eavesdropped on her conversations before finally losing his temper and stabbing her, a court heard.

He went out walking the streets after the violent murder before finally knocking on the door of a Bransholme woman, who called the police.

Sekula, of Lambert Street, Hull, looked upset and bowed his head and sighed as he was led out of the dock to begin his life sentence.

Read the full article here.

Horst Trutzenbach (three years)

Aggressive father Horst Trutzenbach abducted his tiny four-month-old baby son from his ex-girlfriend's home after suddenly turning up and barging his way inside.

The baby's grandmother desperately tried to stop him, but he told her: "Nobody is going to stop me taking my son. He's my son and I'm taking him."

He later climbed onto a pub roof and hurled tiles down at police while "totally out of control" during a bad-tempered five-hour stand-off.

Trutzenbach, 26, of Ann Watson Street, Stoneferry, Hull, admitted child abduction and affray on June 27.

He threatened to knock his ex-girlfriend's mother out and walked off towards a car, where he was driven off by his own mother.

About two hours later, a man who was not known to the ex-girlfriend arrived at the house and said: "I'm here to give your baby back."

He handed over the boy, who was seemingly not distressed and no harm had apparently come to him.

Police later turned up at the Ship Inn in Ann Watson Street to arrest Trutzenbach.

He climbed onto the roof and threatened to throw tiles down at police and did throw one roof tile during the five hour stand-off.

As well as three years in jail, the dad was also given an indefinite restraining order.

Read the full article here.

Jay Desborough (five years)

Jay Desborough was branded a "violent antisocial young man" and could easily have killed his uncle after angrily smashing him over the head with a plank of wood during a fight.

He also brandished a plant pot during the nasty confrontation and later claimed that his uncle "deserved it".

He was also spotted with a pitchfork in one hand and a knife in the other during another frightening disturbance, Hull Crown Court heard.

Desborough, 22, of St Pancras Close, Hull, denied possessing a plank of wood as an offensive weapon and using threatening behaviour on March 23 but was convicted by magistrates after a trial.

He admitted possessing a pitchfork and a knife as offensive weapons on August 23 and possessing heroin with intent to supply and possessing crack cocaine on November 22.

"The large piece of wood could have caused serious injury or death," said Judge McKone as she sentenced Desborough to five years in jail.

Read the full article here.

Shaun Douglas (five years)

Heroin and crack cocaine user Shaun Douglas attacked a down-on-his-luck man during several brutal beatings and the terrified victim feared that he would only leave "in a body bag".

Douglas, 32, of Jalland Street, Hull, initially allowed the man to stay with him over Christmas but later repeatedly punched and kicked him for laughing at him.

He also warned the victim that his girlfriend had an axe by the bed.

In another incident, the drug user threatened to stab a pedestrian on the pavement after they indicated for Douglas, cycling on the walkway, to stop.

Douglas was also caught by undercover police as part of Operation Doon selling drugs in Jailand Street.

The 32-year-old was jailed for five years and was given a five-year restraining order for the offence against the cyclist.

Read the full article here.

Patrick Sean Clayton (life, with 22 years and 81 days minimum)

Patrick Sean Clayton, nicknamed "Little Paddy", was jailed for life after brutally murdering Jason Clark in a sad*stic knife attack.

His father, "Big Paddy", was cleared of murder after a jury decided that it was his son who inflicted the many knife wounds.

In an attack during a drug-fuelled argument, Mr Clark was stabbed at least 15 times, with 17 wounds, including to the back and chest.

Both "Little Paddy", of Beech Close, off Coltman Street, Hull, and his father denied murdering Mr Clark on March 9.

While his dad was found not guilty, a jury at Hull Crown Court unanimously convicted "Little Paddy" of murder after a trial.

"Little Paddy" showed no emotion as the life sentence was imposed but shouted to supporters in the public gallery: "I'll ring you, yeah?"

Read the full article here.

Kristian Whitfield (four-and-a-half years) and James Urquhart (four years)

Two menacing thugs brutally punched and kicked a man during a vicious robbery branded a "moment of madness".

They targeted the victim in a shop for the unprovoked beating and left him with a fractured cheekbone.

During the violence, a gold chain was also forcefully snatched from his neck.

Kristian Whitfield, 32, of no fixed address, and James Urquhart, 35, of Faraday Street, Hull, admitted robbery on July 22.

The 21-year-old victim was first approached aggressively by a bare-chested Whitfield in the Premier store in Endike Lane, Hull, who tried to push past him.

He suffered a persistent and prolonged assault, including repeated blows and punches to his head and body as well as kicks to his head.

Whitfield and Urquhart were later identified from CCTV.

Read the full article here.

Joshua Carter (22 years)

Joshua Carter, 29, was convicted of nine rape offences against a young girl, aged 9, as well as four assaults against her and two offences of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Carter, of north Hull, had denied the charges but a jury found him guilty of the 15 offences.

"While we are pleased to see this man is now behind bars, the sentencing does not take away the horrific events that have taken place or the impacts that this will have had on the victim," said Detective Sergeant Justin Marrow, of Humberside Police, who led the investigation.

"“But, I hope that it can provide the victim with some comfort in knowing that no-one else will come to harm because of this predator."

Read the full article here.

Jason Ginnever (20 months), Joe Smith (20 months), Dean Smith (40 months), Richard Hall (two years), Matthew Percival (28 months), Christopher Calvert (20 months), James Bird (28 months) and Graham Rough (32 months)

Eight men were sentenced last month for their part in a riot at HMP Humber on Christmas Day, 2018.

The hours-long siege caused £300,000 worth of damage and left a wing of the prison closed for several weeks.

All admitted prison mutiny.

Graham Rough, 36, was also handed a six-month jail sentence for possession of a knife and two months for going quipped to steal which will be served consecutively.

Five masked inmates ignited the riot which authorities say was not spontaneous but involved planning with other prisoners covering CCTV cameras beforehand.

Inmates were assaulted, a fire was started and the whole of C-wing was flooded as inmates ripped out pipes and fittings, destroyed the pool and table tennis tables and threw furniture around.

The wing became unlivable and 50 inmates had to be transferred to other parts of the country due to the damage caused by the riot.

"Any offence of prison mutiny requires a substantial prison sentence," said Judge Thackray in his sentencing remarks.

Read the full article here.

Callum Hockey-Parks (eight months)

The ringleader of a "targeted, cowardly, repeated attack" against a defenceless man in the street loudly cried and wailed as he was finally jailed for the brutal beating.

Sex offender Callum Hockey-Parks, Hedon, was "outstandingly fortunate" not to be locked up in the first place for the "disgusting" offence.

Hockey-Parks, 21, was originally given a one-year suspended custodial sentence on April 24 for affray.

But he admitted breaching the terms of the order, 30 days' rehabilitation and 150 hours' unpaid work, by failing to keep appointments with the probation service on October 16 and November 13.

The 21-year-old's own defence counsel said that he had shown "lamentable" efforts after being given the suspended sentence.

Along with two other men, Hockey-Parks hit and kicked an 18-year-old man in December 2019 after he got off a bus in Hedon.

The victim suffered a wound to his eyebrow area that needed four stitches.

Read the full article here.

Shaun Fergusson (three-and-a-half years) and Jack Whitehead (two-and-a-half years)

Drug addict Shaun Fergusson allowed Liverpool dealers to take over and use his home for a "busy" and profitable County Lines street dealing operation.

Fergusson was spending £100 a day on drugs at the time and, once the men moved into his home, felt he could not say anything.

Meanwhile, Jack Whitehead, 21, of Liverpool, had a £3,000 debt, was pressured into moving to Hull to sell drugs and was in charge of a huge stash of them.

Police spotted both men individually dealing drugs to known users in an alleyway in Mayfield Street, Hull, with Fergusson's home being used as a base.

The total value of the heroin and crack cocaine consequently seized from the pair was £4,260.

Whitehead was also found to have a money transfer order for £1,520 to go towards paying off his Liverpool debt.

Read the full article here.

Anne Krolikowska (six years)

A drunken woman stabbed her defenceless husband to death with a knife on her own birthday.

She stabbed him in the heart during a confrontation after huge amounts of vodka were drunk at a celebration barbecue on April 24.

She had suspected that Adam Krolikowski was cheating on her and using prostitutes.

Anne Krolikowska, 27, of Duncombe Gardens, Grimsby, admitted manslaughter, on the basis of diminished responsibility, and possessing an offensive weapon.

The couple, from Poland, had been together for about 14 years and married for about two years. They had two young children, aged nine and four.

David Mason QC, mitigating, said that Krolikowska had shown "remorse coupled with sorrow" and the couple had a complicated and traumatic history between them.

The 27-year-old also showed to a guest at the celebration barbecue a bruise on her thigh which she claimed came from her husband kicking her before the barbecue.

Judge Thackray said that while there was "no doubt" her husband had behaved appallingly towards her in the past, this did not excuse or justify Anne Krolikowska's stabbing of him to death.

Read the full article here.

Kristjan Idrizi (one year - Young Offenders' Institute)

Police found a "sophisticated and substantial" cannabis factory including 206 plants that were being looked after by a hard-up Kristjan Idrizi in Rustenburg Street, Hull.

Idrizi, 19, of Grafton Street, Hull, admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply and producing cannabis on September 9.

He was working for a "sophisticated, professional, organised crime group" to produce cannabis on a substantial commercial scale.

The house had even had electricity bypassed to convert it into a "cannabis farm".

Read the full article here.

Edward Luca (20 months)

A dad-of-two's dreams of finding work in the UK were left in tatters as he was jailed for gardening a Hull cannabis farm producing 35kg of weed.

Edward Luca, 37, got a criminal gang to smuggle him into the country so he could seek cash-in-hand work to send back home to his partner and two young children.

Getting into the country came with a £12,000 price tag, which the Albanian national was told he could repay by cultivating weed at a terraced property on Blaydes Street.

Luca had only been in the UK for two months when the farm was busted by Humberside Police's Operation Galaxy in September.

He unsuccessfully tried to run away and scale a six-foot high wall when officers raided the property.

The 37-year-old, who has no previous convictions, was jailed for 20 months and will serve half of his sentence before being deported.

Read the full article here.

Scott Goddard (three-and-a-half years)

"f*ckless" and "immature" troublemaker Goddard threatened to petrol bomb the home of his ex's parents.

He was later caught with crack cocaine worth £480 and a stash of £1,160 cash hidden in his underwear, Hull Crown Court heard.

Rachel Scott, prosecuting, said that Goddard had an argument with his girlfriend in November 2020 and she called in her brother for help.

But Goddard, 23, of Collenso Street, Hull, was angry and threatened to hit him and to petrol bomb his parents' home.

He also later threatened to put a brick through a window.

In a separate incident in September 2021 two passers-by intervened when Goddard was kicking at the same woman's door.

One of the passers-by was hit on the head and Goddard seemed to have something like a door knob in his hand.

Police attended and found the drugs and cash in Scott Goddard's underwear.

Read the full article here.

James Benstead (two-and-a-half years)

Branded a "one-man crime wave", James Benstead, 38, of Staveley Road, Hull, was jailed to give the city's shops a "bit of respite" from his drug-fuelled criminal antics.

He repeatedly targeted shops and left a 17-year-old girl working in a newsagents feeling shocked and intimidated when he threatened her with violence and aggressively ordered her to open the till.

Next in Kingswood Retail Park, Sainsbury's in Ing Road, Hull, a Shell service station in Hessle Road, Asda in Kingswood and John Turnbull's newsagents in Cottingham were all targeted by Benstead in a theft spree spanning between July and October 2021.

Benstead had convictions for 129 previous offences, including 104 for theft or similar.

Judge David Tremberg warned him: "If you don't change your ways, you will be serving a life sentence in instalments."

Read the full article here.

Michael Fox (14 months)

Heavy drinker Michael Fox was in the grip of the "demon drug" Spice when he raided the bedroom of a "vulnerable" domestic abuse victim at a women's refuge.

A woman living in a downstairs flat at the Hull refuge returned to her bedroom at midnight to find a picture of her daughter on the floor.

A cosmetics set on a shelf was missing and, after a search, she discovered that three bottles of perfume, had also gone.

A can of cider was in the bedroom and a roll-up cigarette was on her bed, and DNA traces on the can tied Fox to the scene.

Fox, 43, of Princes Avenue, Hull, admitted burglary on July 23. and was sentenced to 14 months in prison.

Read the full article here.

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