Two men who murdered a woman at a wake and a paranoid schizophrenic who strangled and beat his carer to death with a brick were among the criminals jailed in the UK in May 2026. Other offenders put behind bars included a man who murdered his cousin with an axe and a care home worker who filmed himself sexually abusing elderly women with dementia. The co-founder of Superdry was jailed for rape, while an Imam was handed a jail term for sexually assaulting women and children after telling them he had supernatural powers. A man who moderated dark web sites and a former Army cadet with an extreme hatred of women were also among those sentenced.
Nancy Pexton
Nancy Pexton, 70, slit the throat of her film director sister Jennifer Abbott, 69, before making off with her diamond-encrusted gold Rolex watch. She was jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years after launching a ferocious attack at Abbott's home in Camden, north London. Pexton taped her sister's mouth with gaffer tape and left her partially naked body on a sofa to rot. The judge described the act as a deliberate degradation and noted the depth of animosity and jealousy towards her sister.
Kelly Duffey and Ashley Goodridge
Prison tutor Kelly Duffey, 36, had an intimate relationship with inmate Ashley Goodridge, 38, at HMP Erlestoke. She was sentenced to 12 months in prison for misconduct in a public office. Goodridge received a 12-month sentence for having a phone and using it to send a photo from prison. The court heard Duffey was overwhelmed by a foolish infatuation and knew the risks.
Brandon Byrne
Brandon Byrne, 23, chased and stabbed father-of-three James Cook, 40, after a pub fight in Newark, Nottinghamshire. He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years. Byrne was carrying a kitchen knife and stabbed Cook in the neck and stomach, then kicked him in the head while he was on the ground. The judge said Byrne intended to kill Cook.
Adam Rowson
Adam Rowson, 26, beat former head chef Alexis De Naray, 45, to death in a fierce, sustained attack in Shrewsbury. He used De Naray's bank card to buy alcohol and scratchcards after leaving him dead or dying in an abandoned garage. Rowson was jailed for life with a minimum term of 16 years. The judge noted Rowson callously spent the victim's money and covered his body, knowing he had killed him.
Dihan Rahman
Former Army cadet Dihan Rahman, 19, terrorised two girls, threatened to ruin their prom, and collected bomb-making videos. He made a Nazi salute and held a rope noose in selfies, and posted personal details of the girls and a teacher online. Rahman pleaded guilty to stalking, possessing indecent images, and possessing documents useful for terrorism. He was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison with an extended licence period of three years.
Daniel Matos, Keith Preddie, and Joshua Cowley
Three men ambushed and fatally stabbed 19-year-old Tyler Donnelly in Feltham, west London, in a brutal knife attack. Daniel Matos, 24, Keith Preddie, 34, and Joshua Cowley, 29, were found guilty of murder and jailed for life with minimum terms of 27 years six months, 27 years, and 25 years respectively. The attack was described as brutal and cowardly, with the victim outnumbered and defenceless.
James Holder
Superdry co-founder James Holder, 54, was jailed for eight years for raping a woman after a night out drinking in Cheltenham. Holder went back to the woman's home, fell asleep, then woke and raped her. He denied rape but was convicted by a unanimous jury. The judge described the offence as a despicable piece of sexual violence driven by entitlement.
Scott O'Connor and Zoe Coutts
Scott O'Connor, 36, was jailed for 18 years for the manslaughter of four-year-old Kol Page, who died from injuries inflicted two years earlier. The boy's mother, Zoe Coutts, 35, was sentenced to 10 years for allowing his abuse. O'Connor carried out a deliberate intentional assault on the defenceless two-year-old, causing catastrophic injuries. Coutts failed to protect her son despite obvious signs of abuse.
Matthew Slate
Matthew Slate, 36, moderated multiple dark web sites sharing indecent images of children. He was a global moderator on the pro-paedophile forum Olympus and held positions on six other forums. Slate pleaded guilty to distributing indecent images, arranging sexual exploitation, and other charges. He was sentenced to six years in prison with a ten-year sexual harm prevention order.
Abdul Halim Khan
Imam Abdul Halim Khan, 54, raped and sexually assaulted women and girls as young as 12, telling them he had supernatural powers. He abused his position as a faith leader to attack seven victims between 2005 and 2014. Khan was jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years. The judge described his crimes as an unrestrained campaign of rape and abuse.
Billy Stokoe
Billy Stokoe, 19, knocked down and killed 86-year-old Gloria Stephenson while riding an illegal e-bike in Sunderland. He was under the influence of cannabis and holding his mobile phone. Stokoe admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for six years and nine months, with a driving ban of over eight years.
Matthew Gilkes
Former teacher Matthew Gilkes, 47, took more than a million upskirt images of pupils using hidden cameras in pens. He also set up fake social media accounts to groom girls. Gilkes pleaded guilty to various offences and was jailed for 16 years with an additional five years on licence.
Gareth Stark
Gareth Stark, 38, fatally shook his three-month-old son Leon Stark days after being caught on CCTV striking the infant's head at a KFC. He pleaded guilty to battery and manslaughter and was jailed for nine years. The judge noted the earlier assault showed his actions were not an isolated occurrence.
Alina Burns
Neo-Nazi obsessed teenager Alina Burns, 19, tried to behead Kurdish barber Mohammed Mahmoodi, 27, with an axe in Bristol. She was motivated by extreme right-wing ideology and wanted to kill all Jews and Muslims. Burns pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was jailed for 15 and a half years with an additional four-year licence period.
Perry Allen-Thomas and Amir Salem
Perry Allen-Thomas, 27, and Amir Salem, 20, murdered mother-of-two Michelle Sadio, 44, in a drive-by shooting at a wake in Willesden, north London. They were found guilty of murder and attempted murder. Allen-Thomas was jailed for life with a minimum of 38 years, Salem for at least 26 years. The judge said the killers did not care who was injured or killed.
David Walsh
Paranoid schizophrenic David Walsh, 35, strangled and beat his carer Irene Mbugua, 46, to death with a brick in Birmingham. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and was jailed for a minimum of 12 years. Walsh had stopped taking anti-psychotic medication before the attack.
Tavius Jean Charles
Tavius Jean Charles, 35, shouted antisemitic abuse and threw a rock at a car window in Stamford Hill, London. He pleaded guilty to religiously aggravated threatening behaviour and criminal damage. Jean Charles was jailed for five years for his sustained campaign of antisemitic behaviour.
David Jones
Care home worker David Jones, 53, filmed himself sexually abusing elderly women with dementia in Kent. He pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder and possession of indecent images. Jones was jailed for 15 years with an additional four years on licence.
Bamidele Fawehinmi
Bamidele Fawehinmi, 33, beat vulnerable man Dimitrios Tsavdaris, 55, to death over five weeks in north London. He treated the victim like a lackey and kept him in squalid conditions. Fawehinmi pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was jailed for 12 years.
Nicole Blain
Nicole Blain, 30, murdered her 19-day-old daughter Thea Wilson in a violent and brutal attack in Greenock, Inverclyde. She was jailed for life with a minimum of 19 years. The judge described her account blaming another child as absurd.
Michael Doherty
Michael Doherty, 38, murdered Courtney Angus, 21, in a sadistic and sexually motivated attack after she rejected him. He left her with 76 injuries and took indecent images. Doherty pleaded guilty to murder and was jailed for life with a minimum of 33 years.
Donald Excell
Donald Excell, 50, murdered his cousin Rita Lambourne, 58, in a frenzied attack with an axe at her home in Bexhill. He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 31 years. The judge said Excell planned the attack and was motivated by a conspiracy theory.
Hollie Dance and Thomas Summers
Hollie Dance, 50, and her son Thomas Summers, 26, ran a driver off the road in Essex, causing serious injuries, after suspecting he was involved in a bottling incident. Dance was jailed for four years, Summers for five years. The court heard Dance had recently lost her son Archie Battersbee.
