Thirteen criminals from Merseyside were imprisoned over the past week, receiving a combined total of 96 years and seven months in prison. Among those locked up were a domestic abuser who battered his girlfriend's dog with a hammer, a dad who called his sentence "bulls***" and a drug dealer known as "J Flabs".
Also jailed was a thug who left a man for dead then ate a packet of pork scratchings, while Liverpool Crown Court heard that a lorry driver was watching TikTok videos as he smashed his HGV into the back of a Jaguar, leaving a couple with devastating injuries.
Animal cruelty and violence
Lewis Walker, 33, of Cherry Sutton in Widnes, stabbed his girlfriend's dog and battered the animal with a hammer before warning that he would "paint the house red". He also filmed himself kicking his then partner's pet more than a dozen times in what a judge described as "one of the worst cases of animal suffering that the court has seen". His years of abuse included pouring bleach over his victim's clothing and leaving her with a perforated eardrum. He admitted one count of controlling and coercive behaviour on the day he was due to stand trial and was jailed for four-and-a-half years.
Richard Phoenix, 39, of Robin Way in Woodchurch, left a man for dead in his garden bar before urinating near to his motionless victim and eating a pack of pork scratchings. He inflicted a devastating brain injury upon his sister's boyfriend after kicking and stamping on his head during an early morning drinking session. Phoenix went to bed instead of summoning help, abandoning the other man outside in freezing temperatures for more than five hours. The victim spent weeks in a coma and four months in hospital and now requires around the clock care. Phoenix was unanimously found guilty of wounding with intent and was jailed for 12 years.
Drug supply offences
Wai Lam, 44, of Dunkirk Lane in Leyland, ran a cocaine hotline for six months before police hacked his front door down with a chainsaw. His involvement was identified through a trip to the continent in his BMW 5 Series, messages with his girlfriend and CCTV of him purchasing phone top-ups. Lam admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and possession of criminal property and was jailed for 45 months.
John Dooley, 20, of Marton Road in Huyton, confessed to police that he had ketamine hidden down his trousers. He was given a second chance by magistrates only six months before returning to trafficking class B substances. Dooley pleaded guilty to possession of ketamine with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possession of a bladed article in a public place. He was handed 20 months in a young offenders' institute.
Connor Prescott, 27, of Cambridge Road in Southport, called himself "J Flabs" and tried to hide his stash down his shorts when police visited his mum's house. He had recently been released from prison when he turned to supplying cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine. Prescott admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy, escaping from lawful custody and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place. He was jailed for 40 months.
Dangerous driving and other crimes
Jack Haddow, a lorry driver, was watching TikTok videos on his phone when he ploughed his 44-tonne HGV into the back of a couple's car on the motorway. The vehicle's passenger was left screaming "my husband has died, he's dead" as her partner sat unconscious at the wheel. She later underwent a nine-hour operation to save her leg and remains in a wheelchair. Haddow admitted two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for 28 months.
Paul Pollard, 39, of Morecambe Street, moaned that his sentence was "bulls***" after leaving a taxi driver blind in one eye. He whacked his victim in the head with a wheel brace following a dispute over the fare, marking his second attack on a taxi driver. Pollard admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent and was jailed for six years and three months with an extended licence period of three years.
Megan Carney-Borrowman, 35, of Birdling Drive in Southport, sold counterfeit luxury fashion items on Instagram and had over £4million in her business accounts while claiming benefits. She flogged counterfeit goods from brands including Chanel, Burberry, Hugo Boss and Versace. Carney-Borrowman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit trademark offences and conspiracy to acquire criminal property and was sentenced to four years and three months in prison.
Peter McFadden, 55, of Guilsted Road, a taxi driver, was caught couriering a stash of drugs after being stopped for speeding. He claimed he agreed to transport a kilogram of pink cocaine to pay off gambling debts and received £100 for his services. More than £10,000 in cash was found in his wardrobe. He was left in tears as he was locked up.
Lee Brittles, Teo Grbesic, Ashley Armstrong and Karl Dalton were part of a Merseyside-based organised crime gang caught trying to smuggle £11.3million worth of "pink cocaine" into Australia and New Zealand. They stamped their packages with a Pink Panther logo before handing them to a FedEx driver, who became suspicious and reported the shipment. Brittles was jailed for 17 years and eight months, Grbesic received 13 years and four months, Dalton was locked up for 12 years and Armstrong was sentenced to 10 years and four months.
