Advertisement

Leeds Crown Court Round-up: Twelve callous criminals who have been locked up this week

Nick Frame
·5-min read
Just a few of the faces who are starting jail sentences this week. (pics by WYP)
Just a few of the faces who are starting jail sentences this week. (pics by WYP)

These are the heartless criminals who have faced justice this week at Leeds Crown Court, with jail sentences ranging from just a few months up to many years.

Hotaj was found in an end-terrace property on Garton Terrace on Richmond Hill tending to a cannabis farm worth upwards of half-a-million pounds. More than 290 cannabis plants were found across four floors, along with the professional set-up of lamps, filters and fans to ensure the plants grow. The 29-year-old was given 22 months’ jail after the judge said he played a
Stephen Lemon was jailed this week after footage was found of him having sex with a woman to which she had not given consent. The 49-year-old, who has along history of violence against women, admitted a charge of voyeurism, along with three counts of breach of a restraining order and making threats with a knife.The court was told that Lemon had only been released from prison when he began trying to confront the woman, despite being warned to stay away from her. Lemon, formerly of Westgate, Wakefield, but now of no fixed address, was jailed for 28 months. (pic by WYP)
Monster Michael King was handed an 11-year extended jail sentence this week after being found guilty after a trial of repeatedly raping a 10-year-old girl. The 33-year-old was convicted of three counts of rape of a child under 13, four counts of sexual assault and one of inciting or engaging in sexual activity with a child. King, who is from the Farsley area, targeted the child over a series of months. A statement from the child's mother was presented the court and read:
Liam Petch was jailed this week for killing a man with one punch in Seacroft. The victim, 47-year-old Scott Foster, had been part of a group in which another member had crossed words with Petch over the sale of a bike. As 32-year-old Petch got closer, he said he saw Mr Foster move into his peripheral vision so lashed out at him, claiming he thought he would be attacked. The punch sent Mr Foster crashing to the floor with his head fatally striking the pavement. Despite surgery he died hours later. A remorseful Petch, from Seacroft, admitted manslaughter and was jailed for four years and eight months. (pic by WYP)
Nichol attacked his former partner and later sent her a voicemail said he enjoyed making her suffer. He was deemed a “dangerous young individual” after he ignored a restraining order to stay away from the woman and continued to torment her. He went to her home and tire to strangle her when she refused to hand over her phone when he became jealous. The 20-year-old from Headingley, later admitted two counts of breaching a restraining order and intentional strangulation. The judge handed Nichol 36 months’ detention in a young offender institute. (Photo: WYP)
Festim Sefa (left) and Mirban Xhukellari were found at a property on Nowell Grove in Harehills during a police drugs raid. More than 109 plants were found across five rooms with a potential street value of £74,000. Both 23-year-old Sefa and 28-year-old Xhukellari admitted charges of producing cannabis. Mitigating for both, Gary Cook said they had both been trafficked to the country having paid money to gangs, and like many illegal immigrants, were put to work illegally. They were jailed for 28 months each.
Matthews (left) and Kurzweil were both jailed this week after they were caught with £8,000 worth of cocaine and MDMA at Leeds Festival. Security had been alerted to drugs being dealt from the campsite on the first day of the popular festival at Bramham Park in August of this year. The pair, who are both from Manchester, admitted two counts of dealing in Class A Drugs and possession of criminal property. Kurzweil, aged 27, and 29-year-old Matthews were both jailed for 36 months and 32 months respectively. Judge Mushtaq Khokhar said:
Persistent Leeds paedophile John Butler, 58, was caught by twice before being remanded in custody when police raided his home for a third time. Officers retrieved thousands of indecent images of children from his internet devices, but were tipped off again a year later where they found thousands more. Having been bailed again, officers returned again in May of this year and found another 21 images. Butler, of Sackville Street, Sheepscar, has 22 previous convictions for 77 offences, including an indecent assault on a seven-year-old in 1984 for which he was jailed for three months. He was jailed for 25 months for his latest offending. (pic by WYP)
Drug-driver Luke Widdop, aged 51, was sentenced to eight years after admitting causing the death of a nine-year-old boy in a hit-and-run. Widdop, of Park Avenue, Keighley, admitted causing the death of George Lewis through careless driving while unfit through drugs. The youngster tragically died at the scene of the collision in Sutton-in-Craven, in September 2021. (pic by WYP)
Daniel Young pulled a gun out on a man in the street who was with his nephew, demanding cash from him. The 38-year-old threatened the man outside a convenience store in Hunslet. He has earlier broken into the victim's vehicle and stole items, before demanding the man pay £2,000 to hand over what he had taken. He was jailed for five years after admitting possessing a firearm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and handling stolen goods. (pic by WYP)