Staff at courts in Grimsby work hard to ensure justice is served.
The daily mission is to fight for justice for the victims of crimes committed in northern Lincolnshire and the past year has seen some truly horrific crimes dealt with in court.
On a positive note, there was the appointment of a new judge to Grimsby Crown Court, His Honour Judge Gurdial Singh, hailed as “a circuit legend.”
Court staff have ensured the worst offenders in our community were brought to justice in 2024 …
‘Depraved’ man’s hospital trespass
Among the worst was Damon Tingay, 30, formerly of Caistor Drive, but recently of no fixed address, who admitted trespass in the grounds of Grimsby’s Diana Princess Of Wales Hospital with intent to perform a sexual act in the early hours of March 17. He also admitted sexual penetration of a corpse.
Damon Tingay was jailed after an ‘utterly grotesque’ crime at Grimsby’s hospital
(Image: Humberside Police)
Judge John Thackray KC described Tingay as “depraved, perverted and utterly grotesque”. He jailed him for a total of six years and a further four years will be spent on licence due to the danger he poses to the public. He told Tingay: “There is a very dark side to you.”
Prosecuting, Senior Crown Advocate, Jeremy Evans revealed Tingay had earlier attempted to gain access to the maternity building during his two hours of trespass in the grounds of the hospital. He had lied to staff in the Family Services Department that his sister was expecting a baby. But he was refused entry as he spoke over the intercom system. There was a review of security at the mortuary after the offence and improvements made.
‘Truly shocking’ murder in Cleethorpes
Another case that rocked the community was that of Tom Gaughan, who was brutally murdered on Cleethorpes High Street by a knife-wielding thug. Thousands of pounds have been raised in his memory to buy bleed kits which are now stationed, like defibrillators, at key locations throughout North East Lincolnshire.
Connor Hulse was found guilty of the murder of Tom Gaughan
(Image: Humberside Police)
Connor Hulse was found guilty at Grimsby Crown Court in June after a jury took just two hours to convict him. The 22-year-old was found guilty of murder after Tom Gaughan was stabbed in the head on a Cleethorpes street in July 2023. Hulse, formerly of Chester Walk, was handed a life sentence. He was given a minimum term of 23 years for the murder of Mr Gaughan.
Judge John Thackray KC said: “He did not deserve such a terrifying and tragic death.” He added: “I have seen the CCTV many times. It was truly shocking and horrifying to watch from beginning to end.” The prosecution was brought successfully by Sam Green KC and Senior Crown Advocate, Jeremy Evans.
Tom’s relatives have worked hard to raise money for bleed kits which can help in the event of an injury to stem blood loss. They have been placed at clubs and bars around Grimsby and Cleethorpes and at Ghetto Park in Grimsby.
Family’s ‘whole world was crushed’ by teacher’s tragic death
The public gallery at Grimsby Crown Court was packed for the sentence of drink driver Thomas Sanigar, 39, of Tiverton Street, Cleethorpes, who admitted causing the death of Grimsby teacher Alex Ramsden on Great Coates Road. Sanigar had been at an event in Beverley on February 3, where he consumed the ten alcoholic drinks before returning to Grimsby and collecting his BMW from The Cricketers.
Thomas Sanigar was jailed for nine years and nine months after admitting causing the death of Alex Ramsden by dangerous driving
(Image: Humberside Police)
Grimsby Crown Court heard that, at around 11.30pm, Sanigar drove two friends along the 30mph Great Coates Road and lost control at a speed of around 64mph, hitting Alex, 30, and a lamppost. Prosecuting, Senior Crown Advocate, Jeremy Evans said a roadside breath test recorded his alcohol level at 76mcgs in 100ml of breath, the legal limit being 35mcgs.
Alex’s dad, Paul Ramsden, told how his family’s “whole world was crushed.” He said his graduate son seldom used his MA title. “He truly believed that anyone could accomplish this and fulfil their potential, with the right inspiration, guidance and encouragement. That is what Alex wanted to do with his life – help others reach their own potential.”
Sanigar was jailed for nine years and nine months and he was banned from driving for 16 years and six months. He will serve at least two thirds of the sentence in prison before being released on licence.
Dangerous driver jailed after cyclist’s death on A1077
Tributes were also paid at Grimsby Crown Court by the family of keen cyclist Stuart Simons, from South Ferriby. Driver, David Parker, 67, of Torrington Road, Scunthorpe, admitted causing death by dangerous driving after he struck the rear of Mr Simons cycle on the A1077 at around 5.30am on October 7, 2022.
Mr Simons, a father of two girls, had cycled extensively abroad and throughout the UK, clocking up around an average of 7,500 miles every year, but was killed just two miles from his home.
Senior Crown Advocate, Jeremy Evans said Mr Simons was an enthusiastic and proficient cyclist. He was wearing a backpack with a reflective covering and his specialist cycle was fitted with strobe red lighting at the rear and a light at the front. He also wore a safety helmet.
Brother Damian Simons said: “We all have a Stu-sized hole in our lives and there is no way of filling that void.”
Addressing the defendant he said: “As families we are very private people but it is important to me that you realise the incredible amount of damage you inflicted on countless lives when you took Stu from us. You didn’t just cut down the biggest and strongest tree that day, you set fire to the entire forest.
“Each person who knew him will bear the scars of that day forever. Stu is irreplaceable and we will never have peace.” Parker was jailed for 21 months and banned from driving for six years.
Members of £1m drugs operation jailed
The sophisticated network of drugs gangs in our community was exposed at a sentencing hearing at Grimsby Crown Court when members of a £1-million operation were jailed.
Detectives dismantled one of the Grimsby area’s most prolific organised crime gangs by breaking into their coded messages, a court heard.
From left, Andrew Gordon, Robert Forrest, Dale Jackson, and Lee McGregor
(Image: Humberside Police)
Police identified drugs worth £1,000,000 which were being bought and sold by the group, unaware that their messages were being intercepted. Officers raided a home in Constitutional Avenue, Cleethorpes, which was used by one of the gang to doctor high-purity Class A drugs, including heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine and ecstasy. It was adulterated with mixing agents to a lower purity and sold on at a massive profit.
At Grimsby Crown Court, prosecutor Gordon Stables told how the sophisticated operation could turn seven kilograms of Class A drugs into 10kgs.
The EncroChat messaging system was broken into by the National Crime Agency, whose officers discovered a network of “kingpins” throughout the UK. As well as in the Grimsby area, the organised crime gang also supplied drug dealers in Doncaster, Barnsley and Selby.
Lee McGregor, Andrew Gordon and Robert Forrest admitted their roles in the conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, while Dale Jackson admitted conspiracy to transfer criminal property, namely thousands of pounds. Mr Stables said Jackson was aware of the trade in Class A drugs, though he was not a member of the organised crime gang. But between April 4 and April 29, 2020, Jackson, 41, of Carnforth Crescent, Grimsby, paid sums of £8,500, £4,500 and between £12,000 and £15,000 for drugs.
Judge Richard Woolfall told Gordon he was “in charge”, and added: “You ensured you were isolated by avoiding contact with those below. You were on top.” He jailed him for a total of 14 years and four months.
He jailed Forrest for 10 years and two months. The judge said McGregor had already served about half of a seven-and-a-half-year sentence. “This is the smallest sentence I have ever imposed”, the judge said as he sentenced him to six months in prison.
The judge also jailed Jackson for two-and-a-half years after pointing out he was a “middle man” and had not touched the drugs.
Biggest haul of cocaine ever seized in northern Lincolnshire
Vast amounts of drugs have been seized at Humber ports. Among the biggest haul was operated by a gang working from a Scunthorpe haulage firm.
Three men were jailed at Grimsby Crown Court for a total of 40 years for conspiracy to supply the biggest haul of cocaine ever seized in northern Lincolnshire.
Ryan Dobb-Clarke
(Image: National Crime Agency)
Border Force officers at Killingholme stopped a lorry loaded with mushrooms from The Netherlands and discovered 290 kilos of high purity cocaine. The haul had a street value of £23 million. The National Crime Agency was praised by judge Mark Bury at Grimsby Crown Court for their investigation which showed there had been five more previous journeys from The Netherlands which included the importation of high-purity cocaine.
Operations director, Ryan Dobb-Clarke, 31, of Linnet Garth, Scunthorpe, lorry driver, Peter Crunkhurn, 30, of Cottage Beck Road, Scunthorpe, and fellow HGV driver, Darryl Sellars, 35, of Crowle, near Scunthorpe appeared at court.
Another man was cleared of all charges at a trial in court following submissions from defence barrister, Tim Savage. After seizing the consignment of 290 kilos on February 28, last year NCA investigators examined the haulage firms books and showed there had been an estimated 1,015 kilos brought to the UK. That had a street value of £81 million. Judge Bury said: “It was probably more.”
Darryl Sellars, admitted importation and conspiracy to supply. Last year he was sentenced to 13-and-a-half years in prison. The judge jailed Dobb-Clarke for 18 years. Peter Crunkhurn was jailed for 12 years and Darryl Sellars jailed for an additional ten years.
‘Arrogant’ driver caused woman’s death
An “arrogant” driver caused the death of a 24-year-old by driving his high-performance VW Golf dangerously.
Connor Malpass, 25, of Rectory Gardens, Wheatley, Doncaster, had inhaled nitrous oxide and consumed alcohol on a night out with Natasha Woroch, 24, and two other friends. The car crashed in Belton, killing his girlfriend.
Connor Malpass, who was jailed for causing death by dangerous driving
(Image: Humberside Police)
The driver of the high-performance car who caused the death of his passenger girlfriend and seriously injured two others as “self-centred, selfish and arrogant” by Judge Richard Woolfall. He jailed Malpass for 10 years in August this year. His sentence was later increased to 13 years by other judges at The Royal Courts in London.
Sexual assault victim commended for bravery
Last month at Grimsby Crown Court, Thomas McCrystal, 51, of no fixed address, admitted the offence of causing or inciting a young girl into sexual activity and two further charges of sexual assault on the girl, who was under 16 years of age at the time of the offences in 2020 in North East Lincolnshire.
At Grimsby Crown Court, Judge Gurdial Singh commended the victim for her bravery in reading her statement about the impact the assaults had on her. He jailed McCrystal for a total of six years and imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life. The judge thanked the victim and her mother for their courage coming to court.
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