A knifeman who stabbed a victim in his own home, a naked man who burgled a body piercing shop and an inmate who kissed a prison visitor while receiving drugs were among criminals jailed in December. Other defendants locked up included a man who brandished a bottle at a taxi rank, a “cowardly and controlling” man who strangled his partner and another who persistently contacted his ex and so breached court orders.
Judges felt they had no option but to sentence these defendants to time behind bars. Here we summarise their cases.
Liam Mooney
A HMP Berwyn prisoner was caught “red-handed” after a visitor slipped drugs worth up to £10,000 into his trousers. Prisoner Liam Mooney, 34, was handed an additional sentence after being spotted receiving the drugs. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here
A court heard he kissed the visitor while she placed drug packages into his trousers at the Wrexham jail, but they were spotted on CCTV and rumbled by guards. A judge said the pair were caught “red-handed”. Mooney was already serving a sentence for burglaries.
Inmate Liam Mooney, 34, of HMP Berwyn, Wrexham, admitted conveying drugs into a prison
(Image: North Wales Police)
The judge jailed him for 12 months, to run concurrently to his existing term, to reflect the value of the haul and the detrimental effect of drugs in custody. Mold Crown Court heard Nicola Gubb had left her Merseyside home to visit Mooney, 34, at HMP Berwyn on Sunday, July 17, 2022.
Barry McCollum
Barry McCollum
(Image: North Wales Police)
A 32-year-old man was returned to jail after persistently contacting his ex-partner despite a court order in place to stop him. A North Wales Police statement said: “Barry McCollum, of Trem Engan, Penygroes, admitted three counts of breaching a restraining order just a week after being released from prison for committing the same offence.
“He was jailed At Llandudno Magistrates Court on December 4 for another 15 months. Following his release from prison, McCollum visited the victim’s home and shouted through her letterbox, before returning on two occasions asking for money and clothes. She told him to go away and leave her alone, but later that day, he rang her from a withheld phone number and made threats against her and her family. He was arrested later that day.”
Ricky Harper
Ricky Harper, 24, of Galaxy Grove, Brynteg, Wrexham, was jailed for 21 months for intentional strangulation
(Image: North Wales Police)
A “cowardly and controlling” man who strangled his former partner has been jailed. A barrister called it a tragedy that the man, who had a troubled childhood and turned to drugs, attacked the person who tried to give him stability.
Ricky Harper, 24, of Galaxy Grove, Brynteg, Wrexham, pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation and assault causing actual bodily harm. The judge at Mold Crown Court jailed him for 21 months.
The court heard Harper and the woman had been on a night out. He became jealous in drink following a remark by another man towards the victim.
Kevin Marshall
Kevin Marshall stabbed a man in his own home
(Image: North Wales Police)
A man was stabbed in his own home after a gang forced their way into the property. The victim was asleep in bed at his home in Holyhead before waking when he heard shouts.
Kevin Marshall, Vari Heeps and the victim’s ex-partner Lisa Stewart were heard shouting outside the house at around 3am on June 13 this year. The victim rang police, but while he was still on the call, his window was smashed before his door was forced open.
Marshall was holding a knife as he entered the home, while Heeps was carrying a bottle. Stewart also entered the home and assaulted her ex-partner, before Marshall proceeded to stab the man to the shoulder and arm before taking his wallet and leaving the address.
Kirk Lloyd
Kirk Lloyd, 29, of Fownhope Close, Redditch in Worcestershire, was jailed for four months for burglary in Barmouth, and a further ten months from suspended sentences, making a total of 14 months
(Image: North Wales Police)
A man seen sitting naked in the middle of a town centre went on to burgle a body piercing salon. Kirk Lloyd had been out with friends but was later spotted sitting on a bench with no clothes on.
A woman gave him her coat before ringing police, and around an hour later he was spotted breaking into the shop. He pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage during the incident in Barmouth.
A judge at Caernarfon Crown Court jailed him for four months for burglary and a further ten months from suspended sentences, making a total of 14 months The court heard the defendant, 29, had been out with friends in Barmouth town centre on November 24.
Thomas Ollier
Thomas Ollier, 31, of no fixed address, was jailed for five months for affray and a further three months for assaulting an emergency worker in Wrexham
(Image: North Wales Police)
An “aggressive” man threatened to stab and slice a victim with a bottle at a taxi rank. Members of the public restrained Thomas Ollier but when police arrived he kneed an officer and spat blood at him.
The 31-year-old admitted affray and assaulting an emergency worker in the incident in Wrexham. A judge at Caernarfon Crown Court said he had been aggressive and a nuisance and jailed him for a total of eight months.
Prosecutor Emmalyne Downing said witness Rhys Burns went to get a taxi at the Apollo Taxis office in Wrexham on May 27 at 12.40am. He saw the defendant behaving aggressively there.
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