THE CORONAVIRUS has brought much of Hampshire and the rest of the world to a halt these last 15-months.

However, the criminal courts have been as busy as ever.

Now almost halfway through 2021, here is a recap of some of the cases you may have missed this year:

Daily Echo: Abdelaziz El Yechioui OurzatAbdelaziz El Yechioui Ourzat

'We have been destroyed': Murderer jailed for life

Abdelaziz El Yechioui Ourzat launched a frenzied knife attack against his ex-girlfriend.

He stabbed her 23 times yet denied murder.

He will face at least 19 years behind bars.

Read the story

 

Boy plunged a “big zombie knife” into a man’s neck and stomach

A Southampton man was stabbed after two boys, both 14, threw bricks at his house in Barnfield Road.

The man tried to reason with one of them but was viciously stabbed.

The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, denied attempted murder.

He pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and was sent to a young offender institute for four years.

Read our story

 

Daily Echo: James Ian RawlesJames Ian Rawles

Police use axe and pepper spray to stop dangerous driver

James Ian Rawles smashed a Renault Mégane into the back of a VW Polo.

A patrol car then tried to “pin” him in but the 23-year-old mounted the pavement in a bid to escape.

When he crashed into a wall, officers used an axe to break open his window.

He was given a nine-month sentence, suspended for two years.

Read the full report

 

Woman banned from all Subway stores after throwing drink at worker

Courtney Stansbridge hurled a drink at a Subway employee at the London Road premises in Southampton.

She had demanded free drinks which she had been refused, a court heard.

She was given a 12-month community order, ordered to pay £150 compensation to her victim and £150 to the restaurant.

Read the full story here

 

Southampton man had hundreds of indecent images on laptop

Louis Alexander Szasz never considered that children were being abused in the images he downloaded.

The 41-year-old “just stumbled across” them and “didn’t know why he downloaded them”.

He was given a 30-month community order.

Read out report on the case

 

Daily Echo: Joseph Andrews Joseph Andrews

Man smashed into police car during city centre chase

Joseph Andrews deliberately drove a “dirty and tatty looking” Renault Laguna into a patrol car in Southampton.

Earlier in the day he had repeatedly rammed a house with his vehicle.

There was loud music blaring from the car when he was finally stopped.

He was jailed for 41 months.

Read the Daily Echo report here

 

Daily Echo: Amro BadawiAmro Badawi

'Predatory and opportunistic' sex offender tried to rape woman as she slept

Amro Badawi has was jailed for 13 years following a sexual assault in a flat above a Southampton restaurant.

The 28-year-old was found guilty of attempted rape and sexual assault by penetration following a five day trial at Southampton Crown Court.

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Daily Echo: Amelia Ruth Hardwick Amelia Ruth Hardwick

Southampton teen bit, kicked and spat at police officers while celebrating her 18th birthday

Amelia Ruth Hardwick was “heavily intoxicated" after drinking in All Bar One in Westquay during a night out.

She was asked to leave by security guards and became “aggressive and abusive”.

When police were called to assist she launched an attack against them.

Read the court report

 

Shopkeeper sexually assaulted a teenage girl and groped woman on same day

Michael Tut hugged and tried to kiss a 16-year-old girl in his flat above a convenience store in Eastleigh.

Earlier in the day, he had groped a woman when they had gone to lunch together.

He was given a 36-month community order.

Read what happened

 

Woman ploughed car into her mother's garden during "rampage"

Shannah Cave used "her vehicle as a wrecking ball".

The 27-year-old narrowly missed hitting a police officer when she later sped off.

She was jailed for seven months, suspended for 18 months.

Read more

 

Daily Echo: Stuart Hitchiner Stuart Hitchiner

Isolating 90-year-old pensioner died from Covid-19 after criminal burgled his home

Stuart Hitchiner smashed through a window to gain access to a home in Landseer Road, Southampton.

The 47-year-old stole an iPad, mobile phone, passport, Christmas cards and alcohol.

The elderly owner of the house later died of coronavirus.

Hitchiner was jailed for three years.

Read the full story

 

Daily Echo: Ruby VenthamRuby Ventham

Woman pushed frail 83-year-old to the floor during robbery

Ruby Ventham pushed her victim to the ground after grabbing her handbag, a court heard.

The 27-year-old ran out of the woman's bungalow in Belmond Road, Chandler's Ford, making off with store cards, debit cards and approximately £80 in cash.

She was jailed for four years.

Read our story

Daily Echo: David BarronDavid Barron

Jury member caught reading a golf magazine during “boring” trial

David Barron was reading about “bargain golf clubs for sale” instead of listening to a robbery trial.

He was issued a summons for contempt of court to appear at Southampton Crown Court.

He was ordered to pay a £150 fine.

Read more

 

Daily Echo: Richard CrookRichard Crook

Scout leader groomed girl, 14, and took her to hotels before getting her pregnant

Richard Crook started a sexual relationship with a teenage girl from Southampton.

The 41-year-old would take her to hotels for the purpose of sex.

He was jailed for 14-years and will be released on licence.

Read the full article

Daily Echo: Samuel BoylanSamuel Boylan

Man stormed into Southampton pizza restaurant with a handgun

Samuel Boylan went into Pizza House on St Mary’s Street with a gun in his waistband.

He had been chasing a man in a case of mistaken identity.

He was jailed for six years.

Read our story

Daily Echo: Pascal Knorr-GuldePascal Knorr-Gulde

Man sparked bomb scare and tried to make homemade gun

Pascal Knorr-Gulde was caught with a stash of explosives at his Southampton home.

He sparked chaos last summer when a bomb disposal unit raced to Bond Road.

He was deemed a danger to the public and jailed for eight years.

Read the report

 

Daily Echo: Luke BatesLuke Bates

Drug driver killed his passenger before fleeing the scene

Luke Bates, 34, veered off Mountbatten Way and crashed his BMW into bushes.

The crash killed his passenger - mother of three Kim Bainbridge, 51, of Buckthorn Close, Totton.

Bates was jailed for six years and banned from driving for seven years.

Read the Daily Echo report

 

Daily Echo: Neil Junior ClealNeil Junior Cleal

Man spat at and punched transgender woman in the head

Neil Junior Cleal punched and spat at a transgender woman.

He spat in her face before punching her to the head.

He was jailed at Southampton Magistrates' Court.

Read the full case

 

Friends shot drugs supplier at point-blank range

Gurinderjit Rai was shot in his head and neck by a sawn-off shotgun.

He was found in a layby by two horse riders the next day.

Read more