Jilted Barnsley husband Murphy tried to bypass a court order not to contact his ex by writing her letters but addressing them to her dogs. The 53-year-old, who had a “vast” 266 previous offences on his record, was on prison remand at the time, having denied spending £149 on a hoover using his estranged wife’s bank card. Murphy wrote four letters to his wife which were addressed to the “dogs they owned” between May and August 2025. Recorder Ian Mullarkey told Murphy he had not addressed the letter to the dogs so “they could read them” but to “circumvent” restrictions that had been placed on him in respect of contacting his ex. He was jailed for 24 months and handed a five-year restraining order. placeholder image
Jilted Barnsley husband Murphy tried to bypass a court order not to contact his ex by writing her letters but addressing them to her dogs. The 53-year-old, who had a “vast” 266 previous offences on his record, was on prison remand at the time, having denied spending £149 on a hoover using his estranged wife’s bank card. Murphy wrote four letters to his wife which were addressed to the “dogs they owned” between May and August 2025. Recorder Ian Mullarkey told Murphy he had not addressed the letter to the dogs so “they could read them” but to “circumvent” restrictions that had been placed on him in respect of contacting his ex. He was jailed for 24 months and handed a five-year restraining order. | South Yorkshire Police

Bath-time burglars and more - 10 crazy Sheffield court cases

By Ben McVay

Reporter

Published 29th Aug 2026, 05:56 GMT

A caravan thief crashed a tourer into a ditch during a “high-speed” police pursuit and an inept burglar left a bread-crumb trail for his neighbour to follow

Below are some of the wackiest cases dealt with by Sheffield judges this year - including a hygiene-conscious bath-taking burglar, bungling getaway drivers and choccy-mad shop thieves.

In one case a father-and-son burglary team were jailed together on the junior member’s 20th birthday while a trio of dopey dealers sold drugs to undercover cops for eight months.

A caravan thief crashed a tourer into a ditch during a “high-speed” police pursuit and an inept burglar left a bread-crumb trail for his neighbour to follow after treading in freshly-laid cement.

Roberts, Tynan and England sold crack and heroin to undercover police officers for around eight months. Plain clothes detectives made “test purchases” from the Sheffield dealers on multiple occasions between October 2024 and June 2025. The trio were jailed for three years and eight months, four years and eight months and four years and 10 months respectively.

5. James Roberts, Damien Tynan and Thomas England

Roberts, Tynan and England sold crack and heroin to undercover police officers for around eight months. Plain clothes detectives made “test purchases” from the Sheffield dealers on multiple occasions between October 2024 and June 2025. The trio were jailed for three years and eight months, four years and eight months and four years and 10 months respectively. | SYP

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Sheffield thief Codman was found “slumped” behind the wheel in a Tesco carpark after crashing a getaway car into a shop window - having snatched an £800 e-bike battery. “Intoxicated” Peter Codman, aged 44, had taken a heady cocktail of crack and heroin before the theft and after speeding away he was seen “swerving” into oncoming traffic. Codman, of Winster Road, Hillsborough, was jailed for two years and five months and handed a three-year driving ban.

6. Peter Codman

Sheffield thief Codman was found “slumped” behind the wheel in a Tesco carpark after crashing a getaway car into a shop window - having snatched an £800 e-bike battery. “Intoxicated” Peter Codman, aged 44, had taken a heady cocktail of crack and heroin before the theft and after speeding away he was seen “swerving” into oncoming traffic. Codman, of Winster Road, Hillsborough, was jailed for two years and five months and handed a three-year driving ban. | SYP

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Dopey Sheffield thief Cory Whitham literally put his foot in it by leaving prints in newly-laid cement while burgling his neighbour’s home - which led the fellow resident to the culprit’s doorstep. The property’s owner - a college lecturer - had lived there for 10 years but was having it renovated it for his family at the time. The court heard the first time the pair met Whitham greeted his Asian neighbour with the traditional Arabic greeting as-salamu alaykum, meaning "peace be upon you”, which “seemed” a “warm and respectful gesture”. Whitham was jailed for 16 months.

7. Cory Whitham

Dopey Sheffield thief Cory Whitham literally put his foot in it by leaving prints in newly-laid cement while burgling his neighbour’s home - which led the fellow resident to the culprit’s doorstep. The property’s owner - a college lecturer - had lived there for 10 years but was having it renovated it for his family at the time. The court heard the first time the pair met Whitham greeted his Asian neighbour with the traditional Arabic greeting as-salamu alaykum, meaning "peace be upon you”, which “seemed” a “warm and respectful gesture”. Whitham was jailed for 16 months. | SYP

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Bungling caravan thieves Cameron Burbank, AKA Mechen, 20, and Tony Hamilton, 35, were foiled by police while towing the large tourers away during two late-night heists - with one crashing into a ditch during a “high-speed” pursuit. They travelled as far as Nottinghamshire and East Yorkshire from their Doncaster home to swipe the high-value caravans from driveways. However a judge noted they were “not the prime movers” in the operation.

8. Cameron Burbank, AKA Mechen, left, and Tony Hamilton

Bungling caravan thieves Cameron Burbank, AKA Mechen, 20, and Tony Hamilton, 35, were foiled by police while towing the large tourers away during two late-night heists - with one crashing into a ditch during a “high-speed” pursuit. They travelled as far as Nottinghamshire and East Yorkshire from their Doncaster home to swipe the high-value caravans from driveways. However a judge noted they were “not the prime movers” in the operation. | SYP

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