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 BST

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.

South Yorkshire burglar Russell Riley - who had a “depressing” 86 previous convictions - received a “good hiding” when interrupted trying to steal lead piping from a house. He was stood with a metal bar at the door of the property in Bawtry, Doncaster, when its owner - alerted by Ring doorbell footage -arrived to investigate. Riley’s co-defendant Peter Coulthread, 46, was discovered hiding nearby and “detained” by the brothers. They were jailed for 32 months each.

9. Russell Riley, right, with accomplice Peter Coulthread

South Yorkshire burglar Russell Riley - who had a “depressing” 86 previous convictions - received a “good hiding” when interrupted trying to steal lead piping from a house. He was stood with a metal bar at the door of the property in Bawtry, Doncaster, when its owner - alerted by Ring doorbell footage -arrived to investigate. Riley’s co-defendant Peter Coulthread, 46, was discovered hiding nearby and “detained” by the brothers. They were jailed for 32 months each. | SYP

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"Experienced” South Yorkshire criminal Benjamin Macmanus, right, was jailed for burglary on his 20th birthday alongside his partner-in-crime dad Lee Macmanus, 48, - who clocked up his tenth conviction for the same offence. The Doncaster duo worked “together as a team” to burgle a house and steal a car on June 12 - something they had done “on other occasions,” Sheffield Crown Court heard. The pair were jailed for 36 months and 40 months respectively.

10. Benjamin Macmanus and Lee Macmanus

"Experienced” South Yorkshire criminal Benjamin Macmanus, right, was jailed for burglary on his 20th birthday alongside his partner-in-crime dad Lee Macmanus, 48, - who clocked up his tenth conviction for the same offence. The Doncaster duo worked “together as a team” to burgle a house and steal a car on June 12 - something they had done “on other occasions,” Sheffield Crown Court heard. The pair were jailed for 36 months and 40 months respectively. | SYP

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