Sheffield Crown Court: Defendants jailed for crimes including rape, burglary and drug offences

Louis Williams: Lengthy jail term for Sheffield sex-offender who repeatedly raped a woman

Sheffield Crown Court heard on December 8 how Louis Williams, aged 39, of Huntingtower Road, near Greystones, Sheffield, was convicted after a previous trial of three counts of rape, one count of indecent assault, 10 counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, five counts of making threats to kill and one count relating to disturbing behaviour.

The defendant’s victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, stated: “It is something I will never be able to forget and it will have an impact on me for the rest of my life. The impact on me has been immeasurable.”

She explained how the offending changed her life and thwarted her ambitions as she lost friends and family and it had left her feeling like a prisoner who had been robbed of her life.

The complainant added: “I walked past my old primary school and wished I could start again.”

She added that the trial had been horrific for her because she had been forced to relive her ordeal.

Defence barrister Guy Wyatt, representing Williams, said: “There are some persuasive indications that he is somewhere on the autistic spectrum. People with these kind of difficulties find life more difficult - find life more frustrating. People with these sort of difficulties are often prone to difficulties with outbursts of temper. Communications are difficult. Understanding someone else’s thinking is more difficult. In the context of this case it is a very small point. I accept that but it is a real point.”

Judge Kirstie Watson revealed how Williams had thrown items at the complainant, punched her, threatened to kill her and sexually assaulted her which had left her suffering with post traumatic stress disorder.

The judge told Williams: “Whatever condition you may or may not suffer from you committed these offences and you knew what you were doing when you committed them.”

She sentenced Williams to 18 years of custody and made him subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and an indefinite restraining order.

Darren Mansell: Jailed Sheffield motorist abandoned by family after he clocks up 14th driving ban

Sheffield Crown Court heard on December 6 how banned motorist Darren Mansell, aged 38, of Binsted Road, near Southey Green, Sheffield, failed to stop for police and reached speeds of up to 75mph as he accelerated away from officers with cocaine in his system. Prosecuting barrister Lauren Hemsley said: “The offence occurred on April 23, this year, around 10pm. The defendant had taken his father’s vehicle from outside his father’s address and his father said he did not consent.”

She added police saw the defendant’s vehicle driving without lights but he failed to stop and accelerated away in a residential area.

Ms Hemsley said Mansell drove through red traffic lights, drove on the wrong side of the road reaching up to 75mph before skidding and overtaking vehicles. The police pursuit came to an end when the £8,600 vehicle collided with a concrete barrier, according to Ms Hemsley, and was so badly damaged it had to be written-off. Mansell’s disabled father stated he had needed the vehicle to get out and about with his wife.

The defendant, who has 22 previous convictions for 69 offences including motoring matters with 13 driving bans, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and damaging a vehicle, dangerous driving, exceeding the drug-drive limit for cocaine and to driving while disqualified.

Rebecca Tanner, defending, said the driving had been over a relatively short period and distance without heavy traffic. She said: “As a result of this incident, Mr Mansell has effectively been ostracised by his immediate family. His immediate family have had to go through seeing Mr Mansell in and out of the judicial system for many, many years and they have had to draw a line. Enough is enough.”

The judge, Recorder Alex Menary, sentenced Mansell to 16 months of custody and banned him from driving for three years and eight months.

Sean Frawley: Sheffield drug-dealer was caught with heroin and cocaine between his buttocks

Sheffield Crown Court heard on December 6 how Sean Frawley, aged 39, of Liberty Drive, at Rivelin Valley, Sheffield, was driving with his young daughter in a vehicle when he was stopped by police and was found to have heroin and cocaine.

Lauren Hemsley, prosecuting, said: “The defendant was seen driving a vehicle by police. There was intelligence that the vehicle was linked to drug-dealing and therefore they decided to stop the vehicle.”

Ms Hemsley added that Frawley who had his young daughter in the vehicle was found with two phones and £600 and after he was strip-searched wraps of drugs were found hidden between his buttocks including two grammes of heroin valued at £300 and 7.83 grammes of cocaine valued at £580.

Police also searched the defendant’s home where they found weighing scales with traces of heroin and cocaine and Frawley’s phones included messages indicative of supplying drugs, according to Ms Hemsley.

Frawley, who has six previous convictions but nothing for drug matters, pleaded guilty to possessing class A drug heroin with intent to supply, and to possessing class A drug cocaine with intent to supply after he was stopped by police on August 20, 2021.

Defence barrister Richard Barradell said: “He found himself in debt to drug-dealers because he was addicted to cocaine and he was acting for them.”

The judge, Recorder Alex Menary, told Frawley he has to face sufficient punishment because of the misery caused to others by class A drugs and sentenced him to 27 months of custody.

Martin Marshall: Serial burglar jailed after he left his underpants at a crime scene

Doncaster Crown Court heard on December 5 how Martin Marshall, aged 36, of no fixed abode, targeted two properties during a burglary and an attempted burglary, and he also stole items from a tent and loose change from a car during a spate of offences in Rotherham between August and September.

Prosecuting barrister Stephanie Hollis said one of Marshall’s victims found the defendant’s underwear in his tent after the defendant had stolen £230 of items from inside including clothing and a rucksack.

The judge – Recorder Alex Menary – told Marshall: “He had left items in his tent and found that property was missing including a rucksack and clothing.”

He added: “You left underpants behind having changed into clothing left there.”

Ms Hollis explained that Marshall had initially entered the porch of a property on Doncaster Road, at East Dene, in Rotherham, on August 31, which triggered a door bell alarm and he was found hiding in the garden by the occupant before he fled.

Marshall was also seen on camera footage trying a door handle at another home on nearby Halsbury Road, on August 31, according to Ms Hollis, and the defendant also opened this occupant’s car boot on September 1 and he stole loose change from the vehicle.

Ms Hollis added that Marshall was also found to have raided a man’s tent near a property on Halsbury Road between August 30 and September 2 from where the defendant changed and stole clothing and a rucksack leaving his own underpants behind at the crime scene.

Marshall was identified from camera footage which had been circulated by police and he was spotted and arrested on Mount Pleasant Road, near Bradgate, in Rotherham, on October 3.

The defendant, who has 28 previous convictions for 50 offences including burglaries, pleaded guilty to the burglary and attempted burglary from August 31, the theft from between August 30 and September 2, and to interfering with a vehicle from September 1.

Claire Moran, defending, said Marshall had not stolen anything during the burglary and he had not got inside the property during the attempted burglary and in both of these offences he had not gone equipped to commit burglaries.

Ms Moran added: “All the offences that he falls to be sentenced for were committed due to a drug addiction.”

Recorder Menary sentenced Marshall to four years and one month of custody.