Here are the criminals who were jailed this week at Bradford Crown Court:
To view last week's roundup, click here.
A TEENAGER, who was part of a 20-strong gang that attacked and stabbed a 16-year-old in Bradford city centre earlier this summer, has been locked up.
The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, initially admitted to police that he had stabbed the youngster over a “beef”.
Bradford Crown Court heard that the defendant had been carrying a flick knife and stabbed the victim in the back of the leg in an incident near Jacob’s Well before the gang fled.
Prosecutor Paul Canfield told Bradford Crown Court that the 16-year-old victim had met friends at around 3pm on Sunday, July 16.
As they walked past City Hall, they encountered a gang of around 20 youths who proceeded to follow and then surround them.
He said that the group attacked the victim and his friend, punching the victim in the face.
As the pair tried to run, his legs were kicked from under him and he fell to the ground. At this point the gang began kicking him while he was on the ground, Mr Canfield said.
The defendant took out a black flick knife and stabbed the 16-year-old victim in the back of the leg, before running off.
Bradford Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)
Mr Canfield described how the victim managed to make his way to Market Street, bleeding heavily.
He was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary and needed surgery due to the depth of the 3 to 4 centimetre wound.
The court heard how the defendant handed himself in to the police and admitted stabbing someone as well as knocking another person unconscious.
He was also said to be laughing and smiling throughout the police interview and said he didn’t care if the young victim died.
The defendant pleaded guilty to section 18 wounding with intent and was sentenced to a two-year detention and training order.
In sentencing Recorder David Gordon warned the defendant: “Gangs are not the way – knives are not the way – violence is not the way.”
In mitigation, the court was told that despite his earlier admission and guilty plea, the defendant now claimed to have not been the one with the knife. He did accept his role in a joint enterprise, however.
In a letter he read to the court, the defendant expressed his remorse and guilt over his actions. He said he had suffered bereavements in the run up to the incident.
He added: “I want to prove that I am not just a hot-headed 17-year-old, but a bright young man with a future.”
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A MAN has been jailed after he robbed a house and punched a woman in the face upon his escape, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.
Recorder David Gordon said John Francis, of Salts Mill Road in Shipley, went on a "crime spree" as he committed five offences at four different locations in Allerton on April 3.
That day, the 24-year-old absconded from the Bradford Royal Infirmary, where he had been treated for drug-induced psychosis.
At 5.45pm, Francis entered a property on Allerton Road via an unsecured kitchen window.
The house owner shouted 'Get out' but he pushed passed him and tried to exit through the locked patio doors.
The victim's daughter then asked Francis to leave the property before he lunged for her handbag.
A scuffle ensued which resulted in the woman falling to the ground.
Prosecuting Verity Barnes then told the court Francis punched her before escaping.
Barnes added that this caused the victim "considerable pain" and left her shocked and distressed.
The court also heard how the assault was a single hit which did not leave injury.
Recorder Gordon said it was a "nasty and totally uncalled-for assault".
Francis then proceeded to steal clothing from a washing line in the garden of a house on Hedge Way before visiting a neighbouring property.
It was here just before 6pm when he stole a chainsaw and strimmer from the home's storage unit.
The victim had heard a loud bang whilst praying and went to check his CCTV.
It showed Francis damaging a glass window but he was unable to gain entry into the property.
The victim was left shaken after he witnessed Francis drop the items as he ran down the street.
The defendant's final act of criminality occurred on Allerton Road.
His fourth victim saw him trying to get into his patio and garage via CCTV.
Francis tried to run off before the victim managed to detain him until the police came.
Defending Nicola Hoskins outlined that Francis recognises his behaviour was alarming.
She said he is "deeply sorry for the upset he caused".
Mrs Hoskins also added that Francis "takes little pleasure in daily life" but feels in a "better head space" now he hopes the drugs are behind him.
On August 14, Francis admitted to robbery, burglary, theft, and two counts of attempted burglary.
After summarising, Recorder Gordon handed him a sentence of three years and four months.
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A DANGEROUS driver who ran red lights and reached speeds more than double the limit through Bradford city centre while being pursued by police has been jailed.
Richard Andrew, 39, was behind the wheel of a red Audi TT on November 5, last year, when he was spotted by officers on duty in John Street in the centre of Bradford.
They had been alerted to the distinctive vehicle earlier in the day, and as they followed him, and he turned onto Westgate, and later Sunbridge Road, Andrew failed to stop.
In fact, he sped up, the court heard, ignored a lane closure due to roadworks, and began what was described by the judge in the case as “dangerous manoeuvres”.
Andrew, of Watkin Avenue, Thornton, Bradford, was said to have forced another car to take evasive action, avoided a queue of traffic by mounting the kerb and driving down the inside of the waiting vehicles.
Prosecutor Ms Heyworth told Bradford Crown Court that he momentarily stopped on Sunbridge Road, allowing one of the officers to shout out of the window, but he ignored them and continued.
At one point he hit the bumper of another vehicle in a “glancing blow” at a roundabout on City Road, before turning onto Sunbridge Road and reaching speeds of 65mph in a 30 zone.
He later ran straight through a red light while turning onto the busy Hamm Strasse main road, before abandoning his car in the car park of Manningham Lane Retail Park and running off.
Officers managed to catch up with Andrew and arrested him in the middle of the road.
The court heard how he was subject to a suspended sentence order at the time of the offence, which had since expired.
Jeremy Hill-Baker, for Andrew, said that he had completed all the community requirements of the order, and urged the judge not to activate the 18 months of suspended sentence.
He said: “He was not in fact over the prescribed limit which he feared that he was. That act of stupidity places him in some jeopardy.”
Recorder David Gordon said Andrew had multiple previous convictions, including a dangerous driving conviction as a youth.
He said the police dashcam footage played to the court effectively showed Andrew’s dangerous driving, adding: “You made a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road.”
The Recorder sentenced Andrew to ten months imprisonment and banned him from driving for two years and five months.
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A DISQUALIFIED driver involved in two high-speed police chases of up to 90mph in Bradford has been jailed.
Steven Shoesmith, 36, of no fixed address, was spotted driving on the outskirts of Bradford by officers on mobile patrol.
He approached the junction of Heaton Street and Francis Street in the early hours and turned to look towards the officers and immediately accelerated away.
It marked the start of a high-speed pursuit through Bradford, with officers first reaching speeds of 75 to 80mph.
Shosmith continued to drive away and took a series of left turns.
Another officer sighted Shoesmith on Birksland Street and hit speeds of 90mph in attempts to catch up with him.
It was dark and street lights were on, Bradford Crown Court heard on September 7.
Heading towards Wakefield Road at 80mph, Shoesmith braked heavily and travelled through a red light at the junction of New Hey Road.
He drove through a no entry zone, forcing other drivers to slam on their brakes.
Shoesmith then headed down a residential street with a 20mph zone at 80mph.
He entered a junction on Wakefield Road before driving the wrong way.
Another officer in a marked police vehicle stopped Shoesmith’s grey car with tactical contact.
Shoesmith ran off on foot before he was detained on Square Street in the incident on August 6, 2022.
It was later found Shoesmith was disqualified from driving and the vehicle was stolen from Wilmslow, Cheshire.
Just one month later, Shoesmith was caught driving with false plates in a stolen Volkswagen Golf along the M62.
He had been involved in a theft the evening before, the court heard.
Police helicopters followed Shoesmith along the motorway but the rush hour chase escalated when he drove down Rooley Lane at 90mph.
He was driving erratically between two lanes onto Dudley Hill roundabout, forcing other vehicles out of the way.
The defendant then drove into oncoming traffic on Sticker Lane and Cutler Heights Lane.
There were children playing outside when Shoesmith hit 73mph on Holme Wood Road.
He drove onto Broadstone Way before going off-road onto a grass bank and field.
He abandoned the Golf but a nearby police officer chased him on foot.
The officer found two bags of cannabis in his pocket.
He was driving while disqualified and uninsured.
During the police interviews, he confirmed he was aware of the speed limit but responded ‘no comment’ to queries about the nature of his driving.
In October 2022, Shoesmith breached the sex offenders register notification requirements.
He failed to tell police he had left his previous home address after three days had passed.
He became wanted by police, the court heard.
Shoesmith said he owed people money and had received threats against his family if he went to prison.
He managed to evade police until July 11, 2023, when officers found a full packet of cannabis infused vapes in his possession.
He knew it was a controlled substance, the court heard.
Judge Jonathan Gibson took into account the defendant’s guilty pleas and time passed when deciding Shoesmith’s sentence.
He had 41 convictions for 133 offences at the time of his appearance in court on September 7.
He was jailed for two years for three offences - 14 months for dangerous driving, six months for driving while disqualified, and four months for breaching sex offenders register notification requirements.
Shoesmith has been disqualified for three years and must take an extended retest when applying for a new driving licence.
He was given concurrent sentences for the remaining offences.
He received three months each for fraud, handling stolen goods, driving without insurance and failure to stop for police.
He received one month and seven days imprisonment in total for two possession of drugs charges.
"You have relevant previous convictions," Judge Gibson said.
He added: "The first of the dangerous driving involved extremely high speed and dangerous manouvres and in the end the police undertook a tactical stop which resulted in damage.
"Your driving, it's clearly very dangerous and other people could have been badly injured or worse."
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