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COURT AND CRIME NEWSLETTER
Hello and happy Sunday!
Hasn't the weather this weekend been absolutely GLORIOUS? ☀️
Writing about court proceedings in the sunshine just hits differently. I hope you all enjoyed it whilst it lasts because for sure it will be raining this week (jinxed it). 🌧
Anyway, let us jump straight into all things court and crime this week.
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Starting with a rather different story this week, we're going behind the doors of HMP Bullingdon where spiders have caused the hospitalisation of prisoners.
False widow spiders, also known as a 'cupboard spider', were recently caught at HMP Bullingdon, near Bicester, after the creatures had bitten several inmates, causing three to need hospital treatment.
This story came to be after a barrister was using the spiders as MITIGATION not to send her client to prison.
You cannot help but think...fair enough...because I HATE spiders. If anything, spiders in prison has to be more of a crime deterrent than prison itself!
I went to the Ministry of Justice who has since confirmed the spiders have been removed.
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Swiftly moving on...A café owner who was found guilty of sexually assaulting two former employees failed to get his convictions overturned and was instead sentenced.
Ghorban Karimi was found guilty last year of four counts of sexual assault between June and December 2021 at his business in Café Veneto in Banbury’s High Street, which he co-owns with his brother.
It was heard that Karimi was ‘handsy’ with the young employees, often touching their bottoms and their hair and on occasion kissing one of the victims.
He tried to get the conviction overturned at the end of last week. I sat briefly in the appeal where it was heard the café owner believes the girls were concocting a double-headed plot to get back at him after one was allegedly fired.
However, the appeal failed and he was sentenced for nine months imprisonment, suspended for two years.
Read the full sentencing here.
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Lastly, I have to mention this story as I have never heard a defendant call a judge 'buddy' or 'mate' so many times before in one speech.
Kyle Jones, 24, was due to be sentenced for one count each of theft and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Jones said it was an act of self-defence and told the judge: “Basically, I did not know this guy because yeah I’m not denying the shoplifting but after it I don’t know this guy coming running after me and punching me in my head and I actually have a severe disability in my head and I was fearful for my life, he was punching me in the head. [sic]
“He punched me multiple times in my head and I’ve had a skull reconstruction and I was scared for that.
“I was trying to do what was best for me innit. [Sic] That was what I said in my interview. I’m really, really sorry mate.
“It should not have happened innit. I’m really about that buddy [sic].”
Jones did eventually apologies for calling the judge 'mate' and said he should have used 'sir'...he then proceeded to call him 'buddy' before leaving court.
I am sure he'll be advised on the right terminology before his sentencing next month!
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Lastly, there is a new episode of the Oxfordshire Court & Crime Podcast is out now!
It focuses on the details of a 'depraved' sex offender who raped his own daughter from the age of five who died in prison.
You may remember the story from last week = Terry Haynes, formerly of Mathews Way, Abingdon, died at the age of 79 while serving a 21 year sentence at HMP Rye Hill in Northamptonshire.
A report by the Prisons & Probation Ombudsman revealed that Haynes, known as Rev Haynes, died on July 30, 2022 from bladder cancer.
 Terry Haynes (Image: TVP)
This is truly a shocking case and the podcast goes into more details about the first and second trial and the reactions to Haynes's death.
The inquest also touches on the sentencing of a fake SAS employee who 'conned' his girlfriend out of £60,000 as well as the sad death of a father-of-two.
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your pods!
Listeners only need to search for 'The Oxfordshire Court and Crime Podcast'.
Have questions for the podcast? Email gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk with the subject heading 'Crime Podcast Question'.
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And that is everything from me! I will leave you with the latest Scales of Justice here. (court listings).
To keep updated with all things court and crime, follow me on:
Twitter: @geeharland
Facebook: Gee Harland
Podcast: Spotify link
My Facebook group: Court and crime news Oxfordshire
or visit oxfordmail.co.uk
Have a story? Email me at gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk
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