Tag Archives: Crime

Two Jailed After Operation Nemesis Raids

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Carl Moreton and Peter Rogers both from Winghay Place in Chell are waking up behind bars this morning after being convicted of serious drug offences at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday.

Moreton & Rogers were both arrested during high profile raids that took place early on the morning of Wednesday 19 May. Officers from the City’s police proactive unit supported by police dogs and local officers forced their way into a number of addresses in the Chell area of Stoke-on-Trent.

Within a few minutes of the coordinated raids six people were in police custody. Detailed searches of the properties soon resulted in the seizure of a significant quantity of illegal drugs. Forensic tests were carried out on the drugs which had a total street value of £138,420 and included heroin, crack cocaine, cannabis and an ecstasy substitute.

Operation Nemesis is all about bringing criminals like this to justice. We are very pleased that these men face a significant time behind bars. The communities of Stoke-on-Trent have continued to show their support for Operation Nemesis by calling Crimestoppers with information on drugs and crime affecting their communities. Crimestoppers passes that anonymous information to our officers who are then able to mount operations like the one that lead to these convictions.

Carl Moreton was sentenced to 4-years and Peter Rogers was sentenced to 6 years 8 months

Fire Fighters Attacked

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When firefighters on Hanley’s targeted response vehicle were sent to a rubbish fire in Shelton last night they were attacked by a group of youth throwing fireworks.

A crew on Hanley’s targeted response vehicle were sent to a rubbish fire next to the disused Bell and Bear Public House on Stoke Road, Shelton shortly after 6.30pm last night. When firefighters arrived and got off the appliance they were immediately attached by a group of over 20 youths who threw fireworks, stones and bottles at them and the vehicle.

The firefighters got back onto the appliance and had to delay their firefighting due to the attack. In fear for their own safety they requested assistance from the police and further fire crews, at which point the youths dispersed.

The attack was unbelievable. The crew that attended the emergency call are all dedicated professionals who are proud that they save lives and property in Stoke-on-Trent and so they are all angry and shocked that they were subjected to such a spineless attack, particularly in an area where we have good relationships with the local community.

This shameful and cowardly attack really does make us wonder what the perpetrators would think of their behaviour if their friends or family ever have the misfortune to need the help of the fire and rescue service in an emergency.

All of our appliances are fitted with CCTV cameras to protect our crews and we will be liaising with the police to try and catch the people responsible. I would urge anyone who has any information on this incident to contact Crimestoppers or the police.

None of the firefighters were injured however the paintwork on the vehicle has been damaged and some dents have been caused by the objects thrown. This attack comes exactly a week after firefighters crewing the same vehicle were attacked by youths in Bentilee, Stoke-on-Trent.

Anyone with information on either of the incidents is urged to contact Staffordshire Police on 0300 123 4455 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

Five Deliberately Set Fires Reported To Police

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Fire crews from Hanley were called to five separate bin fires around the Tintern Street area of Hanley in the early hours of this morning.

The fires had all been started deliberately with the first being set at 12.05am, a second just 10 minutes later and a further three at 2.05am, 3.20am and 3.40am.

Crews spent a total of 79 minutes extinguishing the five fires and the incidents have been reported to Staffordshire Police.

The bins had been put out ready for refuse collection on Tintern Street, Eagle Street, Baflour Street and Waterloo Street by the various occupiers, however it appears the offender had moved the bins back closer to the properties.

It is likely these fires were set by the same person or people as they are all in a close proximity within a short time frame and of the same nature. Setting a bin on fire is an incredibly silly thing to do ““ you have no idea what is in that bin, it could explode, it could release toxic fumes and it can easily spread to nearby property or combustible materials.

Whoever did this put themselves in danger as well as the surrounding properties, it was an incredibly selfish thing to do without a thought towards the possible outcomes of doing such a dangerous thing.

Community Payback Justice Seen Justice Done

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A DVD has been launched to coincide with Inside Justice Week 2010, to show how Community Payback operates in Stoke-on-Trent.

Each year over 140,000 hours of Community Payback are completed by offenders as part of community sentences given to them in Magistrates and Crown Courts. This equates to about £812,000 of services provided to communities as offenders pay back for the crimes that they have committed.

The DVD has been produced as part of the Justice Seen Justice Done campaign, organised by the city council’s Neighbourhood Justice Coordinator, Graeme Drayton, along with Her Majesty’s Court Service, Staffordshire & West Midlands Probation Trust, and Staffordshire Police.

The DVD features explanations from a local magistrate about how Community Payback sentences are administered and how breaches are dealt with, and from a probation officer who provides examples of the sort of work that is carried out by offenders as part of this scheme.

There are also accounts from members of the community who have benefited from the work done by offenders and from an offender themselves detailing what the effect of this sentence has been on him. Overall, the message is that this is not a soft option as an alternative to prison and this it produces worthwhile benefits for both offenders and for the community.

Members of the community have the right to know what it means when an offender is given a Community Payback order, the importance of justice in Stoke-on-Trent being visible in this way cannot be overstated.
It is only right that when people offend against communities that there should be some kind of service provided to those they have wronged. If public confidence in the Criminal Justice System is to be maintained, it is vital that people are able to see for themselves how, where and when Community Payback is being carried out.

The DVD is going to be distributed widely throughout Stoke-on-Trent and can be viewed below.

For more information about Community Payback and to find out how the public can nominate a project to be undertaken by offenders, people can telephone the Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust on 0121 248 2688 or they can access information online by visiting Staffordshire & West Midlands Probation Trust using the link below.

Operation Nemesis Three Years On

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The award-winning Operation Nemesis the police operation to crackdown on drug dealers in Staffordshire is celebrating its third anniversary.

Operation Nemesis was launched in Stoke-on-Trent on 13 September 2007 following an undercover police operation which had lasted over a year in the city. Around 400 police officers attended the city’s Kings Hall at 5am that day to be briefed on the first of three major arrest operations over a three-month period.

Since its launch Operation Nemesis has netted hundreds of suspected drug dealers who have been arrested and taken off the streets of Staffordshire. Many of these offenders have subsequently been charged and sent to prison for drugs offences.

Since that day Operation Nemesis became part of daily business for Staffordshire Police and, following the success of the campaign in Stoke-on-Trent, it has subsequently been rolled out across the county.

£2.7m has been recovered through asset recovery linked to the Operation Nemesis campaign in the past 3 years.

Operation Nemesis remains Staffordshire Police’s commitment to tackling major drug dealers and bringing them to justice.

Drug misuse will not be tolerated in Staffordshire and we will act on all information received regarding suspected drug dealing in the communities we serve.

We are determined to carry on working with our partner agencies to rid communities of drug dealing and the negative effect it has on neighbourhoods and families.

We continue to work closely with our colleagues in local authorities and those who work for Staffordshire’s drug support and treatment services. We place a huge emphasis on helping addicts kick their habit. We also offer a great deal of support to their family and friends to help them achieve this.

I must take this opportunity to thank members of the public for their continued help and support with Operation Nemesis. The campaign’s ongoing success is testament to the confidence people have in providing us with information about suspected drugs activity in their community. The help we receive from the public is vital and I would encourage people to continue to let us know their concerns.

Residents tell us they want robust action taken against dealers, and the criminal activity and anti-social behaviour they attract, and we will continue to take positive action.

Operation Nemesis carries a simple message to drug offenders: we are not going away and we will bring you to justice.

The number of people who have been arrested in connection with drugs offences (which includes supply of, possession, possession with intent to supply, production and trafficking) since the launch of Operation Nemesis:

  • Sep 07 ““ March 08 ““ 1,100
  • April 08 ““ March 09 -1, 483
  • April 09 ““ March 10 ““ 1, 619

2,705 drug offences (Class A and Class B) have been recorded by Staffordshire Police since the launch of Operation Nemesis in September 2007:

  • Sep 07 ““ March 08 ““ 1,054
  • April 08 ““ March 09 ““ 870
  • April 09 ““ March 10 ““ 781

Jewellery Shop Robbery In Shelton

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Detectives in Stoke-on-Trent are appealing for witnesses in connection with a robbery which has occurred in Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent yesterday afternoon.

At around 4.00 pm three offenders entered the “ËœEastern Jewellers’ on College Road, Shelton. The men where armed with sledge-hammers which were used to cause damage to the shop.

Witnesses also reported that one of the males appeared to be armed with what was described as firearm however it was not discharged. A fourth male remained in a black coloured car outside the shop. The offenders threatened the staff and stole a quantity of gold jewellery. They then made off in a black coloured new shape VW Golf. The men have their faces covered and were wearing causal clothing.

Thankfully no one has been injured in this incident and although shaken the staff at the shop have been able to give us a detailed account of what happened. We are also reviewing CCTV from the shop and surrounding area which will help our enquiries.

A few minutes after this incident police received a report from a member of the public about a suspicious vehicle in an alley between Sackville Street and Gladstone Street in Basford which is around 1 ½ miles from the scene of the robbery.

A number of males were witnessed running from a black coloured VW Golf which they had abandoned in the alleyway. Armed police were sent to the scene to ensure everyone’s safety and secured the vehicle which will undergo a detailed examination by scenes of crime officers.

Scenes of crime officers also conducted a detailed examination of the shop and the immediate area outside the premises which resulted in the closure of College Road for a period this afternoon.

Appeal leaflets have been delivered to homes near both the shop and the location were the car was abandoned giving details of the local officers and asking for information as detectives conduct house to house enquires about the incident.

We have a number of lines of enquiry to follow up over as a result of the incident and we will be viewing hours of CCTV already recovered from the area. I want to thank the community around the shop for their help so far and I urge anyone who may have seen this incident or the black coloured Golf involved in this robbery to come forward.

Anyone with information should call Staffordshire Police on 0300 123 4455 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

32 Year Old Man Arrested In Longport

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Staffordshire Police arrested a 32 year old male in Longport this afternoon.

The male was wanted in relation to a serious incident in Merseyside.

Officers were made aware of a vehicle travelling on the M6 South at around 1.15 pm which it suspected to be carrying a suspect. The vehicle was spotted within minutes by a neighbourhood officer on patrol who relayed the information to the area control room at Hanley.

Officers armed with tasers supported by dog support were put in place to intercept the vehicle as it travelled along the A500 towards Burslem. At 1.30 pm officers stopped the vehicle, which was a taxi from the Merseyside area, near the BP petrol station on Porthill Road.

Inspector Paul Barker from the area control room said, ‘The suspect was seen in possession of a bladed weapon and was threatening the taxi driver. Officers used their taser weapon to subdue the suspect and disarm him. He was arrested taken to the Northern Area Custody Facility at Etruria. Paramedics attended to assist the driver who was not injured.’

He continued, ‘The suspect did not sustain any significant injury as a result of the of the officers actions. Our objective throughout this operation was the safety of the public, the driver and our officers, we were able to quickly deal with the situation and arrest the suspect.”

CCTV Operators from Stoke-on-Trent City Council also helped monitor the vehicles progress along the A500. The forces helicopter Air One was also able to help the control room team coordinate our response.’

Staffordshire Police are working closely with colleagues in Merseyside in relation to this investigation.

Recorded Crime Figures Down in Staffordshire

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Figures presented to Staffordshire Police Authority today, (20 July) show that more than 1,400 fewer crimes were recorded in Staffordshire between April and June 2010, compared to the same period last year.

The total number of offences dropped by almost seven per cent to 19,034. ҬDuring the same three-month period in 2009 the total number of offences was 20,451.

Business-related crime has also fallen to 2,176 from 2,523, a drop of almost 14 per cent.

The report shows serious acquisitive crime – which includes burglary, robbery and vehicle crime – committed in April, May and June fell to 2,339 from 3,080, a drop of 24 per cent, compared to the same period in 2009.

The figures for the first quarter of 2010/11 also show a reduction in the number of violence with injury crimes recorded. Between April and June a total of 2,439 were recorded, compared to 2,636 in the same period in 2009 – a reduction of 7.5 per cent.

Assistant Chief Constable Jane Sawyers said, ‘The drop in crime, and continuing increase in public satisfaction, is very encouraging. These figures, for the first quarter of 2010/11, show Staffordshire Police is continuing to make good progress in our mission to keep communities safe and reassured. It is extremely encouraging to see more and more people are satisfied with the service they receive from the force when calling to report crime or anti-social behaviour, and we are determined to see that satisfaction increase even further.’

She continued, ‘While we welcome the fall in the number of violence with injury crimes recorded there is still much work to do to drive this figure down even further. We are working very hard with our colleagues at local authorities and other partner agencies to clamp down on violence in all of its forms and make the communities we serve even safer. We launched Operation Safer Nights across Staffordshire at the end of last year to tackle violent crime – much of which is fuelled by alcohol. Numerous initiatives continue to take place under the Operation Safer Nights banner to reduce violent incidents in our town centres, and this work will continue. We want people to be safe and to feel safe when they are out enjoying themselves.

Staffordshire Police, together with its partners, will continue to tackle the things that matter most to the communities we serve.’

Dealing with anti-social behaviour (ASB) remains a top priority for the force and police authority. Staffordshire Police continues to work closely with local authorities and other partners to tackle ASB. Between April and June this year 89 per cent of people who called about ASB were satisfied with the overall service they received by the force, compared to 84.6 per cent during the same period last year.

A total of 88 per cent of people calling about crime between April and June this year were satisfied with the overall service provided by police, compared to 87.6 per cent last year.

Does The Punishment Fit The Crime?

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Contributed Blog Article By Terry Cope

In a recent debate the subject of punishment and the death penalty raised the temperature somewhat.

I thought it would be interesting to find out different peoples view on Crime and Punishment.

In my opinion since the 1950s society’s morals, justice and punishment have all taken a nosedive, and been watered down.

Starting from the banning of corporal punishment in school, teachers have slowly lost the respect and control of their pupils.

Now the pupils dominate the teachers “with their rights”.

Some disrupt the lessons day after day with impunity, causing problems for those that want to learn.

A teacher shouting at a pupil is “bullying or causing mental anguish”

A teacher is commonly assaulted and if they put up a defence they are charged with assault.

A teacher is commonly accused of sexual assault, many times without proof (yet are still arrested, fingerprinted, DNA tested, and suspended), and if proved innocent still have this hanging over their heads for the rest of their career, while nothing is done to the pupil who set this in motion.

Punishment available, “expelling them” (this is what most of them want), giving them treats ( a hamburger for good behaviour) schooling cut down to one day a week.

In fact no punishment.

Juvenile Crime, (carried on from junior years) well before the years of leaving school these children have learnt that punishment is to be laughed at, so have no fear or respect (most times backed by their parent, or parents) of the law, and the level of their crimes rises from petty to serious, including burglary, car crime, theft, and robbery.

Punishment, caution after caution, then a short spell inside Her Majesty’s Hotel, with their in-cell colour TV, Game boy’s, x-boxes, gyms, and three square meals.

Once again no punishment.

Finally, the big one Murder.

The most controversial one.

Since debate about this subject is irrelevant due to Europe and our “so called Leaders” consciences not allowing a referendum this is purely hypothetical.

We have in the past 50 years seen many mass murderers including some purely evil characters, Hindley and Brady, the Wests, Shipman, Bird, and many more who have committed the most heinous of crimes.

For the Press and Media murder has become common place, taking a back place (unless it’s mass murder) mainly put on page three or further back if some “2nd rate celebrity” has broken her nail.

We now have regularly children and babies killed, people kicked to death for telling off thugs, and pensioners murdered for the penny’s in their purses.

Punishment, as little as 6 months up to 14 years and with time off for good behaviour 7/8 years.

This is now the price of a human life to the British Justice System.

What is your opinion, and more to the point what is your solution?

Staffordshire Police Show Violence The Red Card

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A gritty and thought-provoking 3 minute film produced by Staffordshire Police, shows three dramatised accounts of the violent effects of alcohol: an incident of domestic violence, a violent assault in a pub, and a road traffic collision.

The force has produced the three-minute video about the consequences of drinking too much, being launched today as part of a YouTube and Facebook viral marketing campaign.

Produced by video company, Ember Regis, students and staff from Staffordshire University have assisted in making the film by taking on acting and some technical roles. The university also made its forensic crime scene house in Stoke-on-Trent available for use as a location along with one of its bars. Street sequences were filmed in Tamworth with help from the Neighbourhood Policing Team. The opening images of football supporters were shot at Wembley stadium before the recent England versus Mexico World Cup warm-up match.

Young men aged between 18 and 32 whose Facebook profiles state they live in the force area and are interested in football and drinking are being targeted during the campaign.

ACC Jane Sawyers, force lead on alcohol-related violence, says the force’s main aim is to ensure the tournament passes off without incident. ‘We want people to have a safe and enjoyable World Cup. Our aim is to make sure supporters on nights out in our town centres have a safe and enjoyable evening. Violent crime with injury where the offender was under the influence of drink fell by more than five per cent last year* so we’d like to see that trend continue. We’re hoping to maintain a good-natured atmosphere in our town centres.’

‘The approach we’re adopting is fair, friendly but firm,’ she explained. ‘If people break the law, we will arrest and prosecute.’

‘We have produced the DVD to make people think about the consequences of alcohol-related violence. We chose to include a scene about domestic violence as research has shown that there is an increase in this type of incident immediately before and after the national team plays. Domestic abuse is something we take very seriously and we do our best to prosecute offenders. We will also be visiting and monitoring repeat victims and offenders of this type of crime during the tournament and we will continue to work closely with partners and victims to encourage them to come forward.’

‘We had a lot of help in making the video from staff and students at Staffordshire University and we’re very grateful for their help.’

‘Our viral marketing campaign aims to engage with people who we may not normally reach through traditional press and media. When they log on to Facebook, they’ll be invited to view the DVD, called “ËœEngland Till I Die’. Hopefully, it will make them think twice about the amount of alcohol they drink during the tournament.’

‘Our DVD shows them the possible consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. We want them to drink sensibly so they, and the people around them, stay safe.’

Alcohol is a significant contributor to violence. It played a part in more than 40 per cent of crimes involving violence across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in the 12 months to April 2010. The force has been working closely with local councils, licensees and other agencies to tackle alcohol-related violence and anti-social behaviour (ASB) through Operation Safer Nights. This will continue throughout the World Cup and beyond.

On match days high visibility patrols will be out and about to offer reassurance to revellers and residents. There will be sufficient officers on duty to deal with any problems, should they arise.