Man burgled Plymouth's Minster Church amid theft spree

December 18, 2015, 8:18 am

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A MAN stole cash from the bookshop in Plymouth's Minster Church while an elderly volunteer was distracted, a court heard. Peter Smith, aged 47, took £5 from St Andrew's Church in the city centre amid a spree of burglaries. He pleaded guilty to burglary by sneaking behind the staff counter on October 12. Smith admitted burglary from the staff room in the YMCA shop in Cornwall Street three days later. He took a mobile phone worth £70. He finally pleaded guilty before to the burglary of...

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Man punched Plymouth Royal Marine, knocking out three teeth

December 18, 2015, 8:36 am

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A THUG punched a Royal Marine and knocked out three of his teeth in a bar, a court heard. Jason Bennett, aged 28, knocked out the stranger with a single blow to his face. He then walked away and carried on clubbing, Plymouth Crown Court heard. Bennett, of Newquay in Cornwall, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm on July 24. He was due to be sentenced but the case was adjourned amid claims that the Royal Marine had himself been aggressive. Nigel Hall, for the Crown Prosecution...

Burglars target The Range building site in Plymstock, escaping...

December 18, 2015, 8:44 am

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POLICE are urging Christmas shoppers to beware of second-hand power tools after workmen building an extension at The Range were targeted. A number of laptops and expensive power tools were taken during the theft which occurred sometime overnight between December 16 and December 17 at the site on Billacombe Road, Plymstock. Investigators believe the crooks first broke into a temporary building where they stole at least two laptops and a number of keys to other temporary structures. A police...

Plymouth crack cocaine dealer avoids prison sentence

December 18, 2015, 9:00 am

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A MAN who dealt crack cocaine on the streets of Plymouth has avoided going straight to jail. A judge told Umar Sheik, aged 22, that he could take an "exceptional course" and suspend his prison sentence. The Londoner was caught red-handed with 23 rocks of the drug with a street value of £230. Police also found he had £443 from drug-dealing and had also just deposited £565 in the bank. Sheik, of Southwark in the capital, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to supply...

Burger That! Plymouth trader accuses council of bullying in row...

December 18, 2015, 9:12 am

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A BURGER van owner is claiming council chiefs are trying to kill his business by making it impossible to continue operating at a popular Plymouth site he has worked for 15 years. Keith Stephens has been the go-to late-night food site for students, night-workers, doormen and revellers at his pitch in Sherwell Arcade for years. He said he has watched as the pub and club scene in the area has come alive and the university grow. He recently brought in state-of-the-art CCTV cameras which he can link...

Man 'addicted' to indecent images of children, Plymouth court...

December 18, 2015, 9:53 am

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A MAN "addicted" to downloading indecent images of children is to be treated for his perverted habit. Reubin Davies, aged 21, was caught with almost 400 vile pictures and videos, Plymouth Crown Court heard. Police investigating a complaint by a 14-year-old girl's mother found the images on his phone and computer in Plymouth. Davies was not prosecuted with any offence involving the child, who did not make any statement. But he pleaded guilty to a dozen offences of making indecent images of...

Migrate Red: Police declare Plymouth custody cells full at...

December 19, 2015, 12:20 pm

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Plymouth's police cells were full at midnight on Black Eye Friday as officers dealt with incidents of violence, drunkenness and disorder across the city. At the same time police were dealing with odd 999 calls - including someone complaining they had been thrown out of a club and a man saying a prostitute was walking away with his cash. Police this evening said the majority of arrests were for drunk and disorderly behaviour and those arrested would be issued with £80 penalty...

Plymouth man denies nine counts of rape and one sex assault

December 20, 2015, 12:24 am

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A Plymouth man has denied nine counts of rape and one sexual assault against three women. Mark Gates, 47, appeared at Exeter Crown Court and pleaded not guilty to 10 charges. The alleged offences are said to have taken place in South Devon over the last 10 years. Gates, of St. Peters Road, Plymouth, spoke only to answer the charges during the short hearing. The case was adjourned for a four-day trial starting on April 25. He was granted conditional bail until then.

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Justice at last: Plymouth judge was wrong not to jail man who...

December 20, 2015, 12:32 am

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A YOUNG woman who demanded better justice after her attacker was given an "unduly lenient" sentence by a Plymouth judge has spoken of how it was "the right thing to do". Kate – her name has been changed to protect her identity – was the victim of supposedly drunken factory worker Marcin Balazy who followed her from the Sherwell Arcade area of the city before trying to rip off her trousers as she walked through the Plymouth University campus. Balazy, aged 22, grabbed Kate, aged in her...

Tough new fines and up to six points in new rules on using your...

December 20, 2015, 1:31 am

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Tough new rules on using your mobile phone when driving will see fines rocket to £150 a time and penalties increased to up to six points. Currently the maximum fine is £100 but last year there were still 21 fatal and 84 serious accidents involving mobile phone use. All drivers will now face the higher fines, while truck drivers will see the penalty points double from three to six and van drivers will see points increase to four. Those caught for the first time may be offered a...

Cornwall student jailed for ruining female lecturer's life with...

December 21, 2015, 2:32 am

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A student from Cornwall has been jailed for ruining her female lecturer's life with a web of lies including faking terminal cancer - which saw the teacher lose her marriage, home and job. Scheming Elisa Bianco, 22, beguiled caring Sally Rettallack, moved into her home, broke up the marriage - and even posed as a man on line to become her internet love interest. Bianco, 22, met mother-of-four Sally, 49, on a college course and duped her with a long sob story. She convinced her to let her move...

Plymouth students asked by police to email footage of girl being...

December 21, 2015, 3:59 am

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POLICE are hoping schoolchildren who filmed an attack on one of their classmates by three teens will send their footage to investigators. Staff had to intervene and stop the three female intruders at Notre Dame School, Derriford at lunchtime on December 2, after they entered the grounds and began to batter a year 11 pupil. Staff at the secondary school said the victim was left "bruised and shocked". As a result of the attack the school said it was going to instigate a policy of locking all...

French fishermen jailed for five years for smuggling 130...

December 21, 2015, 4:39 am

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A gang of French fishermen have been jailed for five years for smuggling 130 Albanians into the UK via beaches near Plymouth. A trial in Rennes, in Brittany, heard how the fishermen from Paimpol, preyed on 'human misery' and 'desperation'. French prosecutor Anne Fourmel said Britain was seen as the 'Eldorado' for hundreds of desperate illegal immigrants and these fishermen were attracted by 'easy missions and easy money'. Mrs Fournel said: "This was the trial of the exploitation of human...

Plymouth man faces years in jail for his third robbery

December 21, 2015, 5:34 am

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A MAN faces years in jail after being convicted of robbery for the third time. Steven Jordan, aged 33, appeared at Plymouth Crown Court to plead guilty to robbing a man of £145. Jordan, of Albert Road in Stoke, followed and attacked Philip Hodge in the city on November 30. Judge Paul Darlow adjourned sentence until January 8. Ali Rafati, for the defendant, said: "He knows this offence will be met by custody. He has previous convictions for robbery in 2002 and 2009." Jordan, appearing via...

Man admits starting fire in Plymouth home

December 21, 2015, 5:48 am

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A MAN has admitted starting a fire in a home. Thomas Britton, aged 40, pleaded guilty at Plymouth Crown Court to arson on September 12. He set fire to a bed, mattress and carpet worth £140 in rented accommodation. Britton, of Rochester Road, Mutley, denied the more serious alternative charge of arson reckless as to whether the lives of fellow tenants were put at risk. Julia Cox, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said that plea was acceptable and no trial would be needed. Jason Beal, for...

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Plymouth man 'brazenly' assaulted woman sexually in city cafe

December 21, 2015, 8:38 am

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A MAN indecently touched a woman in a city centre café in a "brazen" sexual assault, a jury was told. Anthony Roberts, aged 70, rubbed her thigh and tried to kiss her, a court heard. The woman told his trial that she was shocked by the incident in the Gorge Café. She added at Plymouth Crown Court: "I am petrified of him." Roberts, of Queens Road, Lipson, has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault in June 2009. Kelly Scrivener, opening the case for the Crown Prosecution Service, said...

Kurds in Plymouth who are losing loved ones to ISIS accused of...

December 21, 2015, 8:43 am

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KURDS who have found a home in Plymouth are being racially abused and accused of terrorism while friends and relatives are the sole army on the ground fighting ISIS. The shocking abuse they have suffered has prompted community workers and police to speak out on their behalf. Deborah Earl, a senior case worker with the Plymouth Kurdish Community, said she has heard a litany of stories about Kurds in the city who have had to endure accusations of being terrorists, while they received reports...

Devon and Cornwall Police quash 'unfounded' social media rumours...

December 21, 2015, 8:58 am

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POLICE have moved to reassure residents amid rumours about potential terrorist attacks in the region. A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police: "Police are aware of stories circulating on social media about apparent attacks at specific sites and times. "We would like to reassure the public that these are unfounded rumours. "The current threat across the UK from international terrorism remains 'severe', meaning an attack is highly likely. "The increased level of activity is matched by UK police,...

Teenage danger driver badly injured two men in Plymouth

December 21, 2015, 9:01 am

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A TEENAGE danger driver seriously injured two men. Rory Wallace, aged 19, crashed a Volkswagen Polo while uninsured, Plymouth Crown Court heard. He pleaded guilty to causing serious injury to Bradley Matthews and Jake Bunker by dangerous driving on May 30. Wallace, of Milehouse Road, was at the wheel of the Polo in Boringdon Hill, Plympton. He also admitted driving without insurance and otherwise than in accordance with a licence. Judge Paul Darlow imposed an interim driving ban pending an...

Plymouth man supplied crack cocaine to undercover officer

December 21, 2015, 9:22 am

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A MAN has pleaded guilty to supplying an undercover police officer with crack cocaine. Alan Caldwell, aged 30, appeared at Plymouth Crown Court to admit dealing the Class A drug. He supplied the undercover officer with crack cocaine on August 20. Judge Paul Darlow adjourned sentence for a probation report to be prepared on his background. Defence barrister Nick Lewin said Caldwell had a longstanding drug addiction but was now stable on the heroin substitute methadone. The court heard he had...