FROM robbery to running a cannabis farm, several people across Wiltshire have already faced justice this year, having been jailed for their roles in criminal activity across the county.
Here are six cases published by Wiltshire Police, which resulted in court hearings and perpetrators going to prison.
Jailed in January:
1) James Cherry, aged 28, of no fixed address in Swindon, was jailed for eight years and seven months after breaking a woman's jaw and robbing several shops.
In 2020 Cherry robbed a series of shops in Swindon including a McColls shop, a pop-up shop in Cavendish Square, the Esso service station on Dorcan Way, the Lloyds Pharmacy in Park South and Superdrug in the town centre.
In 2019 Cherry punched a woman in the face, causing her jaw to break.
The judge also ordered an extended licence period of three years and five months. This means that Cherry will be in the prison/probation system for a total of 12 years.
2) Artur Furmaniak, aged 46, of Padfield Gardens, Melksham, was given a four-and-a-half year prison sentence for his part in the supply of cocaine.
On March 29, 2019, firearms officers, members of the dog section, CID and the local community policing team conducted a drug warrant at Furmaniak's address, where significant evidence of cocaine supply was found.
The cocaine was seized along with a large collection of imitation firearms.
3) Kuqi Haxhi, aged 22, of Westcott Place, Swindon, was jailed for nine months for running a cannabis farm in a terrace house.
Officers discovered the farm at the property on Westcott Place in October, 2020. Haxhi was located on the premises along with evidence of cannabis production.
He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £156.
Jailed in February:
4/5) Nathan Dawkins, aged 37, from Lewisham, London, and Kelsey Schafer-Nolan, aged 24, from south London, were identified as the main members of a drugs network, transporting drugs into Swindon.
Dawkins, leader of the operation, was given seven years and nine months. Schafer-Nolan was sentenced to two years and four months.
The investigation identified that the drugs line dealt more than one-kilo of crack cocaine and heroin into Swindon from the capital.
6) Howard Jones, aged 59, of Stratton Road, Swindon, was jailed for 12 years and six months, after he threated his former employer with violence if he was not paid £100,000.
Following this offence, while on bail, Jones stole a lorry and used an armed weapon against police.
He pleaded guilty to blackmail, possession of a firearm or imitation firearm, robbery, false imprisonment, assault causing actual bodily harm against a police officer, assault on an emergency worker and breach of bail.
7) Kyle Rigley, aged 28, originally from Swindon, was sentenced to four years in prison for his part in a drug dealing gang.
His arrest followed a Serious Organised Crime Unit operation in 2018, where members of the Swindon network were observed dealing illicit drugs linked to a gang from Bristol.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
In Salisbury, drink drivers regularly face the Magistrates court for being caught by police officers over the legal alcohol limit, sometimes resulting in further offences.
In these cases, the defendants are likely to be disqualified from driving for a period of time and fined.
Here are some of our reports from the last week:
1) Jason Tilling, aged 32, of Normandy Road, Tidworth, was caught driving along Normandy Road in Tidworth on November 28, 2020, nearly three times over the legal alcohol limit. He was banned from driving for three years and was fined £730.
2) Russell McBride, aged 40, of Silver Street, Wilton, was driving a vehicle on August 8, 2020, which was reported as "swerving all over the road", before it came to a stop in the carriageway of the A36 and he got out and walked away. McBride was stopped by officers shortly after the call, walking along Wilton Road, and he claimed the vehicle had broken down. At Melksham Police Station he provided an alcohol reading that was 3.8 times the legal limit. He was banned from driving for 29 months and was ordered to complete 150 hours unpaid work.
3) Charlene Matthews, aged 33, of Treveneague Gardens, Plymouth, was driving along Kennet Road in Tidworth on June 18, 2019, more than four times over the legal alcohol limit. She hit another car and drove away from the scene. Matthews was disqualified from driving for 14 months, and was given a prison sentence suspended for 18 months. She was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £115 and costs of £200.
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