Jailed in August: The people jailed for crimes in Dorset

The list below includes some of the offenders that were put behind bars by judges during August.

The offenders' names and a summary of what led to them appearing in the dock are as follows:

Weymouth man jailed for violent attack which left partner ‘looking like she had been in a car crash’

Lee Slator. Picture: Dorset Police

A man was jailed for a violent domestic assault after beating his partner so badly that she was described as ‘looking like she had been in a car crash’.

Lee Gerrard Slator, aged 41 and of Beverley Road, Weymouth, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Thursday, August 5 after admitting an offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent at a previous hearing at the same court.

He was jailed for three years and four months and also made the subject of a 10-year restraining order.

The offence related to an assault on Slator’s former partner, who was so terrified she asked police to take matters out of her hands and pursue a prosecution without a complaint from her.

On Thursday, March 18 the victim and the defendant had been out in Weymouth together shopping for a bike.

Slator became agitated when the bike that he wanted was not available and assaulted the woman in the street by pushing and dragging her before he then seemed to calm down.

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The woman accepted Slator’s behaviour as she said she had become used to him using aggression and violence against her.

She believed she was now safe as the defendant’s outburst was over but sadly this was not the case. When they returned to Slator’s home address he lost his temper again and became extremely aggressive.

First he punched a window in the address, causing the glass to shatter and injuring his hand. He then threw a toolbox out of the window before turning his aggression back toward the victim.

Slator subjected her to a violent assault, punching and stamping on her as she was unable to escape. The sustained attack caused the victim to lose consciousness and she suffered a bleed on her brain as well as several facial fractures.

The following morning, the woman tried to leave and find safety but Slator pursued her and tried to stop her. A neighbour witnessed what was happening and described the woman as ‘looking like she had been in a car crash’.

Several members of the community intervened and an ambulance was called for the woman. Slator was arrested at the scene.

The lead investigator, Detective Constable Kate Rhodes of Western CID, first met the woman on her hospital bed.

She said: “The woman was hiding under a blanket because she was so scared at first, she struggled to even talk to me.

“The injuries that I observed were some of the worst that I have ever witnessed during my career.

“The woman told me that she was unable to make a complaint because of what Slator was capable of and what might happen if she gave her own evidence.”

DC Rhodes spent time with the woman and explained that a prosecution could be pursued without her support.

The officer paid tribute to the victim after the success of the evidence-led prosecution, which resulted in a conviction for an offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.

Drug driver jailed following fatal crash which killed ‘loving’ fiancé

Daniel Jamie Samways, 37, of Dean Lane in Sixpenny Handley, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday, August 27 after admitting a drug driving offence and causing death by careless driving.

He was sentenced to 16 months in jail and disqualified from driving for two years, with the ban due to begin on his release from prison.

Dorset Police received a report at around 6pm on Saturday February 1, 2020 of a collision on the B3081 in the area of the Handley Cross Roundabout near Sixpenny Handley.

The vehicles involved were an Isuzu D-Max pick-up, an Audi A3 and a Volkswagen Up.

Emergency services attended and the driver of the Volkswagen, 37-year-old Ella Cooper from Ringwood, was taken to Southampton General Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

She died on the morning of February 7, 2020.

Samways, who was the driver of the Isuzu, was taken to Salisbury Hospital for the treatment to injuries sustained in the collision.

While he was in hospital, a specimen of his blood was taken for analysis.

It was found to contain benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, at a presence of 52 micrograms per litre of blood. The legal limit is 50mg.

Sergeant Nikki Burt, of the traffic unit, said: “This case is another sad demonstration of the truly awful consequences of someone getting behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs.

“Our thoughts remain with Ella’s family, who have lost their loved one as a result of Daniel Samways’ actions on February 1, 2020.

“We are committed to doing all we can to take action against people who put lives at risk by driving on Dorset’s roads while under the influence of drink or drugs.”

Brothers who operated 'huge drugs empire' in Dorset are jailed

Ansar and Ajmal Akram and Ryan Brockley

Three men who "peddled the misery of others" by operating a ‘drugs empire’ which sold huge quantities of cocaine in Dorset were jailed.

An extensive police investigation found that an organised crime group led by two brothers, Ansar and Ajmal Akram, used encrypted phones to organise exchanges of multiple kilogrammes of cocaine at a time.

Using specialist surveillance officers over a six-month period in 2019, detectives from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) followed the group, which was orchestrated by Ansar with Ajmal as his lieutenant, as they travelled the length and breadth of the country to sell the drugs, including to Dorset, Yorkshire, Middlesbrough, Leicester, Luton, Northampton and Buckinghamshire.

They distributed substantial amounts of cocaine at a time, often selling to other localised organised crime groups for onward sale.

Using a network of couriers, meetings were arranged using covert encrypted devices intended to be hidden from the police. Often couriers travelled vast distances to drop off the drugs before returning immediately afterwards, all the while taking steps to disguise their activity.

The police operation cumulated in October 2019 with officers arresting both Ansar and Ajmal, of Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire.

During the investigation police seized 6.5kg of cocaine, in excess of £150,000 cash and three encrypted handsets, although this is thought to be just a snapshot of the group’s activity.

A third man, Ryan Brockley, from Leicestershire, acted as a regional wholesaler and was instrumental in a number of exchanges. He was also arrested in October 2019.

At a St Albans Crown Court hearing on Monday, August 9, the trio were each sentenced as follows:

• Ansar Akram, 34, of Thumpers, Hemel Hempstead, was jailed for 15 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and possession of criminal property
• Ajmal Akram, 30, of Thumpers, Hemel Hempstead, was jailed for 14 years after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine and possession of criminal property
• Ryan Brockley, 34, of Deepdale, Leicester, was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine

Detective Inspector Ian Mawdesley, from ERSOU's Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: “It's apparent that Ansar and Ajmal Akram were instrumental in the distribution of a significant amount of cocaine across a huge geographical area, and to know they will be in jail and unable to bring further misery to our communities for an extended period is fantastic.

“Ansar, who headed up the group, thought nothing about directing the operation from the security of his home in an attempt to keep his hands clean, whilst putting others in the group at risk. This included his younger brother, Ajmal, who met with couriers to collect the money.

“By removing those individuals in charge of criminal gangs such as this from society, not only are we keeping them away from causing further harm but we're also stopping the flow of dangerous illegal substances across the country.

“Through monitoring their activity, we were also able to piece together the involvement of a number of other OCGs, which will feed into other investigations already taking place by police colleagues across the country.

“This outcome is the result of a painstaking operation from a large number of investigators, many of whom have spent hundreds of hours tracking the group, establishing their involvement, and compiling significant amounts of evidence. I can only thank them for their exceptional work.”

Man who failed to appear at court is finally found and jailed

A MAN has been jailed for breaching a restraining order and two charges of breaching a non-molestation order.

Police have been on the hunt for Adrian Wellman, 45, after he failed to attend court when required.

A warrant was issued for his arrest at Poole Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, July 14.

Following enquiries by officers, he was arrested in Swanage on Thursday, August 26, and appeared at Poole Magistrates’ Court the following day, where he admitted two offences of breaching a restraining order and two charges of breaching a non-molestation order.

Wellman was jailed for a total of 32 weeks.

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Drink and drug driver jailed after causing serious crash

John Albert Bond

John Albert Bond, aged 25, of Coldharbour, Wareham appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court after admitting causing serious injury by dangerous driving on July 20 last year in Corfe Mullen - while driving unfit through alcohol and drugs.

Dorset Echo: John Albert Bond, aged 25, of Coldharbour, Wareham appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court after admitting causing serious injury by dangerous driving on July 20 last year in Corfe Mullen

John Albert Bond, aged 25, of Coldharbour, Wareham appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court after admitting causing serious injury by dangerous driving on July 20 last year in Corfe Mullen

He was sentenced to a total of two years and nine months in prison and disqualified from driving for two and a half years, with the ban due to begin when he is released from prison.

Dorset Police received a report at 11.49pm on Monday, July 20, 2020 in relation to a single vehicle collision on Waterloo Road, near to the junction with Chapel Lane.

The vehicle involved was a Nissan X-Trail driven by the defendant, which was reported to have mounted the kerb, before travelling 20 to 30 metres along the verge and entering a ditch, where it collided with a tree.

Emergency services attended and Bond and his passenger – a Wimborne man aged in his 20s – were taken to hospital for treatment. While Bond was in hospital his blood was taken for analysis.

There was found to be alcohol present at a rate of 107 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood.

Bond was also found to have Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – a psychoactive constituent of cannabis – present in his blood at a concentration of at least five micrograms per litre of blood.

The specified limit is two micrograms per litre. The analysis also revealed benzoylecgonine – a metabolite of cocaine – present at 372 micrograms per litre, more than seven times the specified limit of 50 micrograms per litre.

Bond’s passenger sustained a fracture to a bone in his back as a result of the collision, as well as grazing and bruising.

Police Constable Mike Burt, of the traffic unit, said: "John Bond’s reckless actions on the night of Monday 20 July 2020 put himself, his passenger and other road users at serious risk and the injuries sustained by his passenger have had a lasting impact.

"I hope this case sends a clear message to those thinking of driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs that there can be extremely serious consequences and we will do all we can to ensure those responsible are brought before the courts to face the repercussions."

'Terrified woman 'feared for her life' following assault in hotel

A “terrified” woman “feared for her life” when her partner strangled and beat her after a row in a Dorset hotel.

Simeon Chambers, 26, of Stroud, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating and one count of causing actual bodily harm on April 15 at the Queens Hotel in Meyrick Road, Bournemouth.

Prosecuting, Laura Deuxberry told Bournemouth Crown Court Chambers had been seeing the victim for around two months.

She said the first assault happened on March 6 this year when the pair spent the night together.

Chambers asked the victim what she was doing on her phone before he “dragged her to the bedroom”, causing friction burns.

The court heard how the victim had to remind the defendant she was a mother before he “snapped out of it”.

The second assault occurred in Castle Lane Apartments when an argument broke out resulting in the defendant kicking his partner out the bed causing bruising to her arms. He then stood above her and spat on her, the court heard.

On April 15, the couple had been staying at the Queens Hotel and the defendant woke up “in a bad mood”.

Ms Deuxberry said: “The defendant went to the bathroom, as he came back and tried to get back into bed the defendant sat on top of her.

“He strangled her with both hands for ten seconds. The complainant thought she may have even lost consciousness.

“The defendant hit her left side of her face three or four times. The defendant strangled her for a second time, this time placed one hand over her mouth.

“He then hit her again on the other side of her face. She was terrified, she thought she was going to die.”

The court heard how the victim suffered bruising and a cut to the face.

“He said ‘you should kill yourself,” Ms Deuxberry continued. “In response she said, ‘I’ll jump out the window’. She ran to the door of the room.”

A victim impact statement read to court heard how the victim struggles sleeping and has flashbacks to the “embarrassing incident”.

The defendant had seven previous convictions for 14 offences, including ABH in 2019.

Mitigating, Kevin Hill said Chambers accepts responsibility and was “ashamed” of his behaviour.

He said the defendant’s “greatest concern” was losing his new flat, but he accepted it was a potential consequence. He asked the judge to consider a suspended sentence.

However, Judge Keith Cutler sentenced Chambers to 18 months for inflicting ABH, and three months each for the two assaults, all to be served concurrently.

Judge Cutler said: “It is all very sad because it seems you completely blew it.

“[The victim] thought that you were the man she was going to spend her future with, but your behaviour towards her was so that that has all ended.

“She did nothing to deserve any of that at all. What should have been a happy time ended with you being very nasty and unpleasant towards her, attempting to strangle her, punching her.”

A restraining order was also imposed preventing Chambers from contacting the victim.