CRIMINALS jailed in January include two hit-and-run crash killers, a police evidence officer who stole thousands of pounds, a child sex offender, and a Bournemouth murderer.
Here are the people jailed for Dorset offences throughout January 2023.
Shaun Hall
A man who drove towards a group of people and killed a 40-year-old woman in Bournemouth before fleeing has been jailed.
Shaun Hall, 40 and of Derby, was convicted of the manslaughter of Clare Gafan after a crash in Suffolk Road on October 23, 2021.
Hall was driving a black Audi A4 and met a man whom he had arranged to see. After meeting, Hall snatched a container from the man and drove off from the scene.
The following day the same man was in Suffolk Road with a group of people, including Ms Gafan, and noticed the same Audi drive down the road.
As Hall noticed the man approaching him, he suddenly accelerated and drove towards the group.
All apart from Ms Gafan were able to leap out of the way. She was struck and died from her injuries in hospital two days later.
Appearing in the dock on Friday, January 6, Hall was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.
Barry Alfred Puttock
A “possessive” man has been jailed after fracturing his ex’s eye socket with a single punch.
Barry Alfred Puttock, 65, appeared before Bournemouth Crown Court on Wednesday, January 25, for sentencing after being convicted at a trial of one count of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
The court heard how, on June 26, 2021, Puttock assaulted his victim in the bedroom of a flat in Kimberly Road, Southbourne, after telling her “don’t goad me”.
He then proceeded to punch the woman, a former girlfriend, in the face with such ferocity he fractured her eye socket - leaving her needing ten stitches and with a permanent scar.
Puttock made a series of claims during the trial; saying he was ‘acting in self-defence’.
He was sentenced to jail for a period of 30 months with a restraining order imposed prohibiting contact with his victim for eight years.
Benjamin David Jason Albin
A man who threatened to kill his former partner and monitored her movements has been jailed.
Benjamin Albin, aged 25 and of Swanage, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday, January 13 for sentencing.
The court heard how Albin would contact his victim ‘excessively on a daily basis’ - bombarding her with calls and messages within minutes of her arriving at her workplace before coming to see who she was with if he did not get a response.
Albin sent messages to his victim making threats to kill her and anyone she was speaking to, and insisted she install a location service on a mobile phone app so he could monitor her movements.
He was sentenced to 30 months in prison and subjected to a restraining order for a period of seven years.
Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai
An asylum-seeker who murdered an aspiring Royal Marine in Bournemouth in an act of ‘senseless violence’ has been jailed.
Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai, 21, received a life sentence for the murder of 21-year-old Tom Roberts outside Subway in Old Christchurch Road on March 12, 2022.
Mr Roberts was murdered after an altercation broke out between his friend and the defendant over an e-scooter.
Mr Roberts “open-palm” slapped Abdulrahimzai, who responded by pulling a knife from his waistband before stabbing Mr Roberts and fleeing the scene.
Following his conviction by a majority verdict, the court heard that Abdulrahimzai had previously been convicted of murdering two people in Serbia.
Afghan asylum seeker Abdulrahimzai was found guilty of murder following an 11-day trial at Salisbury Crown Court and will spend at least 29 years behind bars.
Dennis Frederick Valentine
A seizure suffering pensioner who crashed into and killed a holidaymaker before careering into other cars has been jailed.
Dennis Frederick Valentine, 77, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving after killing pedestrian David Fox following a crash in Victoria Road in Ferndown on September 22, 2020.
Mr Fox, 73, was struck by Valentine at approximately 49mph as he crossed the road shortly after purchasing a newspaper.
Valentine, who had an extensive history of cognitive impairments and likely suffered a seizure at the wheel, proceeded to crash into two other cars in the opposing lane before striking a lamppost.
A hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday, January 30, 2023, heard how Valentine had been urged by neurological specialists on several occasions to review his driving.
Valentine, who had no previous convictions, was sentenced to 30 weeks’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for two years and 15 weeks.
Paul Andrew Gilmore
A sex offender has been jailed for multiple breaches his notification requirements.
Paul Gilmore, aged 56, stayed at a relative’s address for two to five nights at a time over a four-month period.
This was a breach of his notification requirements as a registered sex offender, as was the fact he had been at the address for at least 12 hours where an under 18 resided, as he had failed to make police aware and obtain permission for his actions.
The third failure to comply was when police found him to be in possession of a credit card, which had not been reported.
Bournemouth Crown Court heard Gilmore had been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely after being convicted of offences of indecent assault in the 1990s.
He was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment for the breaches.
Lisa Arnold
A police evidence officer who stole more than £14,000 from the force over a four year period has been jailed.
Lisa Arnold of Swanage appeared before Bournemouth Crown Court on January 25 for sentencing having admitted stashing thousands of pounds in cash in her wardrobe before depositing it into her bank account.
The 52-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to one count of ‘theft by employee’ - the charge relating to 17 incidents between October 14, 2018 and March 19, 2022.
During that time, Arnold took a total £14,494.20 in seized cash from Dorset Police which, in mitigation, was suggested was used to fuel her 'shopping addiction'.
Her job as a property researcher saw her responsible for logging exhibits of seized items, often involving cash.
In a statement read to court, Dorset Police's then-chief constable Scott Chilton said: “Every offence by a member of the police force has a devastating impact on public confidence (in the police).”
Arnold was sentenced to a period of 24 months in prison.
Richard Dean Caines
A drug driver who crashed into a woman and caused her life-changing injuries has been jailed.
Richard Caines, 47, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving after hitting grandmother Helen Archer in a crash in Westbourne on November 8, 2022.
A hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday, January 20, heard how Caines was driving a Nissan Micra in Poole Road when he attempted to illegally overtake a bus, lorry and two cars by moving into the opposing carriageway.
Mrs Archer, aged in her 50s, stepped out from a crossing refuge in the middle of the road and was struck by Caines.
Caines immediately exited the vehicle and went to the aid of Mrs Archer and was later quoted as telling police officers: “I drove the car, it was me, is she okay? That’s all I care about.
“I’m guilty, it’s my fault.”
He later tested positive for cocaine and heroin.
Mrs Archer suffered multiple injuries, including fractures to her skull and face, bleeding around the brain and a partially collapsed lung.
Caines was sentenced to two years and 10 months in prison and was disqualified from driving for six years and five months.
David George Hinchey
A man who supplied MDMA, cocaine and other drugs on the streets of Bournemouth town centre has been jailed.
David Hinchey, 40, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on January 6, for offences of being concerned in the supply of MDMA, cocaine and cannabis.
On July 13 last year, an officer was on patrol in the town centre when he spotted Hinchey acting suspiciously in the Lower Gardens.
Hinchey was detained for a search nearby and was found to be in possession of a number of small wraps of suspected class A drugs. He was subsequently arrested.
An examination of Hinchey’s mobile phones identified evidence that they were being used for the supply of class A and class B drugs.
He was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment.
Thomas Michael Smith
A man who grabbed his girlfriend by the throat during an assault has been put behind bars.
Thomas Smith was found guilty of assaulting his then partner thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.
The incident, which happened on a night in Bournemouth in July 2021, saw Smith grab the woman by her throat which caused her to black out. She was also punched during the assault.
Smith, aged 37, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on January 5 and was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and issued a restraining order.
Lewis Clark
A young man who killed a Poole mum by driving dangerously and then lied to police has been jailed.
Lewis Clark, 20, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving after killing pedestrian Courtney White in a crash on the A3049 Canford Way in Poole on December 12, 2021.
Miss White, 23 and a mother to small daughter, was walking home on the footpath when she was struck by Clark who botched an attempt to undertake a friend’s motorcycle at speed.
A hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court on January 13 heard how Clark, who was aged 19 at the time of the crash, did not have a driving licence.
Clark “lost control and swerved across the road towards the pavement and then struck the kerb” before hitting Miss White from behind. He also struck a lamppost while spinning out back into the road.
Clark abandoned the car and fled the scene making no attempt to check on Miss White, who died from her injuries.
He initially lied to police and said the car had been stolen, later coming clean and admitting his guilt.
Clark was sentenced to three years and eight months in a young offender institution and disqualified from driving for four years and ten months.
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