Murderers, drug lords, drunk-drivers and rioters – the biggest North East court cases of 2024

The courts across the North East have been busy this past year.

Some of the most high profile cases of 2024 were heard at Newcastle Crown Court – with criminals being sentenced to some heavy duty jail time. From murderers, drunk-drivers, drug-lords and rioters, the courts have seen them all.

Here are some of the biggest court cases that were heard this year:

The County Durham child murderer

It was a case that sickened the North East. Christina Robinson brutally killed her own son, Dwelaniyah, after subjecting him to a campaign of cruelty. Little Dwelaniyah, aged three, had around 70 injuries when he died of a fatal brain injury on November 5, 2022 at his home in Ushaw Moor, County Durham.

Robinson stood trial for his murder earlier in the year, and Newcastle Crown Court heard that Robinson deliberately submerged her son in scalding water as punishment for soiling himself during toilet training on October 19, 2022. Robinson had ran a bath of extremely hot water for her son without adding any cold water, before holding him down in the water, causing “appalling burns” which covered almost 20% of his body.

The wicked mother – who claimed she was following the Bible – also repeatedly hit her son with a bamboo cane for trivial disobedience, causing further injury to his already badly burned body. She also left him at home with his younger brother while she went out.

Robinson was convicted of murder and four child cruelty charges in March. She was then jailed for life and was told she must serve a minimum of 25 years in prison before she has any chance of parole.

The Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate killer

A 14-year long dispute over parking between two firms in North Shields ended in murder. Andrew Darn began working at the trading estate in 2022, but despite playing no role in the childish feud and even expressing his disapproval at the petty altercations, the 35-year-old was savagely murdered by Alder Willis after the latest flare up in hostilities in March.

The pensioner, of Allanville, Camperdown, North Tyneside, was convicted of murder and having a bladed article, and was jailed for life and told he has to serve 18 years before he has any hope of freedom. Judge Paul Sloan KC said the bickering between those at Easy Access Garage Doors, where Andrew worked and those at The Deli, run by Willis and his partner, “was all very trivial and childish” and added that Andrew was not party to that long-standing dispute as he had only worked there since April 2022.

The Newcastle grooming gang

A despicable grooming gang who repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted a young girl in Newcastle city centre while passing her around “like a toy” were jailed for a total of 36 years in March.

Four men sexually exploited a girl when she was aged just 13 and 14 years old. After meeting her one day in Newcastle, brothers Mohamed and Omar Badreddin quickly identified her as someone who could be easily manipulated and she was groomed with alcohol, cigarettes and compliments before being abused.

The Badreddins subjected the first girl to repeated rapes near the Castle Keep in Newcastle, sometimes one after another and she was also attacked behind the Five Guys restaurant and at her home. The Badreddins, who also took part in a riot as part of the Black Lives Matter group, were convicted of a series of rapes and sexual assaults, along with Huzaefa Aleboud and Hamoud Al-Soaimi following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

Mohamed Badreddin, 23, of Middle Garth, Cowgate, Newcastle, was convicted of six counts of rape and one of assault by penetration. He was jailed for 13 years. Omar Badreddin, 26, of Middle Garth, Cowgate, was convicted of five counts of rape. He was jailed for 18 years.

Aleboud, 23, of Tillmouth Park Road, Throckley, Newcastle, was convicted of two counts of rape, assault by penetration and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was jailed for five-and-a-half years. Al-Soaimi, 21, of Denmark Street, Byker, Newcastle, was convicted of three counts of sexual assault and assault by penetration. He was sentenced to two years suspended for two years with 180 hours unpaid work. They were all told they must sign the sex offenders register and will be subject to sexual harm prevention orders and restraining orders.

The underworld drugs kingpin

In July, underworld Tyneside boss Michael Ferry, who ran a lucrative cocaine empire from behind bars, was jailed for over 22 years. Ferry had “a pivotal, controlling role” within a major drugs conspiracy, which he headed while serving a prison sentence for a violent gang attack at a Newcastle pub. The kingpin was able to pull the strings as the head of an organised crime group using a smuggled-in EncroChat device and was responsible for supplying 53 kilos of cocaine.

In messages recovered when the EncroChat was infiltrated, Ferry and an associate talked of making £1m each within three years. Ferry – a former boxer – is said to be a “feared and ruthless” underworld boss who now must serve at least 11 years behind bars before being released on licence.

The revenge attack

Granny Deborah Charlton was jailed in March after taking the law into her own hands by attacking a woman with a spanner in a revenge attack for her daughter being left with life-changing injuries. Charlton’s anguish at the devastating consequences of a motorbike accident erupted into shocking violence.

She turned up at the home of a woman associated with the man she blamed for leaving her daughter, who is in her 30s, with catastrophic brain and orthopaedic injuries which means she will need 24-hours-a-day care for the rest of her life. Six weeks after she was injured, in footage filmed by accomplice Lyndsey Venus, Charlton angrily kicked at the woman’s door, shouted that she was the police before forcing her way in and setting about the terrified victim with a large metal spanner while yelling obscenities. Now both women have been jailed at Newcastle Crown Court for aggravated burglary.

Charlton was jailed for three-and-a-half years and Venus got two years and 10 months. They were both also given indefinite restraining orders.

The murder of Bradley Tams

Gavin Train was determined to exact revenge after finding out Bradley Tams had stolen from his sibling at knifepoint. After issuing a series of threats, he found out where he was five days later and plunged a knife into him.

The attack, in Slayford, Newcastle, was witnessed by a child who recorded it on their mobile phone. Bradley, 23, made his way to some nearby flats, where he was found bleeding to death.

Train, of Rothay Place, Blakelaw, Newcastle, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years for murder and his mother, Andrea Train and Lewis Allison were locked up for violent disorder.

The Holly Newton murder

Logan MacPhail, the jealous teenage killer who murdered Holly Newton in a “vicious and brutal attack” was given a 17 year minimum term of detention in November. MacPhail was unhappy his relationship with 15-year-old Holly had ended and travelled to Hexham, where she was at school, armed with a knife on Friday, January 27 last year.

He then secretly followed Holly for around an hour, before approaching her as she waited in a bus stop outside a pizza shop. MacPhail, 16 at the time, of Birtley, Gateshead, then persuaded Holly to go into a nearby alley to talk. It was then he launched a frenzied knife attack which killed her. She sustained 36 knife wounds, with the blade bending due to the ferocity of the blows.

The Sunderland race rioters

One of the biggest stories of the year were the riots which blighted the North East. Many have appeared at court and been dealt with for violent disorder and riot. Four of the rioters who were involved in causing chaos at the far-right, racist protest in Sunderland were Andrew Smith, Josh Kellett, Leanne Hodgson, and Bradley Makin.

All four defendants played their part in the violent scenes and pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Makin, of the Springwell area of Sunderland, also admitted two counts of possession of class A drugs – heroin and cocaine. Kellett, who was said to be “revelling in the mayhem”, was jailed for two and a half years. Hodgson, who “incited others”, was also jailed for two and a half years

Smith, who had been drinking alcohol “all day”, was jailed for two years and two months. Makin, who was “literally roaring encouragement”, was jailed for two years.

The drunk Audi killer

It was one of the most tragic cases this year. Drunk Audi driver, Darryl Jason Anderson was taking pictures of his dashboard at 141mph before smashing into a family car and killing an eight month old baby and a 30-year-old aunt on the A1(M).

Anderson was behind the wheel of an Audi Q5 on the major route when he was involved in an early hours crash between Chester-le-Street and Durham on May 31, 2024. The horror smash resulted in the tragic deaths of baby Zackary Blades and his auntie, Karlene Warner, who were travelling in a Peugeot being driven by Zackary’s mum, Shalorna Warner.

The court heard Anderson had 10 previous convictions for 12 offences, including drink-driving, assaulting an emergency worker and battery. He was also stopped in Sheffield around a week before the fatal crash and warned about his driving.

Anderson was jailed for 17 years and three months. He was also banned from driving for 21 and a half years. He must sit an extended re-test if he wants his licence back.

The Meadow Well murder

Murderer Tony Johnson, who killed a man in a ruthless attack because he felt left out when he was talking to his stepdad, was jailed for life in February.

Johnson, who has a long history of serious violence, launched a savage drink and drug-fuelled attack on Trevor Bishop while a guest in his home, which resulted in his “senseless killing”. A court heard Johnson had felt excluded when his stepdad, Paul Johnson, got into a conversation with Trevor during a night of socialising in Meadow Well, in North Shields.

Trevor, 45, suffered multiple facial fractures and a torn artery from a heavy blow to his neck in what a judge described as a “ruthless and unprovoked attack” and a “spontaneous eruption of violence”. Johnson left him fatally injured on the floor, running from the scene and trying to cover his tracks. He was convicted of murder by a jury last month and was told he must serve at least 18 years of a life sentence behind bars.

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