Some truly shocking cases have gone before courts across the Midlands so far this year. They include a Hitler worshipper who dreamed of starting a race war and a stalker who fitted a tracking device on his terrified victim’s car.
A gang member who called himself the Grim Reaper found himself behind bars for stabbing a father to death in a city nightclub. A ‘delusional’ 40-year-old was also caged after he flew into a violent rage and killed an insurance worker in a ‘frenzied, determined and terrifying attack’.
Sick members a child sex ring were also hauled before the courts for their ‘abhorrent and cruel’ acts, which ‘completely disintegrated’ their victims’ mental health. A dangerous driver also cut a much-loved mum’s life tragically short while showing off in his brother’s souped-up yellow Audi S3.
All of the callous criminals have been handed lengthy sentences for their despicable actions. You can read more in our round-up below.
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January
Dangerous driver killed mum
This dangerous driver killed a much-loved mum ‘after speeding in excess of 100mph’. Hashim Aziz was showing off in his brother’s souped-up yellow Audi S3 when he ploughed into Baljinder Kaur Moore, who was driving a red Vauxhall Corsa, on Broadway in Walsall.
He took the £25,000 motor without permission to impress his cousins. But his ‘selfish actions’ led to the smash which caused fatal injuries to Mrs Moore, who had given birth to a baby boy just five-months before.
Aziz, of Ida Road, Walsall, admitted causing death by dangerous driving. He was banned from the road and sentenced to six years.
February
Delusional killer’s frenzied attack on insurance worker
‘Delusional’ Moses Smith repeatedly stabbed insurance worker Abdi Mohamed during a ‘frenzied, determined and terrifying attack’. The 40-year-old flew into a violent rage outside Bromwich Insurance in Wednesbury after asking his victim to come outside and inspect apparent damage to his van.
Smith, of Lindon Road, Brownhills, admitted manslaughter on a basis of diminished responsibility. He was sentenced to life with a minimum of 12 years in prison after a judge ruled he was a dangerous offender and posed a ‘risk’ to the public. Read more here.
March
Tracker fitted on woman’s car by stalker
A tracker was placed on a woman’s car by stalker Darren Parsons. He also followed her on a family holiday and on another occasion when she was away with friends.
The 45-year-old sent his victim messages letting her know she was being followed and damaged her brother’s car. He also attacked a man grabbing him by the throat, punching him and breaking his elbow, which was captured by a doorbell camera.
He was jailed for four years and seven months when he admitted stalking involving serious alarm or distress. He also admitted a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.
April
‘Grim Reaper’ stabbed dad to death in nightclub
Rashidi Powell, who called himself the Grim Reaper, plunged a knife into a dad-of-four’s chest in a nightclub. Robert West, also known as Bob Fresh, had been inside the Birmingham venue for just eight seconds when he was fatally attacked.
The victim, 48, initially did not realise he had been stabbed but then collapsed on the pavement where he died. Gang member Powell, 20, of Roslin Grove, Lozells, admitted a charge of manslaughter, was sentenced to eight years and three months in a young offenders institution. Read the full story here.
May
White supremacist ‘wanted to start race war’
Right wing fanatic Vaughn Dolphin was caught with a number of illegal documents including a ‘Big Book of Mischief’. The encrypted files were stored on a USB stick in folders named ‘Boogaloo’ – a term which refers to an apparent ‘race war’.
The 20-year-old, from Aldridge, also filmed himself wearing masks with skull motifs and body armour with Nazi ‘SS’ logos on. Another video showed him mixing chemicals in the kitchen which resulted in a pink fireball.
Dolphin was found guilty of six offences of possessing a document containing terrorist information, two counts of possessing explosive substances, two counts of disseminating a terrorist publication and one offence of possessing a firearm without a licence. He was sentenced to eight years and six months detention in a young offenders institution.
June
‘Abhorrent and cruel’ child sex abuse ring members jailed
The final four members of an abhorrent child sex abuse ring were jailed for their ‘deeply disturbing’ crimes. The 21-strong group operated in Walsall and abused seven children for almost a decade.
Their cruelty left their victims deeply traumatised and shocked the professionals working on the case. A gruelling six-year probe saw almost 70 interviews were carried out with suspects, while the victims made more than 200 disclosures about the serious sexual assaults they suffered.
Matthew Evans, 32, John Griffiths, 67, Violet Griffiths, 67, and Natasha Webb, 37, were jailed for more than 50 years combined. More details of the ‘largest-scale investigation of its kind in West Midlands Police’s history’ can be found here.
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