THREE drug dealers, a woman who stalked her neighbour and a primary school teacher who murdered her partner were all court cases that saw defendants receiving prison sentences in May.
Here is a look back at five cases we covered.
Fiona Beal
A primary school teacher was jailed for a minimum of 20 years for stabbing her partner to death before burying his body in the garden of their home.
Fiona Beal admitted she murdered 42-year-old Nicholas Billingham, whose partly mummified remains were discovered four-and-a-half months after he was last seen on November 1, 2021.
The prosecution said: “Beal exploited a narrative that she was the victim of abuse at the hands of her long-term partrner, but rather leave the relationship, she killed him in a planned, cold-blooded execution when he thought he was safe with his partner.”
READ THE FULL REPORT HERE: Jailed: Teacher arrested in Cumbria five months after killing partner
Sarah Stables
A woman who made her neighbour feel like she was ‘a prisoner in her own home’ was jailed for 12 months for stalking.
Stables, of Hest View Road in Ulverston bombarded her victim with messages, letters and gifts over a ten-month period.
The court heard she admitted in police interview that she was ‘obsessed’ with her neighbour.
In the neighbour’s victim impact statement, she referenced how she dreaded coming home from work and resented living in her own home as she was unable to get away from the defendant.
READ THE FULL REPORT HERE: Stalker jailed after making neighbour ‘resent’ living in her own home
Brandon Crozier
A drug dealer made £750,000 supplying cocaine and cannabis for his customers to sell on the street of Barrow.
Crozier, of Thirlmere Close in Dalton, was jailed for eight years after pleading guilty to six charges relating to drug supply, drug possession and possession of cash made from criminal activity.
Prosecutor Wayne Jackson said police found evidence of him boasting about kids asking him for advice on how to deal drugs.
He replied by saying his product was the ‘best in town,’ adding: “Don’t buy the bashed up version, come get the real deal.”
READ THE FULL REPORT HERE: Drug dealer who boasted about having the 'best in town' jailed
Carl Sumner
The 39-year-old was sentenced to seven years and two months imprisonment at Carlisle Crown Court for drug supply offences in south Cumbria.
Sumner, of Parker Street in Barrow, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine with co-defendants Michael Fury, 36, and Robert Collins, 38.
The conspiracy ran between September 2021 and February 2022 and involved the defendants conspiring to supply £150,000 worth of cocaine to users in Barrow.
READ THE FULL REPORT HERE: Criminal jailed for role in supplying cocaine to 'well-paid employees' in Barrow
Zaki Roberts
The 25-year-old was sentenced to four years behind bars for his role in helping to supply heroin and crack cocaine to the streets of Barrow.
Investigators found drugs on Roberts, of Rawlinson Street in Barrow and phone numbers consistent with being used to facilitate the supply of Class A drugs.
Preston Crown Court heard the offence put Roberts in breach of a previously imposed two-year suspended sentence for similar drug supply offences.
READ THE FULL REPORT HERE: ‘Blight on the county’ - Man jailed for role in Class A county lines drug operation
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