Hotel attacker, 'spiteful' arsonist and a beggar - list of criminals jailed in Derbyshire in March
Once again, the courts of Derby and Derbyshire have been busy in the last few weeks, with a variety of offenders facing justice for their crimes.At Derbyshire Live and the Derby Telegraph, we do our best to cover as many cases as possible, from crimes dealt with in the lower court to the more serious offences, heard at Derby Crown Court.When possible, we'll work with Derbyshire Police to release the offender's mugshot as well, to inform the public about what's going on in the city and county.March has, sadly, seen no decline in the number of defendants sent to prison for their crimes. Here, reporter Martin Naylor highlights just a few of the cases which were covered.Derby drug dealer Lenworth McLeanLenworth McLean was caught with Class A drugs as well as more than £7,000 near the city centre.The homeless 44-year-old was spotted by officers speaking with a woman on the steps which link Burton Road and Mount Carmel Street on Wednesday, January 28.A search of his car led officers to discover a wrap of cocaine.A further search at a property linked to McLean in Abbey Street saw officers discover heroin, crack cocaine, cannabis and the cash.The defendant was charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine, possession of cannabis and being in possession of criminal property - namely £7,131.33.Inspector Anthony England said: "Thanks to community intelligence we knew McLean was someone of interest who we needed to keep an eye on."As a result, officers were able to observe his action and swiftly move in to search him, which ultimately led to his arrest and subsequent imprisonment."Hotel attacker Jamie MewisJamie Mewis was jailed for 21 months for assaulting his ex-partner at a hotel in Derby.The 36-year-old and the victim argued after she found messages to other women on his phone, and when she said she would leave, he grabbed her by the neck and threw her onto the bed.Once he released his grip on her neck, the woman collapsed into a wall, banging her head.She then ran out of the room into the hotel's reception area, and the staff called police.Mewis fled the hotel, but he was arrested three days later.In a statement, the woman said: "Since Jamie assaulted me, it has completely turned my life upside down."I have been left with physical and mental trauma, including severe depression, borderline personality disorder and PTSD."Mewis, of Hillcrest Road, Derby, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.He was also given a 10-year restraining order, preventing him from having any contact with the woman.Detective staff investigator David Wright, who led the investigation, said: "Mewis is a violent offender who caused this woman to fear for her life."The consequences of his behaviour on this day are still being felt by her as even after the physical wounds have healed, she is still having to deal with the emotional and mental trauma."I would like to praise her courage in reporting this to police and seeing the case through to court."Rapist Oliver Maddocks“Dangerous" Oliver Maddocks raped a woman multiple times but denied the offences when he was arrested by police.The 39-year-old, formerly of Mountford Avenue, Wirksworth, subjected his victim to two rapes, a sexual assault, and voyeurism offences during the 2010s and 2020s.After he was charged, Maddocks denied the offences and replied 'no comment' to all other questions, forcing a trial on the case.But a jury convicted him on two counts of rape, one count of voyeurism, one count of possession of cocaine and another of possession of cannabis, receiving a 12-year jail term.PC Steven Sanderson, who, along with PC Kate Bradbury, led the investigation into Maddocks, said: "The victim’s decision to support the police and see this to the end demonstrates an exceptional level of courage. "To stand up, speak out, and go before the court for an investigation that took close to three-years and relive such distressing events reflects her tenacity and determination to ensure that Maddocks was brought to justice and cannot hurt others. "That she has been able to find a way forward through this life-changing trauma is nothing short of remarkable, and I am truly grateful for her support in this investigation that has led to this significant sentence." PC Bradbury added: "Oliver Maddocks is a dangerous sexual predator who I have no doubt would have continued to offend.”Horror film attacker Mark FairbrotherDad-of-one Mark Fairbrother dragged his ex-partner around her own home “as though she was nothing more than a rag doll” during a series of attacks in her own home.The chilling footage and audio of the assaults the defendant was responsible for were described by a judge as "reminiscent of horror movies rather than approaching real life”.The 44-year-old’s sentencing hearing at Nottingham Crown Court was told how he lay in wait for the woman before stamping on her neck, kicking, punching and even using a toy dog to strangle her.He then picked up a knife and told her he would “finish the job off” and also kill her dogs and her family.Jailing him for eight years, Judge Michael Auty KC said: “Against a backdrop of a previous suspended sentence which saw you handed a restraining order, you went to her address, and you lay in wait.“When she got home, she refused to let you in, but you managed to, and inside the house, you set about her in what was a prolonged, savage and merciless series of attacks in virtually every room of the house.“You slapped her, punched her, strangled her and grabbed her hair, dragging her around as though she was nothing more than a rag doll.“You stamped on her neck and got a toy dog which you used as a ligature around her throat.“You humiliated her by spitting in her face, picked up a knife and told her you would ‘finish the job off’.“Part of the attack was caught on footage from inside the house, and that has not been played in court to stop her reliving the humiliation and trauma.“But it is as chilling a piece of footage as anyone could ever hear.“It is more reminiscent of certain horror movies than anything approaching real life.”The attacks happened in Heanor in November last year, and Fairbrother, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to a number of offences, including intentional strangulation, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, criminal damage and breaching both a restraining order and a suspended sentence order.In addition to the jail term, the judge imposed a lifetime restraining order protecting the victim.Begger Leroy BrownProlific offender Leroy Brown has been banned from shops in Sinfin after being handed a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) for persistent anti-social behaviour.The 53-year-old, of no fixed address, appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court on March 4, 2026, and pleaded guilty to begging in a public place.The CBO means that for the next two years, he must not place himself in a position to beg within the city of Derby, be in the Sinfin district centre, be outside Asda in Sinfin or be outside Tesco in Sinfin, Derby.Anyone who sees Leroy Brown breaching the terms of his CBO has been urged to report it to police via their website , the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page or by calling 101.Child sex offender Mark KearneySex offender Mark Kearney was jailed for more than 20 years after he was found guilty of sexually abusing two children.The 55-year-old was arrested in November 2024 after abuse was reported to the police.The defendant, of no fixed address, was found guilty of charges of rape of a child under 13, assault by penetration of a child under 13, inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, assault by touching of a child under 13, and causing a child to look at an image of sexual activity.He was ordered to serve a 24-year jail term by a judge, with a six-year extended licence on release. Kearney is also required to register with the police indefinitely.Detective Constable Danielle Lynch said: "This has been an incredibly distressing case, and I want to commend the courage shown by both victims in coming forward and supporting the investigation.“Their strength has ensured that a dangerous offender has been brought to justice.“We will always take reports of child sexual abuse extremely seriously, and we are committed to doing everything we can to protect vulnerable children and pursue those who cause them harm.”Heanor arsonist Liam RhodesArsonist Liam Rhodes put the life of his then partner at risk when he deliberately set fire to her semi-detached Derbyshire home.The 30-year-old cocaine and alcohol abuser had threatened to carry out the attack a week earlier when he texted the woman saying, "10 minutes to burn you, I am going down tonight, I am going to make a scene".Following an argument, the defendant carried out the threat early one morning, when thankfully neither she nor her two children were inside.Handing him a six-year sentence, Judge Michael Auty KC said: “You threatened to start a fire a week before, you then started the fire in three separate places and abandoned the scene, leaving the victim and anyone else in that area to their fate.“You could not know how quickly the fire service would arrive, and you could not know how swiftly the fire would spread.“The risk of death was very real, and that it did not occur was a mercy, but that is not thanks to you.“It was, on any view, a colossal overreaction to any slight you might have felt.“She describes herself as ‘no angel’ in her victim impact statement, but she puts it best herself when she says ‘I don’t think I will ever understand or make sense of what happened’.“‘Sober Liam was a loving, caring and kind man, but alongside that, there was a lying, spiteful and horrible Liam, who has left me questioning if he ever loved me at all?’”The blaze took place in the early hours of October 12 last year at the victim’s semi-detached property in Market Place, Riddings.The defendant, of Newlands Road, Riddings, pleaded guilty to arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered and fraud.
