Five offenders receiving recent prison sentences at Durham Crown Court

Other offenders receiving either immediate or suspended prison sentences included a man who gave police someone else’s name during a police stop, a street-level cannabis dealer and a domestic violence perpetrator.

Another offender jailed was a man who made an insulting remark at a judge from the dock at the court and then refused when given the chance to apologise.

Five defendants who have been jailed or received suspended sentences in past week at Durham Crown Court. (Image: Durham Constabulary/Contributor)

A man involved in a targeted shooting and petrol-bomb attack on a County Durham house has been jailed for 15 years.

Iain Boddy was part of a group that fired a suspected pump-action shotgun and hurled three petrol bombs at the Burnhope property on Friday, December 5 last year.

Iain Boddy (Image: Durham Constabulary)

People were inside the Front Street house, but no-one was injured, the court heard.

But no-one from the property agreed to help prosecutors.

Boddy, 44, of Moule Crescent, Auckland Park, Bishop Auckland, denied possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and arson with intent to endanger life at his trial this week.

He was found guilty of both charges on the fourth day of his trial and was sentenced later in the day by Judge Richard Clews.

Boddy was cleared of trying to set fire to a property in Broom Hill, Stanley, with intent to endanger life, on Christmas Day last year.

He must serve up to two-thirds of his 15-year sentence in prison before being released on licence.

READ MORE: Burnhope arson and shooting said to be part of intimidation campaign

A controlling man kicked his terrified “ex” in the face after grabbing her by the neck, shoving her against a wall and biting her breast.

Ian Hind was said to have treated his partner “appallingly” towards the end of their four-and-a-half year relationship, culminating in him squeezing her neck until she was almost breathless after a row over her going out without him, in January this year.

Ian Hind (Image: Public contribution)

She managed to flee his home and reached her car, where she called police, only later realising that clumps of her hair had been pulled out.

The court heard she suffered cuts, bruises and swelling to her head, neck, face, body and legs, including black eyes and a broken finger.

She has needed ongoing treatment for injuries to her nostrils and scar tissue.

He was arrested and released on police bail on condition he did not contact her, but ignored it by messaging her and sending derogatory messages about her son.

Hind, Northbridge Park, St Helen Auckland, was sentenced at the court after admitting harassment and being convicted of intentional strangulation and assault causing actual bodily harm after a trial before magistrates in June.

He initially planned to challenge his convictions, but withdrew his appeal last month.

Judge Richard Clews told Hind he behaved “appallingly” and caused his former partner “significant physical and psychological injuries”.

But he accepted the Probation Service’s assessment that the 51-year-old civil engineer poses a “low risk” of reoffending and could be rehabilitated in the community.

The judge said Hind’s offences merited prison but after “much deliberation” said he “ticks all the boxes” for a three-year sentence to be suspended for two years under new sentencing laws introduced in March.

Hind must, however, complete 41 rehabilitation and accredited programme sessions overseen by probation, as well as 200 hours’ unpaid work.

He also ordered him to pay his victim £2,000 compensation and £705 in court costs, at the rate of £150 a month.

A restraining order prohibits Hind from contacting or approaching his victim, or visiting two named streets in Newton Aycliffe, for ten years.

READ MORE: Bishop Auckland man’s behaviour to partner became increasingly abusive

A County Durham dealer was caught out when police found 31kg of cannabis in a holdall and two shopping bags.

Corbyn Farn, 32, received a 27-month sentence after admitting two charges relating to the supply of cannabis in Seaham, in December 2022.

Corbyn Farn (Image: Durham Constabulary)

As he was serving a suspended sentence for similar offending at the time, nine months were activated, taking his total prison term to 36 months.

Farn admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply between December 1 and 31, 2022, at a plea hearing at the court on August 5 this year.

He also admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis, on December 31, 2022.

The court heard that when Farn was arrested over an unrelated matter in December 2022 he was found with more than 31kg of cannabis in a holdall and two shopping bags.

Police also recovered scales, snap bags, a mobile phone and cannabis growing equipment.

The cannabis was estimated to be worth between £10,000 and £12,500 on the street.

Smaller amounts of cannabis were also found at a second address linked to Farn.

Messages on his phone suggested he was selling cannabis directly to “customers”.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the mobile phone, cannabis and other equipment seized when Farn was arrested in December 2022.

READ MORE: Seaham dealer caught with 31kg of cannabis in shopping bags

A banned driver gave police another man’s name when he was stopped because he feared a longer driving ban.

Anthony Prior’s attempt to evade detection put suspicion on an innocent man and ultimately landed him in prison.

(Image: Durham Constabulary)

Prior, 32, of Oak Lea, Witton Gilbert, appeared at the court after admitting perverting the course of justice at a plea hearing in July.

Prosecutor Imogen Eastham-Brown said police stopped Prior on Stockley Lane, near Crook, at about 1.30pm on November 18, 2024.

Prior gave another man’s name, spelling it out and giving his date-of-birth, and told the officer he had no driving licence or other identification on him at the time.

He also claimed his phone had no social media profile which could verify his identity.

The man whose identity Prior used had no licence, and the defendant told police his father insured him to drive.

Miss Eastham-Brown said the man’s father was contacted, but after 20 minutes Prior, still claiming to be the other man, admitted he had no licence and was uninsured.

The man whose name Prior gave later told police he knew nothing about the stop.

A screenshot from body-worn footage identified Prior as the most likely match with the driver stopped in November 2024, and police visited him on November 5 last year.

Miss Eastham-Brown said Prior indicated he would plead guilty early in the case.

She said he has 18 convictions for 22 offences, including driving without a licence in 2009 and while disqualified in June 2024 for which he received a 12-month community order and a three-year driving ban.

The judge said Prior’s benefit was that he was not charged with driving while disqualified.

“I appreciate a lot of water has gone under the bridge since November 2024 but in my judgement the law is that offences of this type are so serious only immediate custody can follow.”

Judge Clews imposed a six-month prison sentence, of which Prior may serve only 40 per cent.

READ MORE: Witton Gilbert banned driver jailed for giving police false name

A defendant’s four-letter insult to a judge earned him two extra months jail for contempt of court.

Kai Taylor appeared before Judge Jo Kidd at Durham Crown Court on July 27 after surrendering himself, following seven months on a bench warrant for failing to attend a January hearing.

Kai Taylor (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Judge Kidd questioned a remark made by one of Taylor’s associates in the public gallery.

She ordered Taylor’s three “followers” to leave, but he then shouted from the dock that he had made the remark and repeated it, saying: “Snobby ****”.

After speaking to his lawyers, Taylor refused to apologise and was charged with contempt of court.

Taylor, 26, appeared via video link from Durham Prison before Judge Francis Laird at Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday (September 15), for sentence on the contempt offence and original charges.

Those involved breaching a restraining order by visiting his ex-partner in Seaham on August 1 last year, breaching a 12-month suspended prison sentence and failing to attend court in January.

Taylor, 26, of no fixed abode, but previously from Seaham, admitted all the charges.

His barrister, Tony Davis, said there was little he could say because his client had, “in reality, run out of rope”.

He added that Taylor’s comment to the judge was “no more than bravado on his behalf”.

READ MORE: Seaham man who swore at judge jailed for further two months

Read next … more court stories from The Northern Echo, by clicking here

Judge Laird said the matter probably would have gone no further if Taylor had taken the chance to apologise, on July 27.

The judge imposed consecutive sentences for the breaches, bail offence and for the contempt (two months), bring a total 12-month prison sentence.

He told Taylor his six weeks on remand would count towards his sentence.