Who was jailed in Norfolk last month?

Arnold Fox

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Frail pensioner jailed at Norwich Crown Court.Frail pensioner jailed at Norwich Crown Court. (Image: Archant)

Arnold Fox, 77, formerly of Newton St Faith, near Norwich, who arrived at court using a walker, admitted taking indecent photographs of a child, exposing himself and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity on May 31, 2021.

Duncan O'Donnell, prosecuting at Norwich Crown Court, said when Fox was arrested, indecent images were found on his phone, which he had taken himself.

Jailing him for four years, Judge Anthony Bate said to the outside world Fox appeared as a kind and generous man but said there was a darker side.

He also placed him on the sex offender's register for life and made him subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

John Morgans, for Fox, said he was not a well man: "He is someone who is not in robust health. He is genuinely remorseful."

Andrew Francis

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Andrew Francis was jailed for 32 months.Andrew Francis was jailed for 32 months. (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

Andrew Francis, 39, was made subject of a criminal behaviour order (CBO) banning him from entering parts of Norwich, including Prince of Wales Road, where in the past he has inhaled the gas in public, once causing a fire to a shop doorway.

But Norwich Crown Court heard that the day after his release from jail, despite having hotel accommodation, he was found with a sleeping bag in Prince of Wales Road.

Andrew Oliver, prosecuting, said he was released on bail, but then three days later was found again in Prince of Wales Road, this time surrounded by cans of butane gas.

Francis, of no fixed address, admitted breaching his order on April 14 and 17 this year, and possession of a small amount of cannabis.

Jailing him for 30 months, Judge Maureen Bacon said all options had been tried in the past.

David Wilson

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Police arrest David Wilson at his home in King's Lynn, in August 2017.Police arrest David Wilson at his home in King's Lynn, in August 2017. (Image: National Crime Agency)

Norfolk paedophile David Wilson of Kirstead, King's Lynn, who preyed on young boys by posing as girls has seen his prison sentence increased.

He was jailed for 25 years in February for committing 96 child sex abuse offences relating to 52 victims.

But, following the decision at Ipswich Crown Court, the Solicitor General referred Wilson’s sentence to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

On Thursday (May 27), the court ruled the sentence was unduly lenient and increased it to 28 years’ imprisonment followed by eight years on licence.

Lewis Orford

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Lewis Orford.Lewis Orford. (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

Lewis Orford, 30, was appearing over a link from Norwich Prison when he interrupted the judge to say he was not dangerous as it was a toy gun.

The court heard how Orford armed himself with a plastic gun and held up Hart Stores and post office in Costessey, pointing the weapon at staff and demanding cash from the till.

He also pointed the gun at an 80-year-old customer, but she also refused to hand over her purse.

John Morgans, prosecuting, said Orford fled empty-handed but then 20 minutes later struck again, this time pointing the weapon at a female member of staff at Victoria Stores in Mattishall.

She also refused to hand over cash so he stole a charity box containing about £40.

Judge Katharine Moore said he was a dangerous offender and imposed an 11-year sentence made up of seven years custody and four years extended licence.

Jack Belton

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Jack Belton has been jailed after admitting burglary and fraud offences.Jack Belton has been jailed after admitting burglary and fraud offences. (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

Jack Belton, 36, had spotted an elderly woman buying lavender plants before making an "unsolicited offer" to plant them for her.

Norwich Crown Court heard that after visiting the vulnerable victim, who has mobility problems, at her home in Hunstanton, Belton lied to her about needing the toilet.

While going to the toilet he entered her bedroom and took several cheques.

Belton later attempted to get £12,500 from the cheques but the fraud was thwarted by a vigilant member of bank staff.

After being arrested and interviewed Belton attempted to say the victim was “addled by alcohol” and could not be trusted.

Sentencing Belton to a total of 18 months in prison, Judge Andrew Shaw said: "This is the sort of offending that utterly appals the public, utterly appals the courts.”

He said the courts “must protect elderly people alone in their own home”.

Sean Palmer, Sebastian Smith and Becki West-Davidson

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Sean Palmer, Sebastian Smith and Becki West-Davidson, who were convicted of murdering Ipswich man Joe Pooley.Sean Palmer, Sebastian Smith and Becki West-Davidson, who were convicted of murdering Ipswich man Joe Pooley. (Image: Suffolk Police)

Sean Palmer, 30, of South Market Road, had been convicted of murder by majority verdicts by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court in March after a four-month trial.

He was sentenced for a minimum term of 18 years on Monday for the killing of Ipswich man Joe Pooley.

Ipswich Crown Court heard Palmer had held the victim's head down and drowned him in the River Gipping in Suffolk.

Palmer left court during the sentencing and was sentenced in his absence.

Simon Spence, QC for Palmer, said his client had left court because he had a medical appointment he was anxious not to miss.

He said drink and drugs had been a continuous feature of Palmer’s life prior to the killing.

Sebastian Smith, of no fixed address, and Becki West-Davidson, 30, of Rope Walk, Ipswich, were also convicted of murder.

Kurt Nelson

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Kurt Nelson, 24, launched the “savage” attack on April 29 in 2019 in HMP Whitemoor near March, where he was a serving prisoner at the time.Kurt Nelson, 24, launched the “savage” attack on April 29 in 2019 in HMP Whitemoor near March, where he was a serving prisoner at the time. (Image: Cambridgeshire Police)

Kurt Nelson, 24, launched a savage attack in April 2019 at HMP Whitemoor near March, where he was a serving prisoner at the time.

He has had his 11 year jail sentence for two stabbings in Norwich extended after attempting to slash a fellow prisoner's throat.

The alarm was raised and Nelson, who is currently serving an 11-year sentence for two stabbings in Norwich back in 2017, then ran into an area with no CCTV coverage.

In police interview Nelson answered, “no comment” to all questions asked of him.

He was charged with attempted murder but pleaded not guilty to the charge.

After a three-day trial at Peterborough Crown Court in February, jurors took just over six hours to find him guilty.

Nelson, now at a different prison, was sentenced at the same court on Friday, May 21, where he was handed a total of 21 years in prison.

He must serve at least 14 years before being eligible for release.

Alan Ludar-Smith

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Alan Ludar-Smith, 46, was handed down a three year, four-month sentence, at Norwich Crown Court.Alan Ludar-Smith, 46, was handed down a three year, four-month sentence, at Norwich Crown Court. (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

Alan Ludar-Smith, 46, had to be helped in the dock after he was handed down a three year, four-month sentence, at Norwich Crown Court.

Ludar-Smith, who admitted a number of sex offences, asked a young girl online to send him an indecent photo of her younger sister, said to be aged four.

Ludar-Smith was also found to have indecent images of children and to have distributed indecent images to one other person.

Jailing him and placing him on the sex offenders register for life, Judge Maureen Bacon said he had an unhealthy sexual interest in young girls.

She said it was not known if the girls he had chatted with were real or not but he had asked one of them to send a picture of her younger sister who was meant to be four.

Abdul Lahdiri, Jamal Goole, Katie Knights and unnamed 16-year-old

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Abdul Lahdiri, 19, was sentenced to three years in a young offenders' institute.Abdul Lahdiri, 19, was sentenced to three years in a young offenders' institute. (Image: Norfolk Police)

Goole, Lahdiri and Knights appeared for sentence on Tuesday, May 18 having previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

Goole, from London, was sentenced to four years in prison by Judge Anthony Bate.

Lahdiri, from London, was sentenced to three years in a young offenders institution and Knights, also from London, was jailed for three years.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Jamal Goole was jailed for four years for his part in a class A drugs conspiracy.Jamal Goole was jailed for four years for his part in a class A drugs conspiracy. (Image: Norfolk Police)

The 16-year-old, from the London area, previously received a 12-month detention and training order at a hearing last month for his involvement as well as possession of a knife.

Mathew Kirk, mitigating for Goole, said the defendant had been “recruited into the management of that line”.

Letitia Duffus, for Lahdiri, said he was just 18 on the first day of the conspiracy adding any sentence should have regard to his immaturity at the time.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Katie Knights.Katie Knights. (Image: Norfolk Police)

Imogen Nelson, for Knights, said the offending was inextricably linked to her addiction at that time.

Goole, Lahdiri, Knights and the teenager are the latest people to be sentenced under Op Orochi, a joint operation between Norfolk Police and the Metropolitan Police, which focuses on analysing mobile phone data to target those running County Lines out of the capital into smaller counties.