Charged and In Court: April 2022
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Some of our investigations which led to charges and/or convictions in court during April 2022.
Convictions
Highfields man admits killing his mother
A son who stabbed his mother to death at his Leicester home – and then fled the city – has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Aaron Matthew, 19, admitted killing Ingrid Matthew when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court.
Shortly before 6pm on Saturday 11 September last year, Matthew’s father returned to his home address in Lincoln Street, Highfields, which he shared with his son, and found his former partner – Matthew’s mother – inside. She had been stabbed several times.
Following enquiries, Aaron Matthew was charged with murder. However, during the trial, experts giving evidence on behalf of both the prosecution and defence agreed that Matthew had been suffering from a previously undiagnosed recognised medical condition. At the time of the killing this had substantially impaired his ability to exercise self-control. As a result, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
He will be sentenced at Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday 31 May.
More information: Highfields man admits killing his mother | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)
Man found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter
A man has been found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter following the death of his sister in 2019.
Philip Burdett, 59, and Cecil Burdett, 92, had both been standing trial at Leicester Crown Court charged with gross negligence manslaughter and causing/allowing the death of a vulnerable person in connection with the death of their sister and daughter Julie Burdett.
A jury found Philip guilty of gross negligence manslaughter and Cecil guilty of causing/allowing the death of a vulnerable person. The jury found Cecil not guilty of the manslaughter charge. The causing/allowing the death of a vulnerable person charge against Philip has been discontinued.
Paramedics were called to the family home in Oakside Crescent, Leicester on the afternoon of Tuesday 15 January 2019 by Cecil to a report that Julie, who was 61-years-old, had passed away.
When paramedics arrived at the address, Julie was found deceased and in an extremely poor condition so police were called by East Midlands Ambulance Service to attend.
More information: Man found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)
Serial sexual offender sentenced to 17 years imprisonment
A man who isolated young girls from their family and friends while sexually abusing them has been sentenced to serve 17 years in prison and a further three years on an extended licence.
Cassius Povey, 29, was convicted by a jury at Leicester Crown Court in January this year of:
- Two counts of raping a woman over the age of 16 and
- Six counts of raping a girl aged 13, 14 or 15
Cassius Povey
He had previously pleaded guilty to:
- one count of cause and incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in penetrative sexual activity
- Eight counts of engage in a penetrative sexual act with a girl aged 13 to 15
-One count of engage in non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15
-One count of meeting a girl under 16 following grooming
He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for life.
The investigation into the actions of Povey began in 2020 following content of social media posts which was reported to police by members of the public.
More information: 17-year prison sentence for serial sexual offender | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)
Drugs line duo sentenced for conspiracy offences
Two men who were arrested as part of a crack-down on drugs supply last year have been sentenced at Leicester Crown Court.
Marvin Kelly and Martin Evans were arrested in September 2021 when a number of warrants were executed under Operation Impose – the forces’ response to an increase in county lines drugs activity.
Kelly and Evans, both 38, were subsequently charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs – crack cocaine and heroin.
Kelly was sentenced to six years while Evans was sentenced to two years and eight months after both previously pleaded guilty to the charge.
More information: Drugs line duo sentenced for conspiracy offences | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)
Inmates jailed for prison mutiny
Seven inmates who caused more than £50,000 of damage when trying to take control of a Rutland prison have been given sentences totalling more than 18 years.
The group, who were being held at HMP Stocken, each pleaded guilty to a charge of participating in prison mutiny at an earlier hearing.
At around 5pm on 18 January 2020, Varldo Araujo climbed onto the safety netting on one of the landings before hitting a prison officer with a metal bar. The wing of the prison was subsequently locked down, with staff ordered to leave for their own safety.
A number of other prisoners then climbed onto the safety netting and began throwing furniture and emptying rubbish onto the landing. Liquids were also poured onto the floor to try and prevent prison officers from entering the wing, while washing machines and dryers were dragged from the laundry room and damaged. A pool table was also damaged and lights and CCTV cameras were smashed.
Eggs were also thrown at two prison officers by Araujo.
More than 80 additional prison officers were brought in to bring the wing back under control.
More information: Inmates jailed for prison mutiny | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)
Killer driver jailed for more than five years
A motorist who killed a passenger and seriously injured another in a collision where his speed exceeded 100mph in a residential area has been jailed for five years and two months.
Vinit Patel, 30, was sentenced at Leicester Crown Court after pleading guilty to one count of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Vinit Patel
At around 11.30pm on Sunday 17 January last year, police were called to Coleman Road in Evington following a report that a Seat Leon Cupra had collided with a tree. On arrival, they found that the impact of the collision had caused the car to split in two – and that the rear end was alight.
The back-seat passenger – a man in his 20s who owned the car – was pronounced dead at the scene. Patel and a front seat passenger, now aged 40, were both found unconscious at the scene and taken to hospital for treatment.
The passenger was found to have suffered broken ribs and a facial fracture which required three metal plates to be inserted, as well as a fracture to his lower back.
More information: Killer driver jailed for more than five years | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)
Four-year sentence for dangerous drug-dealing driver
A drug-dealer who drove through red lights and the wrong way down one-way streets – before hiding in a bush – has been jailed.
Shortly before 6pm on Sunday 1 August last year, officers from the force’s Roads Policing Unit (RPU) saw Brett Smith driving his silver Vauxhall Astra in Lubbesthorpe Way, Leicester. An automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) hit revealed that the car was linked to the supply of drugs and officers requested Smith to stop.
Brett Smith
However, he decided to try and make good his escape – at one point exceeding more than 100mph and weaving through traffic. He also drove through red lights and past no entry signs into one-way streets before eventually abandoning the car in Yew Tree Drive, Braunstone Frith.
Smith, 31, of Beaconsfield Road, Leicester, attempted to evade officers on foot, but was found hiding in a bush nearby and was arrested. When he was searched, two bags of heroin – with an estimated value of £1,100 – were found in his sock, along with more than £300 in cash and a list that appeared to be a record of drugs supplied on credit.
More information: Four-year sentence for dangerous drug-dealing driver | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)
Driver caused serious injuries to off-duty officer before leaving scene
“The driver knows how hard he hit me in their car and that medically I was in serious trouble but they just left me there in the road. I cannot fathom that out, it doesn’t make sense to me. We’re all human beings and if someone gets hurt, you stop and help.”
Those are the words of Police Constable Steve Clarke who was left with serious injuries after being hit by a car while he was cycling home from work during the early hours of 25 July 2020. The driver left the scene.
PC Clarke, who was off-duty at the time of the incident, suffered injuries including a broken bone in his neck, fractures to his spine, pelvis and right leg and several fractured ribs which punctured both his lungs.
At Leicester Crown Court, Vincent Wilson, 32 was sentenced to two years imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to causing the serious injury of the officer by dangerous driving. He has also been disqualified from driving for a total of four years.
Vincent Wilson
Charges
* For note - the below are incidents where a person has been charged with an offence. Court proceedings in relation to the allegation are still to be heard.
Three charged with murder following death of Raju Modhwadia
Three men have been charged with murder following the death of Raju Modhwadia.
Tameer Mitha, 35, of Hamilton Street, Leicester; Issakiah Davis-Simon, 26, of Chandos Street, Leicester; and Daniel Spencer, 32, of Westmeath Avenue, Leicester have all been charged with murder following the death of 41-year-old Raju Modhwadia in December last year.
All three have also been charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Mr Modhwadia, who was also known as Kara Muru, died after being found with significant stab wound injuries in the street in Evington Road, Leicester, near the junction with Hamilton Street, during the early hours of Monday 27 December.
Mitha, Davis-Simon and Spencer had previously been arrested in connection with the incident and released on bail while enquiries continued.
More information: Three charged with murder following death of Raju Modhwadia | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)
Attempted murder charge after East Leicester stabbing
A 20-year-old man has been charged following a stabbing in East Leicester.
Abdulkadir Mohamed has been charged with attempted murder following the stabbing in Saint James Terrace just before 11am on Tuesday 19 April.
Mohamed, of no fixed address, has also been charged with making threats to kill on Monday 18 April.
The victim, a 39-year-old man, was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He has since been discharged.
More information: Attempted murder charge after East Leicester stabbing | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)
Man charged with assisting an offender
Detectives investigating the death of Abdirahim Mohamed last September have charged a man with assisting an offender.
Adam Brant, 29, of Bale Road, Leicester, is charged with the offence following the death of Mr Mohamed, 18, who was found in Melbourne Street, Leicester, on the evening of 8 September with multiple stab wounds.
Mr Mohamed died in the early hours of Thursday 9 September.
Seven men have been charged with his murder, while a further three men were previously charged with assisting an offender.
More information: Abdirahim Mohamed murder: Man charged with assisting an offender | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)
Driver charged with causing serious injury to PCSO
A motorist has been charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving following a collision in Loughborough last year.
Muhammed Hussain, 40, of Toothill Road in Loughborough, has also been charged with driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit and driving without insurance.
The charges relate to a collision involving a car and a cyclist – PCSO Rita Purkayastha – on the A6 Leicester Road on 4 October 2021.
More information: Driver charged with causing serious injury to PCSO | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)
Three charged with being concerned in supply of class A drugs
Three people have been charged with being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
Muhamed Sameer Bhimani, 21, of Evington Drive, Leicester; Mohammed Junaid, 22, of Scraptoft Lane, Leicester; and Muse Dahir, 24, of Margarita Gardens, Newton Leys, Milton Keynes; have all been charged with being concerned in the supply of class A heroin and being concerned in the supply of class A cocaine.
Bhimani and Junaid have also been charged with possession of a bladed article.
More information: Three charged with being concerned in supply of class A drugs | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)
Two men charged with theft of steel from premises in Barrow-upon-Soar
Two men have been charged with the theft of steel from a premises in Barrow-upon-Soar, Leicestershire.
Levi Walker, 26, of Hungarton Lane, Keyham, Leicestershire, and Joseph Walker, 21, of Greengate Lane, Leicestershire, have been charged with stealing prefabricated steelwork parts from a premises in Sileby Road on 24 April this year.
Both men were remanded into custody to appear at Leicester Magistrates Court on Tuesday 26 April where they were both further remanded.
More information: Two men charged with theft of steel from premises in Barrow-upon-Soar | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)