Oxford News
Oxford Crown Court – round-up of 10 criminals jailed in March
Neil Stafford
A conman was jailed for stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Neil Stafford, 60, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Monday, March 2.
In November last year a jury found him guilty of seven counts of fraud by false representation by unanimous verdicts after a two-month trial.
The total amount paid to Stafford by the seven people was £882,000.
The total repaid was just £141,800, which meant a loss of around £740,000.
Stafford was jailed for a total of nine years and banned from being a company director for 15 years.
Berajd Mazari
An Albanian man has been jailed for behaviour against a woman which included controlling the clothes she wore, the friends she saw and forcing her to take drugs.
Berajd Mazari, of Lark Rise, Brackley, in Northamptonshire, was accused of the offences in Banbury in 2024.
On Friday, January 23, a jury in Oxford found him guilty of controlling and coercive behaviour, and being in possession of an imitation firearm.
The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to being in possession of cannabis and cocaine and being in possession of a fake Italian driving licence.
He was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on March 6.
Mazari was jailed for 30 months and given a restraining order against the victim and her mother for seven years.
Francis Nala-Hartley
A violent thug kicked the door of his ex-partner and punched her mother in the face after taking drugs, a court heard.
Francis Nala-Hartley, of Edgecombe Road, Headington, was jailed at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday, March 10.
The 30-year-old pleaded guilty two counts of failing to surrender to police bail.
He was tried and convicted in his absence for one count of assault, causing actual bodily harm, last year.
Nala-Hartley was jailed for a total of 22 months.
Daniel Carruthers
A drug dealer who hid heroin and crack cocaine in deodorant cans was jailed.
Daniel Carruthers, of Blue Mountains, Wallingford, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday, March 26.
The 34-year-old was found guilty at a trial last year of possession with intent to supply two class A drugs, namely heroin and crack cocaine.
It related to an incident when police found drugs at an address in Northfield Road, Headington, on May 29 last year.
Carruthers was jailed for a total of eight years and orders were made for the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and phone found.
Charlotte McCollin
An Oxford woman, with more than 200 previous offences, was jailed for violence and intimidation.
Charlotte McCollin, of Botley Road, Oxford, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Wednesday, March 25.
The 34-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating, one count of intimidating a witness, one count of theft and one count of criminal damage.
McCollin was jailed for two years and given a five-year restraining order to not contact the victim.
Laurence Whittaker
An Oxfordshire man has been jailed for an attack on his ex and his ex’s mum which left both with multiple injuries.
Laurence Whittaker, of Cowley Road, Oxford, was sentenced to a combined eight years at Oxford Crown Court.
He received two prison sentences to run consecutively for his actions on January 10, 2025, with six years given for the section 18 wounding with intent to commit grievous bodily harm against Lindsay Webber, his former partner’s mother.
For the assault occasioning actual bodily harm against former partner, Jessica Clements, he received two years.
The court issued restraining orders for 10 years on him for both women.
James Alder and Brendon Shamu
Two drug dealers were jailed for their roles in operating a county line in Oxfordshire.
James Alder and Brendon Shamu were sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, March 27.
Alder, 21, of Limborough Road, Wantage, and Shamu, 27, of Field Gardens, Steventon, near Abingdon, were both charged with drug dealing offences in Abingdon between October 1 last year and January 23 this year.
Both men pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, namely crack cocaine and heroin.
Shamu also pleaded guilty to being in possession of criminal property, namely £8,795 in cash.
Shamu was jailed for a total of 49 months and Alder for three years.
Orders were made for the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs, paraphernalia, phones and cash.
Henry Williams
Two robbers, armed with a knife and a crowbar, threatened a shop worker and emptied the till of money in a ‘terrifying’ incident.
Henry Williams, of Orchard Way, Banbury, was jailed at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday, March 26.
The 33-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of robbery, committed on New Year’s Eve last year at the Quick Stop, in Warwick Road, Banbury.
The court heard that Williams, and an unidentified man, entered the shop just before 8am on the day in question.
Williams was jailed for a total of 42 months.
Ryan Corbett
A man who lied about his BMW crash was jailed.
Ryan Corbett, of Derwent Avenue, Headington, was given a two-year prison sentence.
On February 4, a jury had found him guilty of both crimes by unanimous verdict after around 20 minutes of deliberation.
The 43-year-old had denied fraud by false representation and perverting the course of justice in Oxford on September 4, 2022.
Amazon has launched a new World Cup dine-in deal that could save football fans up to £7.40 on their match-day food and drinks.
The online retail giant might be best known for bigger purchases but it also does groceries too, and it is offering shoppers the chance to pick up two Franco Manca pizzas and a four-pack of drinks for £11 through Amazon Fresh throughout June.
The limited-time promotion runs here until June 30 and is available with same-day and next-day delivery, making it a handy option for last-minute World Cup watch parties.
What’s Included In Amazon’s £11 World Cup Deal?
Customers can mix and match from a selection of popular Franco Manca pizzas, including:
- Salami, ‘Nduja & Hot Honey Pizza
- Greek Inspired Chicken Gyros Pizza
- Quattro Formaggi & Balsamic Glaze Pizza
- Meatball Ragu Pizza
The bundle also includes a choice of selected four-packs of drinks.
Options include:
- Coca-Cola Original Taste
- Coca-Cola Zero Sugar
- Birra Moretti
- Birra Moretti Zero Alcohol-Free
According to Amazon, customers can save up to £7.40 compared with buying the items separately.
The deal is available through Amazon Fresh and can be delivered directly to customers’ doors, helping fans stock up before kick-off without leaving home.
Where is Amazon Fresh available?
Amazon Fresh is available across a growing number of towns and cities throughout the UK, including London, Birmingham, Manchester and other major locations.
Shoppers can check whether the service is available in their area by entering their postcode through the Amazon Fresh storefront. The service offers everything from fresh groceries and chilled food to cupboard essentials and household products.
Customers can then choose from same-day or next-day delivery slots seven days a week, subject to availability.
Some shoppers can get their order in just 30 minutes
For customers in selected London postcodes, Amazon now offers ultra-fast grocery delivery through Amazon Now, with orders arriving in as little as 30 minutes.
The retailer has also confirmed plans to expand the rapid delivery service to Birmingham and Manchester later this year, giving even more football fans access to last-minute match-night essentials.
Recommended reading:
World Cup watch parties
With millions expected to tune into this summer’s biggest football matches, retailers are racing to tempt shoppers with food and drink deals.
Amazon says the promotion is designed to help customers get match-ready, whether they’re hosting a watch party, planning a family night in or simply looking for an easy dinner before the game.
Alongside the pizza bundle, shoppers can also browse Amazon Fresh’s range of snacks, party food and international dishes inspired by teams competing in the tournament.
The £11 World Cup dine-in deal is available now until June 30, while stocks last.
Will you try out this deal? Let us know in the comments.
It comes as the US and Iran sign a deal to end the war and lay the foundations for the crucial Strait of Hormuz crude oil shipping lane to be reopened after months of blockages.
According to analysis by the RAC, the average price of petrol has fallen by nearly 5p since its conflict high of 159.53p on May 28, to 154.72p on Thursday.
Tesco in Cowley remains the lowest price for petrol in the city at 151.9p, according to the online tracker Petrol Prices, with the BP garage in Marston at 155.9p.
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Head of policy Simon Williams said: “The diesel drop has been even more dramatic having come down by 17p a litre from 191.54p on 15 April to 174.3p which means drivers are saving £9.50 every time they fill up. The last time the UK average price of diesel was under 175p was on 24 March.
“Even more positively, the rate of reduction ought to accelerate as the price of a barrel of oil has been under $80 for the last two days – something we haven’t seen since the start of March. Drivers can now expect to see the average pump price of petrol drop below 150p in the next week or so, while diesel should drop back under 170p.”
Whately played Robbie Lewis in the Oxford-based crime drama Inspector Morse, alongside John Thaw, between 1987 and 2000.
He reprised the role of Robbie Lewis in the ITV drama Lewis, alongside Laurence Fox, and the series ran from 2006 to 2015.
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John Thaw, who will forever be remembered for his portrayal of Colin Dexter’s creation Endeavour Morse, died from throat cancer in 2002, and Whately, who was awarded the OBE last year, said he still missed him “terribly”.
“He was like a brother to me,” he added.
Whately, who lives in Buckinghamshire, is appearing in The Importance of Being Earnest at Garsington Opera from July 10. He said he had realised something was wrong in the run-up to John Thaw’s death.
He told the Telegraph: “While we were shooting the last film (a special, broadcast in 2000) he kept saying, ‘I don’t feel good, I don’t feel right.’
“And then we both did a charity event on the South Bank, in which he had to sing, and he was struggling with his voice. That was the beginning of it.
“He was diagnosed right after that. He went sort of underground a bit to lick his wounds, and didn’t come out much, but I saw him a couple of times before he died.”
Over the years, Whately shared a trailer with Thaw, and spent many hours with him on set.
He recalled: “Those glowering eyebrows could be very intimidating.
“But once you got to know him, which could take a couple of years, you realised what a wonderful raconteur he could be.”
From 2006 to 2015, Whately starred in the Inspector Morse sequel, Lewis, alongside Laurence Fox, and they were in touch recently.
“I spoke to him on the phone last year when he was getting married. I haven’t seen him for a couple of years though. I’m not a fan of his politics.”
The actors discussed politics from time to time.
Whately added: “We did, and because he knew that I was a bit of a Lefty I thought he just said things to wind me up. I loved Laurence.
“He was good fun to work with and he was a very, very good actor. But his life took over. It’s a great shame for the acting industry.”
For many years, Kevin Whately was a familiar face during filming on Oxford streets and would stop and chat to fans and passers-by.
The actor first made his name playing Neville in the 1980s comedy Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.
When he was awarded the OBE in January last year, Christopher Sullivan, who runs a website dedicated to the Morse, Lewis and Endeavour TV series, said: “It’s wonderful to know that Kevin is not just being recognised for his charity work with organisations such as Action for Children and The Alzheimers Society, but also for the joy he has brought to many people through his varied acting roles.
“In particular, his role as Robbie Lewis in the Morse and Lewis series. Those series were watched by millions and Kevin, and his portrayal of Lewis, is loved by millions. This is a well-deserved honour.”
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