Daniel Smith

A fraudster, who made up fake clients to pay himself thousands of pounds instead of vulnerable adults, was jailed.

Daniel Smith, of Hundred Acres Close, Holloway, was jailed for 30 months at a sentencing hearing at Oxford Crown Court on Wednesday, May 6.

The 30-year-old pleaded guilty to 11 counts of fraud by false representation, one count of theft by employee and one count of working with vulnerable adults when he was on the barred list.

The total value of the fraud was £17,730.

As well as being jailed for 30 months, Smith was ordered to pay a total of £18,080 in compensation.

Daniel Smith (Image: TVP)

Marilyn Kennedy

An Oxfordshire woman was jailed after lying to police that she’d been punched in the face and that two children had been kidnapped.

Marilyn Kennedy, aged 33, of Griffiths Road, Banbury, was sentenced to one year in prison at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, May 8.

At around 9.55pm on June 8, 2024, Kennedy called 999, reporting that she had been punched in the face by a named individual who she claimed had kidnapped two children.

Three people were arrested in connection with the report, but following a protracted and complex investigation, it became clear that Kennedy’s account was false.

Kennedy was subsequently arrested on October 22, 2024 and was charged on September 26 last year.

Marilyn Kennedy (Image: TVP)

Ali Abdallah

A drug dealer, who was found holding a county line, was jailed for more than five years.

Ali Abdallah, of Ainsworth Close, London, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, May 8.

The 33-year-old appeared in court to plead guilty to three offences.

He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply two class A drugs, namely crack cocaine and heroin in Didcot on April 8 this year.

Abdallah also pleaded guilty to being in possession of criminal property on the same occasion, namely £4,750 in cash.

Judge Ian Pringle KC jailed Abdallah for five years and seven months.

Orders were also made for the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs, paraphernalia and cash.

He was also given six penalty points.

Ali Abdallah (Image: TVP)

Leonardo Silvestre

A Brazilian drug dealer, who posed as a pizza delivery driver, was jailed for more than two years.

Leonardo Silvestre, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday, May 12.

The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to supply a class A drug, namely cocaine.

The court heard Silvestre, who is a Brazilian national, was arrested by police on a moped in Denchworth Road, Wantage, on April 10.

Thames Valley Police previously said it stopped a male “posing as a food‑delivery rider after suspicious behaviour caught our attention”.

Silvestre was jailed for a total of 26 months and orders were made for the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs, his phone, cash and the moped.

Leonardo Silvestre (Image: TVP)

Kyle Cox

A young thug who sliced the top of a man’s thumb off with a Samurai sword in a jealous attack was jailed.

Kyle Cox, of Harebell Road, Oxford, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday, May 14.

The 23-year-old was charged after a stabbing at Northfield Close, near the junction with Alice Smith Square in the Littlemore area of Oxford, at around midnight on Thursday, December 11 last year.

Cox pleaded guilty to wounding Zachary Stone and having a Samurai sword in a public place.

The victim suffered serious injuries and was sent to hospital.

Cox was jailed for a total of six years.

He was given a restraining order against the victim until a further order is made.

An order was also made for the forfeiture of the Samurai sword.

Kyle Cox (Image: TVP)

Nigel Savill

An Oxford thug who knocked-out his friend, putting him in an induced coma, was jailed.

Nigel Savill, of The Slade, Oxford, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday, May 12.

The 48-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of section 20 grievous bodily harm without intent against the victim Mark Marshall.

The incident happened on April 12 at The Slade.

Savill was jailed for 14 months.

Nigel Savill (Image: TVP)

Darren Taylor

A woman thought her ex-partner was going to kill her when she woke up to find him strangling her.

Darren Taylor, of Westfield, Harwell, near Didcot, was jailed at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday, May 21.

The 35-year-old previously pleaded guilty to one count of intentional strangulation committed against his ex-partner in Witney on December 4 last year.

Taylor was jailed for 24 months. He was also given a six-year restraining order against the victim.

Darren Taylor (Image: TVP)

Gabriel Chamberlain

A career criminal was jailed for a host of offences including knocking a police officer unconscious while riding a bike.

Gabriel Chamberlain, of Southfield Park, Oxford, had been due to stand trial at Oxford Crown Court on Wednesday, May 20.

The 52-year-old had pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent on PC Jack McCormack in Oxford on November 16 last year.

However before the trial could start, he pleaded guilty to a section 20 offence, which is causing grievous bodily harm without intent.

Chamberlain was also sentenced for 14 thefts from shops, two non-dwelling burglaries, five theft of pedal cycles, failing to provide a drugs sample, failing to answer to court bail and common assault of a shop worker earlier last year.

For all the offences, Judge Ian Pringle KC handed Chamberlain a prison sentence of 40 months.

Gabriel Chamberlain (Image: TVP)

Hasan Zubair

A young man was jailed after waving a knife at a victim through a window after demanding £100 from him.

Hasan Zubair, of Alma Road, Banbury, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, May 22.

The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of attempted robbery and one count of being in possession of a knife in a public place.

The court heard the offences were committed against a man called Ben Reid on May 12, 2024.

Zubair was jailed for a total of 45 months.

He was also given a restraining order against the victim for 10 years.

Hasan Zubair (Image: TVP)

Zachary Spencer

An abusive young man punched his pregnant ex-partner in the stomach and threatened to throw her baby across a room, a court heard.

Zachary Spencer, of Robinson Road, Wootton near Abingdon, was jailed for more than two years at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday, May 26.

The court heard the 21-year-old had initially denied the offence of being engaged in controlling and coercive behaviour and was set to face a trial at the magistrates’ court.

However, he ended up pleading guilty.

Spencer was jailed for a total of 33 months.

He was also given a restraining order to not contact the victim for 10 years.

Jeremy Laming was one of the original founders of the annual Henley Swim event when it launched in 2004, and a co-founder of the popular outdoor swimmer shop, Selkie.

It was announced on Monday, June 1 that Mr Laming has passed away.

READ MORE: Oxford University college buys £6.7m Stonemason House

An ex-rower, Mr Laming founded The Henley Swim with Tom Kean more than 20 years ago after the pair decided it would be fun to start swimming the Henley Royal Regatta Course at sunrise.

Jeremy Laming organising one of the many popular Classic Henley Swim events, on the regatta course at sunrise (Image: The Henley Swim)

It quickly became a community event with hundreds getting involved in the annual Classic Swim as well as others put on throughout the year, building a community of wild swimmers.

A statement from The Henley Swim following Mr Laming’s death said: “It is with enormous sadness that we share the news of the passing of our co-founder and friend Jeremy Laming.

“Henley Swim began with Jeremy and Tom over 20 years ago, a clandestine swim which sparked a community.

“A community where thousands of people have found joy, friendship and a love of the outdoors. Jeremy was its very heart.

“We will miss him and his presence, and we send our love and heartfelt sorrow to Aimee, their daughters and Jeremy’s family and friends.

“Jeremy, we thank you for everything.”

Jeremy Laming was one of the founders of The Henley Swim (Image: The Henley Swim)

Mr Laming and Mr Dean likewise founded Selkie together, a sustainable and independent brand which makes clothes, swimwear and accessories for the outdoors.

READ MORE: Former Jamie Oliver Italian restaurant space to reopen soon

A statement from Selkie said: “Those who have been with us from the beginning will remember Jeremy and Tom well.

“We will always cherish the memories of swims, design sessions, events and photo shoots.

“Above all, we will remember Jeremy’s passion, generosity, friendship and boundless energy.”

In 2022, planning permission was granted to Crest Nicholson Operations following a successful appeal.

A consultation process is now taking place for locals to have their say on the plans.

Councillor Liam Mackenzie for Ducklington said in a statement: “I would encourage residents to read the plans and add any comments before June 16.

“I have additional concerns granting the same developers permission to build new houses, when they still haven’t completed parts of phase one of Colwell Green.”

West Oxfordshire District Council initially refused permission in March 2022 because the initial permission for the whole development, granted in 2017, included an area which would have an  employment use and was meant to include a hotel and office space.

The housing estate will have only one access point in Witney for cars at the end of Millet Way and another for pedestrians and cyclists at the end of Rye Crescent.

The plans consist of 23 three-bedroom houses, 19 four-bedroom houses, and three five-bedroom houses.

READ MORE: Campaigner launches new website to expose ‘Pothole Armageddon’

The developer has also said that 19 houses would be ‘affordable rent’, eight houses would be for first-time buyers, and three would be for shared ownership.

The developer has also assured a new play park would be built at the south east side of the development.

Mr Mackenzie also raised concerns that there would only be space for 15 visitor parking spaces after construction of the houses is over.

The application seeks approval until Tuesday, May 17 of the design, layout, landscaping, scale and access arrangements for the residential scheme on land south-west of Downs Road.

The planning covers the finer details of how the development would be delivered, including the appearance of the homes, the road layout, public spaces and landscaping.

The plans are under consultation, with residents and stakeholders invited to comment before a decision is made by the council.

If approved, the development would add 75 homes to the area as part of ongoing housing growth on the western edge of Witney and Curbridge..

The application was received by the council and validated on Monday, May 18.

The development was originally refused by West Oxfordshire District Council’s planning committee in 2022.

However, the proposal was subsequently allowed on appeal in May 2023, enabling the scheme to proceed to the detailed design stage

Under the plans Crest Nicholson will add more homes to the 257 already permitted at Colwell Green, a site that used to be home to the now-defunct Witney Town Football Club and has two industrial units backing on to it.