17 Shropshire criminals jailed in July - including burglars, a violent abuser and a teenage drug gang
Shropshire's courts were busy in July dealing with cases of varying magnitude.
With prisons bursting at the seams, more criminals are being handed suspended sentences, with immediate custodial terms reserved for the worst offenders.
Among those sent down to the cells in Shropshire was one violent abuser whose wife played dead when he strangled her with a dressing gown cord - in front of their horrified son.
Earlier in the month, two men were locked up after being involved in a string of burglaries across the county.
One of those houses targeted belonged to an elderly woman in Shrewsbury, who had left the house for the first time following the death of her 94-year-old husband just weeks prior.
Among the items taken from her home was jewellery gifted to the woman by her late husband.
Here are those and some of the other cases the Shropshire Star reported on throughout the month.
Pair of Albanian burglars who struck homes across Shropshire
Aldi Biba, 33, and Altin Cela, 37, both of Moss Hall Grove, London, came face-to-face with one of their victims during the hearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Wednesday, July 7.
Both men had admitted being involved in a series of burglaries across the county - in Wem, Wellington, and Shrewsbury - stealing thousands of pounds in cash and a host of valuable items in the process.
The court heard from one elderly woman whose home in Shrewsbury was targeted by the pair just six weeks after the death of her 94-year-old husband.
Biba was sentenced to a total of three years and eight months in prison, and Cela was jailed for three years and 11 months.
Prada-wearing Shrewsbury coke dealer found with £11k of drugs and £17k of cash
Edmund Wellsby, 29, of St George's Street, Shrewsbury, was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court after admitting charges of being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to supply, and possession of criminal property.
Dylan Wagg, prosecuting, said Wellsby had been stopped by officers in the Mount Street area of Shrewsbury on January 9.
He was handcuffed, and was said to be resisting when officers searched him and found snap bags containing 4.5g of cocaine, a Louis Vuitton wallet containing £450 in cash, and an iPhone.
A further search was then carried out at Wellsby's home, which revealed another 113g of cocaine, and £17,425 in cash, along with scales.
The court was told that an examination of Wagg's phone revealed he had been involved in dealing cocaine since November 2024.
Judge Recorder Marc Brown sentenced Wellsby to three years in prison for the drug offences and 18 months to run concurrently for the criminal property.
Prolific shoplifter in Telford jailed for eight weeks
Prolific Wellington shoplifter Karmina Burnett, 38, was given an eight-week prison sentence for four counts of theft at Telford Magistrates Court.
