11 of Shropshire's worst criminals jailed in August - including perverts, drug dealers and a violent abuser
Despite the summer holidays being in full swing, justice did not take a month off - with Shropshire's courts busy in August dealing with cases of varying magnitude.
With prisons bursting at the seams, it appears more and more criminals are being handed suspended sentences, with immediate custodial terms reserved for the worst offenders.
Among those sent down to the cells in August was a wannabe burglar who fashioned a gun out of a brown paper bag to threaten police officers in Telford.
Another case last month saw a manipulative abuser jailed, after leaving his exes with a range of broken bones and emotional scars after suffering years of horrific abuse.
Here are those and some of the other cases the Shropshire Star reported on throughout the month.
Man jailed for fashioning a gun out of brown paper bag and threatening police officers in Telford
37-year-old Matthew Sylvester of no fixed abode, pled guilty to number of offences halfway through his week-long trial at the end of July.
The range of charges included two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, possession of an imitation firearm to cause distress, possession of class A drugs and attempted burglary after an incident at Telford town centre in February.
Police were first called to the town centre after Sylvester was seen using a trolley to try and break into a store - unbeknownst to the officers, Sylvester was preparing for police arrival.
When he learnt police were on their way, he made his way to a nearby trolley park, where he used a jumper to cover his face and forged an object to mimic a handgun.
Upon their arrival, Sylvester immediately charged at the officers, brandishing the imitation firearm at them.
After bravely confronting the 37-year-old, officers quickly established the firearm was in fact a brown paper bag that Sylvester had folded in such a way that it looked like a handgun.
On Friday, August 1, he was sentenced to 16 months for imitating a firearm, and three months for assaulting two emergency workers. He was also given four months for causing fear and violence and one month for possession of a class A drug (cocaine).
Violent Telford abuser who left exes with broken bones and devastating mental trauma
The court heard how the manipulative Arron Moss, aged 34, from Telford, bought one of his victims “big bouquets of flowers” and took them on “fancy” dates as he love-bombed them into falling for him, before his violent and abusive true colours came pouring out of his skin.
He broke the nose of one of his victims, left her with a huge laceration on her arm and strangled her while she carried her toddler in her arms - all in separate incidents.
Another one of his victims suffered a broken wrist and broken ribs after violent attacks, amid years of physical and mental abuse.
In court this month, Moss was jailed for seven years and issued him with seven-year restraining orders, banning him from contacting his victims.
Whitchurch burglar who 'took anything that wasn't nailed down' jailed for rural crime spree
Andrew Winter, 59 and of St Mary's Street in Whitchurch was jailed for two years, four months and 26 days after pleading guilty to a string of burglaries.
Police said that between December 6 last year and July 1 this year, Winter targeted sheds and outbuildings across Malpas, All Stretton, Chester, Tilstone Fernall, Tiverton, Whitchurch and Wrenbury.
During his raids Winter helped himself to a range of items from bicycles and garden equipment to tools, watering cans and trophies.
Sergeant Roy Wellings from Cheshire police called Winter "prolific" with his crimes "indiscriminate" adding: "It appears that if it wasn’t nailed down he took it."
