10 of Shropshire's worst criminals jailed in October - including perverts, drug dealers and a violent abuser

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 locked up in October was a cocaine-frenzied burglar who terrorised a peaceful hamlet near Bridgnorth in the middle of the night, and a steroid-dealing gang found running an underground lab in Telford seven years ago. 

Another case last month saw a dangerous Shropshire paedophile locked up for his historic crimes, after his perversions were brought to light by an online vigilante group.

Here are those and some of the other cases the Shropshire Star reported on throughout the month.

1) The cocaine-frenzied burglar who terrorised residents in a Shropshire hamlet

Mark Everitt, aged 41, terrorised the isolated community of Hampton Loade near Bridgnorth during one night in September last year.

After drinking vokda and taking a significant amount of cocaine, Everitt broke into a home in the quiet hamlet and threatened the homeowner with a pair of scissors - before moving onto a neighbouring property. 

There, he stole a BB gun and a drink, before putting a brick through a window. Startled, the homeowner grabbed his gun and confronted Everitt - causing him to flee. 

That didn't stop the 41-year-old however, who tried to gain entry to yet another home in the village. 

The judge sentenced Everitt to seven years and six months in prison.

2) Dealer working for the 'Max H' drug line selling heroin and crack cocaine in Shrewsbury  

Dean Bailey, 40 and of no fixed abode, was jailed for five years after being found guilty of a series of charges at trial. 

Bailey has 45 convictions for 41 previous offences and had previously been jailed for 34 months for supplying class A drugs.