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

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.

Sentencing, Judge Trevor Meegan said Bailey was "the main runner and played a significant role," in the 'Max H' line.

3) 'Greedy' steroids gang who ran 'unsanitary, contaminated' underground Telford lab to pump out 'poorly made' drugs

Six members of an organised criminal group were sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court, seven years after they were found to be running a business selling illegal steroids.

Scott Etherington, David Panasiuk, his wife Jessica Panasiuk, Aaron Phipps, Michael North and Malcolm Wheeler faced justice at Shrewsbury Crown Court earlier this month.

4) 'Dangerous' Shropshire paedophile locked up for 21 years after historical abuse uncovered

58-year-old Darron Mason, latterly of Cross Hill Court in Shrewsbury, was locked up for more than 20 years after historical sex offences came to light following a sting by paedophile hunters who had been posing as a 12-year-old girl. 

Vigilante group Seek and Expose confronted Mason at his home in 2020, after he interacted with their decoy profile 'Emily' - who Mason believed to be 12 years old.

However, she added that before Mason could be dealt with in the courts for those offences, and following the posting online of a video of Mason's confrontation with the members of Seek and Expose, two separate victims came forward accusing him of historical sexual abuse.

5) 'Evil' former serviceman from Market Drayton jailed for sickening sex offences 

Christopher Brake, 50, of Market Drayton, was sentenced to 18 years behind bars for a total of nine offences.

Brake had been found guilty of six offences after a trial earlier this year, including three counts of sexual assault, two counts of voyeurism and one charge of making indecent photos of a child.

He had already pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault of a child.

6) 'Functioning crack addict' building boss who punched his partner in the face and hit her with a pole

Kenneth Morris, of Church Stretton, was jailed for 16 months and made the subject of an indefinite restraining order after a two-year campaign of domestic abuse.

Morris, 44,  was described as a “functioning drug addict and borderline alcoholic”, was aggressive towards his victim on numerous occasions, and once threatened her with a knife.  

7) 'Prolific' Telford shoplifter jailed after committing more thefts at shops she was banned from entering

Charlotte Corbett, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Telford Magistrates Court on Monday, October 27, after pleading guilty to breaching her Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) and to three counts of theft from stores. 

The 25-year-old was sentenced to eight months in prison.

8) Telford paedophile who used 'micro computer disguised as Lego' to access dark web

Sanjay Wygold of Woodrows, Woodside received a caution from West Mercia Police for downloading 109 indecent images of children in March 2023.

As part of the conditions of his caution, he was placed on a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which meant he had to regularly give police access to his devices to ensure he had not been downloading any more images.

But subsequent checks found Wygold had not stopped downloading the horrific content and a raid on his home in April uncovered several undeclared devices - including a micro computer disguised as a piece of lego.

The judge jailed Wygold for a total of 30 months.

9) Prolific Telford shoplifter jailed and banned from town's shops 

Nathan Crossley, of no fixed abode, appeared at Telford Magistrates Court on Friday, October 31, where he pleaded guilty to 36 counts of theft from shops. 

During the hearing the court heard how the 35-year-old stole goods worth £2,453 between August and October of this year. 

He was handed a 26-week custodial sentence, as well as a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).

10) Globetrotting dealer who claimed to make £5k a day selling cocaine and ketamine

Andrew Lane, aged 30, was arrested in March this year after West Mercia Police raided his home in Laburnum Road, Telford.

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard Lane had confessed to selling drugs in an interview with police, and claimed to make £5,000 a day. 

Judge Anthony Lowe jailed Lane for 44 months.