It won’t be a happy New Year for this bunch of killers, rapists, child abusers, drug dealers, thugs and thieves, nor will it be for many years to come. All were jailed during 2022 and received some of the heaviest sentences handed down by judges at Northampton and other crown courts.
37. MATTHEW BELL
The 32-year-old from Ericsson Close, Daventry, was sentenced to nine years, two months in November after being found guilty of historic sex offences against a child. Northampton Crown Court heard Bell got his victim — who he met at a youth centre — to dress up in school uniform and used cable ties on her. The woman reported him to police in 2020, leading to Bell’s arrest. Photo: Northamptonshire Police
38. PATRICK JIMMY GAVIN
Father-of-eight Gavin was sentenced to five years, one month in November for his part in a savage street attack in Desborough in November 2020. The 33-year-old armed himself with a shovel grabbed from the boot of his Ford Mondeo to confront the victim, a man in his 40s, who was stabbed at least twice in their arm. Fellow defendant Matthew Lee was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in February 2021 but prosecutors told the court Gavin had ‘gone to ground’ evading police for more than two years. Photo: Northamptonshire Police
39. LUKE JASON ALEXIS
Cannabis dealer Alexis was caught with large quantities of cocaine and heroin three times in the space of just 10 months before he was finally jailed. Alexis, 26, formerly of Talbot Road, Wellingborough, pleaded guilty at Northampton Crown Court and was sentenced to a total of five years, three months in prison in November. Photo: Northamptonshire Police
40. CASEY EDWARDS
A bystander who was victim of Edwards’ brutal assault during a pub brawl involving pool cues and blades told Northampton Crown Court the attack “knocked him for six”. Londoner Edwards, aged 23, had just been released from prison on licence when he inflicted life-changing injuries on a man in his 50s who was attempting to stop a fight on a Friday night in The Sevens pub in Weedon Road in February 2022. Edwards pleaded guilty to malicious wounding, assaulting a police officer and drugs offences and was sentenced to four years, 10 months in November — although the term only starts when a current one is up in 2024. Photo: Northamptonshire Police