These are the faces of nine Northamptonshire criminals put behind bars whose stories we reported during June 2023.
They included a killer drink-driver, a man who subjected his victim to a horrific homophobic attack after setting up a meeting online, a drug dealer caught red-handed during a police raid in Northampton and a thug who attempted to suffocate a police officer responding to reports of a man with a gun in Wellingborough town centre….
5. Max Hallam
Hallam was jailed for attempting to suffocate a police sergeant responding to reports of a man with a gun in Wellingborough’s town centre in June last year. The 58-year-old pinned down Sgt Dave Cayton in the Swansgate car park until back-up arrived with Tasers. Hallam, previously of Wellingborough, admitted a charge of intentional non-fatal suffocation and was jailed for two years, six months. Photo: Northamptonshre Police
6. Askor Ali
Drug dealer Ali was arrested after cops discovered crack cocaine and cannabis during a raid on his house in Northampton on April Fools’ Day. According to Northamptonshire Police, Ali tried to conceal evidence by throwing drugs and a phone out of a window — but officers were waiting to grab the evidence. He pleaded guilty to four offences and was sentenced to three years, four months in prison. Photo: Northamptonshire Police
7. Daniel Popely
Pervert Popely attacked a woman in her own home during a terrifying 14-hour ordeal. The 29-year-old of Nags Head Lane, Hargrave, on the Northants-Cambs-Beds border, was high on drugs and had been drinking when he tricked his way into the victim’s house by saying he needed to use her toilet. Popely pinned down the woman and sexually assaulted her, smashed her phone and TV and urinated around her home — all while her children slept nearby.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault, four counts of destroying property and theft and was sentenced to three years, four months. Photo: Bedfordshire Police
8. Jack Sikora
The Corby drug dealer, 22, who defied a suspended sentence by converting starting pistols to turn into made-to-order guns firing bullets has been jailed for 12 years, five months.
Sikora was given a 14-month suspended sentence in April 2022 for firing shots into a crowded pub but police discovered a gun production line at his Thoresby Road flat after he had been arrested for possession of cocaine with intent to supply. He was jailed for 11 years, three months at Northampton Crown Court on top of the 14 months handed down last year. Photo: Northamptonshire Police