A number of criminals were put behind bars last month
A number of criminals were put behind bars last month(Image: )
The last month of 2025 was another busy month for the Kent’s criminal justice system. From drug dealers to rapists, a number of criminals were sentenced in December.
This included a group of thieves who carried out a knifepoint robbery. The victim was threatened and punched
KentLive has rounded up the criminals jailed in December.
Knifepoint robbery in Ashford
A group of thieves who conducted a knifepoint robbery in Ashford have been sentenced to a combined 12 years in jail. On July 20, 2024, three men broke into a residential property in Ashford at around 3am.
The victim, who had fallen asleep on the sofa in his living room, awoke to find a man standing over him armed with a knife.He was threatened and punched while the two other men ransacked the property.
During the ordeal, the victim was repeatedly interrogated about the location of valuables, and his hands were bound with tape. Despite his injuries, the victim managed to escape the property while the suspects’ backs were turned. Shortly afterwards, the offenders fled the scene in the victim’s car.
Items stolen from the property included multiple items of designer clothing, jewellery, a small quantity of cash and the victim’s mobile phone.An investigation was launched, and enquiries identified the suspects’ car as travelling from East London into Kent in the early hours of July 20.
Following the offence, the suspects were tracked leaving Kent and returning to London where the vehicle ended its journey at around 4am. Officers attended the victim’s property and located a rucksack which was left behind by the thieves. It contained a black leather knife sheath and a screwdriver, both of which were seized and sent for forensic examination.
Four men were later arrested in connection with the incident and transported to Kent for questioning by detectives. They were remanded in custody, and multiple charges including assault, false imprisonment, possession of a weapon and burglary were subsequently brought against Sukhjeevan Singh, 27, of Gascoyne Road, London, Luca Gentry-Prosper, 19, of Ash House, London, and Adheem Misson, 20, of Telscombe Cliffs Way in Peacehaven, East Sussex.
A fourth man was de-arrested after it was established that he was not involved. The three defendants pleaded guilty to the offences and appeared before Canterbury Crown Court in December 2025. On December 2, Gentry-Prosper and Misson were each sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.
The following day, December 3, Singh received a two-year suspended sentence.
Jail sentence following Canterbury killing
A man has been jailed following a “senseless” knife attack which killed a 23-year-old in Canterbury city centre. An altercation took place in the city’s high street shortly before 11.30pm on October 10 last year, during which Mohammed Nour Hgar armed himself with a blade.
He stabbed his victim in the chest causing, what police describe as, “catastrophic injuries”. Emergency responders rushed to the scene and established a cordon, but were unable to save the victim’s life.
Samare Gerezgihir died in the early hours of October 11. A full investigation was subsequently launched which, through reviewing CCTV footage, uncovered that Hgar had come into contact with a group of men in the busy high street before a violent confrontation began.
Both parties were known to each other prior to the attack, Kent Police said and, whilst no specific motive has been disclosed by Hgar, it is believed the victim and Hgar had an ongoing conflict. Hgar fled Canterbury, getting in a taxi to Herne Bay where he was found and arrested by police at around 5am the same day.
He had changed his clothing shortly after the incident in a failed attempt to evade detection. On October 14, Hgar was charged with murder, but during his trial at Canterbury Crown Court he admitted manslaughter on the grounds of excessive self-defence which was accepted by the court.
On December 4, he appeared once more at Canterbury Crown Court where he was sentenced to nine years in jail.
Burglars who pawned stolen jewellery
Two burglars who stole cars and pawned sentimental jewellery items from homes in Sevenoaks and Tonbridge have been jailed. Lorenzo King and Ricky Rixon stole cars and jewellery from properties and later sold the valuables – including a ring given to a victim by her late husband – to a pawnbroker for scrap metal.
The ring has since been recovered. Between October 9, 2023 and January 8, 2024, Rixon and King smashed their way into the properties via rear patio doors and carried out untidy searches, before leaving the scene. On three occasions, car keys were stolen alongside their respective vehicles and on four occasions, jewellery was taken.
Among the items taken was a Seat Ibiza, which was used in a subsequent burglary. Rixon, 39, of Spindle Mews in Orpington, London, was arrested after proactive patrols spotted the stolen vehicle in Paddock Wood and forensically linked it to him.
A subsequent search of his person led to the seizure of a mobile device and analysis of data led to the arrest of 36-year-old King, of Beckenham Road in Beckenham, London. CCTV footage recovered from one of the victims confirmed King’s identity and presence at the scene alongside retrieval of a distinctive Nike tracksuit.
An investigation led detectives to retrieve a haul of irrefutable evidence. This included CCTV and financial records proving the men had used false names to sell a large quantity of the stolen jewellery to a London pawn brokers for scrap.
They received £7,405 for this transaction.A financial analysis undertaken as part of the investigation exposed the crooks had each pocketed tens of thousands of pounds during the period of offending; most of which is believed to have been acquired by selling the stolen goods.
The men were charged and later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and laundering criminal property. Rixon and King were each sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on December 4 to five years and four months’ imprisonment.
Burglar jailed the day after Maidstone shop break-in
Danny Crawley, 44, of Godstow Road, Abbey Wood, London was caught red-handed after he stole cash from a Maidstone shop. He took an iPad, till drawer, and more than £150 in cash from an independent coffee shop, after smashing his way in through the front door.
Officers were called at around 2.45am on December 3 to a burglary in progress at Puddings in Week Street. Upon reviewing CCTV footage, police determined he had previously attended the premises just hours before and stolen more items.
Investigators tracked his movements to the rear of the Hazlitt Theatre where they found the till drawer with a small amount of loose change left near it. He was arrested and later charged with burglary and criminal damage and remanded in custody.
He appeared before Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on December 4 where he pleaded guilty to the offences and was sentenced to 20 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay £154 to the victim.
Maidstone man sentenced for rape outside town centre flats
A homeless man from Maidstone has been jailed after he was convicted of raping a woman in a communal area next to a block of flats.
Thomas Underdown assaulted the victim after they had agreed to meet at an outbuilding that he slept in, close to St Peter’s Street. The ordeal started at around 12.20am on January 5, 2024, when after they kissed the victim made it clear she did not consent to any further intimacy.
In response, Underdown repeatedly prevented the victim from getting up from a mattress he used and went on to abuse her. The offences were reported to Kent Police on 9 January and Underdown was arrested on the following day.
He was charged with rape and after pleading not guilty a trial was held at Southwark Crown Court, which led to him being convicted by unanimous verdict.
On December 5, Underdown, 33, was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment. He will have to serve a minimum of two thirds of the sentence before he can apply for parole and was also made the subject of an indefinite restraining order.
Gillingham sex offender jailed
A sex offender from Gillingham has been jailed for eight years after targeting a child. Andrew Stevens, 60, was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Stevens was arrested on June 1, 2023 after his victim disclosed the offences committed between 2008 and 2012.
He denied the charges against him and was convicted following a trial. Stevens, who lived near Barnsole Road, was sentenced on December 8 to eight years in prison
Ashford drug dealers jailed for total of 21 years
Two brothers from Ashford have been sentenced to a combined 21 years in prison following a drug investigation.
David and Damien Derrick came to the attention of officers in 2021 after intelligence suggested they were behind a significant influx of class A drugs into the region.
Police officers stopped a vehicle in Ashford on November 15, 2021,. The driver was identified as a courier who was due to meet with Damien, so the pair could exchange large quantities of drugs.
A search of the car uncovered three kilograms of high-purity cocaine concealed in a hidden compartment in the boot. He later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison in 2022.
Analysis of his phone and call records showed that this meeting was not a one off, but part of a series of drug exchanges between the two men. Further investigation revealed that David was directing the operation, while Damien acted mainly as a courier.
In February 2022, search warrants were executed at both brothers’ homes in Ashford. At David’s address, officers seized small amounts of cocaine and cannabis, six Rolex watches, a knuckle duster, an imitation firearm and £3,000 in cash.
At Damien’s property, police found 19 bags of cocaine hidden in his car, along with five Rolex watches and £5,000 in cash.
Further warrants were obtained for three safety deposit boxes belonging to David. Inside, officers discovered extremely high value assets, including 26 Rolex watches, and two gold bars.
Both brothers had multiple charges brought against them including conspiracy to supply class A drugs, and possession with intent to supply class A drug. Following a week-long trial, a jury unanimously found them guilty.
They were sentenced on December 12 at Canterbury Crown Court. Damien, 38, of Burton Road, Kennington, received eight years. David, 43 ,of Ball Lane, Kennington, received 13 years.
Jail for cousins who caused fatal collision in Chatham
Two cousins who caused the death of a man in a fatal crash in Chatham have been jailed. Tryon Francois and David Francois attended a family social function in Lordswood on November 26, 2021 where they were seen to be drinking alcohol.
At 12.23am the following morning, they left the venue in David’s Ford Transit van. The dashcam within the vehicle caught David’s erratic driving and disagreements between the pair as to who should be behind the wheel.
After narrowly avoiding driving into a fence, David pulled over and swapped seats with Tryon. Tryon, also under the influence of drugs, continued to drive in an erratic manner as they approached Luton Road.
Travelling in excess of the 30mph speed limit the van mounted the footpath colliding with brick walls and iron fences. The victim, Jason Bale, was standing against one of these walls and was hit with such force he was thrown into the front garden of a basement property.
The van also collided with a gas main which caused a leak. Following the incident, Tyron fled the scene after begging his cousin to join him. David refused as his cats were in the back of the van and instead waited for police to arrive.
Jason Bale’s body was located by a firefighter who was assisting with an evacuation of the area due to the gas leak. Firefighters and paramedics worked hard to save him, but Jason was pronounced dead at the scene.
When approached by officers David refused to leave the area and then became violent. Forcefully pushing one officer, kicking another and causing bruising to a female officer’s arm.
Tyron, 29 of Haig Avenue, Chatham pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced to eight years imprisonment. David, 49, of Barrington Gate Holbeach, Lincolnshire was found guilty of aiding and abetting death by dangerous driving and jailed for 13 years.
He has also been disqualified from driving for 17 years. Both men we sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on December 18.
Tunbridge Wells arsonist jailed following house fire
Ryan James started two fires in his flat on Dudley Road in the town centre, one in the bedroom and one in the living room. The 41-year-old then locked the front door behind him and walked away from the building.
The fire alarms were set off which alerted the other residents in the building and the emergency services were called. Two neighbours of James tried to get into his locked flat, believing he was still inside.
But due to the danger, they were forced to evacuate, and crews from Kent Fire and Rescue Service were then able get inside the flat and put out the fire.
James had started the fire at around 11.30am on August 24, 2024. An investigation found James had visited his gym an hour before, where he stored his belongings in one of the lockers. When officers arrested him two days later, he had the front door keys on him.
James was charged, and later pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
On December 19 this year, he was given an extended prison sentence with a custodial element of six years and three months. He will then have to serve a further three years on licence when he becomes eligible for parole.
Two jailed for violent car robberies in Dartford
Two men who plotted car thefts and filmed their crimes have been jailed for two violent robberies in Dartford.
Lewis Turner and Thomas Ripley orchestrated the two robberies via phone messages and then filmed their ill-gotten gains before trying to sell them on.
But when officers arrested Ripley and seized his phone they found the incriminating evidence of their crimes.
The pair have now been sentenced to a total of more than 13 years in prison. Read more here
Prolific burglar jailed following serious crash
George Dunn burgled five properties in Tonbridge, Cranbrook, Paddock Wood, and Ashford over a three-week period between June and July 2025. He smashed his way into the properties and stole at least £3,000 worth of items including jewellery, watches, handbags, money, bank cards and war medals.
Officers investigating the burglaries found DNA evidence and CCTV footage that connected Dunn to the homes. He left a glove at the scene of one property while traces of his blood was found at others.
While detectives were carrying out their enquiries, Dunn was seriously injured after crashing his car into a wall and then a fence in Bayhall Road, Tunbridge Wells, in the early hours of July 20. He was disqualified from driving at the time and had no insurance.
Despite being in a life-threatening condition, Dunn still made attempts to flee the scene as officers arrived to provide assistance. He was eventually removed from the vehicle by fire crews before being taken to a London hospital by paramedics.
Before he was in a medically fit state to be interviewed about the crash, Dunn discharged himself from hospital on September 1. A month later, he burgled a sixth home in Sissinghurst Road, Biddenden, where he was spotted by a neighbour falling out of a window.
Officers were able to track him down and Dunn, of Quarry Road in Maidstone, was arrested on October 15 and charged with six counts of burglary and multiple traffic offences.
Dunn pleaded guilty to all the offences at Maidstone Crown Court and was sentenced to six years and nine month in prison at the same court on December 23. A further eight burglaries were also taken into consideration.
Men jailed after tonne of cannabis seized in Gravesend
Three men have been jailed for a total of 10 years after being found in possession of more than a tonne of cannabis. On November 13, 2024, an unmarked patrol car had identified a suspicious vehicle and requested it stop in Wrotham Road, Gravesend.
Officers noticed the nervousness of the Ford Transit’s driver, Ramesh Tuladhar, and passenger, Jack Phillips, as well as inconsistencies in their reasons for travelling, before searching the van. Inside the vehicle was more than 500kg of vacuum sealed cannabis as well as £2,005 in cash. Tuladhar and Phillips were subsequently arrested.
Detectives used CCTV to track the van’s previous route, showing a different man had been driving it alone shortly before the stop. From the footage, investigators determined the driver was Sukhwant Goraya and he was arrested later that day in a different car on the same day.
Officers also searched two premises linked to Phillips, namely his home address in Poplar Road, Brixton, London and a property in Station Approach, Wanstead, London, where they found a further 933kg of cannabis and paraphernalia including scales and a drug press.
More cannabis was uncovered after a search of Tuladhar’s home in Norcott Road, Stoke Newington, London. Tuladhar, 58, and Phillips, 70, pleaded guilty at Medway Magistrates’ Court to possession with intent to supply cannabis.
Goraya, 59, of no fixed address, pleaded not guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis and was convicted following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court.
The three men appeared together at the same court for sentencing on December 23. Tuladhar was jailed for two years, Goraya received a prison sentence of three years and Phillips was imprisoned for five years.
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