Bristol Man Tried to Steal Fibreglass Cow

A Bristol man tried to steal a fibreglass cow from outside a local farm shop.

Kyle Mundy, 21, of Hartcliffe Road, Bristol, admitted attempted theft when he appeared at Bristol Magistrates' Court on Friday, 29th August 2025.

Attempted theft is an offence contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981. As is usually the case with attempt offences, it has the same maximum sentence as the substantive offence - namely 12 months' custody and/or an unlimited fine on summary conviction; 7 years' custody on conviction on indictment.

An attempt is where an offender does something more than merely preparatory towards the commission of an offence. It is often said that they "embarked on the crime proper", but were somehow defeated in the process.

Magistrates heard that the £669 fibreglass cow-shaped seat is located at Old Green Farm, Earthcott Green, Alveston. Mundy tried to steal it on 29th July 2025.

Magistrates' were of the view that Mundy's offence was serious enough to merit a community order.

He was made subject to a 12-month community order with the requirement that he completes up to 20 days' rehabilitation activity.

Mundy was also ordered to pay £669 in compensation.

Cumbrian Greggs Thief: A Sandwich Short of a Picnic

A Cumbrian man has been convicted of stealing sandwiches from the nation's favourite bakery.

Darren Humphreys, 59, of Centenary Close, Maryport, denied six offences of shop theft and another of assault by beating, but was convicted following a trial at West Cumbria Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 10th September 2025.

Theft is an offence under section 1 of the Theft Act 1968. Shop theft of items under the value of £200 is dealt with as a summary offence, with the maximum penalty of 26 weeks' custody and/or an unlimited fine. We have previously written an article on the legalities surrounding theft.

Magistrates heard that Humphreys first targeted Greggs, Workington, on Thursday, 24th April 2025. He entered the shop and helped himself to two baguettes from the fridge, before making for the door. Shift manager Karen Bowness tried to retrieve the stolen goods, but was pushed back by Humphreys.

On Monday, 28th April the 59-year-old returned to the Geordie Embassy on Murray Road and helped himself to a further two baguettes from the fridge. Staff alerted the police who located Humphreys a short distance away. According to the officer, he was sat next to the discarded baguette wrappers and had telltale orange mayonnaise around his mouth.

Unbelievably, despite his run in with the law, the brazen criminal committed identical thefts on 3rd, 7th and 8th May 2025. He was clearly bored of baguettes by 1st June 2025, as he tried to swipe a packet of four sausage rolls on that occasion. However, this attempt was foiled by an eagle-eyed member of staff.

PC Katie Twentyman told the court that she knew Humphreys well, having had numerous dealings with him over the last 12 to 18 months. She recognised Humphreys' description when it was circulated following the theft on 3rd May 2025. PC Twentyman went to a bench he was known to frequent beside the town's bus station.

PC Twentyman told the court that upon her arrival Humphreys dropped a partly-eaten baguette onto the pavement. He then opened his mouth and the contents spilt out onto the ground. On that occasion Humphreys denied the theft, saying that someone else had given him the baguette.

Magistrates were quite satisfied - having viewed the CCTV footage and heard the evidence of five police officers and five Greggs employees - that Humphreys was guilty of all six offences.

Humphreys, who is clearly a sandwich short of a picnic, was granted conditional bail until his sentencing at the same court on Wednesday, 8th October 2025. In the meantime he is prohibited from entering any Greggs shop in Cumbria.

Speaking after his conviction he said: "I have nothing to say. I'm quite happy with the court proceedings. I'm fully aware that I have taken nothing from Greggs."

CCRC Refers Magistrates' Court Decision to Crown Court for Appeal

The CCRC has referred a Magistrates' Court decision to the Crown Court for appeal.

As previously discussed on Magistrates' Blog, anyone convicted of an offence at the Magistrates' Court has an automatic right to appeal their sentence and/or conviction at the Crown Court.

In order to do this they need to submit an application to the Crown Court within 21 days of their sentencing at the Magistrates' Court. The Crown Court will then reconsider the case de novo (e.g. starting completely from scratch).

In normal circumstances, once the Crown Court has made a decision there is no further right of appeal. However, in exceptional circumstances, it is possible for the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) to refer the matter back to the Crown Court for a further appeal hearing.

The CCRC has just published details of such an exceptional case.

Shabaz Ahmed was convicted of assault by beating following a trial at Thames Magistrates' Court on 30th August 2016. He was made subject to a community order.

On 23rd January 2017 he appealed his conviction at Snaresbrook Crown Court, but the appeal was dismissed - e.g. his conviction was upheld.

The complainant in Ahmed's case has subsequently received a conviction for concealing criminal property, which in the view of the CCRC "demonstrates significant dishonesty." The credibility of Ahmed and the complainant were central to the trial court's decision.

The CCRC is now of the view that had the complainant's bad character been considered at the appeal hearing, it would likely have reached a different conclusion.

The CCRC has now referred the matter back to the Crown Court for a new appeal hearing, which will allow Ahmed the opportunity to clear his name.

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Nightmare Neighbour Next Door: Disgraced Lawyer Trimmed Bush and Urinated on Doorstep

A disgraced Northumberland lawyer urinated on her neighbour's doorstep.

Frances Louise Brough, 52, of North Side, Shilbottle, Alnwick, denied two offences of harassment and two offences of criminal damage, but was convicted following a recent trial in her absence at Newcastle Magistrates' Court.

A warrant was issued for Brough's arrest and she appeared in custody at the same court on Friday, 5th September 2025.

Brough was previously qualified as both a solicitor and barrister, but was unceremoniously ejected from both professions after committing a string of offences in 2012/13. Since then she has amassed a total of 30 convictions. You can read all about Brough's cataclysmic fall from grace in this article.

Magistrates heard that Brough's latest transgression occurred when the owners of a neighbouring holiday let, who clearly hadn't done any due diligence, entrusted her with a set of keys and asked her to keep a neighbourly eye on the place.

The couple soon became suspicious that Brough was accessing the property for her own purposes, so installed CCTV cameras to monitor the situation.

Jonathan Stirland, prosecuting, said: "The victims installed CCTV and, on 18th February 2023, it captured the defendant entering the address and switching on an electric heater. 

"On 19th February, the Ring doorbell (aff.) was activated and the defendant was seen squatting in the doorway and appeared to urinate while saying "having a wee wee".

"She also smeared mud on the lens of the camera. She was arrested and bailed."

Despite being under a cloud of suspicion, the 52-year-old continued to harass her neighbours by sending them three bogus letters purportedly from a legal firm.

Her involvement in the letters was confirmed when the Ring doorbell recorded her male lodger, who was unaware of matters, delivering one of them through the letterbox.

On 2nd September 2023 Brough entered the neighbour's garden with a set of hedge trimmers and cut down a bush. She later denied any involvement, seemingly oblivious to the fact her antics had again been captured on CCTV. When shown the footage, she made no comment.

Rebecca Highton, mitigating, told the court that Brough had a range of physical and mental health issues, including arthritis.

Ms Highton said: "She didn't make it to her trial as she was extremely unwell. She could hardly get out of bed. She couldn't get on a bus and get to court. I would ask for a pre-sentence report so that a mental health assessment can be carried out."

Brough was granted conditional bail until her sentencing hearing at the same court on Friday, 17th October 2025.

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