The 23 idiot Yorkshire criminals locked up for their stupid mistakes

Every day, criminals appear at the courts across our county to be sentenced for a variety of crimes.

Their appearances in the dock are often down to brave victims coming forward, excellent police work and help from members of the public.

But some defendants don’t always need help to get themselves into trouble. Some find themselves behind bars due to their own stupid mistakes.

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Whether they left their DNA at the scene of a burglary, or are caught carrying out a crime on CCTV, or because they forget one all-important aspect of their crime is to commit it without being caught, some of them don’t get very far before being hauled before a judge.

YorkshireLive has compiled a list of those in our region locked up so far this year as a result of their own idiotic mistakes. The list includes the “Grinch of Bradford” Jason Walker who was caught with a wheelie bin full of stolen Christmas presents. And Kyle Butters, who was part of a group that stole from a building and posted about the crime on TikTok alongside Akon’s hit “Smack That.” (Maybe they should have chosen “Locked up” instead.)

In recent weeks, Yorkshire’s courts have also seen an influx of people jailed for their parts in the disgraceful riots at the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham. All of those locked up have one thing in common: The mistakes they made.

A number were caught on police body-worn camera committing their crimes, apart from Stuart Bolton who was found out after bragging about his part in the disorder at a petrol station. He drove onto the forecourt despite also being a disqualified driver.

Below are the criminals locked up in Yorkshire so far this year because of their own mistakes.

Kyle Butters

Butters was part of a group that burgled copper wiring from a block of Bradford flats and then stupidly made a TikTok about it.

The crime left residents living there homeless while the gang bragged on the social media app. Set against a background of Akon’s ‘Smack That’ a compilation of videos showing the theft from the City Exchange building was posted.

One of the videos, posted on an account with the name “Bfdcharva,” featured was captioned “f*** the trackers” and another featured 20-year-old Butters, who was handed two-and-a-half years for his part. Read the full story here.

Kelly Firth, Ashley Metcalf, Michael Hughes and Shaun Fitzgerald

Cheese thieves Firth, Metcalf, Hughes and Fitzgerald were all jailed after they carried out a string of thefts from shops across Doncaster. Firth stole more than £400 worth of products from the same One Stop shop and snatched jars of coffee, tubs of butter and blocks of cheese over five months.

She was jailed for three months. Metcalf stole from a Savers and a petrol station during his spree with cost shops £405. He was jailed for four months.

Hughes was jailed for three months and one week after being caught on CCTV stealing from a One Stop shop in Balby and Fitzgerald was handed four-weeks in prison for stealing multiple packets of cheese and several jars of coffee from a Co-op in Bessacarr. Read the full story here.

Ryan Stocks

Thief Stocks took an angle grinder to steal items from a business before leading police on a chase at speeds of up to 70mph in 30mph zones. He went with another man and stole items worth around £6,000 before the dramatic chase which lasted six minutes and 30 seconds.

He was jailed for 38 months. Read the full story here.

Kyle Patterson and Dayvian Enoe-Nelson

Doncaster drug dealing duo Patterson and Enoe-Nelson were caught after police noticed they were driving a damaged BMW.

Patterson, 29, and Enoe-Nelson, 30, were found in possession of cannabis and Enoe-Nelson was also found in possession of crack cocaine and heroin. A burner phone and cash were found in the centre console of the car, and examination of the mobile phone led officers to identify messages further linking the pair to drug dealing.

Patterson was jailed for four years and four months in prison, and Enoe-Nelson was jailed for four years. Read the full story here.

Alice Graham

Probation officer Graham – who tried to smuggle drugs into HMP Wealstun – asked colleagues about the rules around relationships between staff and prisoners.

Alice Graham, now 33, was 28 and had just seven months’ experience when she was caught by prison staff smuggling prohibited items into the category C men’s prison in 2021.

She was jailed for three years. Read the full story here.

Michael Cash

Barnsley thief Cash was jailed after using a child to help him steal £1,000 worth of alcohol from a supermarket

Michael Cash, 34, was jailed for five months after his crimes were said to be “so serious” by a judge. From Nanny Marr Crescent in Darfield, Cash pleaded guilty to two thefts and two counts of making off without payment from two restaurants in Darfield and Wombwell. Read the full story here.

Simon Hancock

Hancock targeted three stores in just three minutes in a failed crime spree. He was “rebuffed” when he tried to steal from Greggs after targeting a WH Smith and Costa Coffee.

A staff member at the Greggs in Wakefield said she will “not tolerate” behaviour from those such as Hancock. He was jailed for three years.

Read the full story here.

Jason Walker

The “Grinch of Bradford” was put behind bars in May after being caught with a wheelie bin filled with stolen Christmas presents.

Last June Walker, of Clayton Road, tried to break into a shed in the early hours, but he was caught outside the property on Ring doorbell footage. Six months later, while he was wanted in connection with that attempted burglary, Walker was spotted on Hollingwood Lane, Bradford, pulling the green wheelie bin.

He was arrested and the bin was found to contain various items including boxes of chocolates, hair straighteners, make-up, Christmas cards and a costume. His two-year suspended sentence was activated and an extra nine months was added to it.

Read the full story here.

Stan Bentley

Bentley was put behind bars for five years and six months after he was caught on camera selling crack cocaine. Bentley, 25, sold three wraps of crack cocaine for £25, leading to his arrest in February 2024 as part of a wider and ongoing operation by South Yorkshire Police to dismantle drug gangs working in different areas of Doncaster.

Read the full story here.

Liam Robinson

Vile thug Robinson live-streamed a brutal stabbing on Facebook. He stabbed the labourer working on his Doncaster house and two response officers raced to the Moorends address where they found Robinson and drops of blood in an area matching the location where the victim was attacked.

Robinson was soon arrested on suspicion of GBH, brought into custody and later taken to hospital. He was jailed for two years after admitting wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent and assault by beating of an emergency worker.

Read the full story here.

Harry Broughton

Young Crook Broughton broke into a pub to nick cash after he had a row with the landlord over underage drinking. He targeted the Victoria Hotel in the Gleadless area of Sheffield where he stole cider and money and was captured on camera counting the cash.

He later attempted to steal the car belonging to the parents of his brother’s friends and targeted two properties in Hackthorne Road. At the first, he managed to get away with an iPhone and Samsung, a kitchen knife, a vape and a set of keys.

He tried to get into another house but the occupant had seen him trying the door to her house and other vehicles. He was eventually arrested and in July was jailed for three years. Read the full story here.

Harvey Gardner

Would-be rioter Gardner was put behind bars in August after trying to organise disorder at Huddersfield train station. The 20-year-old was jailed for nine months for encouraging violent disorder over social media posts.

He urged people to gather at Huddersfield Train Station and promised “it’s not going to be peaceful.” Police and local businesses were forced to prepare for it but no violent disorder took place. Read the full story here.

Paul and Luke Sissons

Brothers Paul and Luke were jailed in August for their parts in the shameful riots outside the Holiday Inn hotel in Rotherham. The hotel was housing asylum seekers and refugees when it was targeted earlier in the month.

Paul Sissons was heard chanting “Tommy Robinson” alongside others before trying to tip a police vehicle over containing officers and dogs. It was said Luke Sissons was spotted on police bodycam footage earlier in the day drinking alcohol before verbally abusing an officer.

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The younger Sissons brother could be heard saying he “hates the police” and they are “running away from immigrants but are willing to quash them.” He went on to antagonise and gesticulate towards officers shouting “Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire.” He was then seen on footage throwing a can at police before joining in and rocking the van.

The brothers were jailed for three years. Read the full story here.

Victor Wild

“Dangerous liar” Wild was put behind bars after sending North Yorkshire Police detectives on a wild goose chase. He demanded officers tell him why his victim – who he had claimed was a sex offender – wasn’t in prison yet and claimed he had spoken to witnesses who said they had seen the Scarborough man carrying out his crimes.

Wild even attempted to convince newspapers to print his fake stories and posed as a journalist. He was jailed for three years and four months. Read the full story here.

Billy Pemberton and Michael Whitehead

Pemberton and Whitehead were jailed for their roles in the riots at the Holiday Inn in Manvers. The group smashed hotel windows and threw planks of wood at officers during the disturbance.

Pemberton was later seen on CCTV holding a police baton and appearing to use it as a bragging tool in front of his friends. He was jailed for two years and four months.

Whitehead was seen shouting racist abuse in officers’ faces and encouraging others by saying, “Let’s go mental.” He was jailed for two years and eight months. Read the full story here.

Stuart Bolton

Smirking Stuart Bolton was put behind bars after bragging about his role in riots in Rotherham. He was caught out after bragging to petrol station staff after driving onto the forecourt and filling his car up – despite being a disqualified driver.

He got into his car and drove from his home in New Holland, North Lincolnshire, with his partner and 15-year-old son, after seeing coverage of the shocking disorder at the Holiday Inn hotel on August 4 and decided to get involved.

Bolton was jailed for two years and eight months. Read the full story here.

Kaine Hicks

Smirking Valentino-clad Hicks was jailed in August for his part in the Rotherham riots. Hicks claimed he had gone to the Holiday Inn hotel in Manvers to be “nosy” but was captured on police bodycam footage verbally abusing officers.

He was said to have acted in an aggressive manner towards and officer and was heard saying things including “You f****** dirty b*******, the f****** lot of you, dirty c**** All of yous, go on, go on.”

He was also part of a group putting their hands up and pushing against officers’ shields. Hicks was jailed for two years and eight months. Read the full story here.