Worcestershire criminals jailed in recent months

BEHIND BARS: Martin Mills (Image: West Mercia Police)

Prison officer Martin Mills, of Talbot Road, Bromsgrove, was jailed for being at the centre of a smuggling ring at HMP Hewell.

Mills, 34, smuggled drugs and mobile phones hidden in cereal boxes, Worcester Crown Court heard. 

Family members of the prisoners would pay money into Mills’ bank account and he would then take the prohibited items to work for the prisoners to sell in prison.

Mills was jailed for four years.

Prolific thief Thomas Cole, of Spion Kop, Pinvin near Pershore is now behind bars. 

Cole stole from various shops to fund his drug habit and even assaulted a shop manager in one of the thefts, Worcester Magistrates Court heard.

Unfortunately the Worcester News cannot show a picture of Cole as he was in custody prior to the case, and police have not provided us with a custody picture despite us making a request.

Cole was given 26 weeks jail but was also given a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order preventing from entering Tesco, ASDA or the Factory Shop in Pershore - the shops where he stole from.

JAILED: Nicholas Dutfield (Image: West Mercia Police)

Prolific burglars, given numerous chances to turn their lives around, were jailed for a £40,000 burglary of a jewellers.

Alan Dale, 51, of Belmont Street, Worcester, and Nicholas Dutfield, 52, of Happy Land West, Worcester, were both sentenced to three years by a judge at Worcester Crown Court. 

The burglary took place at Merebrook Industrial Estate in Welland.

JAIL: Alan Dale (Image: West Mercia Police)

Dutfield is a career burglar while Alan Dale had carried out more than 40 burglaries including in Worcester and Evesham.

DS Kris Stevens of West Mercia Police said after sentencing: "It is a bittersweet result in many ways as both offenders were afforded opportunities to turn their lives around.

"They made a conscious and calculated decision to break into this premises and take what was not theirs to take for financial gain."