Birmingham courts handed down immediate prison sentences to a dozen criminals during August, covering offences that ranged from violent robbery to immigration fraud. The most severe punishment went to Anthony Mullen, 45, who received 19 years for a ten-day crime spree that included a bank robbery carried out with a meat cleaver, alongside burglaries of homes and businesses and the theft of a car.
Longest sentence for meat cleaver bank robber
Mullen's 19-year term was the longest imposed in the city during the month. The court heard he used the meat cleaver during the hold-up as part of a wider rampage that also saw him break into residential and commercial properties. His sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences, which spanned a ten-day period.
Violent assaults and domestic abuse cases
Shane Hartle was jailed for four years and three months after an attack in Great Barr in which he pinned a woman against a car and smashed a pint glass over her head. Kyle Page received five years for domestic abuse, which included strangling his victim and dragging her from a phone box as she attempted to call for help.
Banned driver Sheikh Manneh was sentenced to 16 months after mounting the pavement in Handsworth at 60mph and colliding with a pedestrian. He briefly stopped to say "I'm sorry I didn't see you" before fleeing the scene.
Small boat couple sentenced for illegal entry
Vietnamese couple Tran Hung and Trang Chu each received 13 months for entering the UK illegally on a small boat and using false identity documents at Birmingham Airport. They had left their children behind to make the "horrific journey" through China, Russia and France, according to the court.
Other notable cases and community impact
Moira Tuke was sentenced to 22 months after taking knives to Birmingham's German Market and telling police "I'm going to murder someone". Mohammed Bostan was jailed for two years and five months for making neighbours' lives a misery for eight years at Studley Tower in Highgate.
The August sentencing round-up demonstrates the range of serious crimes being dealt with by Birmingham's courts, from violent robbery to domestic abuse and immigration offences. The cases highlight the ongoing work of the judiciary in addressing both violent and non-violent criminal behaviour across the city.
