March was a tough month for these defendants, who now face a considerable time behind bars.

From drug-dealing to a person committing historical child sexual acts, Wiltshire’s courts have been busy locking people up.

Below are some of the most important and noteworthy cases our reporters have covered in last month.

Jordan Perkins: Being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

A COUNTY Lines drug dealer has been jailed for more than four years after running a gang selling Class A drugs in Swindon.

Jordan Perkins, 27, oversaw the Marlo drugs line in Swindon from his home in Elmworth Grove, London, which sold crack cocaine and heroin to vulnerable people in the town.

Full story here.

Abbie Powter: Burglary and assault on emergency workers

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

A drug addict broke into an elderly woman’s home in the early hours of the morning, rummaging through her drawers before being confronted and escaping out the window.

Abbie Powter broke into a bungalow in Trowbridge, leaving fingerprints on the window frame, and had been searching through the drawers of clothing.

The homeowner was unable to sleep at the time, and was lying in bed awake in the next room, able to see a light on through the glass panel above her bedroom door.

Full story here

Billy Livingstone: Firearms offences

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

A senior detective has condemned the “despicable behaviour” of two cousins jailed for more than nine years after a terrifying road rage incident.

Billy Livingstone was driving his cousin Connor in a Mercedes hire car – taken without consent – on June 23 when he cut up an Audi A1, aggressively confronting the occupants and causing them to fear for their safety.

After being arrested, detectives searched Connor's flat and found a gun and ammunition.

Full story here

Matteo Crossman: Being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin, as well as possession of cannabis and criminal property.

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

A TEENAGE drug dealer has been jailed after he exploited young people across the town to act as drug runners.

Matteo Crossman was jailed for four years after he used young people to deliver drugs for him across Swindon town centre.

Full story here

Samual Ackah: Possession with intent to supply Class A drugs

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

A Swindon drug dealer who ran the town's 'Ninja' line is behind bars.

Samual Ackah was arrested in January by officers from Wiltshire Police's Fortitude team.

Ackah appeared at Swindon Crown Court on March 30 after previously pleading guilty on two previous occasions to two counts of possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

Full story here

Brian William Smith: Arranging the commission of a child sex offence and attempting to cause a child under 13 to look at an image of sexual activity.

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

A TAXI driver from London travelled to Swindon with the intention to rape and sexually abuse a 9-year-old girl.

Brian William Smith had been speaking to a person online he thought was a mother who was going to allow him to rape her nine-year-old daughter.

But it turned out to be an undercover police officer, who arrested him as he arrived at Swindon train station, armed with Vaseline and condoms.

Full story here.

James Cooper: Actual bodily harm and causing grievous bodily harm

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

A WOMAN who moved to Swindon to get away from her former partner was tracked down and assaulted by him on multiple occasions.

James Cooper travelled 60 miles from Southampton to find the woman.

He assaulted her on two separate occasions, including grabbing her by the throat, fracturing her cheekbone and kicking her in the groin.

Full story here.

Rachel Beale: Misconduct in a public office

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

A POLICE offender manager who cheated on her partner to start an “intimate” relationship with a convicted rapist has been jailed.

Rachel Beale was meant to be managing sex offender Marc Few, when she started the illicit relationship and abused her position to benefit her lover.

She invited Few to her house to smoke cannabis and drink alcohol with her then-partner Jason Elliot, who on one occasion caught her cuddling Few in the bed of their guest room.

Full story here

Martyn Austin: Three counts of possessing a bladed article, one count of harassment and one count of criminal damage

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

A ‘chaotic and aggressive’ man dressed up as a Jedi and went to his ex-partner’s house, banging on the door and windows, and using a megaphone to try and get her attention.

Martyn Robert Austin waited for two and a half hours outside her home, and said he was “practicing his Jedi manoeuvres” while she refused to let him in.

During the campaign of harassment, he also wore a Ghostbusters outfit “to make people happy”.

Full story here

Mitchell Hicks: Drug-dealing

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

A DRUG dealer in Wroughton has been jailed for supplying cannabis - and his partner has been sentenced for allowing him to use their home to prepare the illegal deals.

Police raided an address on Bladen Close on February 4, 2021 after receiving a tip-off, then seized more than half a kilo of cannabis which had been prepared for various street deals along with drug paraphernalia, cash and several mobile phones.

Full story here

Creighton Muirhead: Indecent assault

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

A FORMER Swindon headteacher has been jailed for more than a decade after he repeatedly sexually abused his pupils.

Creighton Muirhead, who was headteacher at Ruskin Junior School in Swindon between 1995 and 2008, sexually abused a total of 19 children in what was labelled as “a study in the failure of child protection” by the judge.

Full story here