These are the faces of serious criminals put behind bars this month.

A number of Nottinghamshire defendants were dealt with by the courts in some high-profile cases that gripped the public's attention both in the city and nationally.

Kathryn Smith

Chief among them was Kathryn Smith, who stamped her 21-month-old daughter Ayeeshia Smith to death.

At Birmingham Crown Court, she was sentenced to a minimum of 24 years behind bars.

The 23-year-old, of Sandfield Drive, Annesley, was found guilty of murder and cruelty to a child by a jury on Friday, April 8.

Smith was seen shaking and crying in the dock on Monday morning, April 11, as she was told her life sentence for the murder of Ayeeshia would be the minimum of 24 years.

She will also serve four years concurrently for child cruelty.

Her ex-partner Matthew Rigby was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail for causing or allowing Ayeeshia's death.

Judge Geraldine Andrews told Rigby, of Sloan Drive, Bramcote, he had repeated opportunities to tell authorities what was happening to the toddler but didn't take them.

Earlier in the trial, he was cleared of murder at their former flat in Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire on May 1, 2014.

Read more:Murdered toddler was heard saying 'stop mummy, stop daddy'

Omar Khan

Another case that draw national attention was the sentencing of Omar Khan, who worked for Nottingham's The Johnson Partnership, but had been involved in a cocaine conspiracy on the sly.

Nearly two kilos of high-strength cocaine was seized during a police operation into the activities of Khan and his three co-accused.

Defendant Nazaquat Ali (pictured above), who provided a safe house for the cocaine at a house in Chard Street, New Basford, was jailed for five years.

Albert Dibra (above), 38, of Joyce Avenue, Sherwood, said to have had a leading role in the enterprise, was sent to prison for seven-and-a-half years.

Nottingham Crown Court heard he had established the safe house and taken delivery of a quantity of cocaine.

Omar Khan

Drugs courier Erlin Manahasa, 28, of no fixed address, was locked up for four-half years for delivering the cocaine.

All four men admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine between October 1 and December 1 last year.

Read more: Nottingham lawyer pleads guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine

Scott Southall

In a different case Scott Southall, of Harworth, beat and raped a woman who was in her thirties, at his home in Rutland Crescent on the night of Friday, September 4.

After hitting her around the head, he carried out the violent sexual assault, before making her bathe and refusing to let her leave the house.

Scott Southall

The next day he went online to research how to cover up rape and how to clean up blood.

But despite his efforts, he was found guilty of rape, assault causing actual bodily harm and false imprisonment.

Southall was sentenced to 15 years in jail for the rape, and a further three years each for the ABH and false imprisonment. These will run concurrently. He will also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Shapoor Azimi

And this week, the victim of a nasty rape in the back of a taxi saw justice done when the driver was jailed for eight years.

A jury found Shapoor Azimi (above) guilty of attacking the 22-year-old student, of West Bridgford, in the back of his cab after picking her up in Nottingham city centre.

Read more: City cabbies want answers after rapist driver got a licence

Sentencing the 37-year-old driver, Judge Timothy Spencer raised concerns over how he was allowed to work after he had been in trouble for kerb-crawling in 2011 and 2006.

After the hearing, a Nottingham City Council spokesman said an investigation had been launched.

Married Azimi, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, raped his victim in Lenton after picking her up in his private-hire car after she had been on a night out.

He faced two rape charges concerning the same incident, but the jury cleared him of the first allegation and convicted him on the second.

Azimi, of Chadwick Road, Bobbers Mill, denied both allegations, claiming the victim had sexually assaulted him.

Read all the latest news from the courts

Dog walkers are being urged to keep their pets on leads following a spate of attacks on sheep.

A Hebridean ewe belonging to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust was killed by a dog less than 24 hours after arriving at the charity's Spalford Warren Nature Reserve, north of Newark on Tuesday night.

And it's not just in rural areas where owners are being asked to be considerate. In the past week, two Staffordshire bull terriers ran onto land at Stonebridge City Farm, in Stonebridge Road, St Ann's.

Stephen Gee, operations co-ordinator at the farm, said: "They didn't appear to be with anyone and they were certainly not on leads.

"We were concerned because we have sheep and lambs. But luckily that incident occurred away from where the animals are kept.

"It's quite worrying to think that two Staffies were running around the area. It does pose a danger to our animals. The risk increases in the warm weather, not only as it encourages people to go out with their dogs, but people leave their doors open and dogs get out."

Read more: Sheep killed by dog after less than 24 hours on a nature reserve

Mr Gee added that a public footpath, where people walk their dogs, borders onto a paddock at the farm and if gates are left open any dogs not on leads can get in.

The problem is not a new one; two years ago, two sheep were killed and another was seriously injured in attacks at Attenborough Nature Reserve. And last October, two pet dogs were shot dead after killing a sheep near a farm in Woodthorpe. Police said as the licensed firearms owner who shot the dogs was acting within the law.

Last year alone an estimated 18,500 livestock nationally were killed or seriously injured from sheep or cattle-worrying nationally, according to insurers NFU Mutual.

Read more: Dogs shot after killing sheep in a field

A spokeswoman for the National Farmers' Union said: "The problem of sheep attacks by dogs is increasing across the whole country. Even the most mild-mannered of family pets can turn into a vicious predator when they're in a sheep field and the devastation they can cause is horrific."

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has teamed up with the National Sheep Association (NSA) to urge dog owners to take extra care around livestock.

Tony Woodley, RSPCA Inspector, said: "Many dogs, if given the opportunity, will chase or show interest in livestock so even if your pet is normally calm, gentle, obedient and docile, don't be complacent; they can be still be a danger."

Read more: Attenborough farmer's plea after third sheep is attacked by dog

The RSPCA and NSA advise dog owners to watch for signs warning of livestock and to keep dogs on a lead around farm animals and in areas you suspect animals may be grazing. If your dog chases sheep, report it to the farmer even if there is no apparent injury as the stress of worrying by dogs can cause sheep to die and pregnant ewes to miscarry their lambs.

Anyone with information regarding the incident at Spalford Warren is urged to call police on 101, quoting incident number 257 of May 4.

A gambler went on the rampage at a betting shop – causing more than £11,000 of damage.

Kulwinder Singh tipped over eight gaming machines and smashed up 18 large TV screens at the Betfred shop in Radford Road, Hyson Green.

The 55-year-old avoided jail after a Nottingham Crown Court judge heard he was getting help from a community psychiatric nurse for his drinking and taking medication.

Judge Stuart Rafferty told him he had behaved in a "wholly unacceptable way" but he warned him that if he got into trouble again he would be going to prison "because all of this will come back to haunt you".

He added: "Gambling is a curse. Quite when it was that the streets of almost every town and city in the land became festooned with betting shops I don't know."

The judge added that it had been a "forlorn hope" that Singh was ever going to win enough money to "sort everything out – that's just pie in the sky, it never happens".

Read more: Mapperley dangerous driver fails to win cut in sentence

"It probably doesn't help when you go in there so drunk you probably aren't betting on the right thing in any event," he added.

Prosecutor Kevin Jones said Singh was a regular user of the betting shop, which he visited at 8.30pm on February 14 and there had never been any previous issues.

He added: "But at around 9.40pm, he began to smash the shop up. He pulled a gaming machine over and it smashed to the floor."

The court heard that the shop manager approached Singh, and when asked what he was doing, Singh said he was going to pull every machine to the floor.

Singh threw a punch, which failed to connect with the manager, who then went behind a security screen to call police.

"Mr Singh then proceeded to pull over the remaining gaming machines," added Mr Jones.

"He then picked up a chair and started to smash the television sets that are dotted around the betting shop.

"In total, there were 14 22in TVs and four 42in TVs."

The total damage to the televisions was £3,718.80 and £7,500 of damage was caused to eight gaming machines.

The incident lasted for around 15 minutes and when police arrived they found Singh with a chair in his hand.

Upon his arrest, Singh - who has 12 convictions for 22 offences , including public order, affray, wounding and possession of an offensive weapon, said he was drunk and couldn't remember anything.

Read more: Mum ends up in court following first night out after having baby

Dominic Shelley, mitigating, said: "He has been making efforts to control his drinking. He has support from a community psychiatric nurse and is taking medication.

"I have explained to him that if he is fortunate enough to keep his liberty, he needs to keep going and that probation are there to help him as well."

Singh, of Addison Street, Arboretum, admitted criminal damage on February 14.

Judge Rafferty sentenced him to a two-year community order and £120 victim surcharge, but ordered no compensation due to his lack of means.

A spokesman for BetFred said: "The security of our staff and customers is paramount. "Events like these are very unusual and we would like to thank the police for their co-operation."

A woman beat up her female partner so badly that their neighbour was unable to recognise the victim's bloodied and battered face when she knocked at her door for help.

Paula Hutsby was joined by her daughter Karmel Hutsby in an attack on Paula's lover.

It was an act of "persistent savagery", said a Nottingham Crown Court judge.

Her injuries were so severe, she had to be seen by the major trauma team at hospital.

The court heard that the assault, which happened at their former home in South Street, Eastwood, involved the victim being kicked repeatedly and her head being stamped on and it was in front of children.

The victim had left the house following an argument over money and she sat on a chair at the bottom of the garden.

Paula Hutsby, 42, followed her and the attack started with Hutsby striking her then-partner so hard to the face that the force knocked her from her chair.

Prosecutor Kevin Jones said: "Paula Hutsby immediately began to kick the victim. She tried to curl up into a ball to protect herself but Paula Hutsby continued to kick and stamp on her repeatedly, with kicks landing on her head and body."

The court heard that Karmel Hutsby, 20, appeared and then joined her mother in kicking the woman.

Read more: Gambler went on the rampage at Betfred shop - causing £11,000 of damage

A child from the family shouted: "Stop, you've done enough", but Paula Hutsby continued the attack, warning her: "If you think about going to the police, I will kill you."

Eventually the victim managed to flee the garden, leaving her two children behind, and ran to a friend's house.

Mr Jones said: "The friend describes a terrified woman covered in mud and blood. She was shaking and bleeding from the lips and eyes and begging to come into the house.

"She said she couldn't recognise her at first."

Police officers arrived and the woman was taken to hospital following the incident, which happened just days before Christmas last year.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said the attack, which was "like an out of body experience" had meant she had had to leave Nottingham and she suffered nightmares and flashbacks.

Paula Hutbsy - who has served prison sentences for assaults, and Karmel Hutsby, both of Woodland Way, Eastwood, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm on December 22 last year.

Read more: Mapperley dangerous driver fails to win cut in sentence

William Bennett, mitigating for Paula Hutsby, said: "My instruction is not to blame the victim in this case in any way."

He added that Paula Hutsby was worried about what would happen to her children if she was sent to prison.

Clarkson Baptiste, mitigating for Karmel Hutsby, said his client had been a victim of domestic violence herself and that if she was jailed there would be no one to look after her young son or her 15-year-old sister.

Judge Stuart Rafferty told the pair: "The two of you acted as part of a joint enterprise and set about your partner, Paula Hutsby, in your case, with nothing less than persistent savagery."

He said it could only be assumed that Karmel Hutsby got involved out of "misguided loyalty" to her mum.

Paula Hutsby was sentenced to 28-and-a-half months in prison. Judge Rafferty decided not to send Karmel Hutsby to jail "as an act of mercy to the children" and she was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years.

Car clockers from Nottingham who wound back milometers by more than a million miles have been jailed.

Brothers-in-law Meti Zielinski, 23, of Sandon Street, Basford, and Marcin Kaminiski, 27, of Pavior Road, Bestwood, went on to sell the 13 cars with fake MOT certificates and service histories.

They were each sentenced to 15 months in prison and both ordered to pay £20,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act after admitting the offences at Nottingham Crown Court.

Over an 18-month period between 2013 and 2015, the men tampered with 17 vehicles, cutting the mileage on 13 of them by around half and reducing the total by 1,159,743 miles.

All the vehicles were then sold with false documents.

Read more: Maserati driver fined after nearly running over policeman's foot weeks after serving his driving ban

Their court case follows a similar one last month when two brothers from Lenton clocked cars, sold them on, often with fake MOTs, and used the bank accounts of their dead grandparents to get false tax discs.

Kaas Abbas, 23, and Zikria Abbas, 25, both of Hathern Green, in Lenton Abbey, were jailed for 18 months on the clocking charges.

In this latest case, Meti Zielinski, a self-employed car dealer, spent his time at car auctions and surfing the internet for vehicles.

Marcin Kaminski was employed as a mechanic and used his employer's account to sell the vehicles.

The family, who run a valeting service from Sandon Street, had the front garden set up like a forecourt.

Read more: Drivers warned over fallen tree in Stapleford

After a tip-off from Nottinghamshire Police, Nottingham City Council Trading Standards Service, working with Gumtree, Autotrader, British Car Auctions and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, made two test purchases and searched homes and business addresses.

They found cash, false service stamps and paperwork for more than 70 vehicles that had been bought, advertised and sold on to victims across the country, using various phone numbers, email accounts and names.

Seized laptops and IPads showed fake documents created for the sales.

When sentencing, the judge said: "This was without doubt a sophisticated operation, and the garage stamps added authenticity to persuade people to depart from hard earned money."

Read more: Read more: Witnesses saw 'blood on the pavement' after man stabbed in his car outside Bargain Booze

Jane Bailey, Nottingham City Council's trading standards manager, said: "This is the second major car clocking case we have put before the courts in recent weeks. We are pleased that the defendants have been given significant sentences for these crimes, which have left numerous citizens out of pocket.

"Cars were sold with false service histories, suggesting to the buyers that the vehicles had been regularly serviced. This was not the case. Advisory notes on MOT tests had been removed, including tyres with low tread and brake discs corroded. This could have meant that the vehicles were sold in an unsafe condition and that purchasers were unaware they might be at risk.

"I would urge anyone buying a second hand car to make as many checks as they possibly can to ensure that the vehicle is showing its true mileage. The website https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history will allow potential buyers to check the genuine mileage of any vehicle they are considering buying."

Cllr Nicola Heaton, Nottingham City Council's portfolio holder for community safety, added: "This crime required intense investigation by trading standards and the result will protect people across the country from the organised criminality committed within a family unit.

"Buying a car is large part of anyone's budget and to find out that your new vehicle has a false mileage and fake documents and so is worth a lot less – and in a poorer state of repair than expected - must have been a shock and concern for many victims."

The council is helping the victims pursue compensation.

Police are hoping to track down the couple in these pictures in connection with a number of charity boxes from Nottingham city centre.

The thefts have happened at various businesses in Nottingham city centre in recent weeks, including a store in Upper Parliament Street and a cafe in Broadway Street.

The woman is described as white, between 5ft 5ins and 5ft 6ins tall, with long, brown hair which she sometimes wears in a ponytail. She often wears glasses. The man is of medium build with receding hair.

Read more: Long Eaton carer helped himself to partially-blind man's cash

A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: "The theft of a charity box is a particularly callous act. Whilst the amounts stolen can be small, the impact of this type of offence on the community can be great as money donated by charitable Nottingham people goes to waste.

"We would urge anyone who has any idea who the people pictured are to get in touch."

Read more: Nottingham paedophile should be locked up 'forever' - says ex-wife

Anyone who recognises either of those pictured or who has any information which may help the investigation is asked to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 16000108399.

A man has been arrested and charged with grievous bodily harm after an elderly man was hospitalised.

Stephen Chapman, 57, of no fixed address, was arrested and charged after an 86-year-old man was allegedly knocked to the ground outside Morrisons in Kikby-in-Ashfield.

Read more: Tram services restored after tree falls onto tracks

The incident took place between 10.20am and 11am on May 25, and the elderly man was taken to hospital with a serious hip injury.

Officers believe there to be a number of witnesses who would have seen what took place but are yet to come forward and are urging them to get in touch.

Read more: Two men arrested on suspicion of murder after sudden death of 38-year-old Nottingham woman in flat

Anyone with information about the incident should contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting reference number 214 of May 25, 2016 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Detectives are scouring video footage taken on a mobile phone of a terrifying knife attack which left a young man dead.

The fatal stabbing was caught on camera by a local student, who filmed the incident while her friend rushed to help the injured man. The victim has been named locally as Aqib Mahzar, who was in his 20s.

He was rushed to hospital but later died after the attack in Russell Road, Hyson Green, on Wednesday night. Police are treating the incident, which happened at 8.30pm, as a murder investigation.

The 22-year-old student who lives close to the scene, told the Post she had instinctively grabbed her phone as she saw the drama unfolding. Police are now using her footage as part of the ongoing investigation.

Read more: Live updates as police investigate fatal stabbing in Nottingham

The Nottingham Trent University student said: "I looked outside my window and saw a group of men trying to smash the windows of a car. I just grabbed my phone and started recording but I had no idea it would be as serious as it is."

Her footage also shows a number of residents coming to the aid of Mr Mahzar, including local student Jade Ryder. She told the Post she had seen a group of men throwing bricks at the window of a silver car.

She said: "I heard the windows smash and could see the men were trying to get at the man in the passenger side of the car. I didn't see the moment he got stabbed because I was going downstairs to help.

"The man had stumbled out of the car and collapsed on the pavement. There was seven of us who tried to help – some people got a blanket and others got rubber gloves to try and help with the blood.

"I was on the phone to a police officer and she told me to put him in the recovery position and that is when I could see he had been stabbed in the back."

Read more: Family of murder victim 'extremely distraught' police say

Reverend Clive Burrows, who lives in Russell Road, said his wife Karen was also one of those to rush to help, giving first aid to Mr Mahzar.

He said: "There was a group of people helping, and she was using her hands to try to stem the the blood. Most of the time people get on really well together so it is shocking and it makes you realise how fragile life is."

A community has rallied together to send their wishes to a grieving family after a young man was stabbed to death in Hyson Green.

The man in his 20s, named locally as Aqib Mazhar, was fatally injured in the horrific attack. He was rushed to the Queen's Medical Centre, but he later died from his injuries.

Police are now treating the incident, which happened in Russell Road at about 8.30pm on Wednesday, as a murder investigation. On Thursday, the family of the victim was sitting [receiving condolences] at the Madni Masjid mosque, in Gladstone Street, Forest Fields.

Members of the Muslim community expressed their sadness at the news of his death.

A spokesman from Jamia Masjid Sultania mosque, in Sneinton Dale, Sneinton, said: "Our prayers go out to Aqib Mazhar from Forest Fields who passed away last night after being attacked on Russell Road with a knife.

And a spokesman for the Nottingham Islam Information Centre, based in Bovill Street, Hyson Green, said: "We were in the area last night when it happened. We went to the mosque and announcement was made about who it was. It was a real shock and you just don't expect it. Everyone is sharing the news and it is a sad day for our community."

Fourteen houses in Russell Road were covered by the cordon, which ran from the start of the street, near to The Forest tram stop and Djanogly City Academy, to a few yards before Austen Avenue. Residents in the area were told to walk along nearby Laurie Avenue, turn left at Burford Road and onto Gregory Boulevard as a diversion.

Read more: Polish man died after being dropped off at hospital by Mini police want to trace

Mum-of-five Naseem Akhtar lives just inside the cordon and had to sign in and out with police officers throughout the day. Speaking to the Post on her way to work on Thursday, the 42-year-old said: "I was at my parent's house and a relative came and said my road had been blocked off.

"I thought it'd be best to leave my car around the corner. When I turned the corner I saw my house had been blocked off. My first thought was that something had happened at my house.

"I had my five-year-old and he started crying. It was scary because there were so many police officers and flashing blue lights. I thought the worst."

Mrs Akhtar, a speech and language therapist, has lived in the road for eight years.

She added: "There are a lot of older people living here and they're all nice families. I have been brought up in this area. I have an 18-year-old and I thought something had happened to him."I went to school with the victim's mum.

"She's the same age as me. It's horrible. I can't stop thinking about her. I keep imagining how I'd feel in that situation."

Azim Harron, who lives in nearby Windermere Road, was walking past the crime scene at about 9am yesterday.The 25-year-old mature student, who goes to Nottingham Trent University, said: "I can't believe this has happened.

"I know this sort of thing happens all the time but not so close to home. This area doesn't feel safe. For this to happen last night when it was still sort of light is awful."

Read more: Delve deep into hidden caves under Nottingham's Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem

Local resident Daniel Wood has lived in the area all his life and said he was shocked to hear about the stabbing. "I know this area has had a bad reputation but it's been a lot better in recent years," he said."There are occasionally fights around here but it's never normally this serious, people don't use knives or anything like that."

A mother-of-four, who lives in Austen Avenue and did not want to be named, said at first she thought it was a bomb threat. She added: "There were lots of police cars, around seven of them. I thought it was a bomb threat because there were so many cars.

"I went to school with the young lad's mum and it's so sad. I have a young teenage boy and I don't want to let him out of the house.

"This area just doesn't feel safe. It was getting dark, but it was still daylight when it happened."Officers are investigating and are keen for anyone who witnessed what happened to come forward.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101 quoting incident number 820 of June 1, 2016 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Mother Kathryn Smith has been convicted of stamping her 21-month-old daughter Ayeeshia Jane Smith to death.

The 23-year-old, who now lives in Sandfield Drive, Annesley, was found guilty of murder and cruelty to a child by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, April 8.

The toddler died from a fatal heart laceration most likely caused by a foot stamp and the sort of injury doctors only usually see in crash victims.

Smith's 22-year-old former partner Matthew Rigby, of Sloan Drive, Bramcote, was earlier found guilty of causing or allowing the toddler's death.

Read more: Social services missed 20 chances to save toddler Ayeeshia Smith, stamped to death by her mother

Read more: Pensioner recovering from throat cancer gets caught speeding on way to get pain relief

He was cleared of murder at their former flat in Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire on May 1, 2014.

The couple moved into the flat two months before May 1, 2014, the day baby Ayeeshia died. The witness said she had never seen the child and only heard her once, sometime between April 10 and 17.

Little Ayeeshia, known as AJ, suffered a fatal collapse at home just over three weeks after Derbyshire County Council social services had discussed taking the youngster into care over fears Smith was a victim of domestic abuse.

Smith was called "cowardly" by the NSPCC.

A spokesman said: "This is a truly horrific case. Tiny Ayeeshia was subjected to cowardly assaults which left her with appalling injuries no child should ever have to suffer.

Read more: Murdered toddler was heard saying 'stop mummy, stop daddy'

"Instead of being protected and nurtured the defenceless toddler was consigned to a painful death.

"It's only right that those responsible for this hideous crime should be severely punished."

Kathryn Smith, who stamped her 21-month-old daughter to death, has been sentenced to a minimum of 24 years behind bars.

The 23-year-old, of Sandfield Drive, Annesley, was found guilty of murder and cruelty to a child by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, April 8.

Smith was seen shaking and crying in the dock on Monday morning, April 11, as she was told her life sentence for the murder of Ayeeshia Smith would be for a minimum of 24 years.

She will also serve four years concurrently for child cruelty.

Her ex-partner Matthew Rigby has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail for causing or allowing Ayeeshia's death.

Judge Geraldine Andrews told Rigby, of Sloan Drive, Bramcote, he had repeated opportunities to tell authorities what was happening to the toddler but didn't take them.

Read more: Social services missed 20 chances to save toddler Ayeeshia Smith, stamped to death by her mother

Read more: Murdered toddler was heard saying 'stop mummy, stop daddy'

Rigby's head remained bowed as his sentence was delivered.

Earlier in the trial, he was cleared of murder at their former flat in Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire on May 1, 2014.

The couple moved into the flat two months before May 1, 2014, the day baby Ayeeshia died. A witness said she had never seen the child and only heard her once, sometime between April 10 and 17.

Little Ayeeshia, known as AJ, suffered a fatal collapse at home just over three weeks after Derbyshire County Council social services had discussed taking the youngster into care over fears Smith was a victim of domestic abuse.

The NSPCC said it the former couple's behaviour was "incomprehensible".

A spokesperson said: "The people responsible for Ayeeshia's brutal death have quite rightly been jailed; for many it is incomprehensible that a parent could submit their own flesh and blood to such abuse.

"No matter what the circumstances, the safety of the child is paramount and if that means professionals taking unpalatable decisions this should happen without delay.

"The epitaph -'lessons must be learned'- has been tagged on to too many tragic deaths of very young children. But it's clear many are still vulnerable to such violent attacks.

"A serious case review of the circumstances will shine a light on what happened, but as with the hundreds of serious case reviews that have come before it, it's doubtful it will really advance child protection."

Violent crime roses by nine per cent over the past year – as the number of offences committed stayed roughly the same.

There were just 26 less instances of crime in 2015/16 compared to the previous year. A total of 72,410 crimes were committed, compared to 72,436 in 2014/15.

There were almost 700 less burglaries and 100 less robberies, but violent crime still rose by nine per cent to 17,836. Sexual offences also rose by almost 200 to 2,084.

Read more: Cannabis addict told by judge his self-treating was 'nonsense'

Chief Constable Chris Eyre said: "Nottinghamshire is bucking the national trend of a general rise in crime. We have seen a reduction of more than 1,400 crimes in Nottingham city alone, while many other comparable cities and areas around the country have seen their crime figures go up.

"Reducing violence has got to remain our primary focus, as is continuing to provide exemplary support and investigations for victims of sexual offences, whether current or historical, which has encouraged more people to come forward to report crimes committed against them."

Drugs offences fell by almost 500 while the number of anti-social behaviour reports fell by 1,675.

Read more: Police search for man in connection with theft from Boots

Paddy Tipping, Nottinghamshire's Police and Crime Commissioner added: "This is a good result for Nottinghamshire Police in many ways.

"First and foremost, overall crime continues to fall. Secondly, reported crime in areas where we have been encouraging people to come forward, is up, demonstrating that people have confidence in the police.

"Secondly, reported crime in areas where we have been encouraging people to come forward, such as sexual violence and hate crime, is up, demonstrating that people have confidence in the police.

"Finally, this outcome shows that even during a period of unprecedented budget reductions the officers and staff of Nottinghamshire Police have been relentless in their work to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour."

A police officer has been given a parking ticket after leaving his van in a disabled bay...to apparently go and buy burritos.

Witnesses claim officers parked a police riot van in a disabled drivers only area outside Taco Bell, in Angel Row, earlier this week.

Road markings and signs indicate the bay is for disabled drivers only.

And the restaurant is just a three-minute walk from the newly-opened Central Police Station, at Byron House in Maid Marian Way.

Read more: Carer gets parking ticket while trying to look after elderly woman

Upon investigating the photos, Nottinghamshire Police confirmed that the officer who had driven the van had been given a fixed penalty notice.

The pictures were taken by 42-year-old Stephen Roberts on Wednesday evening. He was at Taco Bell with his partner and their own Blue-badged car was parked behind the police van.

He said: "I was inside the restaurant and saw the van go by; outside on the street I could see a plain-clothes officer waiting by the entrance of the restaurant.

"I thought 'What was going off?' and about a second later five officers piled in. I wondered because of the taxi ranks and disabled bay where would they be able to park.

"I then looked outside and there it was. I didn't see the number plate on the van when it went by but I could tell it was the same one."

Stephen, who took photos of the van and the officers, said he was upset the police appeared to be ignoring the restrictions which help his partner get around.

He added: "It's just one rule for one and one rule for the other.

"If they had to sit in it because of an emergency you don't mind, when they're doing something it's fine.

"It's why people make a fuss, if it was me or you we would be facing a fine."

Charlotte Throssel, from charity Nottingham Disability Direct, said she regularly sees non-disabled drivers flouting parking restrictions.

She added: "If the police were responding to an emergency you have to be a little bit sensible; they have to be as close as they can to what happens as possible, but morally if nothing else it's wrong.

"If you don't need the spaces, don't take them."

Read more: Burglar leaves behind trail of sweets – to distract victim's dog

Charlotte, a blue-badge holder herself, says drivers wrongly using disabled parking area is a common complaint from the charity's service users.

She added: "Hate crimes against the disabled are on the rise and this doesn't seem like a lot but it shows that if our police officers don't care about disabled people, why should anyone else?

"They should be our moral compass."

The manager of Taco Bell said that "around eight" officers had visited the restaurant on Wednesday evening to buy food.

A police spokesman added: "We will remind all officers about parking vehicles legally and safely at all times."

A woman followed her boyfriend behind bars on Thursday after staging an attack in Nottingham Prison which shocked three officers.

Nottingham Magistrates' Court heard that Chelsea Vardy punched, kicked and spat after leaving her mobile phone in the jail and being told she would have to return the next day to collect it.

JP Janet Kitson told her: "These were very nasty degrading offences. They are so serious that immediate custody is the only proper sentence."

An 18-week term was imposed on Vardy, 23, who admitted two counts of assaulting officers in the execution of their duty, one common assault and causing damage to a police vehicle, which needed a £70 clean to remove her spittle. The court was told that trouble began after Vardy visited her partner in the prison on March 29.

When told she could not return to collect her phone, Vardy picked up a brick in the car park and said: "I will smash my way in."

Read more: Killer of young mum found dead in prison

She punched a policeman on the chin, as he tried to grab the brick, said Judith Kirkham, prosecuting. As a crowd began to gather, a female prison officer tried to help and was "punched hard in the face."

The officer, who was pregnant, had to go to hospital for a check-up but there was more bother when a police car arrived to remove Vardy. She spat and "lashed out and kicked the first officer in the head".

When a police van turned up, Vardy, of Rhodes Avenue, Newbold, near Chesterfield, spat at a woman officer. The spittle landed on her mouth, nose and on one cheek, said Mrs Kirkham. "She was disgusted and could hear her hacking to accumulate spit to spit all over the vehicle.

"She said she had been assaulted before but never anything like this. She was shocked by the violence and felt it was deplorable. Another officer said he had never seen worse violence in 11 years' experience," said Mrs Kirkham.

Read more: Bare-chested man 'effed and jeffed' at police while holding a child

Vardy, who was on a suspended sentence, must pay a government surcharge of £80.

Zahra Hussain, in mitigation, said Vardy suffered from anxiety and depression as well as a spinal problem. "Her behaviour, she accepts, was wrong,'' she said.

"Without the assistance of probation and the thinking skills course, this behaviour will continue. She has never been to prison and when I told her that was a possibility, she said in her own words 'I would not be able to cope with prison. I would not be able to get help from my probation officer, my mum and my sister.'"

"She told me 'I am sorry, I know what I did was wrong. I am disgusted I spat on people,'" added Miss Hussain for Vardy, of Rhodes Avenue, Newbold, near Chesterfield.

Three men drove onto a farm in Gamston, attached a trailer to their vehicle and then drove away.

The man brazenly drove onto the farm and loaded the the orange Kubota tractor onto their own trailer before driving off. The theft happened just before 1pm on March 10.

The 4x4 used to tow the trailer has since been recovered and subjected to forensic examination. The tractor is still missing and the offenders are still at large.

Read more: Police want to speak to this man in connection with an assault at Subway

Police are appealing for anyone who recognises the man pictured in the CCTV images, or for anyone who may have seen the tractor on someone's driveway, land, under a tarpaulin or garage.

Anyone with information can contact police on 101 quoting incident number 364 of March 10, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Read more: Deer put down after collision with car on busy Notts road

A three-year-old child has died after an incident at a Nottinghamshire theme park.

The child was taken to hospital due to a medical condition which worsened through Sunday afternoon.

Police, ambulances and an air ambulance were rushed to the park after a 999 call.

The park was guarded for several hours by police following the incident in White Post, Farnsfield.

Nearby residents described seeing the air ambulance sweeping over the area.

Read more: Latest updates as Wheelgate is closed on Monday

Tim Moorhouse, manager of the White Post Inn pub in Farnsfield was outside when he saw the commotion erupting.

He added: "I saw the ambulance come through – it must have been around 4pm. I was just outside the back of the pub at the time."

A local resident, who chose not to be named, was shocked by the tragic news.

She added: "We just heard there was an incident involving a three-year-old, we didn't know what had happened but there were quite a lot of ambulances, the air ambulance arrived and took the child away.

Read more: Off-duty nurse tried to save three-year-old who died at Wheelgate Park

Read more: Heavy police and paramedic presence at Nottinghamshire theme park

"We were sat outside at the time but although we weren't there we had friends who knew people that worked in the park.

"They said there had been an accident with a three year-old but they didn't really know what it was – it didn't sound good."

Police confirmed on Sunday evening that the three-year-old died but the circumstances of his death were not suspicious and not related to the park.

The Post understands that the toddler died as the result of a medical condition. He is believed to have been taken to hospital before his death.

The cause of death has not been established.

Read more: Tributes pour in for three-year-old who died at Wheelgate Park

A statement released by the venue stated: "Management and staff at Wheelgate Park would like to extend their deepest sympathies to the family of a young child who passed away in hospital after having suddenly taken ill while visiting the park.

"As a mark of respect, the park will be closed on Monday and reopen on Tuesday.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our visitors on Sunday for their co-operation and understanding during what was clearly a very distressing time for the child and his family, and also to extend our gratitude to the work of the all the emergency services, as well as an off duty nurse who assisted immediately and the on-site first aid team outside the theme park."

As of 8pm on Sunday evening, there was still a police guard outside the theme park.

In 2004, a seven-year-old girl, Megan Wilcox, died on a theme park on the same site.

At the time it was called Wonderland Pleasure Park – an inquest jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

A Nottingham man has been jailed for 15 months for his part in a money laundering scam worth £115,000 in "dirty cash".

Andrew Phillips, 56, of Pedmore Valley, Bestwood, was found guilty at Maidstone Crown Court following a two-week trial.

He was convicted alongside Michael McGrath, 44, of Kent, after investigators from HM Revenue and Customs found almost £60,000 in the boot of a car.

Picture: Nearly £60,000 was found in the boot of Phillips' car

Officers observing the money launderers saw that large amounts of cash in packages were being collected by Phillips in Nottingham and delivered to McGrrath in Canterbury, Kent. McGrath then deposited the "dirty cash" into a number of separate bank accounts.

Read more: Off-duty nurse tried to save three-year-old who died at Wheelgate Park

On 24 May 2012, HMRC officers observed a package being delivered to McGrath in Canterbury, Kent. McGrath was later seen visiting an address in Folkestone. The following day officers stopped a courier at Newport Pagnell motorway services on the M1, shortly after a package had been collected from Phillips in Nottingham. Officers found almost £60,000 in cash in the boot of the car.

Suspecting involvement in laundering criminal proceeds, HMRC officers arrested McGrath, Phillips and two others on 25 May 2012. They seized £8,430 cash during a search of McGrath's home address and a further £14,880 at a premises in Folkestone, where the occupier was arrested but later released from bail.

Phillips and McGrath were found guilty of money laundering offences at Maidstone Crown Court on March 11 this year.

Phillips was jailed for 15 months while McGrath, who was absent during his trial and believed to be in Dubai, was sentenced in his absence to 25 months on 15 April 2016. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

HMRC has already seized £80,000 which is subject to an application for forfeiture under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Read more: More than 200 county pupils miss out on preferred primary schools

A gang of travellers who stole almost £150,000 from cash machines in a "highly organised and sophisticated" operation have been jailed for a total of 22 years.

The six-strong gang also stole cars and heavy machinery worth thousands of pounds to use during their ram-raids on ATMs around the East Midlands and South Yorkshire. The gang, two of whom lived in Newark, stole more than £70,000 from an ATM stolen from a Co-op store in Collingham, £19,000 in a similar raid in Moorends, and more than £50,000 during the raid on a cash machine in Gainsborough.

They also stole more than £270,000 in machinery and cars and caused more than £25,000 of damage during their thefts and raids. They used stolen JCBs to smash through walls to free the machines, which they later broke open.

Judge James Sampson told the gang they had terrorised residents while smashing their way through walls to get to the ATMs in the middle of the night. He said: "This was highly organised, sophisticated and a team effort.

Read more: Masked men in armed robbery at Tesco Express petrol station

"It targeted ATM machines and used disguised cars to carry out the raids. The offences happened late at night, and on occasion, terrorised residents who were in the building with the ATM."

Adrian Langdale, prosecuting, told Nottingham Crown Court: "What we have is a highly sophisticated and well organised gang and members of the travelling fraternity. They had a forensic level of security, not just by wearing gloves, but also by using pay-as-you-go phones and fake number plates.

"They targeted a certain type of vehicle, 4x4 or transit vans, to plot their offences and would cut the roof off these vehicles so they could deposit the ATMs in there with no one being able to see."

John Henry Buck, 48, and George Buck, 25, both of Tolney Lane, Newark, Alan Pearson, 30, of Donville Road, Eastoft, Scunthorpe and James Buck, 23, of station Road, Doncaster, all faced counts of conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to commit theft.

They were all jailed for five years, save for the elder Buck, who was jailed for seven.

Read more: Burglars convicted of stealing treasured photos of a mother's dead sons

John Buck, 20, of Pastures Drive, Mexborough, in Doncaster, was given a nine-month suspended sentence for theft, while Kimberley Price, 28, of Ross Terraces, Ferryhill, in County Durham, was given a three-month suspended sentence for converting criminal property and possession of criminal property.

Detective Inspector James Hill said: "This was a lenghty investigation of an organised crime group. These sentences reflect the severity of their criminality and sends a clear message to those organised criminals who seek to profit from such activities.

"It has been a lengthy and pain staking investigation undertaken by Nottinghamshire Police which has led to these risky criminals been given lengthy sentences."

Thieves who stole electric fencing equipment from a field have been slammed by farming union officials.

Nottinghamshire Police are investigating after an energiser and batteries providing the supply to electric fencing were stolen from fields at Elston, near Newark.

A power regulator and battery from the fence, worth around £300, were taken between Friday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23.

A spokeswoman for the National Famers Union (NFU), said: "It's a stupid thing to do - we use electric fencing for all sorts of things but mainly to control where livestock graze. It's spring and fresh grass is very bad for cattle's digestion so what the farmer does is partition the paddocks with electric fencing.

Read more: Masked men threatened women and children with screwdriver and stole gold rings

"It keeps the cattle in an area so they can't eat all the grass.

"It's daft that someone has stolen the equipment. We would urged people to check around their buildings and fields as often as possible and report any suspicious activity to the police."

The fencing usually has a 12-volt supply, which would give a "nasty bang" if contact is made.

Anyone with information about the theft is urged to call Nottinghamshire Rural Police on 101.

These are the faces of serious criminals put behind bars this month.

A number of Nottinghamshire defendants were dealt with by the courts in some high-profile cases that gripped the public's attention both in the city and nationally.

Kathryn Smith

Chief among them was Kathryn Smith, who stamped her 21-month-old daughter Ayeeshia Smith to death.

At Birmingham Crown Court, she was sentenced to a minimum of 24 years behind bars.

The 23-year-old, of Sandfield Drive, Annesley, was found guilty of murder and cruelty to a child by a jury on Friday, April 8.

Smith was seen shaking and crying in the dock on Monday morning, April 11, as she was told her life sentence for the murder of Ayeeshia would be the minimum of 24 years.

She will also serve four years concurrently for child cruelty.

Her ex-partner Matthew Rigby was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail for causing or allowing Ayeeshia's death.

Judge Geraldine Andrews told Rigby, of Sloan Drive, Bramcote, he had repeated opportunities to tell authorities what was happening to the toddler but didn't take them.

Earlier in the trial, he was cleared of murder at their former flat in Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire on May 1, 2014.

Read more:Murdered toddler was heard saying 'stop mummy, stop daddy'

Omar Khan

Another case that draw national attention was the sentencing of Omar Khan, who worked for Nottingham's The Johnson Partnership, but had been involved in a cocaine conspiracy on the sly.

Nearly two kilos of high-strength cocaine was seized during a police operation into the activities of Khan and his three co-accused.

Defendant Nazaquat Ali (pictured above), who provided a safe house for the cocaine at a house in Chard Street, New Basford, was jailed for five years.

Albert Dibra (above), 38, of Joyce Avenue, Sherwood, said to have had a leading role in the enterprise, was sent to prison for seven-and-a-half years.

Nottingham Crown Court heard he had established the safe house and taken delivery of a quantity of cocaine.

Omar Khan

Drugs courier Erlin Manahasa, 28, of no fixed address, was locked up for four-half years for delivering the cocaine.

All four men admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine between October 1 and December 1 last year.

Read more: Nottingham lawyer pleads guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine

Scott Southall

In a different case Scott Southall, of Harworth, beat and raped a woman who was in her thirties, at his home in Rutland Crescent on the night of Friday, September 4.

After hitting her around the head, he carried out the violent sexual assault, before making her bathe and refusing to let her leave the house.

Scott Southall

The next day he went online to research how to cover up rape and how to clean up blood.

But despite his efforts, he was found guilty of rape, assault causing actual bodily harm and false imprisonment.

Southall was sentenced to 15 years in jail for the rape, and a further three years each for the ABH and false imprisonment. These will run concurrently. He will also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Shapoor Azimi

And this week, the victim of a nasty rape in the back of a taxi saw justice done when the driver was jailed for eight years.

A jury found Shapoor Azimi (above) guilty of attacking the 22-year-old student, of West Bridgford, in the back of his cab after picking her up in Nottingham city centre.

Read more: City cabbies want answers after rapist driver got a licence

Sentencing the 37-year-old driver, Judge Timothy Spencer raised concerns over how he was allowed to work after he had been in trouble for kerb-crawling in 2011 and 2006.

After the hearing, a Nottingham City Council spokesman said an investigation had been launched.

Married Azimi, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, raped his victim in Lenton after picking her up in his private-hire car after she had been on a night out.

He faced two rape charges concerning the same incident, but the jury cleared him of the first allegation and convicted him on the second.

Azimi, of Chadwick Road, Bobbers Mill, denied both allegations, claiming the victim had sexually assaulted him.

Read all the latest news from the courts

Dog walkers are being urged to keep their pets on leads following a spate of attacks on sheep.

A Hebridean ewe belonging to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust was killed by a dog less than 24 hours after arriving at the charity's Spalford Warren Nature Reserve, north of Newark on Tuesday night.

And it's not just in rural areas where owners are being asked to be considerate. In the past week, two Staffordshire bull terriers ran onto land at Stonebridge City Farm, in Stonebridge Road, St Ann's.

Stephen Gee, operations co-ordinator at the farm, said: "They didn't appear to be with anyone and they were certainly not on leads.

"We were concerned because we have sheep and lambs. But luckily that incident occurred away from where the animals are kept.

"It's quite worrying to think that two Staffies were running around the area. It does pose a danger to our animals. The risk increases in the warm weather, not only as it encourages people to go out with their dogs, but people leave their doors open and dogs get out."

Read more: Sheep killed by dog after less than 24 hours on a nature reserve

Mr Gee added that a public footpath, where people walk their dogs, borders onto a paddock at the farm and if gates are left open any dogs not on leads can get in.

The problem is not a new one; two years ago, two sheep were killed and another was seriously injured in attacks at Attenborough Nature Reserve. And last October, two pet dogs were shot dead after killing a sheep near a farm in Woodthorpe. Police said as the licensed firearms owner who shot the dogs was acting within the law.

Last year alone an estimated 18,500 livestock nationally were killed or seriously injured from sheep or cattle-worrying nationally, according to insurers NFU Mutual.

Read more: Dogs shot after killing sheep in a field

A spokeswoman for the National Farmers' Union said: "The problem of sheep attacks by dogs is increasing across the whole country. Even the most mild-mannered of family pets can turn into a vicious predator when they're in a sheep field and the devastation they can cause is horrific."

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has teamed up with the National Sheep Association (NSA) to urge dog owners to take extra care around livestock.

Tony Woodley, RSPCA Inspector, said: "Many dogs, if given the opportunity, will chase or show interest in livestock so even if your pet is normally calm, gentle, obedient and docile, don't be complacent; they can be still be a danger."

Read more: Attenborough farmer's plea after third sheep is attacked by dog

The RSPCA and NSA advise dog owners to watch for signs warning of livestock and to keep dogs on a lead around farm animals and in areas you suspect animals may be grazing. If your dog chases sheep, report it to the farmer even if there is no apparent injury as the stress of worrying by dogs can cause sheep to die and pregnant ewes to miscarry their lambs.

Anyone with information regarding the incident at Spalford Warren is urged to call police on 101, quoting incident number 257 of May 4.