The man also pleaded guilty to possessing indecent photos of children

A man has appeared in court after being charged with possessing sexual images of a corpse. Ben Sharpe, 31, of Burlton Road, Cambridge, appeared at Cambridge Magistrates Court on Thursday (April 9).

The 31-year-old was charged with possessing an extreme pornographic image or images portraying acts which involved sexual interference with a corpse. This relates to three images on or before January 31, 2025, in Cambridge.

Sharpe pleaded guilty to this charge, as well as other offences. The other charges he faced and pleaded guilty to were:

• Making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child relating to 962 category A images on/before January 31, 2025 in Cambridge;
• Making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child relating to 388 category B images taken on/before January 31, 2025 in Cambridge;
• Making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child relating to 838 category C images taken on/before January 31, 2025 in Cambridge;
• Possession of a prohibited image of a child taken on/before January 31, 2025;
• Four counts of breaching a sexual prevention harm disorder.

He will next appear at Cambridge Crown Court on May 21 for sentencing.

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The man was fleeing police after a suspected drug deal took place

A man who threatened a police officer with a knife during a chase has been jailed. Ricky Green, 42, attempted to flee from police on October 7, 2025, when officers suspected a drug deal was taking place in Searle Street, Cambridge.

During a police chase, Green pulled a knife from his pocked and approached one of the officers in a threatening manner. The 42-year-old was then arrested and a search revealed he was carrying 24 wraps of heroine and 63 wraps of cocaine.

These had a combined street value of around £900. He also had £80 in cash.

Green, of Victoria Road, Cambridge, was found guilty of possession with intent to supply cocaine and heroin. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a pointed article and threatening with a pointed article in a public place.

At Huntingdon Law Courts on Friday (March 27), he was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison. Detective Constable Henry Marshall, who investigated, said: “Green’s behaviour that night posed a serious risk to both our officers and the public.

“Threatening an officer with a knife is completely unacceptable and the sentenced handed down reflects the gravity of his actions. We are committed to removing dangerous individuals who deal harmful drugs and carry weapons from our streets.”

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The claimant said Cambridgeshire Police had falsified reports after he was involved in a crash

A senior judge has said complaints against the police should not be “swept under the carpet” as he allowed a cyclist’s £4.8 million court battle against three forces to proceed to trial. Sir Geoffrey Vos said that it was ‘critical’ for public confidence in policing that complaints against forces were not ‘ignored’ amid a legal claim over allegations of “misfeasance in a public office”.

Gijsbert van Buuren is suing the Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, and Hertfordshire forces, as well as the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). He claims that all four bodies helped to conceal Cambridgeshire Police’s falsifying reports after he was knocked off his bike in Histon, near Cambridge, in August 2013.

The crash caused him serious injuries and required him to be taken to hospital by police. While Cambridgeshire Police officers reported that he had fallen off his bike, Mr van Buuren was later told by witnesses that he had been clipped by a passing car.

Mr van Buuren, who has no recollection of the crash and is representing himself, is now suing for £4.8 million in damages. In January last year, he had most of his claim against Cambridgeshire Police thrown out, as well as all of his claim against the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Constabularies and the IOPC.

He challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal, claiming at a hearing last week that the High Court should have ruled in his favour before a trial as he had received no explanation for what had happened and was the victim of “untargeted malice”.

In a ruling on Tuesday, Sir Geoffrey, sitting with Lady Justice Asplin and Lady Justice Elisabeth Laing, said that lawyers for the three constabularies and the IOPC conceded at the hearing that the bodies consented to the claims against them being reinstated.

The judges also separately dismissed Mr van Buuren’s challenge to the High Court’s decision not to rule in his favour before a trial. Sir Geoffrey stated: “I do not think that the defendants have ‘no real prospect’ of successfully defending the claim.”

He said: “There are some concerning allegations about Mr van Buuren’s physical treatment at the scene of the accident and in relation to how and when he was taken to hospital, which I would not discount as necessarily irrelevant at this stage.”

He continued: “I suggested in the course of the hearing that the defendants may not have been taking the allegations made against them sufficiently seriously. This case is troubling. It is critical, if public confidence in the police and in the complaints processes relating to them are to be maintained, that cases of this kind are neither ignored nor swept under the carpet.”

A trial in the claim could take place before the end of the year.

The victim reported the abuse after more than two decades.

A paedophile has been jailed for historic sexual abuse of a young girl that happened more than 25 years ago. Shahid Hussain, 60, abused the victim at an address in Peterborough between 2000 and 2002, starting when she was just seven years old.

The victim decided to report the abuse to the police more than two decades later when she reached her 30s. Hussain was interviewed by officers in April 2023, but denied any wrongdoing and claimed the allegations had been “made up to get at him”.

After a trial at Cambridge Crown Court in November last year, he was found guilty of four counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14. On Friday, March 27, Hussain, of Field Avenue, Oxford, was sentenced to four years in prison. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

DC Harley Smart, who investigated, said: “First and foremost, I want to recognise the victim’s incredible courage in coming forward after so many years. It takes immense strength to report childhood abuse, and her bravery has ensured Hussain has finally been held accountable for what he did.

“Hussain denied the offences throughout and showed no remorse, but the jury saw through his attempts to avoid responsibility. This sentence sends a clear message that such abuse will not be tolerated. I hope this result provides the victim with some sense of closure and reassurance as she continues to move forward with her life.

“No matter how much time has passed, we will always listen, investigate thoroughly, and seek justice for survivors of sexual abuse.”

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A football fan was left brain damaged after an attack in 2015 and died five years later

Eleven men have appeared in court charged with the manslaughter of a football fan who was left permanently brain damaged by an attack on his way home from a match in 2015. Cambridge United supporter Simon Dobbin was assaulted in Southend, Essex, in March 2015 after watching his favourite team play Southend United. He died five years after the attack.

The 11 men – aged from 29 to 49 years old, and all from Essex – sat side-by-side in the dock when they appeared at Colchester Magistrates Court today (Tuesday, March 31). They are each charged with manslaughter on October 21, 2020 – the date that Mr Dobbin died, aged 48.

Each defendant stood up in turn to confirm their personal details in a process that took six minutes. No pleas were entered. Some of Mr Dobbin’s family were sitting in the packed public gallery at the back of the court.

The men in the dock were: Greg Allen, 37, of Westcliff-on-Sea; Jamie Chambers, 33, of Southend-on-Sea; Lewis Courtnell, 43, of Leigh-on-Sea; Philip McGill, 41, of Westcliff-on-Sea; and Scott Nicholls, 49, of Basildon.

Their co-defendants Matthew Petchey, 35, of Westcliff-on-Sea; Rhys Pullen, 29, of Maldon; Thomas Randall, 31, of Leigh-on-Sea; Michael Shawyer, 40, of Leigh-on-Sea; plus Alexander Woods, 34, and James Woods, 34, who are both of Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, also appeared at the hearing.

Deputy district judge Natalie Plant released each defendant on unconditional bail ahead of their pre-trial and preparation hearing at Basildon Crown Court on May 1.

Violence erupted outside the Railway Tavern pub in Southend in March 2015. Prior to the attack, Mr Dobbin, a former RAF serviceman, was employed as a transport manager for a fuel company. The married father received round-the-clock care from his family at his home in Mildenhall, Suffolk, until he passed away.

Another man, Ryan Carter, 40, currently at HMP The Mount, is scheduled to be dealt with later today (March 31).

Alex Harpur-Wyatt breached his Community Protection Notice after a missing teenager was found at his home

A man who had a vulnerable missing teenager in his home, which breached his legal order, has been fined. Alex Harpur-Wyatt, 39, was given a Community Protection Warning (CPW) earlier this year after concerns were raised about his contact with and behaviour towards teenage girls.

Shortly after receiving the CPW, the Cambridge City Neighbourhood Policing Team spotted him talking to three 17-year-old girls. The group also had alcohol with them.

Harpur-Wyatt, of Pathfinder Way, Northstowe, Cambridge, was then issued with a Community Protection Notice (CPN) last month. This a more severe warning that carries a power of arrest if it is ignored.

Harpur-Wyatt breached the CPN less than a month after. On February 27, a missing 17-year-old girl was found at his home. Harpur-Wyatt appeared at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, March 26. He was handed a fine of £120 after he admitted breaching the order.

The CPN will run until February 2027. The order prohibits Harpur-Wyatt from:

• Loitering around the area of the Co-op, in High Street, Longstanton
• Engaging with any young person under 18 without the express permission of that young person’s parents or guardian. This includes face to face communication, communication via social media, text messaging and telephone calls
• Purchasing alcohol on the behalf of any young person under 18
• Not giving alcohol to any young person under 18
• Not giving alcohol or illegal drugs, including Ketamine, to any person
• Not having any children under 18 in his home
• Having no unopened alcohol in a public place

PC Ross Howard, from the force’s Child Exploitation Hub, said: “So far, Harpur-Wyatt has not taken the legal orders imposed on him as a deterrent, but we continue to monitor him closely. Child exploitation can happen anywhere – in any town, any street, and to any family. You may feel it would never affect someone you know, but the reality is that it can, and it does.

“We would strongly encourage parents and carers to learn the signs of child exploitation and speak with their children, or the young people in their lives, about any concerns they may have. Sometimes, a single conversation can make all the difference and please do reach out to us if something doesn’t feel right. Anyone with any concerns a child may be being exploited should report this to us and the local authority.”

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March has been another busy month for Cambridgeshire’s courts

A man who sexually abused girls for decades is among the criminals that have been jailed in March. The third month of the year has been a busy one for Cambridgeshire courts, with more criminals jailed.

Among those jailed included murderers and paedophiles. Here are five criminals that were put behind bars in March.

Liam Brodie

Liam Brodie, 34, received an enquiry about electrical work from a woman in September 2024. He agreed to visit the woman for a quote, however he was then reluctant when he said her husband would meet him.

The woman then noticed he changed his profile image from his company logo to a picture of his genitals. The woman challenged Brodie, who claimed he had been hacked.

The picture then changed to photos of him naked. In November 2024, a different woman contacted Brodie and he sent several images and videos of his genitals to her as well.

Brodie, of Barkhams Lane, Littleport, pleaded guilty to three counts of sending a photograph or film of genitals to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation. He appeared at Huntingdon Law Court on March 9 and was sentenced to two years in prison.

Ricky Peppercorn

Ricky Peppercorn, 36, is believed to have brought at least 14 kilos of cocaine, worth around £1.4 million into Norfolk between March and June 2020. In the same time period, he also brought nine kilos of cannabis, worth between £60,000 and £90,000, into Cambridgeshire.

Through investigations, it was discovered Peppercorn would travel from his home in West Walton, Wisbech, to Peterborough, despite the county being in lockdown during Covid.

The 36-year-old was convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis and failing to provide his PIN code for a mobile phone seized upon his arrest. On March 18 at King’s Lynn Crown Court, he was jailed for 12 years.

Raul Maretic-Ramon

Raul Maretic-Ramon threatened a person with a knife in Peterborough’s Cathedral Square on March 3, 2025. He was detained by Peterborough City Council enforcement officers the same day.

Police arrested the 23-year-old, who was also in possession of cannabis. Maretic-Ramon initially denied threatening a person with an offensive weapon, but he was found guilty of the charge following a trial at Cambridge Crown Court in December.

He appeared at the same court on March 9 and was sent to prison for 30 months.

Leonard Devall

Leonard Devall approached a victim who was sitting in a van in Northfield Road, Millfield, Peterborough on November 27, 2025. Devall demanded £50 and then became aggressive.

The victim handed over £20. He then tried to call the police, but Devall grabbed his phone and took the key out of the ignition. The man managed to escape the vehicle and Devall drove off in the van.

On January 14, 2026, Devall then stole a Mercedes A180, which had been left running to defrost in Brymore, Bretton. Devall, of Whitshed Street in Eastfield, Peterborough, admitted to theft of a motor vehicle, theft, and taking a vehicle without consent.

He was sentenced to nine months in prison after appearing at Peterborough Magistrates Court on March 2.

George Davey

George Davey abused young girls for over 22 years. The now 76-year-old abused his first victim between 1975 and 1985, and then a second victim between 1983 and 1986.

He then sexually abused a third girl between 1995 and 2003, a fourth between 2001 and 2002, and later 2022, and a fifth victim in 1993. Between 2019 and 2020, he also exposed himself to a woman.

His crimes were revealed in December 2022, when one of the victims reported he had sexually abused her. This encouraged other victims to come forward.

Davey, of Shelthorpe Road, Loughborough, pleaded guilty to nine counts of indecency with a child, two counts of attempted rape of a girl under 16, one count of indecent assault of a girl under 14, one count of indecent assault, once count of sexual assault on a female and one count of exposure.

Appearing at Cambridge Crown Court on March 18, he was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Their victim was left with ‘devastating injuries’, including a slash from his forehead to his lip

A man was stabbed 17 times by three thugs wielding zombie knives in a daylight attack on a Cambridge home. Nathan Brown-Bonnett, Joel Farrow-Brown and Liam Cafferkey attacked their victim at this home in Drayton Road, Cambridge, just after 3pm on July 24, 2025.

The 45-year-old victim was stabbed 17 times, and a slash to his face from his forehead to lip. He also suffered a degloving wound to his right shoulder. The man had to undergo multiple blood transfusions and plastic surgery. A 41-year-old woman in the property also received a minor cut to her stomach.

CCTV from nearby properties captured the three suspects running from the scene. Cambridgeshire Police used this to identify the men. Appearing at Peterborough Crown Court on March 25, the trio, of no fixed addresses, were sentenced after previously pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent. Farrow-Brown also pleaded guilty to eight counts of beating an emergency worker.

Brown-Bonnett, 46, was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison, Farrow-Brown, 27, to nine years and Cafferkey, 25, to seven years and two months.

Detective Constable Edward Mcauley, who investigated, said: “This was a shocking and completely unprovoked attack that left a man with devastating injuries. The level of violence used was extreme and there is absolutely no place for this kind of behaviour in our communities.

“Thanks to diligent investigative work, these three men have been brought to justice and will now spend a significant time behind bars. We hope this sentence provides reassurance to the public that we will relentlessly pursue those who carry knives and commit violent offences.”

Ben Murkin had committed multiple acts of physical violence against the cat.

A man has been banned from keeping all animals for life and given a suspended prison sentence after “astonishing cruelty” that resulted in the death of a ragdoll kitten. Ben Murkin, of Mill Lane, Fordham, Ely, appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on March 6 to be sentenced in a prosecution brought forward by the RSPCA.

Om March 6, 2024, a veterinary practice was contacted by a family member who said Murkin’s cat Whisper had fallen and was struggling to breathe. By the time they arrived at the practice with Whisper, the kitten had already died.

Whisper’s death was reported to the RSPCA after concerns about the injuries. An independent post mortem found that Whisper had suffered injuries including a bruised head, a left eye haemorrhage, reddening and bruising of the tail area, and multiple injuries to limbs, consistent with a strong human grip.

Murkin claimed the injuries occurred when he was carrying out CPR. The post mortem also found evidence of current and old rib fractures and a fracture on the lumber vertebrae.

He had also ignored advice from the bet to bring the cat back on two occasions. These included after bringing in the kitten for limping after a supposed fall in December 2023 and in February 2024 after treatment for a fractured tooth and red gums.

Some of the specific acts of cruelty detailed in court included kicking Whisper against a wall, picking her up by the tail and throwing her down the stairs, and throwing Whisper against the door.

The expert vet concluded in their report: “It is my expert opinion that clearly Whisper suffered as a result of the injuries she sustained however they were caused. She sustained multiple and severe injuries both to her lip and upper canine, to her ribs on the right hand side and then to her face, chest and abdomen in the final incident.

“All of these will have caused her to suffer pain and distress. The final set of injuries the duration of the suffering will only have lasted as long as she remained conscious which is likely to have been a short period of time.

“It is my expert opinion that the injuries sustained by Whisper were the result of deliberate and intentional trauma inflicted upon her by a person with the intention of her causing her serious harm and suffering.”

The court heard he got Whisper with his girlfriend as emotional support as he was lonely. When the relationship ended, he started to resent the cat. The judge described Murkin’s actions as an “extraordinary response”.

The judge noted this had been “astonishing cruelty to an animal” and said Murkin had committed other acts of physical violence on the cat. The offence was placed in the highest category because the injuries were “prolonged and repeated, inflicted with significant force, and resulted in death”.

Murkin had pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to Whisper by inflicting trauma causing injury and for failing to provide prompt veterinary treatment, in respect of the injury to the cat’s gums and fractured canine tooth.

He was given a 22-month prison sentenced that has been suspended for 18 months. He has been ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days. He has been banned for keeping all animals for life and was ordered to pay £500 court costs and £187 victim surcharge.

RSPCA Inspector Emily Astillberry said: “The actions in this case were of astonishing cruelty to a defenceless animal. It is heart-breaking to hear what Whisper – this small ragdoll kitten – had to endure such cruel and sustained suffering. She was still so young when she died and had to endure such pain and suffering during this short life.”

In mitigation the court heard the defendant had expressed genuine remorse for what he had done, was deeply ashamed and disgusted with himself, and was seeking to improve himself.

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George Davey started sexually abusing young girls more than 50 years ago

A paedophile has been jailed for over 22 years for sexual offences against girls over decades of offending. George Davey, 76, abused his first victim between 1975 and 1985 and a second victim between 1983 and 1986.

He sexually abused a third girl between 1995 and 2003 and a fourth victim between 2001 and 2002, as well as later in 2022. Davey sexually abused his fifth victim in 1993. More recently, he exposed himself to a woman between 2019 and 2020.

Davey’s crimes were brought forward in December 2022 when one of the victims had reported she had been sexually abused by him. This encouraged other victims to come forward.

At Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday, March 18, Davey, of Shelthorpe Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, was jailed for 22 years and four months. He was sentenced after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to:

• Nine counts of indecency with a child,
• Two counts of attempted rape of a girl under 16,
• One count of indecent assault on a girl under 14,
• One count of indecent assault,
• One count of sexual assault on a female,
• One count of exposure.

DC Louise Wick, who investigated, said: “This conviction for historic offences shows that justice is possible no matter how long ago the crimes occurred. The sentence reflects the gravity of Davey’s predatory abuse and the devastating harm it has caused to his victims.

“I would like to thank them for their remarkable courage in coming forward and supporting a prosecution, which has led to Davey being jailed for a very long time. I hope this result offers some reassurance to the victims and their families as they continue rebuilding their lives.”

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