An actor who stabbed a man during a neighbour dispute, a couple who went on a violent rampage in McDonald's and a dog show judge who murdered his wife were among those locked up by the court in Exeter in June. A lying rapist, a woman who owned nearly 200 dogs and an evil paedophile also felt the full weight of the law.
The longest sentence of the month was handed to child rapist Tyrone Barton from North Devon. He was given the biggest sentence of the year so far - 27 years - for his heinous crimes.
The most high-profile case of the month has yet to be sentenced. The trial of a Blundell's School student who attempted to murder two pupils and a teacher ended in guilty verdicts after the jury deliberated for a week. He will be sentenced later in the year.
Here are the criminals locked up for the most serious offences in June 2024.
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A Devon man who lied about killing his wife as part of a suicide pact has been jailed for life after being found guilty of her murder. Stephen Parsons, 71, was convicted of killing 69-year-old Erica Parsons at their home in Bondleigh in 2023 following a trial at Exeter Crown Court.
The judge sentenced the killer to life in prison with a minimum term of 13 years, less the time already served. The court heard that on 11 February 2023, police were called to the couple’s home after Stephen Parsons sent a message to a friend saying, ‘by the time you read this we will be dead’.
Emergency services rushed to the scene where they found Erica Parsons deceased in bed. Stephen Parson was found next to her with serious injuries to his arms and he was taken to hospital for treatment.
A man has been jailed for massive spree of burglaries and vehicle thefts across Devon and Somerset. Tyler Brown, 20, from Exeter, admitted 20 counts of burglary, two attempted burglaries and 15 further offences relating to the theft of vehicles from those burglaries.
He was sentenced to five years and eight months. Brown, of no fixed abode, broke into 26 separate homes at night, often whilst the victims were asleep, to steal car keys and other personal belongings. He would then take the owner’s vehicles causing significant damage before abandoning them.
The thefts involved differing makes and models of vehicles, but mainly those perceived to be of a higher value. The number plates were altered or changed to cloned plates.
A man and woman have been jailed for attacking staff at McDonald's in Torquay after trying to steal food from a delivery driver. Amarpreet Padda, 43, and Remi Curtis, 29, assaulted members of staff after they were confronted for taking food from a delivery bag at the drive through on Hele Road on October 23 last year.
Padda was jailed for five years and three months and Curtis to two years and one month. The court heard they takeaway shortly after 10pm where Curtis took a delivery bag from the driver and hid it under the table. When they were approached about the stolen food by members of staff, Padda punched one to the face and grabbed another to the throat before following him as he tried to walk away.
An Exeter man has been jailed after being caught dealing at a notorious drugs hotspot in the city. Alfie Smith was seen by cops trading heroin and crack cocaine for cash at Flowerpots Park.
The judge said the playing fields have become well-known to the courts as place where drug dealers operate. Smith, of Exwick Road, was sentenced to three years at Exeter Crown Court.
The 22-year-old was found to be in possession of nine wraps of cocaine with a street value of £90, heroin wraps worth £480 and some cash. At his home, police discovered two pairs of Nike Air Jordan trainers and a Louis Vuitton bag which was seized as criminal property.
A depraved paedophile from North Devon has been jailed for 27 years for a 'campaign of rape' against two children. Tyrone Barton was convicted of multiple sexual offences at Exeter Crown Court.
The 64-year-old, from Barnstaple, admitted 12 offences. The judge said the most serious offence 'could only be described as evil'.
The court heard moving statements from both victims in which they described the trauma caused by offences. Afterwards, police praised their courage in coming forward and welcomed the sentence.
A dangerous Devon man has been taken off the streets and jailed after being found guilty of rape and stalking charges. Joshua Theophanides, 37, from Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, was handed his sentence at Exeter Crown Court following a trial where he was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of stalking.
Theophanides received an extended sentence, which includes 11 years in custody and an additional four years to be served on extended licence. He is also required to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life and was issued a Sexual Harm Prevention Order lasting 20 years.
During the trial, the court was told that Theophanides raped a woman, causing her severe psychological trauma.
An Exeter woman who stabbed a neighbour told police she had 'wanted to kill' for a while. Megan Tarrant attacked the man when he came to speak to her about her aggressive behaviour to his partner, a court heard.
But Megan, who has appeared in several independent films as an actor, claimed not to know who he was and stabbed his hand and leg. She told him: "If you come back here I'm going to stab you in the neck."
She was arrested and was originally due to stand trial accused of attempted murder. The Crown accepted her plea to wounding with intent and she was sentenced on Monday to three years and one month in jail.
A woman has been jailed and banned from keeping animals indefinitely after 191 dogs were found living in squalid and overcrowded conditions in a remote field in Devon. Diana Curtis crammed the animals, including puppies, into pens and crates, causing them unnecessary suffering, a court heard.
Curtis, 66, moved the animals between premises in North Devon in an attempt to avoid detection. When RSPCA inspectors finally caught up with her they found a scene of chaos, with a huge number of dogs living in dirt under tarpaulin sheets behind fencing and in the back of a lorry.
Many of the mud-covered animals were tightly packed in pens, crates and partly-built stables, competing for meagre supplies of food and water. Two of the dogs had to be put to sleep by vets.
