Find out who was jailed in Norfolk's courts this week.
Matthew Oarton
Matthew Oarton, 34, of no fixed abode, has been sentenced after a campaign of harassment against a former partner.
Oarton had been in a relationship with his former partner since April 2018 but they had separated.
Norwich Crown Court heard a restraining order had been imposed in March last year prohibiting Oarton from contacting the victim until March 2022.
Max Hardy, prosecuting, said between October 12 and 20 last year Oarton pursued a course of conduct amounting to harassment.
He said Oarton attended her Norwich address, banged at her door, shouted at her, threatened her and sent her repeated text and Facebook messages.
On October 13 last year, Oarton and the victim had arranged to meet despite the restraining order being in place.
Oarton turned up at her address, banging on the door, before barging his way into her home.
He tried to snatch the phone and made threats, stating it would be “the last thing she would do”.
He also made threats to her with a knife - although he did not actually have one.
He grabbed her and twice, spat at her and prevented her from calling the police or escaping.
On another occasion, on October 17 last year he banged at her door and accused her of having been with someone else and warned her he would find her and slice her face up.
Oarton appeared for sentencing on Thursday (February 18) having previously admitted harassment, assault occasioning actual bodily harm as well as four counts of breaching a restraining order.
He also admitted two counts of theft, including a £1295 Tag F1 watch and two coats in February and March last year.
Sentencing Oarton to a total of two years and three months in prison, Recorder Guy Ayers said he had “conducted a campaign against the victim” adding that it was “foul and abusive and threatening”.
Oarton was also made the subject of a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting the victim until further order.
John Morgans, mitigating, said Oarton recognised the “negative impact” he has had on others and wanted to change.
Gary Jakeman
Gary Jakeman, 31, formerly of William Kett Close in Norwich, who carried out a spree of shoplifting offences during the coronavirus pandemic has been sentenced.
Norwich Crown Court heard that between July 25 and November 16 last year he committed 11 shoplifting offences, two thefts from vehicles and a fraud offence and hoped his face mask might stop him being identified.
Jude Durr, prosecuting, said the total value of items stolen was £2167.
As well as those offences, many of which happened at Tesco Express in Norwich as well as John Lewis and Boots at Riverside, Jakeman also committed another three shoplifting offences and a theft from vehicle between August 28 and September 28 last year.
The defendant also committed a further six offences, including taking a vehicle without consent, between September 8 and October 1 last year.
Jakeman appeared in court for sentencing on Thursday (February 18) having admitted all matters.
Sentencing Jakeman to a total of 15 months in prison, Recorder Guy Ayers said he had a “prolific record for dishonesty” and had embarked on a “spree” of offending later last year.
Nathanial Wade, mitigating, said there was not much evidence of planning, adding the offences were as a result of desperation.
Arunas Rasikas
Arunas Rasikas, 28, of Apsley Road in Great Yarmouth, has been sentenced after pleading guilty last month at Norwich Crown Court to possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence on August 2, 2020.
The court heard on Wednesday (February 17) that Rasikas was jealous of perceived infidelity between his girlfriend and Darius Cesna and that on two occasions he tried to frighten the man.
Hugh Vass, prosecuting, said that on June 21 last year, CCTV officers in Great Yarmouth saw Rasikas outside KFC in Regent Road, where he was having a disagreement with his girlfriend and waving around a baseball bat before getting into a car.
He was arrested later that day and told officers his intention had been to scare Mr Cesna and tell him to stay away from his partner.
Rasikas had seen text messages between his girlfriend and Mr Cesna, the court heard.
Mr Vass said the second incident was on August 2, after 5am, when the accused drove to the town centre looking for Mr Cesna.
There was a confrontation between the men in the course of which the victim was shot at least once with a pellet discharged from a gas-powered BB gun.
The court heard Rasikas had bought the firearm two weeks beforehand.
Mr Cesna was taken to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, where doctors decided it would be too risky to surgically remove the pellet, as it was next to a facial nerve, and so it was left embedded in his face.
Judge Antony Bate sentenced Rasikas to two years and eight months in prison.
John Morgans, mitigating, noted the defendant's early guilty pleas, as well as his "exemplary record" at Norwich Prison, where he has been a Covid cleaner.
Tobias Coker and Charlton Glover
Two men from the Great Yarmouth area have been sentenced following an investigation into the supply of cocaine.
Charlton Glover, 26, of Mill Road, Cobholm, and Tobias Coker, 23 of Main Road, Rollesby, appeared at Norwich Crown Court on Thursday (February 18) after pleading guilty at earlier hearings.
Their arrests follow an investigation that began on August 1 2019, when officers from Operation Moonshot East attempted to stop a Mercedes A class on North Quay, Great Yarmouth.
The driver, Tobias Coker, ran from the vehicle and discarded evidence into the River Bure.
He was arrested at the scene on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs and was taken to Great Yarmouth Police Investigation Centre for questioning. He was later released under investigation.
On January 15 last year, officers stopped a white BMW 1 series close to Haven Bridge, Great Yarmouth.
The driver, Charlton Glover, was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.
Officers searched Glover’s home address and found a large quantity of cash in excess of £10,000 concealed in his bedroom. He was taken in for questioning and later released under investigation.
Officers from the Operation Moonshot East team initially investigated the incidents separately, but were then able to link the pair, after discovering that both suspects were involved in the supply of cocaine and had been for a prolonged period of time.
Glover and Coker were later re-arrested, and each subsequently charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine and being concerned in the supply of cannabis. Glover was also charged for possession of criminal property.
At the court hearing on February 18, Charlton Glover was sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment. Tobias Coker was sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment.
They were each also made to pay a victim surcharge.
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