Locked up in October: A Derby dog owner whose pet killed his brother and more
by Martin Naylor · Derbyshire LiveIt has been another busy month in the courts in Derby. Here, reporter Martin Naylor highlights some of the cases we covered:
Peadophile teacher Ole Steinsland
Ole Steinsland, who had hundreds of indecent images of children on his phone, was found by police in the company of a 16-year-old girl from Derbyshire, who had been reported missing. The 46-year-old Norwegian national was caught by the police cops at Manchester Piccadilly train station on July 11 and arrested..
Contact was made with police in Norway who confirmed that he was a primary school teacher who had been reported missing. Checks of the defendant’s phone discovered hundreds of indecent images of children, including some featuring children as young as three.
He was subsequently charged with taking indecent images of children, making indecent images of children, possession of extreme pornography and possession of prohibited images. He admitted the offences when he appeared at Derby Crown Court on September 27.
Appearing at the same court for sentence on October 24, Steinsland, of Oslo, was jailed for three years. He was also handed a lifelong sexual harm prevention order, given a restraining order preventing him from having any contact with the teenager, and told he will be deported on release from prison.
Detective Constable Izabel Fowkes, who led the investigation, said: “Steinsland is clearly a very dangerous man and I have no doubt his appalling offending would have continued had he not been arrested. Examination of his phone following his arrest showed he was in contact with a number of children online - including in Chile - and I have no doubt he would have continued attempting to find victims to abuse.
“The fact that Steinsland is a primary school teacher, a position that holds such trust, also magnifies his crimes. I am pleased that he is now behind bars where many young children will be safe from his depravity.”
Death crash rider Alfie Wheatley
Uninsured motorcyclist Alfie Wheatley, whose bike struck and killed 92-year-old great-grandfather Gordon Elliott was jailed for six years. The victim was walking his regular mile to the local post office and newspaper shop in Riddings when he was struck by the motorcycle being driven by the 21-year-old defendant at around 52mph in a 30mph area.
Wheatley was captured on CCTV repeatedly speeding on the morning of August 19 2023, despite knowing that it had issues. His reckless riding continued as he approached Greenhills Lane in Riddings. As he went to overtake a queue of traffic, he failed to see a Jaguar turning right.
The defendant then collided with the front of the car and lost control with both him and the bike, hitting Mr Elliott as he walked along the pavement. Members of the public and emergency services treated Mr Elliott for serious injuries at the scene, but he died later in hospital.
In a victim impact statement read out in court, Mr Elliott’s family said: “Gordon Elliott was a well-liked, caring family man.
"He leaves three sons, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren that mourn and miss him daily but the saddest aspect through all this is seeing Brenda, a loving wife of nearly 70 years lose her soul mate, her rock for financial stability and mental support through their old age. She feels lost, bewildered and questions why this terrible event happened to him.”
Wheatley, of Spring Road, Riddings, was arrested at the scene for causing death by dangerous driving. He was subsequently charged and admitted the offence. He appeared at Derby Crown Court for sentence on October 25, where he was jailed.
Detective Constable Scott Cooper, who led the investigation, said: “Wheatley’s driving in the lead up to this collision was horrendous, particularly given that he was uninsured and on a faulty bike.
"His speeding and reckless behaviour resulted in the needless death of Mr Elliott who had absolutely no chance to avoid the collision.”
Derby newsagent robber Richard Kavanagh
Alcohol-dependent Richard Kavanagh, of Derby, who reached the age of 36 without ever troubling the police, robbed the same Nottingham newsagents twice in three days. On both occasions, the masked defendant threatened to stab the lone worker in the MSR store in Radcliffe Road, West Bridgford, opposite the Trent Bridge Inn.
Two days after those robberies he entered the same shop a third time but was recognised by one of his victims who alerted a customer and local councillor who followed him until the police arrived. Now he is tasting custody for the first time in his life just short of his 39th birthday.
Jailing the defendant , of Palmerston Street, Normanton, for two-and-a-half years, Recorder Adrian Reynolds said: “These people offer a service to the public and what you did, particularly to the second victim when you produced a weapon, was not just steal his employer’s money but you stole his peace of mind which is something altogether more precious.
“For a considerable amount of time after, he was looking over his shoulder and you cannot treat people like that. Unusually you have no previous convictions and you are a man in his mid-to-late 30s not some hot-headed teenager.”
The robberies took place on August 10 and 13, 2022, at the MSR close to Nottingham Forest’s City Ground. Kavanagh, of Palmerston Street, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and possession of an offensive weapon. He was handed just over £100 during the two incidents.
Child blackmailer Grant Giblin
Willington man Grant Giblin, who blackmailed children as young as 10 into sending him sexual images, was jailed for eight years. The defendant used social media apps to target children aged 10 to 16 for almost two years between November 2021 and August 2023.
The 29-year-old would befriend the youngsters to gain their trust and encourage them to send him images of themselves. Once he had received these, the defendant would blackmail his victims into performing sexual acts on themselves before again sending the content to him.
He was arrested in January 2024 and charged with offences including engaging in sexual communications with a child under 13 and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
National Crime Agency operations manager Danielle Pownall said: "Grant Giblin is a depraved offender, preying on vulnerable children online and making them feel as if they had no choice but to send him sexual images.
"His extensive crimes were committed only for his own sexual gratification, and with no thought to the children he was cruelly exploiting.”
Giblin pleaded guilty to all offences at Derby Crown Court in July 2024. He was sentenced to eight years in prison at the same court on Wednesday, October 23. The defendant will will have an extended licence period of a further eight years, be subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and be on the sex offenders register for life.
Dog death owner Gary Stevens
Derby dad-of-three Gary Stevens, whose 8st dog mauled his younger brother to death, was jailed for four-and-a-half years. Ace savaged 51-year-old Wayne Stevens, leaving him with horrific injuries all over his body which caused his death at the “untidy” house he shared with the dog’s owner in Normanton.
The “heavily intoxicated” 55-year-old defendant threatened to set the Cane Corso cross on police who had come to assist as he struggled to get his pet under control for almost an hour after he had dialled 999.
And he knew the animal had bitten before but had “misinterpreted the warning signs” the dog’s previous behaviour presented to others. Judge Shaun Smith KC said: “It was evident you had no control over the dog whatsoever.
“Your brother suffered multiple lacerations to the face, hands and legs. It seems likely your brother was brought to the ground and had his head and face mauled. He was partially-scalped from front to back, it was described as ‘a frenzied mauling’.
“You told the police the dog normally goes for the head and face ‘because that’s what these dogs do, they are biting dogs’. You said the dog had bitten a couple of people before but you did not report those incidents to the police.
“I am entirely satisfied you knew of the dangers this dog presented.”
The attack took place in the early hours of April 22, 2023 in Cameron Road. Stevens, formerly of Cameron Road and now of Vicarage Road, Mickleover, previously pleaded guilty to a charge under the Dangerous Dogs Act of being the person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death.
As well as the jail term, the judge also banned Stevens from owning a dog for life.