People jailed in August include a former secondary school teacher who sexually assaulted nine young boys and two men who raped a girl in a car.

The list below includes the offenders in Hertfordshire that were put behind bars by judges during August.

The offenders' names and a summary of what led to them appearing in the dock are as follows:

Anthony Shenton

Watford Observer: Anthony Shenton (photo Hertfordshire Constabulary)Anthony Shenton (photo Hertfordshire Constabulary)

A former secondary school teacher has been jailed for sexually assaulting nine young boys more than 50 years ago.

Anthony Shenton, of Church Lane in Aldenham, taught design technology and games at the former Langleybury School in Hunton Bridge between the mid-60s to the early 90s.

The 82-year-old was accused of sexually assaulting nine boys aged between 11 and 15 at the time.

On August 20, he was found guilty at St Albans Crown Court of two indecent assaults on a child, one offence of buggery and one offence of indecency with a child in the 1970s and 1980s.

He previously pleaded guilty to 15 counts – 10 counts of indecent assault and five counts of gross indecency – relating to seven of his pupils between 1968 and 1984.

Shenton was given a 15-year prison sentence following a four-day trial.

Read more here

T’Shai Bromfield and Ryan King

Watford Observer: T’Shai Bromfield and Ryan King. Picture: Hertfordshire ConstabularyT’Shai Bromfield and Ryan King. Picture: Hertfordshire Constabulary

Two men have been sentenced after previously being found guilty of raping a teenage girl in Watford.

T’Shai Bromfield, aged 24, formerly of Airco Close, Colindale, London, was sentenced to 12 years after he was found guilty of one count of rape.

Ryan King, aged 21, formerly of Thorpe Crescent, Watford, was also sentenced to 12 years after being found guilty of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault by penetration.

St Albans Crown Court heard how on the evening of Monday 22 May 2017, Bromfield – who was 19 at the time – and King – who was 17 – were out socialising with a group of young people in Watford, which included the victim.

The victim, then aged 14, wanted to change her outfit and got into Bromfield’s silver Nissan Primera to do so with privacy.

However, Bromfield – also known by the nickname ‘Chopper’ – and King proceeded to drive the victim to an unknown location in Watford before taking it in turns to rape her inside the vehicle.

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Jermaine Fraser

A man has been sentenced to three years in prison for committing sexual offences against a child.

Jermaine Fraser, aged 26, previously pleaded guilty to sexual communication with a child and causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity between October and November 2017.

The court heard how Fraser, who was aged 23 at the time, was on remand in a prison outside Hertfordshire for unrelated offences when he was recorded having sexually-explicit telephone conversations with a vulnerable teenage girl from Hemel Hempstead.

Fraser, formerly of Cardozo Road in Holloway, London, appeared at Luton Crown Court on August 9 for a sentencing hearing.

He was sentenced to three years for one count of causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and 16 months for one count of sexual communication with a child, to run concurrently.

Byron Pollock and Ryan Lee

Watford Observer: Byron Pollock (left) and Ryan Lee (right)Byron Pollock (left) and Ryan Lee (right)

Two people have been sentenced in connection with the murder of Christopher Hewett in Stevenage.

Christopher, 31, from Stevenage, had been attacked in Meadow Way, suffering stab wounds to the chest.

He died in hospital on the evening of February 12.

At St Albans Crown Court on August 27, two people were sentenced having previously been found guilty of offences following a three-week trial at Luton Crown Court.

  • Byron Pollock, 18, formerly of Meadow Way, was given the equivalent of a life sentence with a minimum term of 19 years before parole would be considered, having been found guilty of murder.
  • Ryan Lee, 20, of Wildwood Lane, Stevenage, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison, having been found guilty of assisting offenders.

A 15 year old boy – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was previously convicted of manslaughter in connection with the case, having been cleared of murder. He will be sentenced next month.

During the trial, the court had heard how Christopher and his cousin had been walking to his sister’s house when they passed a group of four young people. Words were exchanged between Christopher and one of the group, before he carried on his journey.

A short time later, Christopher and his cousin were approached and attacked on Meadow Way by the 15 year old, who had a baseball bat. While Christopher and the teen were scuffling, Pollock approached with a knife and stabbed Christopher several times.

He subsequently died from his injuries.

The court heard Pollock admit stabbing Christopher stating he had only done so to help the 15 year old escape, and now regretted his actions.

Abdul Miah

Watford Observer: Abdul Miah (photo Hertfordshire Constabulary)Abdul Miah (photo Hertfordshire Constabulary)

A drug dealer who ran a county lines drug network in the Hatfield area has been jailed for more than eight years.

In August 2020 a search warrant was served at a cuckooed address in the town, where two boys were discovered with approximately 150 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin.

Following an investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Operation Mantis team, a 25-year-old man from London was identified as controlling the county line drug network and had placed the boys in the Hatfield address to deal drugs on his behalf. 

Abdul Miah, 25, from Arcola Road, London, was arrested after a lengthy manhunt with the assistance of the Metropolitan Police.

Miah appeared at St Albans Crown Court on 16 August 2021, pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs (crack cocaine and heroin) and of arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation, contrary to Section 2(1)of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. He was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison.

The court ordered that Miah be subject to a Proceeds of Crime (POCA) review to recover funds obtained through criminal activity.

He was also handed a Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Order (STPO) for an indefinite period, which gives the police significant powers to cause maximum disruption to organised criminals and restrict opportunities for further exploitation.

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