People jailed in November include a man who sexually assaulted a minor and a man who attacked a woman.

The list below includes the criminals in and around Watford that were put behind bars by judges at St Albans Crown Court during November.

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

Martin Sainty

Watford Observer: Martin Sainty (Photo: Hertfordshire Constabulary)Martin Sainty (Photo: Hertfordshire Constabulary)

A man who attacked a woman four times in a week has been jailed.

Police were called to a house in Watford multiple times in September last year after Martin Sainty, 55, was said to have punched and strangled a woman.

The victim suffered severe bruising over her legs and body, as well as cuts and bruises to her face.

Sainty, from Watford, pleaded guilty to two counts of actual bodily harm and two of common assault.

He was sentenced on November 11 with four sentences totalling two years and two months, to be served consecutively.

Read more here

Mohammed Haroon Azad, Mohammed Hamza Shah, Umar Sarfraz

Three men sentenced following the death of Luke O’Connell have had their prison sentences extended.

The Crown Prosecution Service submitted an appeal citing that sentences handed to the trio were unduly lenient after they were found guilty of manslaughter, following a seven-week trial at Reading Crown Court.

  • Mohammed Haroon Azad, aged 23, of Nicholas Close, Watford was found guilty of manslaughter and section 20 assault. He has seen his sentence increased from nine to 13 years for manslaughter, plus two years concurrent for assault.
  • Mohammed Hamza Shah, aged 21, of Hagden Lane, Watford was found guilty of manslaughter and section 20 assault. He has seen his sentence increased from nine to 12 years for manslaughter, plus two years concurrent for assault.
  • Umar Sarfraz, aged 23, of Whippendell Road, Watford was found guilty of manslaughter and section 20 assault. He has seen his sentence increased from nine to 12 years for manslaughter, plus two years concurrent for assault.

Read more here

William Kane

A man has been jailed for 12 months after being found guilty of sexually touching a teenage girl over 40 years ago.

William Kane, 82, from Watford, appeared before St Albans Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday 10 November after previously being convicted on Friday 1 October.

Following a five-day trial, Kane was found guilty of three charges of indecent assault on a female aged under 14 years old. He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with an additional year to be served on licence.

The offences, which took place in Watford, involve a single female victim and date back to the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The court heard that Kane subjected the victim to sexual touching on a number of occasions over the course of several years.

Read more here

Matthew Woods

Watford Observer: Matthew Woods (Hertfordshire Constabulary)Matthew Woods (Hertfordshire Constabulary)

A man has been jailed after robbing a petrol station armed with a meat cleaver in St Albans.

Matthew Woods, 23, from Hamilton Road, Barnet, was given a four-year sentence at St Albans Crown Court on Monday (November 15). 

He had previously pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of a bladed article, breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order and possession of cannabis.

Shortly after 9.10pm on Saturday, September 4, Woods entered the Esso garage on London Road and demanded that a female staff member open the till.

He then produced a six to eight-inch meat cleaver, took the cash and left.

An investigation was launched, Woods was identified as the suspect and arrested in Gloucester last month.

He was charged and remanded into custody before his court appearance.

Richard Batchelor, Rickarlo Williams, Jahni Menzie-Samuels

Watford Observer: Richard Batchelor (bottom right), Jahni Menzie-Samuels (top right) and Rickarlo Williams (left) are among people to be sentenced (photo Hertfordshire Constabulary)Richard Batchelor (bottom right), Jahni Menzie-Samuels (top right) and Rickarlo Williams (left) are among people to be sentenced (photo Hertfordshire Constabulary)

Three teenagers were sent to a young offenders institute after a violent Watford robbery.

The victim was pushed to the ground and dragged to the lobby of the Gade Car Park before his coat, headphones, wallet and mobile phone was stolen.

Richard Batchelor, aged 19, formerly of Rushton Avenue, Watford, pleaded guilty to robbery and was handed a sentence of five years and two months to be served in a Young Offenders’ Institute (YOI). On release, he will be the subject of a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) which prohibits him from entering Watford town centre.

Rickarlo Williams, aged 19, formerly of Harrow, north London, pleaded guilty to robbery and assault of an emergency worker. He was sentenced to three years and six months in a YOI and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £190.

Jahni Menzie-Samuels, aged 19, formerly of Harrow, north London, pleaded guilty to robbery and criminal damage, receiving a three year and four month sentence to be carried out in a YOI. He too was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £190.

Another two people were also sentenced following the incident. Read more here