Court Extra - a man found guilty of cruelty to a horse, a Corby sex offender and a cop killer have all been before our courts

A domestic violence protection order has been made against a 55-year-old Corby man.

Neil James Riddell, of no fixed abode, was before magistrates where the civil order was issued. He was told not to contact the female victim, not to molest or harass her nor encourage anyone else to do so.

He was also ordered not to go within 50m of two addresses in Corby. The DVPO lasts for one month. Mr Riddell must also pay £480 in costs.

The RSPCA have secured a conviction against a man from Market Harborough who failed to care for a horse.

Luke Pepper, of Justin Park, Northampton Road, Market Harborough, admitted one charge of cruelty at Northampton Magistrates’ Court.

The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a gelding in called William at a field in Naseby between February and March last year.

He failed to seek veterinary help for the horse when it presented as being seriously underweight.

He will be sentenced in July.

A man who was tried at Northampton Crown Court for the murder of a police officer has had an appeal against both his conviction and sentence turned down.

Louis De Zoysa shot Sergeant Matt Ratana at Croydon Police Station in 2020. Amid incredibly tight security and multiple courtroom adaptations, he stood trial at Northampton Crown Court in 2023 in front of a high court judge. The court was chosen because, at the time, he was an inpatient at nearby St Andrew’s hospital. Screening was installed along the side of the court so that people could not take pictures of De Zoysa arriving at the building.

He was found guilty of murder and Mr Justice Johnson gave him a whole life term. But he was before the appeal court earlier this month.

His lawyers argued that he had been unfit to plead and stand trial. He was said to have been suffering from an ‘autistic spectrum meltdown’ at the time of the shooting.

But the court of appeal rejected the bid and published a written judgement which you can read here.

A man who breached a domestic violence protection order has been fined £50.

Ben Campbell, 36, of Hillside Avenue, Kettering, was issued with the DVPO, a civil order issued by magistrates to protect a female victim, on May 6. But between that date and the following day, he breached the order by making contact with her.

He was back before the court on May 12 where he admitted the breaches and was fined £50 and ordered to pay costs of £282.

A warrant for the arrest of a man who lives in Corby has been issued by magistrates.

JPs sitting in Northampton issued the no bail warrant for Bogdan Kurasz, 47, of Burghley Drive, Corby, after he failed to pay court fines of £1,316.

The original fine was for assaulting a woman in 2022.

A Corby sex offender who has a long history of ignoring court orders has been back in court after being found drinking in a licensed premises in Occupation Road.

Liam Ferrie, 35, previously attacked and tried to rape an 18-year-old in the town. He served jail time but has since been released and has repeatedly breached orders designed to keep the public safe.

Ferrie, now of St John’s Place, Corby, was found in Occupation Road in an intoxicated state, from which he is banned by a sexual harm prevention order made by the crown court in 2020.

He was in court earlier this month to admit the breach and will be brought back before magistrates in July for sentence. He is on unconditional bail.