South Tyneside crime round-up: Bomb threat, danger driver broke kid's legs and family drugs ring smashed

As ever, crime never stops across South Shields and South Tyneside - and it’s fair to say, it never pays either, as these criminals found out the hard way.

Here’s every story we’ve published from the dock and beyond, including a man who told court he’s the son of god, Shields drug dealers and a danger driver who broke a schoolboy’s legs.

South Shields man claims he is 'son of God' after 'hearing voices' in bid to avoid jail

A man convicted of a domestic assault in South Tyneside has tried to avoid being jailed for a separate matter by claiming God would punish him if put behind bars.

Violent Liam Askew, 40, made the bizarre plea via his solicitor when he appeared in the dock at the borough's magistrates' court, accused of breaching the terms of his community order.

Homeless Askew, who has suffered with mental health issues, also said he was unique in that he had no DNA - and insisted he was the son of God.

But his outlandish claims failed to sway District Judge Zoe Passfield, who caged him for 10 weeks.

Family drugs ring smashed

Two brothers have been jailed for running a drugs ring from home - unbeknownst to the rest of their family.

Police raided the address of siblings Mohammed Miah, 26, and Furqun Miah, 24, in South Shields, South Tyneside, on November 21 in 2022 and found a stash of cash and drugs in one of their bedrooms.

The pair had mobile phones with a total of 29,000 messages found relating to dealing cocaine, involving more than 100 customers.

Police also found 79 bags of cocaine hidden in a safe in a wardrobe and £1,630 in cash.

A further 18 bags of drugs were discovered, along with digital scales showing spots of white powder, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Mohammed was jailed for 40 months after pleading guilty to supplying cocaine and intent to supply, while Furqun was caged for 28-months for supplying.

Their younger brother Ridwan, 22, was given a community order for one count of dealing cocaine in September 2022, when he was aged just 18.

South Shields attacker makes police bomb claim after hitting woman with crowbar over kiss rejection

A brute hit a woman with a crowbar after she rejected his attempt to kiss her then claimed to have a bomb during a stand-off with police.

Brian Watson, who was in a relationship with someone else, lashed out after the woman refused his advances in March 2024.

Newcastle Crown Court heard police were called to the scene of the attack in South Shields, South Tyneside and Watson was found at the top of some stairs in a property.

Watson warned officers he had a bomb he would detonate from his mobile then lifted up an electric heater as if to throw it at them so was tasered and arrested.

Watson, 38, of Friars Dene Road, Gateshead, who has a criminal record, admitted assault by beating and assault on an emergency worker.

The court heard Watson was then tasered and arrested.

Judge Stephen Earl sentenced Watson to 26 weeks, suspended for 18 months, with rehabilitation and programme requirements.

Alcoholic bizarrely offers court bench flowers after South Tyneside Hospital drug altercation

A Sunderland alcoholic who abused staff at a take-away and a hospital two days apart offered magistrates flowers after they fined him for the offences.

John Weatherald, 56, pulled the red blooms from his bag and asked the three-lady bench at the South Tyneside court, “Would you like a flower?”

They politely declined, having moments earlier punished him to the tune of £141 in fines and other sanctions for his misdemeanours.

The court heard Weatherald, of Roker Avenue, Roker, kicked up a fuss in the New Hong Kong Chinese restaurant in Hylton Road, Sunderland, at 7.45pm on Thursday, April 23.

He did so after he ordered a takeaway and then accused staff of serving him the wrong dish.

When they refused to change it, he got into a verbal spat and urinated through his pants onto a table, prosecutor Glenda Beck said.

Two days later, he caused a ruckus when he turned up at South Tyneside District Hospital seeking medication.

When doctors refused to give him drugs usually issued by his GP for mental health issues, he swore and shouted and attempted to lash out.

Magistrates fined Weatherald £40, with £85 court costs and a £16 victim surcharge.

Former Jarrow pub goes up in flames - police treat it as suspected arson

A suspected arson investigation has begun after emergency services were called to a permanently closed pub in Jarrow.

On the evening of Thursday, May 14 Northumbria Police and the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service were made aware of an incident involving a fire at the former Johnnie’s Bar on Walter Street to the north of the town centre.

Police confirmed officers are treating the incident as suspected arson. No one was found injured at the scene when they arrived.

The vacant building was previously known as The Golden Lion before it became Johnnie’s. The most recent iteration of the site closed in February 2025 in what was described as a “heart-breaking decision” by the team.

Banned South Shields driver broke schoolboy's legs in crash as he fled police

A danger driver who broke a schoolboy's legs when he crashed as he fled from police has been locked up.

Nathan Kelly was already banned from driving when cops surrounded him and his BMW at a set of red lights in Newcastle in November 2024.

One patrol car pulled in front of him and the other behind, suspicious that he might be driving a stolen car, but Kelly managed to reverse and sped off into residential areas.

Driving at around 45mph in 20mph zones, Kelly lost the officers but smashed into a wall on Elswick Road and the debris from his car flew into the path of 15-year-old pedestrian as he walked on the pavement.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Kelly, without a thought for the boy, fled on foot and was not caught by police until 13-months later, in December 2025.

Kelly, 22, of Victoria View, South Shields, South Tyneside, pleaded guilty in April to causing serious injuries by dangerous driving and was jailed for two-years and seven-months.

The court heard how Kelly, a father of two young children, was disqualified from driving at the time of the offence for driving under the influence of drugs in 2023, but bought the BMW from Facebook nonetheless.

He was again disqualified - for eight years - at the hearing.