South Tyneside crime round-up: Hebburn ram-raid, officer 'smacked' in face and family kettle attack

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...

£70,000 worth of vehicles stolen from a Hebburn business in an overnight ram-raid

A Hebburn business owner has spoken of the “catastrophic” impact that an overnight ram-raid has had on the five-week-old organisation.

Thieves broke into Seven Competitions, on the Victoria Industrial Estate, at around 3am on Wednesday, May 27.

The shutter of the business has been severely damaged and two Sur-Ron bikes, a grey 2017 BMW M140i (FV17 DZW) and a blue Ford Focus RS (AF17 NRY) were stolen from the premises.

Ryan Connell, owner of Seven Competitions, has spoken about the impact that the incident is having on the new business and the outpouring of support the company has received from customers.

He said: “They’ve stolen two high performance bikes and two high performance cars, which totals at around £70,000 and they've left the business in an absolute state.

”We are only five weeks old and obviously something like this is totally catastrophic for us.”

Aggressive South Shields woman with 33 criminal convictions smacked police officer in the face

An aggressive South Tyneside woman struck a policeman in the face in appearing to try to scratch him while being detained in cells, a court heard.

Katie Smith, 44, of Albany Street West, Chichester, South Shields, whacked him after being arrested on an unrelated matter on Monday, May 11.

She played up while being transferred into custody at Wallsend’s Middle Engine Lane police station, prosecutor Georgia Smith said.

Magistrates told Smith the courts take matters of assaults on police “seriously” but described her offence as low on their harm level.

They allowed her new community order to continue but ordered her to pay the officer £50 in compensation.

'Dangerous' son threw salted boiling water over father after attempting to poison mother's drink

A son who was spared jail after he poisoned his mum's glass of wine with turps has been locked up for throwing a kettle of boiling salt water at his dad.

Daniel Gaunt was given a community order in June 2024 for administering poison after he put turpentine into his mum's drink, then threatened to burn down her house.

In April 2025 he was given a suspended jail term after he grabbed his grandmother around the neck during a row when she refused to give him a cigarette.

Newcastle Crown Court heard in September 2025 Gaunt, who has been diagnosed with ADHD, had an argument with his dad while they were at his grandmother's house in South Tyneside.

Prosecutor Ian Cook said: "The defendant came downstairs, filled and boiled the kettle before adding salt to the boiling water, taking it into the garden and throwing it over his father.

"That assault was witnessed by this grandmother."

The court heard the injured dad went to South Tyneside Hospital and was diagnosed with superficial dermal burns as well as blisters, redness and skin loss on his neck and chest, which were treated and dressed.

Video shows Gaunt, who was swigging from a can, pretending his name was "Jonny Johnson" when approached by the police before confessing his true identity to the officers.

Gaunt, 22, of no fixed address, had admitted assault and was convicted of attempting to cause GBH with intent, after a trial.

Judge Sarah Mallett today sentenced him to four-and-a-half years with a four-and-a-half year extended licence.

The judge told Gaunt he is "dangerous" and said rehabilitative work done with him in the past has had "no affect".