South Tyneside paedo grooms Aussie child, double cannabis farm bust and vape shop smoked - crime round-up

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, including the shocking case of a South Tyneside paedophile grooming a girl in Australia, two cannabis grows bagged and vape shop shut down.

South Tyneside paedophile jailed

A South Tyneside paedophile who committed multiple sexual offences against a child has been jailed.

Northumbria Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) – a dedicated team working to protect vulnerable children – acted on intelligence and began investigating Simon Bell in 2023.

Officers soon identified a string of offences by Bell against a girl from Australia, who had been groomed online by him. The 32-year-old was arrested in May 2023.

He was later charged with seven offences: two counts of causing/inciting a child under 13 to engage in a sexual act, three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of causing a child under 13 to watch sexual activity and one count of sexual communication with a child under 16.

Bell pleaded guilty to all of the offences at Newcastle Crown Court in March 2026. He was sentenced to three years and four months behind bars.

South Shields cannabis farm busted

A large cannabis farm with an estimated value of £55,000 which was found on a residential street in South Shields has been dismantled.

At an address on Ashley Road in South Shields on Thursday, March 26, police uncovered a cannabis farm containing 110 plants across three large rooms in the address. The plants and equipment inside address were valued at approximately £55,000.

A man, aged 19, was arrested at the scene in connection with the discovery and was taken into police custody. He has since been released on police bail as enquiries continue.

The farm has since been dismantled and the drugs seized by the local Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) whilst partners also worked to make the address safe.

Vape shop shut down after South Shields raid uncovers 5,640 illegal tabs hidden in wall

A South Tyneside vape outlet selling illegal products has been shut down by council trading bosses after showing “blatant disregard for the law”.

The Vape Shop in King Street, central South Shields, has been outlawed under a full closure order granted by a court.

An investigation found it was selling illegally branded cigarettes and continued to do so despite numerous warnings.

Matters came to a head on Tuesday, November 11, during a raid by police and the Regional Organised Crime Unit, borough magistrates heard.

Officers found 5,640 illegal cigarettes and 1.25kg of hand rolling tobacco hidden in a wall in a “sophisticated” criminal operation.

But a week later, a tip off revealed the continued trading of illegal products, with a sleeve of 200 cigarettes selling for just £50.

Magistrates granted a full closure order and ordered Mr Karim and SEPI Ltd to pay £1,200 costs between them.

Ban for South Shields dad caught on Ring doorbell security threatening to burn ex's car

A South Tyneside dad was caught out by a Ring doorbell recording when he turned up at his former partner’s home and threatened to torch her motor.

Liam Connolly, 26, was captured on the device saying, ‘I’ll smoke your car, your time’s coming. I tell you, your time’s coming’.

The recording was used in evidence against Connolly, of Orchid Gardens, near the Nook, South Shields, when he appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court.

Connolly committed the offence while subject to a three-month jail term, suspended for 12 months, for possession of a bladed article.

He has now been banned from contacting the woman under the terms of a restraining order after pleading guilty to a charge of making a threat to damage property.

Connelly got a 12-month community order, with 15 rehabilitation days and a six-month mental health requirement.

For breaching the suspended sentence order, she extended it by two months, to end on Tuesday, June 9, and he must pay a £114 victim surcharge and £85 court costs. The judge also imposed a 12-month restraining order, preventing Connolly from contacting the woman or his children with her, except via an approved third party for child contact.

Council house at centre of fights and drug-taking in Jarrow to remain boarded up

A South Tyneside council house at the centre of anti-social behaviour is to remain under forced closure – bringing continued peace to its neighbours.

The property in Epinay Walk, central Jarrow, was ordered to be boarded up in January after reports of drug taking and selling and other rowdy goings on.

These included fights spilling into the street, the tenant being threatened with a knife and noise disruption at all hours of the day.

Magistrates granted a second three-month closure order to Sunday, July 12.

Illegal immigrant sold 'dream' jailed - found hiding in loft of Jarrow cannabis grow

An illegal immigrant found hiding in the loft at a large scale cannabis farm after being "sold a dream" about life in the UK has been put behind bars.

Police arrested Albanian national Ramazan Lami at the property in Leopold Street, Jarrow, South Tyneside, where 158 plants were growing across four separate rooms, in February.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the illegal crops could have produced up to £39,000 worth of cannabis.

Lami, 28, admitted producing cannabis and the court heard he was a "gardener" at the farm.

Lami has described being in custody as "hell" and will be voluntarily deported.