The former Lord Chief Justice of England, Lord Hewart, once said “justice must be not only be done, but must also be seen to be done” – outlining one of the main reasons that news outlets cover court cases.
Our reporters attend the county’s criminal courts – as well as its coroners’ courts – every day; reporting on cases from across South Yorkshire in order to show justice being done and to shine a spotlight on the lessons that can be learned from a person’s death.
We have been your eyes and ears in court as some of the county’s most reprehensible offenders have been jailed for their heinous crimes.
And here are 10 of the worst cases from the past decade.
Our thoughts continue to be with the victims’ loved ones.
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In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.
5. Sexual abuse of 12 patients by Doncaster doctor
Andrew Johnson, was first jailed for 11 years and three months in 2014 for a string of sex offences, half of which related to the sexual abuse of four patients over a period of more than 35 years. Johnson was sentenced to a further two-and-a-half-years at Sheffield Crown Court in November 2016, when he pleaded guilty to abusing a further eight patients during consultations at his surgery in Bawtry. The charges related to abuse carried out at his surgery between 1978 and 1997, and involved young girls aged 12, 14 and 16 as well as three pregnant women. Photo: SYP
6. Murder of two-year-old stepdaughter
Martin Johnson murdered his step-daughter Erin Tomkins, aged 23 months, in May 2018. The tragic toddler also received a number of injuries at the hands of Johnson, including a broken arm, in the run up to the fatal attack. Johnson was found guilty of murder and GBH in February 2019, and was sentenced to life, to serve a minimum of 19 years. In his sentencing remarks, Mr Justice Goss said this was a bad case of the act of murder, being as it was at the culmination of several months of ‘gross physical abuse’. Photo: SYP
7. Murder of two-year-old step-son
Martin Currie was jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 22 years, for the murder of his step-son, Keigan O'Brien in November last year. Keigan's mother, Sarah O'Brien, was also jailed for eight years for causing or allowing Keigan's death at the hands of Currie. Keigan died in hospital days after his second birthday, after being attacked by Currie at their Doncaster home in January 2019. The tragic youngster was found to have been subjected to a significant head injury and also suffered a number of injuries in the preceding months. Photo: SYP
8. Murder of woman by her bodybuilding ex
Gabrielle Stanley, 28, was brutally knifed on October 26, 2013 at the house in Scawsby, Doncaster, she had shared with steroid user Simon Hall, 36. She sustained 30 stab wounds in the attack and died at Doncaster Royal Infirmary later that night. Hall’s body was found at the scene and a post-mortem examination revealed the cause of his death was hanging. At an inquest in 2014, Senior Coroner Nicola Mundy ruled Gabrielle's death to have been an "unlawful killing" and said: "At some point in the evening her partner had seen her phone and realised Gabrielle was in another relationship and his hopes of reconciliation would come to nothing and that led him to carry out a severe and sustained attack." Ms Mundy recorded a verdict of suicide for Hall Photo: f