Crooks put them selfie in spotlight
They happily flaunted lavish lifestyles in front of the camera
THESE selfie loving criminals didn’t shy away from flaunting their lavish lifestyles online.
Social media can be a powerful tool in bringing crooks to justice and also allows them to freely post about their lives. Some can incriminate themselves by flashing the cash, others can threaten violence, whilst some put on a facade which hides their true crimes. From the drug trafficker who posted pictures of exotic trips abroad to the stalker who posed with a large gun - they didn’t shy away from the camera.
Here, the Manchester Evening News looks back on some of the cases where criminals didn’t hide from the spotlight.
STEPHANIE NELSON
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Stephanie Nelson was living the life of luxury - exotic trips abroad, meals at top restaurants and stays at expensive hotels.
The beauty therapist took to Instagram, posting bikini selfies and posing with yachts around the world. However, the mum-of-one was funding her high living by trafficking Class A drugs.
Nelson, 30, who lived in Wilmslow, was caught with £1.5m of high-purity cocaine which was hidden in a magnetised, purposebuilt hide in her car boot.
She, along with John Markham, then 53, from Enfield, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and were each jailed for 10 years when they appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on July 18, 2020.
Nelson, who owned Porsche Cosmetics on Larkhill Place, was pregnant at the time of her arrest and later gave birth behind bars.
JASON BASCOMBE
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Jason Bascombe posed with wads of cash despite claiming disability benefits.
The 27-year-old classed himself as ‘unemployed.’
But, following a police pursuit on November 4, 2017, officers discovered a quantity of crack cocaine and heroin - as well as a ‘graft’ phone used in drug dealing.
Bascombe, of Kirby, was in a Vauxhall Vectra car - alongside another male - which failed to stop for officers. He was due to be sentenced in September last year but failed to appear. He was rearrested in January and remanded in custody prior to sentencing.
Bascombe, of Ascot Drive, was jailed for a total of 41 months at Bolton Crown Court on January 31 last year. He was sentenced to 40 months for being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine and one month for failing to surrender to custody.
THOMAS ASHURST-DAVIES
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Thomas Ashurst-Davies was jealous. His ex-partner had a friend round - so he decided to take action.
The 25-year-old sent numerous abusive messages to her when he discovered she was out with a friend on February 25 last year.
Ashurst-Davies then turned up the next day with taser in hand.
A melee ensued before his ex blocked him from getting to her friend - allowing him to escape.
He’d earlier posted pictures on Facebook of himself holding a gun.
Ashurst-Davies, of Cross Street, Atherton, pleaded guilty to affray and possession of an offensive weapon.
On June 24 2020 he appeared at Manchester Crown Court where he
was handed a four-month sentence which was suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to complete 25 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, complete 120 hours’ unpaid work and was made subject to an electronically monitored curfew for four weeks.
He was also made subject to a restraining order prohibiting contact with his former partner for a period of three years.
KYLE CAMP
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Gym-lover Kyle Camp flexed his muscles as he posed for a picture. The 26-year-old would go on to attack his then girlfriend when he assumed she was messaging another man.
Weeks later the couple were out Christmas shopping in Rochdale when he kicked off at her again.
Three months later Camp went on to drive a stolen Fiat 500 dangerously, reaching speeds of 85mph.
Camp pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to affray, criminal damage, dangerous driving and handling stolen goods.
He was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months on September 15 2020.
Camp, of Blueberry Avenue, was also ordered to complete 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, a Thinking Skills programme and 100 hours’ unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £3,000 compensation to the car owner.
MATTHEW HOLMES
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Posing in front of a changing room mirror in a green tracksuit, Matthew Holmes sought to portray a trendy image.
In another snap on Facebook he smiled warmly to the camera whilst out at a bar. However, he went on to grab a woman as she was walking to work in August last year.
Holmes, 25, started to drag her into an alley near Piccadilly rail station.
The incident only came to an end when she screamed and bit his hand - he then ran off.
Police were able to track down Holmes, of Flixton, Trafford, through a t-shirt he was wearing, which related to a ‘derelict exploring’ Facebook page he ran.
Holmes, of Overdale Crescent, was jailed for 26 months after pleading guilty to attempted robbery in March 2020.