These five Hertfordshire criminals have been convicted this month, including two men who plotted to kill a vulnerable woman from Hitchin.

1. Mukhtar Lail and Trefor Jones

Two men have been jailed for a plotting to murder a vulnerable woman in Hitchin.

Mukhtar Lail, of Meadowsweet Way in Stotfold, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of eight years, after being found guilty of conspiracy to murder and perverting the course of justice.

Trefor Jones, of Sedgley Close in Southsea, was given an eight-year sentence after being found guilty of conspiracy to murder.

Watford Observer: Mukhtar Lail and Trefor Jones.Mukhtar Lail and Trefor Jones. (Image: Herts police)

Lail, 53, offered Trefor Jones, 38, £15,000 to murder the woman by injecting her with heroin while he stayed at her home in January 2022.

Lail also gave Jones detailed instructions on how to render the victim unconscious should she resist.

The woman was asleep on her sofa when she was woken by her dog howling and found Jones standing over her.

After being told about the incident, a family member of the victim raised the alarm to Herts police and an investigation was launched.

A third man, Bobby Dhunna, 39, formerly of Clarion Close in Offley, was also sentenced to two years and four months imprisonment in connection with the incident, having pleaded guilty to witness intimidation, perverting the course of justice and possession of cannabis during a separate court appearance.

2. Alec Housden

Alec Housden is facing a long prison sentence after admitting to historic kidnapping and sexual assault offences in Harpenden.

The 60-year-old pleaded guilty to two sexual assaults and kidnaps, including the kidnap and indecent assault of a 16-year-old girl off Piggotshill Lane on August 7, 2002.

Watford Observer: Alec Housden.Alec Housden. (Image: Herts police)

Housden also admitted to kidnapping and indecently assaulting a 17-year-old girl at the same location on Wednesday, June 19, 2002.

Housden has been remanded into custody and will be sentenced on Monday, December 18, with the judge commenting that "a long prison sentence" could be expected.

3. Mike Martin

Mike Martin was sentenced to 11 years in prison after being found guilty of nine counts of sexual activity with a child.

The offences related to two vulnerable girls, who were teenagers at the time, living in the Dacorum area.

Watford Observer: Mike Martin.Mike Martin. (Image: Herts police)

The first offences took place in 2012, when Martin met the two girls, at 23 years of age.

The court heard that the two teenagers were groomed by the now 34-year-old man.

Along with the 11-year jail sentence, Martin will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

DC Vicky Draper said: "This was a complex and protracted investigation, with both victims being supported by specialist officers from our HALO team and we commend them for their bravery in agreeing to take part in the investigation."

4. Leon Edmund

Leon Edmund was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in jail having pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm (GBH), causing actual bodily harm (ABH) and an assault by beating.

The incident took place in Warners End, on the evening of Saturday, March 25, Edmund and his victim were travelling back from a charity boxing event in Watford.

Watford Observer: Leon Edmund.Leon Edmund. (Image: Herts police)

As they arrived in Hemel Hempstead, Edmund waited for the victim and his family to get off the minibus, before launching a "savage" attack on the victim.

According to Hertfordshire Constabulary, Edmund punched him to the ground twice and continued to strike him several more times while he laid unconscious and unable to protect himself. 

He also assaulted the victim's partner and son during the incident, and only stopped when a member of the public intervened.

His victim was taken to hospital with "multiple and extensive" fractures to his face, including both eye sockets, fractured cheekbones, a broken nose and a broken jaw.

He also sustained permanent partial sight loss in one eye.

5. Unnamed rapist

A 41-year-old man has been jailed for 13 years and one month after committing sexual offences against a young girl over a 10-year period.

The man from Welwyn Garden City - who cannot be named due to a court order - was arrested by Hertfordshire police in November 2022, after the National Crime Agency passed along information regarding indecent images being uploaded to an online platform.

This online platform was linked to the individual's home address.

The man was charged with 15 offences and remanded to prison, including three counts of rape of a child, four of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, six of sexual assault, one of causing a child to watch a sexual act and one of possession of indecent images.