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Prolific offender jailed for homophobic arson attack

10:03am Saturday 16th February 2008

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A heartless youth with two antisocial behaviour orders under his belt has been jailed for 10 years after setting fire to a gay couple's home as they slept.

Sonny Lockwood, 20, targeted his victims, Nicholas Hughes and Peter Cameron at their home in North Downs Crescent, New Addington, in retaliation to the pair testifying against him at an earlier Asbo hearing.

He denied the charges of arson with intent to endanger life.

However, a jury found him guilty of two counts of arson at Croydon Crown Court last September and he was sentenced by Judge MacRae yesterday.

Nicholas Hughes awoke in the early hours of the January 23, 2006, to find the hallway of his home in North Downs Crescent alight.

Petrol was poured through the letterbox of Mr Hughes' home while he and his partner Peter Cameron were asleep in their upstairs bedroom.

Shortly afterwards a parachute flare was posted and ignited, but it was prevented from causing more damage because it got caught on a metal letterbox cage.

Mr Hughes said he was woken by shouts from Mr Cameron at 4am.

Judge Kenneth MacRae said: "I had to consider whether I have to pass a custodial sentence for public protection.

"I've concluded from the helpful psychiatric report alongside your letter for me today that I can pass a determinate sentence.

"This was a potentially murderous attack, saved from being just that by the letter cage in the front door.

"You don't have the benefit of a guilty plea. Still, you are only 20, and have been in custody for the past 15 to 16 months."

As the sentence was passed, his family and friends in the public gallery, including his dad Robert Lockwood and mum Dawn Watkins, were shocked.

As he was led away by guards, his mum shouted: "We love you son."

  • To read Lockwood's victim's account of the arson attack click here.

Lockwood's history

Lockwood is a persistent trouble-maker who has a long list of previous offences dating back to when he was 15.

He was issued with one of the borough's first-ever Asbos in 2004 and was also the first person to be banned from New Addington at the age of 15.

In May 2006 he was given a controversial five-year Asbo while he was in custody for breaching his first one.

This fresh order, banning him from harrassing or intimidating anyone in England and Wales, was described by the council as being the first of its kind in Croydon.

However, in December 2006 a judge said this order was too strict and reduced it by three years. This was despite the court being told that Lockwood was suspected of being involved in the arson he has now been convicted of.

Council officials have described Lockwood as a "prolific" offender who terrorised residents in New Addington. He was also placed on Croydon's prolific and priority offender scheme, which identifies persistent antisocial offenders.

Councillor Steve O'Connell, cabinet member for crime, said: "We are pleased on behalf of the community that justice has been served and that this case has been taken to its natural conclusion.

"The Asbo was appropriate at the time but the crimes escalated and become more serious so it was a matter to be dealt with by the police. We are pleased a satisfactory conclusion has been reached."

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Your Say YourCroydon Guardian

Uncleboko, Selsdon says...
10:05pm Tue 19 Feb 08

He won't be queueing up at the Post Office to collect his benefits for a good while.

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sammy-jo, St mary cray says...
1:29pm Wed 20 Feb 08

look i know what hes done but at the end of the day he done it for a reason. You lot are talkin about him like he is some sort of animal but he is my boyfriend and i love him.! he aint no animal he is a human being just like the rest of us. some people do wrong in life.. you cant say your all inicent! keep your thoughts to yourself. think about if it was one of your own !!

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flo addington, addo says...
7:35pm Wed 20 Feb 08

does this young man realise the devestation he causes to families. Now perhaps his victims can sleep peacefully at night.

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anne giles, SELSDON says...
9:40pm Wed 20 Feb 08

Sammy-Jo, what possible reason would a normal human being have for doing something so terrible? This is a highly dangerous man.

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anon, croydon says...
6:14pm Fri 22 Feb 08

but we do know him sammy-jo???? he is a nasty spiteful evil person and deserves every thing he gets.and as for jack he has lived in his brothers shadow for so long thinking he is something he aint. what did jack say what goes around comes around well he was right wasn,t he.and it came around for them.

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Uncleboko, Selsdon says...
7:46pm Sat 23 Feb 08

"wasn,t" - interesting!!

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anon, croydon says...
2:45pm Sun 24 Feb 08

is this an English lesson know then.

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anon, here and there says...
3:00pm Sun 24 Feb 08

keep you alert. (English lesson now then). what ever way you say it he has now got to pay for his crimes...

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sammy-jo, St mary cray says...
4:33pm Sun 24 Feb 08

AT THE END OF THE DAY HES DOIN HIS TIME NOW SO JUST LET HIM BE YOU LOT GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE LET HIM GET ON WITH HIS. KEEP YOUR SARKY COMMENTS TO YOURSELF. WHO KNOWS HE COULD COME OUT AND BE A COMPLETLY DIFFERENT PERSON. BUT WHO KNOWS!

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Justme, Mitcham says...
1:33am Mon 25 Feb 08

Homophobic scum deserve everything they get. I pity anyone who defends any anumal like this.

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ARABELLA HAMILTON FORTESCUE, SOUTH CROYDON says...
9:42pm Tue 26 Feb 08

If that man is your boyfriend, young lady, then I can see that you are two of a kind. The language you are using is the sort of language one would normally only hear in the confines of a prison. Now please modify your tone, child!!

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sammy-jo, St mary cray says...
8:26pm Wed 27 Feb 08

NAH WE AINT TO OF A KIND WERE ONE THANKS!! ILL MODIFY MY TONE WHEN I WANT TOO AND THE REASON IM USING THAT TONE IS BECAUSE YOU LOT THINK YOU KNOW HIM BUT YOU DONT KNOW HIM LIKE I DO !! YH HES DONE WRONG LIKE I KEEP SAYIN BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY HES DOING HIS TIME NOW SO SHUT THE **** UP DARLIN!!

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
10:02pm Thu 28 Feb 08

Oops - we have a rather upset little girly-wirly!

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sonny pickup the soap, says...
7:11pm Sat 1 Mar 08

one of a kined. Yes true! And a good example of like for like. And he is wors than people are saying.

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Harris, says...
8:41pm Sat 1 Mar 08

sammy-jo,
I admire your loyalty to this boy/man but perhaps you should take this opportunity while he is banged up to sort out your own life - there really are better than him. Find a real man!!

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sammy-jo, St mary cray says...
10:43pm Sun 2 Mar 08

I DONT NEED TO SORT MY LIFE OUT WHILE SONNY IS IN JAIL BECAUSE HE IS MY LIFE. HE SENTANCE AINT FOR GOOD HE'LL BE OUT SOONER THEN YOU LOT WOULD LIKE HAHA. I LOVE SONNY MORE THAN ANYTHING SO YOU LOT CAN JUDGE HIM BY WHAT YOU LOT HAVE SEEN AND HEARD YOU DONT KNOW HIM LIKE I DO. LOOK YOU LOT CAN SAY WHAT YOU LIKE ABOUT SONNY ON A **** WEBSITE YH BUT HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD SAY IT TO HIS **** FACE ? YH THATS WHATS I **** THOUGHT NOT MANY....

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SONNY LOCKWOOD FROM HMP, HMP PRISON says...
10:46pm Sun 2 Mar 08

SONNY LOCKWOOD HERE STRAIGHT FROM H.M.P ALL DAY EVERY DAY WHAT IM A STRAIGHT UP CRIMNAL HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA.
..... IM RIDING MY TIME LIKE ITS NOTHING LOL

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pickup the soap supper star, says...
9:21am Mon 3 Mar 08

i wish it wz sonny.but its not is it Sammy! turn off your caps lock. And we are all riding the time like its nothing aswell hahahahahahahaha. Its so good we can all enjoy a good larf together. It dose appear that not all are sacred. Thats why he is in jail.you said he had a reason 4what he did.! So tell us. What was it ?

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Harris, says...
2:12pm Mon 3 Mar 08

Sammy-jo,
I am happy to meet Sonny face-to-face. Can you give me details of prison visiting times?

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sammy-jo, St mary cray says...
2:03pm Wed 5 Mar 08

NO I ENT GUNAH TURN CAPS OFF THANKS !!
AND WHAT IF IT WERENT SONNY HE TOLD ME WHAT TO RITE DARLIN!
I DONT THINK SONNY WOULD WANT SOME DURTY SKANK COMIN TO SEE HIM NOT THAT HES SCARED !
AND NOONE ELSE DONT NEED TO KNOW THE **** REASON WHY HE DONE IT !
SO GO SUCK DICK :D

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Harris, says...
5:45pm Wed 5 Mar 08

Sammy-Jo,
I suspect he is scared. He looks it.
As to your last suggestion I'm sure Sonny must be dong that most of the time now!

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LouLou, St mary cray says...
11:03am Thu 6 Mar 08

DIS B SAMMY-JOS WIFEY EYA//. YOU LOT NEED TO **** OFF AND LEAVE SONNY BE MAN. !! LET SAMMY AND SONNY LIVE DER **** LIFES.. SONNY IS DOIN HIS TIME NOW SO YOU LOT NEED TO SHUT UP AND **** OFF!!
YOU LOT DONT KNOW HIM HALF AS MUCH AS YOU THINK YOU DO !!
SO DO US ALL A FAVOUR AND DO ONE !!!

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sammy-jo, St mary cray says...
2:14pm Thu 6 Mar 08

I SPOKE TO SONNY LAST NITE AND WHO EVER IT WAS THAT WANTS TO GO SEE HIM IN JAIL HE SAID GIVE US YOUR ADDRESS AND HELL QUITE HAPPILY SEND YOU A VISITING ORDER. HE ALSO SAID USE LOT AMUSE HIM AND HE SENDS ALL HIS LOVE HUGS AND KISSES TO EVERYWUN THAT HATES HIM AND HELL MORE THEN WILLIN TO MEET UP ONE DAY SOON AND DISCUSS ANY THOUGHTS AND ANSWERS TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.

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harris, says...
8:52pm Thu 6 Mar 08

LouLou & Sammy Jo
Getting stuck on caps mode must run in the family. Happy to meet Sonny boy when he is out. Let me know and I'll keep the letter-box open for him.

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loulou and sammy-jo, St mary cray says...
12:25am Sat 8 Mar 08

YEAH LOVIN DA CAPS MI DARLIN HAHAHAHHAHAHA!!
SO WHATS UR ADDRESS YOUR DA WUN THAT SAID U WANT TO GO DO THAT SO WHATS UR ADDRESS BECAUSE U CANT VISIT WITOWT VO!!

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sammy-jo, st mary cray says...
2:13am Sat 8 Mar 08

look ive turnt my cap lock of jus 4 u.... happy!!!! i cant b **** 2 argue wid u all coz i dnt need 2 b fighting sonnys battles 4 him hes big enough 2 handle it himself!!! all im sayin is that i love sonny more then anythin.... look u lot all got what u wanted..hes in jail so can u jus **** off with all your srarky comments and **** such as sonny pick up the sopa do no how pathetic u sound??? if u lot r riding ur time having a laugh then y u always got time 2 b commenting on this website?? coz ur life really aint as great as u make it out 2 b...is it? lol well im goin 2 c sonny on wednesday 12h march so if u av got anythin 2 say then ill happily tell him 4 ya like a good little girly-wirly should!!! u lot make me laugh...

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sammy-jo, st mary cray says...
2:33am Sat 8 Mar 08

im holdin my head high because i aint got nothing 2 b ashamed of nor has sonnys family at the end of the day its sonny that has done wrong and ill admit that why should the rest of us not be able 2 hold r heads high??? at the end of the day when a person u love has done wrong weather it b a boyfriend.girlfriend

, son, daughter etc u stick by there side through thick and thin....would u turn ur back on a loved 1 in this situation or even a different 1? because i wouldnt and i aint going 2....its caled loyality.. y should hes family b punished 4 hes mistakes?? think about that...

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sammy-jo, st mary cray says...
2:35am Sat 8 Mar 08

sonnys not perfectic but no body is....not evn u!! but what u lot dont seem 2 c is the loving,caring, sweet and funny side of sonny that i see and hear in every visit, phone call and letter... i no what hes done makes it look like he hasn't got a heart but he has because if he didnt he wouldn't love me the way he does!!! no bodys pefectic jus remeber that..

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Buzzer, says...
6:44pm Sat 8 Mar 08

SAMMY-JO. YOUS SOUND DRUNK

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sammy-jo, st mary cray says...
7:45pm Sat 8 Mar 08

AND HOW DA **** DID U WORK THAT OUT?
BECAUSE NO I WERENT MATE!! AND EVEN IF I WAS SOOO WHAT !

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BUZZER, says...
10:25pm Sat 8 Mar 08

CUZ YOU DONT MAKE SENCE

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sammy-jo, st mary cray says...
12:10am Sun 9 Mar 08

THINK U FIND IT DUZ.. READ IT PROPLEY

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Harris, says...
11:59am Sun 9 Mar 08

sammy-jo
I never said that you were not loyal. You are, and I admire you for it, but it is wasted on this person. Just think about your future. You'll end up a prison widow.

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Tony B, Croydon says...
3:08pm Sun 9 Mar 08

this is old news. Why you people still posting. Borring

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sarah, preston says...
4:27pm Sun 9 Mar 08

i think everyone deserves chances yes he did wrong but nobody is perfect he got a punishment tho ithink they shudnt of give him that long he needs to stay strong and as for people making nasty comments thats wrong think how sonny parents wud feel u talkin about him.they have lost him why he inside so ithink people should be less mean

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sarah, preston says...
4:35pm Sun 9 Mar 08

i admire sammy for sticking by her boyfiend ide do the same

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sammy-jo, st mary cray says...
6:53pm Sun 9 Mar 08

THANK YOU SARAH FOR UR NICE COMMENTS.. ATLEAST SOMEONE CAN SEE MY POINT OF VEIW X

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sarah, preston says...
11:04pm Sun 9 Mar 08

how is sonny parents coping and u wid da sentance he got

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sarah, preston says...
11:17pm Sun 9 Mar 08

everyon shud be given chances whether they dne bad or gud not everyone is perfect i strongly dissagree wid his sentance.sammy try to ignore people and there perthetic comments.keep ya head up not just for sonny but yaself to show people ya dnt gve ****wot they say ur standn by sum1 u luv and tat people should admire TAKECRE

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anon, somewhere says...
2:21pm Mon 10 Mar 08

"For forgiveness to be earned there must be remorse shown. I saw no remorse from any of the Lockwood family."
That says it all.

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12inches of suny love, luved up and soapy says...
4:22pm Tue 11 Mar 08

sonny got wot he needed, a good lesson that u cant attack people, mug rob burgle threaten,steel,commi


t GBH. Fire fireworks at cars. Houses and peoples windows. All done while he lafed his head off with his gang of sick yobs. This went on for over 10 years with family support. So stick it 2 all of them. And i hope mum and dad r sick in the guts. U now know how we all felt every day living with all the horrors that family dished out. How was it getting kicked out the house then rob. And setting a fire while his victims sleep is exactly the cowardly thing sonny always done. Sammy are you a boy or girl. And shouting and insulting people that you dont know is wot i would expect from his associats!

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Emma, Melbourne says...
5:51am Thu 13 Mar 08

Why do young women insist on being with men who have criminal backgrounds? I have no understanding of this? Is it not hard to sustain a relationship with someone who is at risk of being sent to prison, affecting future job chances and the hope of a happy life. I am sure you "feel" happy, but how can you knowing that you only get to see your loved one who is behind bars.
What is wrong with meeting a good, honest, secure working man who is able to be there for you at all times? One who has a open mind to life and those around him, one who doesn't feel like the world owes him something, or one that takes from others when it's not his to take? I find those men to be cowards....
I just don't understand the view of women who activly chose to be involved with criminals.

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sammy-jo, st mary cray says...
1:06pm Thu 13 Mar 08

SARAH THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ACTUALLY SEEIN MY POINT OF VEIW. YH IM COPIN WITH HIS SENTANCE AND SO IS HIS FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR ASKIN...I WENT TO SEE HIM YESTERDAY AND EVERYTHINGS ALL WELL.. HE IS COPING JUST AS GUD AS WE ARE....AND AS FOR THE REST OF YOU READING THIS I CANT B BOVERED TO REPLY BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY I KNOW ALL I NEED TO KNOW AND ITS A HEL OF A LOT MORE HTEN YOU LOT DO.. SO SAY AND THINK WHAT YOU WANT :D

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Ben, Camden says...
11:31pm Thu 13 Mar 08

"I KNOW ALL I NEED TO KNOW AND ITS A HEL OF A LOT MORE HTEN YOU LOT DO"
What does this mean?

"SO SAY AND THINK WHAT YOU WANT"
OK I will. Grow up LOSER!!! :(

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Kimmy, says...
7:36am Fri 14 Mar 08

I agree with Emma. You must have very low self esteem and respect to even pretend you have a relationship with a criminal. He says he loves you! Then he removes himself by getting put away for a long stretch. Girlie, that is the shape of things to come. He will be in and out of prison for the rest of his life. Get real. Get out!

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Davey, Cornwall says...
4:26pm Fri 21 Mar 08

If I won the lottery big time I would consider moving to Singapore as they don't have any of this nonsense out there. I recently had my car windscreen smashed and whilst I was in Saltash having it replaced, vermin entered my property and chiselled off numerous car badges from classic cars that I never got around to restoring. They also left a message saying "****". Sickening that my pension money is having to be spent on CCTV etc. I never planned that my retirement would consist of defending my property at weekends and school holidays. Of course truants and the expelled can vandalise anytime. I blame the government for all this trouble because when I was young the disagreeable prospect of being birched did make people behave. Nowadays there is no deterrent as having an ASBO allegedly gives one "street cred" in the riff-raff world. There was never any "cred" in getting the birch.

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Harris, says...
2:20pm Sun 30 Mar 08

What's happened to Sammy-Jo? Got a new man I guess. Well done! Enjoy.

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sammy-jo, st mary cray says...
1:33pm Sun 13 Apr 08

actually my darlin nah aint got a new man stil with the 1 and only sonny!!! i only browse this site known again coz its old news now!! and i dont give a **** what any of u lot say anymore.. im only ritin bk 2 tell u im still around n stil with sony
cheero 4 now all our fans =]

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HMP... 'Oi, Guv'.... 'Officer!', New Addington says...
10:26pm Mon 21 Apr 08

sammy-jo wrote:
actually my darlin nah aint got a new man stil with the 1 and only sonny!!! i only browse this site known again coz its old news now!! and i dont give a **** what any of u lot say anymore.. im only ritin bk 2 tell u im still around n stil with sony cheero 4 now all our fans =]
Just to let you know, "girlfriend" sonny loves you, he loves you so much,pretty boy sonny made a girl bend down and suck his D**K behind the fields in North Downs Crescent (possibly), when she refused... He started punchin and slapping her about... i know sonny, all his family and the girl he done this too, Nice boy he is, glad someone loves him, and nice family, mumma Dawn came down and had the cheek to tell the girl personally "well you should have done it then?!".... "Nice mumma, good mumma, love you mumma, taught me well mumma. Mumma... Why am i in jail mumma?" Love you Mumma, Thanks Daddy for supporting and teaching me. crime was a joy! The police stopped me and let me drive off in my stolen cars :), they couldnt do nothing!... and now look at me dadda... serving a 10 year sentence...

Truth be told sonny did not get "what he deserves" he got a lot less. and i know in real terms you've only been going out with him for a short period of time. i know his ex-girlfriends.

Of course sonny's laughing, time flies for him in there! how long as it been so far? not long ay?! didn't think so. He's riding his time, gettin ridden, fed good food, solid pieces of meat in fact. i would say at least they can look after him, make sure he doesn't exceed the daily salt intake and that... but they can't can they? suppose its up to him what he gets up to at lock-up time.

it is known by some that Sonny fully stripped and tied a 12/13 year old boy to a lamp-post in North Downs Crescent, Sonny with his good natured personality then left him there and carried on with his daily wasteful activities. only for a resident to find and untie the victim.

I don't like him and never have done. Sonny has been described as a "1 man crime wave". I dont hate Sonny for his "crime" i just have the opinion that he is of dispicable, disgusting, rotten, filthy, cowardly, yellow bellied character and nature... a sausage dog has pride, sonny does not.

Sammy this is not aimed 'AT' you, and it is nothing personal. You aint "with him" are you?! you're at home on the internet and he's in custody. There is no actual physical relationship between you and sonny, its all in your mind and i suppose it makes comlete sense to you. If you got a 10 year sentence in jail, away from your "relationship" with sonny, he would be out the next day looking for something with human genitals.

Before im told "meet him face to face"... please... dont bother, i grew up wiv that fool....

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billy, new addington says...
6:41pm Thu 24 Apr 08

HaHaHaHa 10 years to wait for a sh*g. Poor old darling ha hahahahahahahahaha HAHAHA

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Sonny Lockwood Lockwood: "Callous, heartless and cold-blooded"

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