From killers attempting to cover-up their heinous crimes to Tyneside's most notorious criminal being accused of plotting a nightclub shooting, there has been some high drama in courtrooms this year.

The Chronicle has covered some gripping criminal trials in 2018, which have kept readers glued to our website and newspapers.

And now as the year draws to a close we look back at five of the most dramatic, bizarre or harrowing cases heard by juries.

William McFall and Stephen Unwin

William John McFall
William John McFall

Unwin and McFall were both handed full life orders after they were found guilty of the horrifying murder of Quyen Ngoc Nguyen.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how the 28-year-old mum-of-two was lured to Unwin’s home, in Houghton-le-Spring, where she was held for four hours and tortured.

The killers then set fire to the mum in her car.

Stephen Unwin
Stephen Unwin

McFall, 51, of Waterloo Road, Blackpool, and Unwin, 40, of St Oswald’s Terrace, Houghton-le-Spring, were both already convicted killers and struck up a friendship while serving life sentences in prison. Both had killed pensioners in the past.

But both tried to wriggle out of their crime by blaming one another. And during a courtroom outburst McFall claimed he was not getting a fair trial.

As police CCTV expert DC Steve Speck was being cross-examined by Unwin’s barrister, McFall had to be told to stop interrupting after an outburst from the secure dock in which he claimed he was facing “trial by media and social media”.

Earlier in the trial McFall made cut-throat gestures towards the press bench. Eventually he was told to stop it after a member of court staff told the judge what he was up to.

When it came to them giving evidence, there was a high level of security in place for both men which the jury were not made aware of. At the start of proceedings and every time there was a break, the court was cleared and locked for fear they might try to escape.

Quyen Ngoc Nguyen, whose body was found in a burning car
Quyen Ngoc Nguyen, whose body was found in a burning car

As well as two Frankland Prison officers sat behind and next to them when they were in the witness box, there were another two out of sight outside the courtroom, and two police officers stationed on the public concourse as an extra layer of security.

John Henry Sayers, Michael Dixon and Michael McDougall

John Henry Sayers, who has been jailed for three-and-a-half years

Tyneside's criminal folklore was laid bare to an Old Bailey jury as notorious hardman John Henry Sayers stood trial accused of masterminding the 2015 shooting outside Tup Tup Palace nightclub.

The court heard how doorman Matthew McCauley was left with multiple wounds after a gunman rode past the Newcastle nightclub and opened fire on June 6 2015.

Prosecutors claimed Sayers had sent Michael Dixon to shoot at the club as an act of revenge after his son, John Jnr, was thrown out and punched by door staff two weeks earlier.

But the jury found him not guilty of conspiracy to murder, and conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Dixon, 50, was cleared of conspiracy to murder but found guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life, he has since launched an appeal bid.

Michael Dixon
Michael Dixon

Sayers was found guilty of perverting the course of justice, along with convicted murderer Michael McDougall.

The court heard that McDougall, who is serving a life sentence for killing South Shields takeaway boss Tipu Sultan, made a false confession to the Tup Tup shooting after meeting Sayers while he was on remand in HMP Wakefield.

During the trial a London jury heard how Sayers had “acquired a reputation as a man to be feared” .

And when Sayers took to the stand he claimed Northumbria Police was “corrupt” and that they used him as an “example of what you get” for refusing to work with them.

Sayers also described his upbringing working on the family fruit barrows in Newcastle, and how the “game” of trying not to get caught taught him “not to trust police”.

He also spoke about his reputation.

He was asked by his barrister: “The suggestion in this case was that you wanted to maintain and enhance your reputation.”

Sayers replied: “That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Richard Spottiswood

Garage boss Richard Spottiswood was this year jailed for life after he was found guilty of killing Darren Bonner, who was found fatally injured in a shallow grave at a Northumberland beauty spot.

Spottiswood, of Canterbury Way in Jarrow, choked the life out of Darren by outting him in a headlock in a caravan in Cresswell.

He then transported Mr Bonner’s unconscious body in the back of a former police riot van and dumped him in a shallow grave close to the picturesque village.

Spottiswood, 34, denied murder and tried to claim he had acted in self-defence. But he was unanimously convicted by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.

Spottiswood’s dispute with Darren is said to have stemmed from him accusing his employee of “betraying” him to a rival drug dealer during a family holiday in Cresswell.

Darren Bonner
Darren Bonner

The jury heard chilling details of how Darren was found seriously injured on July 10 last year, after a passer-by reported hearing “snoring and repetitive moaning noises” coming from behind a dry-stone wall.

The 24-year-old was found alive but lying naked in the foetal position by officers.

The court heard that when he was found, Darren had a red mark on his neck and had also suffered at least “12 blows from a rod-shaped weapon” to his back. Other marks also suggested he had been dragged through undergrowth, held or restrained.

After the guilty verdict, Judge Ashurst lifted a reporting restriction referring to an aborted trial in relation to the murder earlier this year in which Spottiswood’s partner, Lucy Burn, was acquitted of murder at the direction of the judge.

She had pleaded guilty to assisting an offender, in that, knowing Spottiswood had committed an offence of murder, she took various steps to tell lies in support of him. She will be sentenced at the same time as him for that offence.

Sean Histon and George Dixon:

Selfie of killers Sean Histon and George Dixon after the murder of Ashley Cochrane

New year torture killers Histon and Dixon failed to convince a jury they had not been responsible for the brutal killing of Ashley Cochrane.

Ashley had enjoyed New Year’s Eve drinks on Shields Road, in Byker, Newcastle, before he was killed.

He spent the last hours of 2017, and his life, at the Lord Clyde pub where he had a drink with Bobby, his friend of seven years who was working at the bar.

But he was already very drunk when he arrived at the pub, and was asked to leave when he fell asleep on a seat.

Bobby said Ashley could go back to his room at the Catherine House hostel next door and and wait for him until he finished work.

Ashley Cochrane, 29, who was killed in Byker

But once inside he was confronted by Sean Histon and George Dixon, who subjected him to a ferocious attack as they attempted to get his bank card pin number off him.

Ashley was beaten, stamped on, stabbed and had his head slammed through a plasterboard because he refused to reveal the number.

The court heard examination of the scene showed “damage to a wall consistent with somebody’s head being banged into or forced into the wall” which was consistent with damage to Ashley’s head.

The jury found Histon guilty of murdering Ashley. Dixon was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter.

Histon, 32, of Mitford Gardens, Wallsend, was jailed for life with a minimum of 30 years. Dixon, 39, of Shields Road, Byker, was jailed for 17 years.

A third man accused of being involved in the attack, Lee Annis, died in prison while awaiting trial.

Mark Steele:

Anti 5G campaigners Mark Steele outside Newcastle Crown Court

Two councillors were branded “baby killers” by a man convinced Gateshead Council’s street lights cause cancer, during a bizarre trial.

Activist Mark Steele unleashed an “intimidating” tirade against Labour’s Catherine Donovan and Eileen McMaster, saying he believed they had turned up to “goad” him into getting arrested.

He called them “murderers”, a court heard, claiming it was his right to do so.

But a judge ruled his outburst went too far as she handed him a criminal record.

It was the latest chapter in the saga between Gateshead Council Steele, 57, who believes the council is secretly trialling 5G technology in street lights.

Gateshead Magistrates’ Court heard Steele's claims it may have been linked to a child’s death.

The council says the allegations are “entirely false” – accusing certain individuals of “frightening people”.

Steele had previously successfully blocked a council gagging order that would have prevented him from posting his beliefs online.

However he was ordered not to harass council staff.

And in October he was landed with a criminal conviction over the April 30 drama outside his home in Percy Gardens, Dunston.

Steele told the court he confronted the pair after mistaking Coun Donovan for a burglar after spotting her looking into his home.

While District Judge Zoe Passfield cleared him of a more serious charge of using threatening words and behaviour with intent to cause fear, she convicted him of a lesser offence of using those words to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Steele was fined £180 and ordered to pay £300 in costs.