Despite the lack of prison space and the growing number of case backlogged in the court system, judges at Leeds Crown Court and beyond have had little choice but to hand dish out some of the harshest penalties to the most hardened of criminals over the last 12 months.
Brutal murderers, sick killers and devious paedophiles make up the lengthiest of spells behinds bars, with some destined not to taste freedom for the next 20 or maybe 30 years.
From murderers being handed life sentences, to a drive-by shooter receiving a huge 32-year sentence, here are a selection of some of the most depraved and outright dangerous criminals from the past 12 months.
And justice will undoubtedly continue at the same speed as 2026 ticks over, and a new batch of criminals have their day in court.
1. Connor McCarthy and Joshua Spreadbury
Connor McCarthy (left) and Joshua Spreadbury were members of a drugs gang that tortured a man with a blow torch for 19 hours after accusing him of stealing cocaine. The man had been lured to a meeting in Farnley and jumped by the gang, before being repeatedly beaten and burnt. McCarthy and Spreadbury were found guilty after a trial of kidnap and GBH with intent. They were jailed in September with McCarthy receiving 13 years and Spreadbury receiving 12 years. | WYP
2. John Smith
Unlicensed driver killed his pal and badly injured another in 'senseless' horror smash near Pontefract. Smith (pictured) got behind the wheel after visiting a pub, tried to overtake at speed and ploughed into an oncoming vehicle. He was jailed for 11 years at York Crown Court in July. | NYP / Google Maps / NW
3. Hunt
Keiran Hunt (inset) was jailed for 13 years for killing a cyclist John Shelton on Ridge Road near Micklefield while driving at around 97mph. Hunt was in behind the wheel of a powerful VW Golf R. He drove off and later torched the car to destroy evidence. He admitted causing death by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice and was sentence in July. | WYP / Google Maps
4. Rowbottom
Wakefield predator Christopher Rowbottom groomed a young girl nearly 90 miles away, travelled to her hometown and raped her in the backseat of his car. The pervert had even fitted privacy curtains in the back of his car. The 35-year-old was obsessed with taking the virginity of young girls, based on his internet searches. He bombarded the victim with messages over TikTok. After a trial the father-of-two was found guilty of rape, sexual communication with a child, two counts of meeting a child following sexual grooming, digital penetration and making indecent images of children. He was jailed for 13 years in August. | Getty / WYP
5. Regan Kemp
Regan Kemp (inset) was jailed in November for causing death by dangerous driving of Ashton Kitchen-White. Kemp was "driving like a lunatic" the court heard and was being filmed at the time when he struck the teenage pedestrian on a road in Middleton. Despite the overwhelming evidence, he denied being behind the wheel. He was found guilty and jailed for 15 years. | WYP
6. Chucks Mukolu
Chucks Mukolu was jailed in April for 17 years after he was found guilty after a trial of two counts of rape and two of assault by penetration. A woman told the court of her heartbreak of having to undergo two abortions after she was twice raped by Mukolu. | West Yorkshire Police/National World