A respected lady magistrate is counting the cost today (Wednesday) of illegally evicting her Romanian tenant with a racist 6 foot 7 inch henchman after losing her good character and at least £9,000 for what a Judge described as a "disgraceful episode."
Bench Chairwoman Stephanie Lippiatt, 63, a senior Justice of the Peace at Kingston-upon-Thames Magistrates' Court stormed around to the bedsit during a rent row with 28 year-old Maria Percec and hurled her belongings down the stairs and into the front garden.
Widow Lippiatt, of Lower Ham Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, who is currently suspended from magistrates’ duties,was convicted of attempting to unlawfully evict Miss Percec at Durlston Road, Kingston, on June 18, last year and causing criminal damage to her property.
After her arrest Lippiatt (pictured) – a magistrate for over twenty years and a Samaritan’s volunteer – was recorded by an officer outside the police station saying: "They are bloody foreigners and they will get away with it."
Another tenant Victor Hawes, 41, of Durlston Road, who Lippiatt denies is her secret lover, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated criminal damage and received a suspended prison sentence.
Judge Stephen Waller told Lippiatt at Croydon Crown Court: "This was a disgraceful episode. You went around with Victor Hawes to one of your properties.
"The victim was effectively thrown out and her property was literally thrown downstairs and out the front door.
"You lost patience in a difficult situation and allowed Victor Hawes to take a prominent role. You shouldn't have allowed him to behave like that and as the landlord should have taken charge."
The jury cleared Lippiatt of racially aggravated assault on Miss Percec, who claimed her feet were stamped on by the magistrate, and they also found the criminal damage offence was not racially aggravated.
"This lady, at her age and having lost her good character is the greatest burden to bear," said Lippiatt's lawyer Mr. Paul Sharkey. "She is a respectable member of the community and a magistrate for several years."
Lippiatt was fined £2,000 for the attempted unlawful eviction, fined £250 for criminal damage and ordered to pay £1900 prosecution costs.
She was also ordered to pay her full defence costs or alternatively £5,000, whatever is the lesser by Judge Waller, who heard of Lippiatt's £1 million-plus property portfolio of eight rentals during the trial. "You are a woman of means," he told her.
Hawes was sentenced to four months' imprisonment, suspended for one year, ordered to perform 120 hours community service work, pay £100 costs, plus £45 compensation to Miss Percec.
Judge Waller told him: "You threw the chest of drawers down the stairs and you were heard to call the complainant a "Romanian cockroach."
"She came in and started swearing at me to 'get the fuck out of the house'," ex-box room tenant Miss Percec told the jury during the seven-day trial. "She pushed me and stamped on my feet."
Miss Percec told the jury Lippiatt was unhappy about the tenant’s boyfriend George Stanka, 31, staying regularly overnight in her room and demanded a rent increase from £150 p.m. to £250 p.m.
"She said: 'I want more money or you are out of here', that’s all she spoke about. More money," said Miss Percec.
"The £250 was way too much. The house was in really bad condition, it was a very old house.
"The room was tiny, I have now got a room six times that size."
Lippiatt, who has a rental portfolio of eight properties, denies being a slum landlady although the defence team conceded the property was not "Buckingham Palace."
The couple were naked in bed when Lippiatt and Hawes began banging on their door late at night, demanding they leave the property.
"It was really loud banging, like someone hitting the door with a fist three times," explained Miss Percec, who had managed to throw on a dressing gown before the defendant’s burst in.
"She pulled the covers off George. He was naked and she looked at him and shouted: 'get the fuck out'."
Mr. Stanka later told the jury Lippiatt racially abused the couple. "Romanian cunts'. She said that."
Both defendants then began throwing furniture, clothing and personal effects belonging to the couple down the stairs then out the front door.
Miss Percec told police Lippiatt hurled a chest down the stairs then deliberately trampled on her belongings, before tossing items out the front door.
The couple were also intimidated by Hawes. "Victor was behind her, he’s massive, the size of the whole door. You can’t compete with that force," said Miss Percec.
Lippiatt also shouted: "You are not living in my house. You are not living on my back," the jury was told.
Miss Percec told police Hawes shouted: "You’re being fucking evicted. You’re fucking Romanian. Get out of the fucking house, you ming."
Throughout his race rant, filmed on Mr. Stanka’s mobile phone, Lippiatt is standing next to him in earshot.
The jury were played the footage in which an enraged Hawes throws the tenant's belongings down the stairs and Lippiatt is seen kicking items out the front door.
"I was left with bruises on my feet and around my knee," said Miss Percec. "The police saw it and took photos the next day.
"She was trying really hard to hurt me and push me and get me out of that room. I have been abused verbally and physically."
The jury was told Hawes also called the couple: "Romanian cockroaches."
Lippiatt claims Miss Percec has done a "hatchet job" on her so her evidence would be believed and to bolster a compensation claim.
The J.P. told the jury: "Last year when I was 62, I would have said it wouldn't have even crossed my mind that I could find myself in this position."
After two decades on the bench Lippiatt finally discovered what it felt like to be a defendant when police locked her in a cell.
"I completely lost control of myself. I was screaming and I was crying and I was begging them to let me out."
She lost her removals businessman husband Clive when he was killed by a drunken motorcyclist.
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