Stuffed Tiger: Charges Dropped

An animal expert, who supplies stuffed and live specimens to movies and photo-shoots, walked free from court today after illegal trading charges against him were dropped.

Simon Wilson, 50, of Canterbury Way, Croxley Green, Hertfordshire - boss of Animatronic Animals - was arrested after police from Scotland Yard's Wildlife Crime Unit raided a Mayfair studio in March, 2009 and seized a £75,000 stuffed tiger, which was being used in a fashion shoot for late designer Alexander McQueen.

His workshop in nearby Bovingdon was searched and officers found more animals, including a Himalayan black bear, an orang-utan, a peregrine falcon, an Asian arowana fish, the skeleton of a mandrill monkey and a leopard skin.

The company has been involved in films including the Harry Potter franchise, Casino Royals and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The Croydon Crown Court trial had been due to start last monday, but after a series of difficulties the prosecution, who were relying on a substantial amount of evidence from abroad, offered no evidence.

It is believed too many questions were raised concerning the credibility of a key witness.

Wilson had pleaded not guilty to using a specimen of an endangered species for commercial gain; keeping a specimen of an endangered species for sale; knowing or recklessly making a false statement to obtain a certificate or permit; using a certificate or permit for a purpose other than what it was issued for; dishonestly making a false representation and concealing criminal property.

Attempted Jewellery Snatch: CCTV Released

Police have released these CCTV images of two wannabe robbers, who tried to snatch expensive earrings from a North London jewellery store.

The duo struck in busy Muswell Hill Broadway, Muswell Hill at 5.15pm on November 7, last year.

They entered the store and asked a member of staff if they could have a closer look at a pair of earrings in the window display.

As the employee took them from the display one of the men tried to grab the earrings and the display cone they were mounted on as his accomplice held the door open.

Despite numerous enquiries police have been unsuccessful in identifying the suspects.

Haringey Police are requesting that anyone who can identify the men should contact them on 020 3276 0104 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Trigger-Happy Gunman Caged For Execution

A gunman is starting a life sentence – with a 35-year minimum – after fatally shooting an associate in the head soon after firing shots through his girlfriend's letterbox.

Local hoodlum Dwayne Fulgence, 28, (pictured) shot 23 year-old Marlon Campbell in Lushington Road, Catford on 9.15pm on June 16, last year.

The Lewisham victim was rushed to Kings College Hospital, but died the following afternoon.

He had been with two other men when an argument with Fulgence broke out and was shot once.

Earlier, the defendant rowed with his girlfriend at her address in Oslac Road, Lewisham when he was denied entry and fired three or four shots through the letterbox.

He was convicted at the Old Bailey of murder plus two counts of posssession of a firearm, with intent to endanger life and possession of a firearm and ammunition

Detective Inspector James Gerty, of Trident Gang Crime Command, which investigates violent black-on-black crime said: "Dwayne Fulgence is well known in the community for his criminal activities.

“The Metropolitan Police Service takes offences of this nature seriously and will take robust action to send a clear message to those concerned in gun crime that if they are involved, in any way, they can expect to be identified and convicted for the offence." 


Tooled-Up Robbers Caught By Have-A-Goes

Two teenage robbers, caught by a posse of have-a-go heroes after raiding a North London jeweller's, have been caged.

The youngsters, armed with a hammer, stun gun and blank firing pistol, were challenged after smashing a display window and pursued by local shop workers and members of the public.

Momin Hassan, 17, (pic.top) of Devonshire Road, Mill Hill received four years and 16 year-old Tajwar Shah, (pic.bottom) of St. Edmund's Drive, Stanmore three and a half years.

Both pleaded guilty to robbing Vinsons Jewellers in Station Road, Edgware on November 16, last year and possession of an imitation firearm.

Hassan also pleaded guilty to possession of a stun gun.

Wood Green Crown Court heard it was 11.20am when the defendants began smashing the display window with a hammer and tried to empty the jewellery inside.

They were challenged by a female member of staff and Shah shot a blank round into the air as a warning.

Passers-by and other shop workers were alerted to the struggle and pursued them down Station Road.

During this chase, Shah fired the gun in the direction of his pursuers, but they contiued to follow the pair.

The robbers were seen trying to change their clothes in the car park of a block of flats and were detained as they tried to flee back along Station Road.

Police found a bag, which contained a stun gun and a key to a blue Mercedes getaway car with false number plates, which was parked nearby.

Detective Constable Tim Fines, from the Flying Squad based at Finchley, said: "The judge has commended the bravery of those members of the public who pursued and detained these two males - I would like to reiterate this praise.



"Thanks to their efforts, and the efforts of officers who attended the scene, two dangerous males are behind bars."

Teaching Assistant Faked Brain Cancer In £20K Fraud, Court Told

A primary school teaching assistant tricked her friends and work colleagues into believing she had terminal brain cancer in a £20,000 scam, a jury have heard.

A fundraiser was held to finance private Harley Street treatment and concerned colleagues plunged themselves into debt by taking out loans or withdrawing money from their own childrens' accounts to help.

Mother-of-four Ursula Rose, 42, (pic.top) of Westgate Road, South Norwood - who worked at the local Saint Thomas Becket school (pic.bottom) - denies she invented the illness, claiming the victims volunteered to help her through money troubles.

"The Crown allege that Ursula Rose repeatedly made false representations to friends and work colleagues that she was suffering from cancer, that she had tumours in her head," prosecutor Miss Claire Robinson told Croydon Crown Court.

"She did this to get their sympathy, to get loans of money from them. This was dishonest and calculated to make people feel sorry for her.

"Over a number of years she repeatedly told friends and colleagues that she was severely ill with cancer and she was doing it in order to gain money from people."

Fellow teaching assistant Gillian Trype (pic.middle) gave the defendant £3,000 after Rose convinced her she feared dying on the operating theatre table during a £37,000 private operation and felt her husband would not cope financially.

"She told her and others that the brain tumours were growing aggressively and she was going for daily chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.

"She was told by Ursula Rose that one of the tumours was wrapped around a main artery near her temple and it could kill her at any moment.

"She said it was terminal and at level four and she needed an operation that was too dangerous for the NHS so was paying thirty-seven thousand pounds to go private.

"Mrs Trype's two daughters had money in their savings and she borrowed that, intending to repay it with a lump sum from her pension," explained Miss Robinson.

Rose took time off work for the non-existent 'operation' and when she returned told colleagues it had been partially successful, but a £7,000 American wonder drug could combat the remaining life-threatening tumour.

In June, 2009 staff attended a fundraiser at Croydon's Bar Txt, contributing to a collection aimed at raising money for the new drug.

Another member of staff, Allison Patmore, gave Rose £6,500 as a deposit on a £40,000 private Harley Street operation - again claiming it was too dangerous for the NHS.

Mrs Patmore took out a £6,200 loan, plus £300 cash from her bank account, accepting Rose's claim she would be repaid when her home was remortgaged.

Rose told long-time friend Michelle Willis she had only six months to live and needed a strong dose of radiotherapy - knowing her pal had money remaining from a recent house sale.

Mrs Willis gave her £5,000 and a few weeks later Rose asked for another £5,500 to avoid her home being repossessed. The friend convinced her own daughter, Sarah, to give Rose the money.

Eventually the school's headmaster, Noel Campbell, received confirmation from Rose's doctor at Mayday University hospital that she never had cancer.

"He said she did not, and never had, brain tumours, but suffered from tension-like headaches."

Rose then resigned in February, 2010, telling the headmaster she had been given the cancer all-clear and was cured.

She has pleaded not guilty to four counts of fraud, by falsely representing that she had a life-threatening illness, on various dates between September 30, 2008 and July 31, 2009.

Trial continues………..

Trafficked Domestic "Dogsbody" Used And Abused As "Sexual Toy," Jury Told

An Indian domestic worker was repeatedly raped, scalded with boiling water, burned with a hot iron, beaten and threatened that if she complained her throat would be cut and her body buried in a back garden, a jury have heard.

The 39 year-old vulnerable and illiterate mother-of-four was used and abused as a "sexual toy" and "general dogsbody" by the family, who forced her into virtual slavery for six years despite complaints to the police and other services.

She worked sixteen hours a day, seven days a week, between October 2004 and October 2010, which even at a minimum wage rate should have seen her paid £172,288. In reality she received just £2,364.

Denying the charges at Croydon Crown Court are: butcher Enkarta Balapovi, 53, (pic.top l.) and his partner 57 year-old shop worker Shanaz Begum, (pic.top r.) both of Charlbert Street, St. John's Wood.

Begum's son Aleemuddin Mohammed, 35, (pic.bottom l.) a supermarket manager, of Sefton Avenue, Harrow; his wife, secretary Shamina Yousuf, 33, of Pavilion Way, Edgware and optician Shashi Obhrai, 53, (pic.bottom r.) of Pembroke Road, Northwood.

"Each of these defendants have collectively and severally taken advantage of her," explained prosecutor Miss Caroline Haughey. "Abusing her in their own way and when she either becomes a threat or a nuisance is passed on to the next party until she is no longer wanted.

"Their view of her has resulted in a prolonged and continued abuse of her. 

"Each of the defendants knew of her lack of education, expectation and awareness both in the U.K. and India and used that to get her to comply with their wishes whether as a domestic worker, sexual toy or general dogsbody."

The court heard the victim was never paid her promised wage, had her passport confiscated, was fed scraps and leftovers, including food spat out by the defendant Obhrai's children, and slept in a garage and on the floors of various properties.

"Each of these defendants treated her with contempt, ignoring her basic rights and taking advantage of her naivety, her vulnerability and her ignorance," explained Miss Haughey.

"Tragically various state agencies failed her too, ignoring her repeated pleas for help, not adhering to their own investigative practices, and it could be said ignoring the obvious."

The family successfully applied for a visa, allowing the victim to work in the U.K., promised to pay her £480 per month and she moved into the Pavilion Way address with Mohammed, his wife Yousuf and their child.

"She slept in the garage or on the floor of the child's room…..She was expected to wash, cook and clean for the family and be at their beck and call.

"Yousuf was short-tempered and aggressive with her," added Miss Haughey. "She recalls being beaten around the head, causing her ears to bleed, and Yousuf poured boiling water over her hands and forbid her to receive any medical treatment."

When Yousuf threw a cup at the victim, causing a two inch cut to her foot, she was arrested, but Mohammed threatened her into dropping the allegation and the police did not pursue the complaints she made to them.

After two years and eight months with the couple, who paid just £24 for that period, which also included Mohammed groping her and forcing her to touch him, the victim escaped with the help of a Pakistani stranger at a supermarket. 

Desperate to get her passport back she agreed to move in with Balapovi and Begum, where she massaged their legs and feet and was forced to work for £2-per hour at a sandwich shop downstairs.

"It was while at this address she was subjected to a catalogue of sexual assaults by Balapovi," said Miss Haughey, explaining the first incident involved the defendant ripping off the victim's pyjamas and raping her on the only bed in the flat.

"She describes how this happened repeatedly, usually on weekends, Mondays and Tuesdays. She says it happened for: 'As long as I lived in the house'."

After four months with the couple the victim was assisted by a charity and her rape complaints reported to the police, but she was then handed over to Obhrai and her ordeal continued.

Her daily routine included cooking for eight people, washing, cleaning, looking after Obhrai's sick mother and enduring beatings, hair pulling and threats at the hands of the defendant - eventually leaving her no option but to attempt suicide by slashing her wrists.

She was hospitalised after being pushed down a flight of stairs, struck with a rolling pin, burned with a hot iron and suffered stomach cramps and vomiting when forced to eat out of date food, the jury were told.

Again the victim fled and reported the abuse to police, but no action was taken and the beatings continued, with Obhrai threatening to slit her throat and bury her in the back garden.   

Eventually she contacted the charity Kalayaan, which campaigns for justice for migrant workers, who referred her to the U.K. Human Trafficking Centre and an investigation began.

Balapovi has pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and along with his partner Begum two separate counts of arranging travel within the U.K. for exploitation.

Mohammed denies one count of trafficking within the U.K for exploitation and sexually assaulting the victim.

Obhrai and Yousouf deny separate counts of causing actual bodily harm and Obhrai alone denies making threats to kill and trafficking within the U.K. for exploitation.

Trial continues…………

Suspected Paedo Hunted

Police have released this CCTV image of a suspect they are are hunting – wanted for twice approaching different children in West London.

The man approached two girls in Cowley High Road, Uxbridge at 2.15pm on September 8, last year and tried to incite them into committing a sex act.

When they refused the suspect walked away and the girls returned home and informed their parents, who reported the incident to police.


Three hours later a man with the same description approached a group of children in Rockingham Recreation Ground, Rockingham Road, Uxbridge, and tried to coax them to nearby Fassnidge Park.

They refused and left the scene.



An investigation is being carried out by officers from the Metropolitan Police's Sapphire Command.

After the incidents inquiries were conducted with shops in the area and a number of identification leads were pursued with a negative result. 



The man is described as white, aged between 35-45 years, of thin build, with short brown hair featuring a large bald patch on the crown of his head, and wearing a red t-shirt, three-quarter length shorts and carrying a yellow rucksack.



Anyone who recognises the man or has any information they believe may assist police is asked not to approach the man themselves but to contact the Sapphire team on 020 8247 6520 or dial 999.

To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. 

Two-Time Bookie Bandit Jailed

An East London armed robber, caught on CCTV robbing the same bookies within a month, has been caged for seven years.

Karl Lawrence, 25, (pictured) used a silver handgun during the first raid (pic.mid.) and a knife on the second occasion (pic.bottom) at Coral's in Ripple Road, Dagenham.

Lawrence, of Woodward Road, Dagenham pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to two counts of robbery, possessing a firearm, with intent to cause fear of violence and possession of a bladed article.

He seized around £1,500 in total before detectives from the Metropolitan Police Service's Flying Squad identified and then arrested him.

Detective Constable Fareed Mirza, of the Flying Squad, said: "These were two terrifying ordeals for Lawrence's victims in which he very deliberately made them fear that they might come to serious harm.



"Anyone who is willing to inflict such fear for their own material gain deserves to spend a significant amount of time behind bars.



"I would like to pay tribute to my colleagues from the Flying Squad whose good work has put this dangerous offender in prison."



At 3.45pm on August 3, last year Lawrence approached an elderly male cashier as he returned to his counter and gained access to a secure area.



He assaulted the cashier and pulled out a handgun which he pointed at the man before threatening to shoot him if he didn't fill a bag with cash.



Money was taken from cash registers and a safe, and Lawrence fled with £900 before officers arrived. 



On September 7 at 8.30am Lawrence followed a female employee into the bookmakers after she had gone outside to smoke a cigarette.



As she went behind a counter he rushed in behind her and pulled out a large kitchen knife, which he used to threaten her as he demanded she open a safe.



This time, he took £605 from the venue before leaving on foot.



Once-Deported Criminal Returned To Launder Profits From £2.7M Scam

A foreign criminal - deported from the UK eight years ago - was allowed back in on a spousal visa and in front of his sobbing new wife received two years for laundering £188,700 for heartless Nigerian fraudsters.

Management graduate Osas Odia, 33, (pictured) was booted out of the country in 2005 for overstaying and having a forged stamp in his passport, which allowed him to work illegally, but returned when he married his psychiatric nurse wife.

Croydon Crown Court heard criminal funds from an international £2.7m scam were washed through three bank accounts held by Odia and he continued laundering the loot while on police bail after his arrest.

One victim, Betty McClellan, 62, was shot dead by her husband Hersey McClellan, 63, who then killed himself at their Hyde Park, Los Angeles home on June 20, 2010 after she wired £264,000 to the fraudsters to release a non-existent lottery win.

Odia laundered £77,000 of the couple's life savings, plus money swindled out of a Bristol woman, who lost her home and was left destitute, and an Australian woman, who thought she was sending money to a U.S. Army general in Afghanistan.

Police identified a total of thirteen victims all over the world, who each lost an average of £207,000, after they were convinced they were due an Australian lottery pay-out, inheritance, investment benefit or were sold non-existent heavy plant machinery.

Odia, of Windrush Court, Chichester Wharf, Erith pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder criminal property and was sentenced after his co-defendants so he could complete his degree.

His lawyer Paul Brill told the court: "He is alarmed and upset by the nature of the fraud and did not realise people's life savings were being taken so callously in the way they were.

"His previous conviction was for a false stamp in his passport that allowed him to work. He is not work shy and has a strong work ethic."

Judge Jeremy Gold QC told Odia: "You are a man of some ability and you have just completed a degree and I hope that means you will not be tempted to return to this sort of offending.

"You played a full part in laundering the proceeds of a sophisticated fraud."

As Odia was taken into the cells his sobbing wife Natalie, sitting in the front row of the public gallery, wailed: "Can't I just see him?"

The plot's ringleaders Obinnam Nwokolo, 37, of Chesworth Close, Erith, who amassed a valuable property portfolio in the UK and Nigeria, received six years and four months and Uchechhukwu Onuoha, 40, of Aspen Green, Erith, who entered this country on a student visa, received five years and two months.

Both pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to conspiracy to defraud between October 1, 2008 and September 15, last year.

Another money launderer, Sergius Ene, 44, of Rushden Gardens, Ilford, who received sixteen months in March for a £27,000 'Euromilions' lottery scam on an 83 year-old Northampton pensioner, was jailed for two years and eight months. for laundering £342,400.

Victims were telephoned, emailed or written to by Nwokolo and Onuoha, who between them spent at least £22,500 on stationary supplies as they convinced the dupes to pay for admin fees, insurance, certificates and other charges to release funds due to them.

"These monies were placed in a series of bank accounts and laundered," said prosecutor Mr. Andrew Evans. "The fraud was carried out on an international scale."

An Indiana farmer, believing he had a claim on a £14.9m inheritance, lost over £339,000 and a Venezuelan businessman lost £163,000 buying a mobile crane Nwokolo and father-of-two Onuoha advertised for sale on a Spanish website.

The Bristol victim lost £312,000 chasing a £1.8m Australian lottery win and found herself arrested after paying the counterfeit £158,000 cheque the defendants sent her into her account.

"She was buying a new home and intended to settle the balance from the winnings she was expecting.

"She is now living in sheltered accommodation and feels vulnerable and extremely embarrassed and her family have lost their inheritance."

Father-of-three Nwokolo even bought three 1,350 per-hour letter-folding machines to increase the volume of mail shots and his home contained lists with details of thousands of individuals and businesses.

Onuoha had a pile of 593 scam letters ready for postage when police raided the home he rented off Nwokolo and officers also found a prepared 'script' he used when duping victims over the phone.

Cocaine Courier Caged

A cocaine smuggler, caught at Gatwick Airport with a quantity of the drug as he stepped off a flight last summer, was jailed for seven years and two months today.

Kirk Edward Loubon, 32, of Clement Gardens, Hayes, West London was convicted at Croydon Crown Court.

He was jailed for being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of the class A drug at the West Sussex airport (pictured) on August 8, last year.

Loubon was remanded in custody since his arrest and time served will be deducted from his sentence.

He will qualify to be released on parole in approximately three years time.

Disgraced Financier's Benefit Fraud

A notorious fraudster, jailed for funding his Mayfair “lavish lifestyle” with money stolen from investors, claimed housing and council tax benefit on his release despite a £66,000 inheritence from his mother.

Disgraced independent financial advisor Gary Cawthorne, 49, of Bloomfield Road, Bromley has already blown the cash windfall and is repaying his local council at the rate of £20 per month.

Between 2003 and 2007 he stole large sums from his clients, leaving them bereft of their life savings, struggling to pay their mortgages and living in fear of losing their homes.

He swapped him home in upmarket Hill Street for a prison cell after receiving four years and eight months imprisonment after pleading guilty to fifteen offences, which included theft, evasion of liabilty by deception, obtaining a money transfer by deception and fraudulent trading.

Despite never registering with the Financial Services Authority Cawthorne ran a company offering mortgage advice and attracted clients with promises of sky-high returns, often lavishly wining and dining women and convincing them to remortgage their homes.

After his conviction a £450,000 confication order was made against Cawthorne under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

He pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court (pictured) today to dishonestly making a false representation in relation to a housing benefit claim to the London Borough of Bromley on or about April 13, 2011, namely that he failed to fully declare his capital.

He also admitted dishonestly failing to notify the council of a change in circumstances between January 2 and May 24, last year.

The court heard his bank account was credited with payments of £35,000 and then £31,000 left to him by his mother, but it has now all been spent.

Jobless Cawthorne swindled £3,895 out of the council between April 11, 2011 and January 2, last year.

He studied for a psychology degree with the Open University while in prison and was released in April, 2011.

Cawthorne was sentenced to a twelve month community order, which includes 140 hours community service work and was ordered to pay £1,000 costs.

Boastful Gangster Jailed For £250K Jewellery Heist

A notorious South London gangster - who boasted about his life of crime in his autobiography - is starting a two year and three month sentence after he was jailed for duping a businesswoman out of  £250,000 worth of jewellery.

Jimmy Tippett, 41, author of 'Born Gangster' initially claimed he was forced into the heist by violent thugs, but abandoned this defence after learning the prosecution planned to read extracts of his book to the jury.

He convinced the jewellery dealer to meet him at a hotel and arrived with a fellow-crook, who posed as a wealthy Saudi businessman's buyer.

During the meeting at the Bromley Court Hotel with Anita Cotton, Tippett distracted her and walked off with the uninsured jewellery, which has never been recovered.

This left the shocked victim with a £99,600 wholesale bill to the Hatton Garden jewellers, who had supplied her with the stock.

Tippett, of Chancery Lane, Beckenham and Mark Spink, 52, of Calverley Close, Beckenham, who received twenty-two months, both pleaded guilty to stealing the jewellery from Mrs Cotton at the Coniston Road hotel on August 29, last year.

A separate charge against Tippett of stealing £48,000 worth of jewellery from a woman in Brighton while on the run was dropped by the prosecution.

In his autobiography Tippett says he was born into a criminal aristocracy, with his father bare-knuckle fighter Jimmy Tippett snr. known as the 'Guv'nor of Lewisham.'

His first arrest was at the age of twelve, he was carrying a gun at the age of sixteen and visiting Reggie Kray in prison.

Ironically, his boasts were used against him at Croydon Crown Court where prosecutor Mr. Julius Capon said: "Mr. Tippett is an author and in a synopsis of his book 'Born Gangster' he says he was involved in drug deals, robberies, bloody fights and dodgy scams.

"He says he has no regrets about his life and makes no apologies for his crimes. He says he has never done an honest day's work in his life and was not forced into criminal activity, but was a path he chose."

Tippett's criminal career has taken him to the Costa del Crime, Britain's toughest prisons and associations with London's underworld.

"Mrs Cotton runs a small company that sells jewellery and many of her sales were made via the internet and she had been in contact with Tippett on the internet and via telephone and text messages," explained Mr. Capon.

A proposed meeting at the Dorchester hotel fell through so Tippett agreed to meet Mrs Cotton in Bromley.

"He claimed he would be with a man called 'Bruce', who was the representative of a Saudi businessman.

"The story was that the Saudi businessman wanted to buy jewellery for his prostitutes and Mrs Cotton was asked to bring some jewellery with her.

"They met in the lounge of the hotel, with Spink posing as 'Bruce' and all three sat around a table and the defendants continued with the scam, asking questions and examining the jewellery.

"Tippett distracted Mrs Cotton when asking her questions about the prices of certain pieces and he got up and walked out with the jewellery.

"Spink remained, but after a short while tried to leave for the toilets and kept trying to escape.

"The victim's husband, who had some concerns about the meeting, was nearby and when he saw Spink he called the police and the defendant was arrested as he tried to leave in a cab."

When quizzed by police Spink claimed he thought it was just an innocent social get-together, saying: "I was just looking at the pretty lady."

Tippett went on the run and was circulated as wanted and was eventually arrested at a Ramsgate Travelodge hotel.

Both defendants have lengthy criminal histories for offences of theft and burglary and Tippett has additional convictions for violence and public order.

Jailing the pair Judge Stephen Waller said: "This was a scam. A confidence trick."

Locksmith Locked-Up For Lock-Up Cocaine

A locksmith, who kept £8.6m worth of cocaine in three safes cemented into the walls and floor of a suburban storage unit, has been jailed for thirteen years.

Charles Court, 27, (pictured) of Friern Close, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire was arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police's SCO7 Central Task Force East.

He pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court to two counts of possessing class A drugs, with intent to supply.

Court was stopped in Goffs Lane, Cheshunt on August 28, last year and brown taped packages containing drugs were found in his car.

Police also seized keys, which opened a lock-up at an industrial unit in St. James Road, Goffs Oak.

Inside they discovered a false wall secured with screws and a locked door behind.



Officers found three safes concreted into the wall and floor and a locksmith helped open the safes.

Inside were twenty-eight packages containing 27 kilos of cocaine.

Acting Detective Inspector Tim Grinsted said: "Tenacious detective work prevented a massive amount of cocaine reaching London's streets and causing the inevitable misery that Class A drugs bring.”



Would-Be Rapist Flees On 'Boris Bike'

A late-night wannabe rapist – who escaped his East London attack on a lone woman on a 'Boris Bike' – is being hunted by police.

Officers with Shoreditch's Sapphire Unit have released this CCTV image of the suspect, who struck in Hackney Road at 2.45am on November 20, last year.

The image shows the white man, riding on a Barclays Cycle Hire Bike shortly before the incident.

He is described as aged between 25-35 years, at least 6 feet tall and of muscular build. 



The 28-year-old woman was walking along Goldsmith Row, about 40 metres from the junction with Hackney Road, when she was approached by the man.

He robbed her before trying to rape her and was disturbed by passers-by and rode off towards Broadway Market.

Officers have traced the passers-by who disturbed the attacker, but are keen to speak to anyone else who was in the area at the time of the incident, or anyone who may recognise the man pictured on the bicycle.


Anyone who saw a man on a Barclays Cycle Hire bike hanging around the area of Hackney Road and Goldsmith Row around this time should contact the Sapphire Unit on 020 7275 3489. To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Irishman Sectioned After Alleged West End Hold Up

A County Galway man, accused of using a fake gun during an armed robbery bid in London's busy West End, was sectioned under the Mental Health Act when he appeared at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court today.

David Joseph Coleman, 35, of Williams Town Road, Heston, Lee will be held at the Hammersmith and Fulham Mental Health Unit.

He is charged with attempting to rob Gordon Okoye of cash at 550 Oxford Street on February 12 and possessing an imitation firearm, with intent to commit an indictable offence, namely a handgun.

Bearded Coleman, wearing a grey sweatshirt, appeared in custody and his case was immediately transferred to Southwark Crown Court for a prelimianry hearing on February 22.

The court (pictured) was told mental health workers assesed Coleman as having “dilussions and mania” and confuses fact with fiction.

Rasta Says 20 Kilos Of Cannabis Was For Bathtime And Brekkie

A cannabis smuggler, caught with 20 kilos of the drug worth £58,000, has been jailed for two years and three months after a court rejected his claim it was for medicinal and religious use.

Mechanic Aldwin Renardo Gooden, 44, of Gilbert Grove, Huddersfield was caught at Gatwick Airport after stepping off a flight from Kingston, Jamaica.

He pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to importing two packages of herbal cannabis on October 4, last year, but insisted it was not a commercial operation.

Gooden (pictured) told the court he is of the Rastafarian religion and was given the cannabis for free by an “elder” during a trip to his native Jamaica.

He insisted he needed large quantities of the drug to cook with his meals, put in his porridge, bathe in, smoke and mix with Jamaican white rub to apply to his painful joints.

“In my work I lie on a cold floor during the winter, the garage is really cold and is bad for my joints,” explained Gooden.

“I don't take tablets for the pain because they are drugs,” he added, estimating his daily smoking habit at six ounces of cannabis.

Rejecting Gooden's argument Recorder Peter Susman QC said: “I find his evidence inconsistent and unbelievable.

“He says his motivation for importing cannabis is that he cannot afford to buy it, but he also tells me he had no knowledge of it's street value.

“I was also puzzled by the fact he did not go to a doctor for treatment for joint pain.

“If he got that pain from lying on a cold garage floor why doesn't he put a blanket underneath himself?”

The court also heard Gooden was convicted of growing cannabis in 2005.

“It is a very large quantity. He was a drugs courier importing this amount, knowing what he was doing in order to make money from it,” added Recorder Susman.

“I have no reason to doubt the defendant is a fine man in every other respect.”