Abused Boy Inspired By Jimmy Savile Scandal To Report Sex Abuse, Jury Told

'Not Guilty': Malcolm Stuart

A journalist sexually abused a “troubled” young boy, who only made his complaint to the police thirty-five years later when prompted by publicity surrounding the Jimmy Savile scandal, a jury were told today.

Retired Malcolm Stuart, 76, of High Street, Banwell molested the youngster between the ages of twelve and fourteen years-old and on one occasion took him to a hotel for sex, Croydon Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Mr. Walton Hornsby said: “The defendant took him to Arsenal football matches and this developed into discussions about sexuality and development and this led to this defendant providing him with a 'wank book' and asked him to write down occasions when he masturbated.

“The boy was given low-level pornographic literature and masturbated himself in front of the defendant and was given monetary presents for writing in the book every time he had masturbated.”

The jury were told this abuse escalated into the boy providing Stuart with oral sex and the complainant – now aged 49 years-old and living in Torquay – told police the defendant once took him to a hotel.

“He was taken to the hotel, told to take his clothes off and bent over a chair,” Mr. Hornsby told the jury, explaining Stuart then attempted to have sex with the boy, who found the experience “excruciatingly painful.”

“The allegations were not disclosed officially until 2012 when the amount of publicity in the Jimmy Savile case chimed with him and provoked him to contact the police and make a statement.

“Before this, on two occasions, he made a brief disclosure to his first wife and to his current wife that he had been sexually abused.

“None of it took place in the presence of anybody else.

“He had been a troubled boy and a troubled man, saying what happened in adolescence has carried on through his life.

“He says that as soon as he expressed a sexual interest in girls the defendant stopped and there appears to have been no contact after that.”

Stuart was traced and arrested by police, who put the complaint to him. “He made a complete denial of any sexual activity.

“He accepted most of the factual background, in that he had taken him to Arsenal football matches and that they had discussed masturbation as a normal avuncular discussion.

“He did accept suggesting a book be kept, but said there was no sexual contact, no payments made or any sexual activity with the complainant.”

Stuart has pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecency with a child between November 7, 1976 and November 9, 1978.

He also denies four counts of indecently assaulting the boy between the same dates and committing a further sex act within that period.

Ex-Pub DJ Jailed For Indecently Assaulting Teen Girl

A barman/DJ, who seduced the under-age daughter of the owners of a Norwich pub over a decade ago, is starting an eighteen-month prison sentence.

Lee Daniel Dickens, 39, of Biggin Way, Upper Norwood, was convicted by a Croydon Crown Court jury of one count of indecently assaulting the girl between 2000 and 2002.

The jury heard the defendant, from south London, moved into the pub when the victim was a young teen and she told them: “We had sex when I was fourteen.”

Dickens claimed he only had a sexual relationship with her after she turned sixteen years-old and it was consensual.

She told the court: “Lee told me I shouldn't say anything to anyone because of the age difference and he would get into trouble.”

Dickens was cleared by the jury of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, which the victim claimed occured in south London.

He was ordered to sign the sex offenders register.

Rogue Trader Has €180K Seized By Police

Euro's Seized: Anthony Holehouse

Police have seized €180,660 belonging to a notorious rogue trader – banned from running any company for 10 years after he was jailed.

Anthony Holehouse, 31, of Tremayne Road, Bilborough, Nottinghamshire was sentenced to two-and-a-half years imprisonment for his role in a 'long firm' fraud.

Police applied for the continued detention of the money yesterday on the grounds it represents the proceeds of unlawful conduct and the hearing was adjourned at Uxbridge Magistrates Court until January 7, next year.

Holehouse was one of a group of six men investigated by Leicestershire Constabulary, which started an investigation in November 2005 into a fraudulent company called Power Associates Ltd (PA Ltd) based in Burnmoor Street, Leicester.

This led to the identification of three other fraudulent companies in Nottinghamshire.

Following a joint investigation between Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire forces, the suspects were identified and charged in December 2007.

The defendants all pleaded guilty to fraudulent company trading at Leicester Crown Court.

Detective Sergeant Edward Jones, who led the investigation, said: "These men were setting up bogus companies and obtaining goods on credit with suppliers, but never paying the balance.

"When the suppliers chased them for payment all remnants of the company and its employees had disappeared as the gang moved on to the next bogus company.

"The best way to stop these people from committing offences again is to make their faces known in the business world."

Holehouse was also convicted of fraudulent company trading in relation to JTF Services Ltd and West Yorkshire based company Crossfield Construction Ltd.

Sikh Grandad Jailed For Nearly Blinding Daughter-In-Law He Wrongly Suspected Of Muslim Affair

Jageer Mirgind

These are the injuries inflicted by an enraged Sikh grandfather against his son's wife after mistakenly believing she was having an affair with a Muslim.

Manjit Mirgind, 51, attacked 29 year-old Jageer Mirgind in front of her young children – aged three and six years-old – targeting her eyes in particular.

He was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court to ten years and eight months imprisonment after pleading guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent.

Mirgind, of Mayfair Avenue, Ilford attacked Jageer at her nearby home at around 9.00am on December 18, last year.

Emergency services were called and police established the victim had been badly beaten and had suffered a violent and frenzied assault by her father-in-law.

He had attempted to strangle her, had gouged both her eyes, stabbed her several times in the face and kicked her about the head and body.

She also suffered defence injuries to her arms and hands and Mirgind – who injured his knee and hand while beating her – gave himself up to police immediately.

Manjit Mirgind

He made unsolicited comments on his way to hospital stating that he had stabbed his daughter in law in the eyes because of his belief that she was having an affair with a Muslim man and was trying to break up his family. 



When he was later interviewed he answered “no comment” to all questions asked.



The victim was taken to an east London hospital where she underwent surgery. 



Jageer is now scarred for life and has partial vision in one eye and blurred vision in the other.

Her left wrist has lost mobility and she now stammers due to damaged muscles in her neck. 



Detective Inspector John Delaney of Redbridge Police Community Safety Unit said: “The psychological effects on the victim in this case will remain long after her wounds have healed. 



"When Manjit Mirgind launched this attack he was acting in the misguided name of ‘honour’, spurred on by a false belief that his daughter-in-law was having an affair with a man of another faith. 



“The victim sustained an unprovoked, frenzied attack by a trusted family member in her own home which has resulted in her sustaining life changing injuries.

“She has shown tremendous courage and resilience in dealing with this incident which has not only affected her but two extended families within her community.” 



Charity Boss Jailed For Decades-Old Child Sex Offences

Caged: Zafar Iqbal

The paedophile chief officer of a charity is starting a prison sentence after his sordid past caught up with him when three female victims reported decades-old sexual abuse.

Zafar Iqbal, 61, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court to seven-and-a-half years imprisonment after he was convicted of twenty-five counts of indecent assault.

The victims were all under fourteen years-old at the time of the offences – committed at an address in Peckham during the 1970's and 1980's.

The abuse only ended when Iqbal got married and moved away, eventually running a Brent-based charity.

The victims reported the abuse they had suffered to the police 2012 and an investigation was launched.



Iqbal was arrested and interviewed by detectives from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command (SOECA). 




Detective Constable Martin Sharp of the SOECA said: “I would like to take this opportunity to praise the three young women that Iqbal abused and highlight their courage in coming forwarding and reporting to the police Iqbal’s crimes.

“The support they gave the investigating officers during this investigation was instrumental bringing Iqbal to justice today. 



“Zafer Iqbal no doubt thought the passage of time meant that he had escaped justice for the appalling offences he committed against three small children.

“I hope that his conviction and sentence gives other victims of sexual abuse confidence to come forward.”

Grandma Caught Smuggling Drugs After Jamaica Holiday

Inner London Crown Court

An Oxford grandmother, caught smuggling £51,000 worth of cannabis after stepping off a flight from Jamaica, was jailed for two years yesterday.

Margaret Simms, 57, of Peat Moors lost her good name and 18-year job with Boots chemists after she was caught at Gatwick Airport.

She denied, but was convicted by a jury of importing 17 kilos of the drug on November 19, last year.

“It is unfortunately my job to sentence you for this offences,” Recorder Karl King told the first-time offender at Inner London Crown Court.

“As you will appreciate it is solely from your commission of this offence, your conscious decision to participate in this offence that brings you here.

“You were aware of what you were doing and you played a role which is more than minimal.

“You gave the jury an explanation that you had been a victim of threats, duress made by security guards at your hotel door, but then told probation they barged in.

“You said you thought their words were a joke, but said the day before you were due to return from Jamaica they returned and said the same thing and gave you instructions to collect a suitcase.”

The defendant had flown to the Caribbean to visit her Jamaican husband Sean Simms, who she married in 2008, and still maintains her innocence, insisting she was acting under duress.

“Your husband, who was with you at this time, was not alerted or his family were not alerted about these two strangers.”

Simms claimed she was instructed to collect a suitcase, identified by a unicorn band, when she landed at Gatwick, but it had already been identified by border Force officers as containing drugs.

Prosecutor Mr. Francis Gaskin said: “The evidence heard in total about her role came from the defendant and must have been disbelieved by the jury.

“There is no credible evidence of threats or pressure. The prosecution say she knew exactly what she was doing and was motivated by financial gain.”

Simms' lawyer Mr. George Hepburne Scott told the court: “There is no evidence at all of money or a criminal lifestyle.

“Up until now she has been a law-abiding, hard-working taxpayer. She has lost her dignity.

“She has been exploited, you may think, to some extent through naivety. She's perhaps been used to some extent by those who would have made far more.

“The prosecution have searched her home and her bank accounts and there is no evidence of Rolex watches, jewellery or cash-counting machines.

“They are conspicuous by their absence. She doesn't seem to have had any financial gain.”

Recorder King told Simms: “I have come to the conclusion you were an active participant and you have concocted a story to deflect your role and involvement in this offence.

“There is not any sense of regret or remorse on your part.”

Drug Dealer Caught After Arriving At Police Raid On Accomplice's Home

Lorri Jeffery

Two drug dealers, arrested after a total of four kilos of cocaine and cannabis worth £230,000 was seized during a police raid, have been jailed.

Lorri Jeffery, 30, of Pullman Place, Eltham received seven years and Luke Roffey, 30, of Plum Lane, Woolwich received two years imprisonment.

Both pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court to possessing drugs, with intent to supply.

On May 21 officers from the Trident Gang Command executed a Section 23 Misuse of Drugs Act warrant at Jeffery's residential address – a one-bedroom second-floor flat.


They seized over a kilo of cocaine - with a street value of in excess of £200,000.

While searching the address Jeffery received a text message on his phone stating “I am outside”.

Officers went downstairs where Roffey was ringing the buzzer to the flat.

Luke Roffey

Roffey ran off and was seen to throw a large bin liner over a fence as he was pursued.

He was apprehended and the bag retrieved, which contained 3 kilos of cannabis, with a value of approximately £30,000.



A number of Rolex watches and a quantity of cash were recovered when his home address was searched.



Detective Constable Harvey Brooks from the MPS Trident and Area Gang Command said: "This investigation shows that we will seek anyone actively involved in the drugs trade and use all the powers available to us to combat it.

“If you deal in drugs we will arrest you and put you in front of the courts to face the consequences of your actions”.

Does Sex Predator Have More Unknown Victims?

Police are appealing for more potential victims of a serial east London sexual predator to come forward after he was jailed for six years.

Hassain Ahmed Chowdury, 26, of Croydon Road, Beddington is suspected of further sex attacks in the Western Gateway area of Canning Town.

He was convicted at Snaresbrook Crown Court on nine counts of sexually assaulting six different women in the same area between June 2011 and June 2013.

Officers from Sapphire, part of the Metropolitan Police Service's Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command are urging any other women who may have been a victim of Chowdury to call 020 8217 9874 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Prof Sperm Donor: "Like Something Out Of A Horror Movie"

A wannabe Great Yarmouth mum, eager to have a baby, told a jury her experience with a University College London scientist sperm donor was: "Like something out of a horror movie."

Professor Gennadij Raivich, 51, of Rashleigh House, Thanet Street, St. Pancras, a perinatal neuroscientist, denies sexually assaulting three women who used his unregulated "one stop shop" artificial insemination service, in the hope of becoming pregnant.

The woman, 26, who has been in a same-sex relationship for nearly ten years, told Blackfriars Crown Court he visited her home on January 28 and 30, last year and as a result she has given birth to his child.

Raivich carried a "donation kit" which contained a dvd player, which he watched pornography on, rubber gloves and a speculum and pipette and was happy to carry-out home visits all over the country.

She told the court via a video link: "We proceeded with 'Frank' because he said he was a medical professional, which is why we chose him to be a donor."

Raivich travelled by train to her home in Great Yarmouth on January 28, last year and arrived at her home via a taxi at 9.30pm.

"The first night he came in we shook his hand and he told us his name was Frank. He demanded from my partner whether he could have tea or toast.

"Then we spoke for a few moments about him being a donor and he asked me where the dvd player was and I set it up for him."

When asked if they discussed what he would be viewing she replied: "We never actually spoke about that.

"I went upstairs with my partner while he done what he done and then Frank came up.

"He could see I was nervous and agitated and asked me to relax.

"He told me to relax, it was his job, he knew what he was doing and I was in good hands.

"He just kept reassuring me this was his job. I asked some questions like how successful the ICI was and how many times he'd done this sort of thing.

"He reassured me it was a good method and in his medical profession it was a good method and there had been fifty-six successful pregnancies through this.

"I asked, because obviously myself and my partner did not want contact with the donor after, and he said he'd like updates and the occasional photo.

"He then told me to get undressed from the waist down and I laid on the bed and the first time it was just like a smear test.

"He never washed his hands, he didn't have gloves on, he didn't use lubricant, which I thought was a bit odd considering.

"There was a speculum used. He put that inside me, which as you can imagine was painful considering he did not use lubricant.

"I was just laying on my back. Frank put a cushion under my bum to prop me up a bit and inserted the sperm with a little pipette thing and asked me to lay on the bed with my legs in the air and he went downstairs.

"He said to stay lying there with my legs in the air for forty minutes so none of the sperm could fall out.

"He just seemed to know what he was doing. I trusted him because he reassured me he was a doctor.

"I trusted him as a medical professional, which is why we chose him in the first place."

Raivich slept overnight on the sofa downstairs and asked the couple to ring for a taxi at 5.45am the next morning.

"He gave us both a hug and left. I thought it was a bit strange that he cuddled us, but we trusted him as a doctor."

The complainant's partner wanted to perform the artificial insemination (AI) herself, but Raivich insisted she should do it, the jury were told.

"My partner was uncomfortable with him doing it. She wanted to do the AI, but he insisted it was his job, he knew what he was doing."

Raivich returned two nights later at 11.40pm, despite the woman suggesting he postpone for a week because of the late hour.

"He insisted on coming that day. He didn't speak this time, just said: 'Tea, toast.'

"The dvd player was already set up for it. He called me down because he couldn't hear the volume on the tv.

"When I walked in his trousers were undone, which made me feel uncomfortable and I turned up the tv for him. His button and zip were undone.

"I sort of ran out of the room quite fast back upstairs.

"He came up, my partner went down. This time he stood there staring at me, smiling.

"I was waiting for him  to turn around before I got undressed. He told me not to be shy, that I had nothing to worry about and stood there with a scary smile on his face, glaring at me.

He then lifted up my top and started to grope my boobs. I just froze, he hadn't done it the previous time so I knew it was not right.

"He lifted my t-shirt up and moved my bra away from my breasts. He was just groping my boobs, squeezing them and smiling.

"He was looking at me, just smiling, it was like something out of a horror movie the way he was looking at me.

"I pushed my top down and he continued to smile at me and started to push his fingers inside me, which again I knew was wrong. He hadn't previously done this.

"It was painful and I said: 'Ouch.'

"To me it seemed like forever, but it was a few minutes," added the complainant, who claimed this lasted ten seconds in her statement.

"After he done that he continued to smile at me and forced the speculum inside me.

"He asked me to relax because he was struggling to get it in. He then inserted the sperm again with a pipette.

"He then pushed down on my clitoris, he just smiled at me. I just wanted him to get out of the bedroom, I wanted it to be over, my whole body just froze.

"When I left the room I shouted for my partner. Instinctively she knew something was wrong. I told her not to leave me."

She complained that on the first night Raivich burned her foot when he put a lamp on the bed.

"The second time he was abusing me, grinning, it was scary the way he was looking at me. He didn't speak."

Again Raivich slept on the sofa and two weeks later the woman discovered she was pregnant.

After her partner did some internet research on the defendant she reported him to the police and told the court what she thought of his behaviour. "I assumed to get his own sick kicks out of it."

When cross-examined she denied her evidence was "made up" and told Raivich's QC William Clegg: "I'm not going to appreciate getting groped and sexually assaulted by a man the second time.

"The truth is he's paying you to say this. Do you think this was a nice experience for me? You know nothing, you weren't there.

"It turns out everything he said was a lie. His name's not even Frank. What he' done is wrong and sick."

Prosecutor Mr. Tom Wilkins told the jury: "Each complainant in this case is a woman who met the defendant through an internet forum dedicated to sperm donation.

"He provided a one stop shop for women who wanted semen. All were desperate to have a baby."

His service was informal and did not conform to the guidelines of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and he often used the pseudonym Frank Qualman, the court was told.

"The defendant met these women in order to inseminate them. He took advantage of their desperation, his anonymity and informality by committing various types of sexual assaults upon them," added Mr. Wilkins.

The prosecution accept Raivich is a qualified doctor in Germany, but has always been an academic scientist and has never practiced medicine and is not registered with the General Medical Council.

"On the websites he advertises his services as a sperm donor and represents himself as a: 'Medical doctor based in Central London' providing a service called Intra-Cervical Insemination or ICI.

"He was not the altruistic donor, but someone who is sexually-motivated," Mr. Wilkins told the jury. 

Raivich has pleaded not guilty to assault by digital penetration in relation to another 26 year-old woman; one count of assault by penetration and sexual assault against a Cambridgeshire woman, 31, on November 21, 2012 and two counts of assault by penetration and two counts of sexual assault on November 27.

He also denies two counts of sexual assault against the Great Yarmouth woman on January 31, last year and assault by penetration on the same date.

Trial continues……………

Cannabis Home-Grower Sentenced For "Sophisticated Personal Cultivation"

A heavy cannabis user, who had a large-scale home-grow operation hidden behind the overgown garden of his suburban address, received a suspended prison sentence yesterday.

Spencer Mays, 43, pleaded guilty to producing the class B drug at the property in Macclesfield Road, South Norwood (pictured) on February 4.

Since the raid Mays has moved to his mother's home in Tuckers Meadow, Wiveliscombe, Taunton and claims he has quit his heavy cannabis use and is committed to a new career as a HGV driver.

He was sentenced to four months imprisonment, suspended for two years, pay a £2,000 fine and £350 costs.

His lawyer told Croydon Crown Court: “Since quitting cannabis he's never felt more confident.”

Mays also has a conviction involving class A drugs at the same court.

Judge John Tanzer said: “This was a really sophisticated personal cultivation and the prosecution had to be persuaded from having a trial that it was commercial.

“You have a rocky past, but you are now near middle-age and have settled down and got a job and home.

“To put you into custody would benefit nobody, but your offending, with your background, does cross the custody threshold.”

Regarding the large fine Judge Tanzer added: “It hits you were it hurts. That is my aim and it was your aim to save money. That's why you grew it.”  

Family Of Roma Gypsies Jailed For Brutal Exploitation Of Trafficked Fellow-Poles

Ana Gil & Dawid Gil

A family of Roma gypsies, who tricked three fellow-Poles into moving to London, where they were ruthlessly exploited and subjected to brutal beatings and their national insurance numbers used to rip-off the benefits system, were jailed today.

One female victim, 31, was constantly sexually molested and forced to shoplift and beg with her two children and her husband, 32, and another man had to collect scrap metal for up to twenty hours per day and hand all their money over to the family.

The family are: Ana Gill, 48, who received three years and her boyfriend, former jailbird, Jan Majewski, 49, a prolific offender in his homeland, who received four years, both of High Road, Romford.

Her four son's: Wladyslaw Gil, 33, of Budock Court, Budock Drive, Ilford; Dawid Gil, 31, and Mateusz Gil, 20, both of Field Road, Forest Gate and Fabien Gil, 28, and his wife Bogumila Mirga, 30, both of Salisbury Road, Forest Gate.

The Recorder of Croydon Warwick McKinnon told them: "After each arrived their identity documents were confiscated, violence was routinely deployed, they were in bonded labour and the single male was made to break into unoccupied houses.

Jan Majewski & Wladyslaw Gil

"You used his identity to claim tax credits and to make bank loans and the woman was barely allowed out of the house and was made to go begging and shoplifting, her children were made to steal and their id's were used to obtain tax credits.

"They were threatened with violence and they had witnessed beatings being meted out and the victim impact statements reveal the devastating effect on all three."

The single male was left with "permanent physical and psychological damage" as a result of beatings inflicted by Wladyslaw.

"The violence you perpetrated was without mercy, it was extreme and as routine as it was relentless and callous and sadistic, causing long-term damage," the judge told him.

Wladyslaw was sentenced to ten years imprisonment; Dawid two years; Mateusz twenty-one months; Fabien five years and Bogumila three years.

The Polish couple and their two children were brought to the UK and kept under the control of professional shoplifter and father-of-five Fabien Gil, the court was told.

Mateusz Gil

While the husband was sent to work at a banana-packing plant in Stanstead and surrender 70% of his wages his wife and two children were kept locked in a room for a year.

When that job ended he was forced to collect scrap metal and hand all the proceeds over, purportedly in exchange for food and lodging.

Prosecutor Mr. Tim Hunter told Croydon Crown Court: "Fabien and Ana Gil threatened to beat up the children and Mateusz Gil - then aged fifteen years-old - also subjected the woman to repeated sexual assaults.

"He would follow her into the bathroom and pester her for sex. He would grab her breasts, buttocks and vagina both above and beneath her clothing."

Judge McKinnon told Mateusz: "Fifteen years-old or not what you did was to engage in a systematic course of sexual harassment and assault over several weeks. She was seen as an object of commercial and sexual exploitation." 

The family escaped after the husband got Fabien Gil drunk one night, snatched his identity documents from the defendant's wallet, and fled to Wales.

They later told the police of Majewski: "He was the brains behind the operation….The boss of the whole family."

Bogumila Mirga & Fabien Gil

The couple had seen another Pole under the control of the family, Robert Wylezol, 41, who also came from the town of Nysa, near the Czech border and was used to break into squats for the defendants.

"He worked twenty hours a day collecting scrap metal in a pram and Fabien Gil kept all the proceeds and he was told to work or there would be no food.

"He received daily beatings from Wladyslaw Gil and on one occasion was beaten unconscious and suffered fractured ribs," added Mr. Hunter.

"The victim was also beaten with a metal pipe and urinated blood for a week and after escaping for one night and sleeping in a park was beaten unconscious, with ribs broken on both sides."

The jury were told the severity of the beatings were influenced by the amount of money Mr. Wylezol made for the family and he was kept under their control by threats to kill his son and family living in Poland.

He was moved to illiterate heavy-drinking father-of-three Wladyslaw's new address in Ilford, where he slept in a locked storage room with no bed, until he escaped and slept rough for four months until assisted by a charity.

Convicted thief and fraudster Wladyslaw was convicted of trafficking Robert Wylezol into the UK for exploitation and along with father-of-three Dawid and Fabien was also found guilty of conspiring to traffick the same victim within the UK for exploitation.

Fabien was convicted of trafficking the couple into the UK for exploitation and Mirga was found guilty of an identical charge in relation to just the wife.  

Wladyslaw, Fabien and Jan Majewski were convicted of conspiring to traffick the husband within the UK for exploitation. 

All three, plus Mirga and Ana were found guilty of the same offence in relation to the wife..

Wladyslaw Gil was convicted of four counts of actual bodily harm against Mr. Wylezol and Mateusz Gil convicted of four counts of sexual assault against the wife.

They had all pleaded not guilty to the charges, which date from January 1, 2009 until September 30, 2010.

Holidaymaker Caught At Heathrow With Antique Gun Is Sentenced

An Eastbourne holidaymaker, caught with a gun in his luggage as he tried to board a flight to Thailand, received a suspended prison sentence yesterday.

House clearer Mark Ratcliffe, 52, of Royal Parade, claims he found the firearm in a property he was emptying and forgot it was in his bag.

He pleaded guilty at Isleworth Crown Court to unlawfully possessing a prohibited firearm, namely a .32 inch Gate Loading Revolver, at Heathrow's Terminal Three on Christmas Eve, last year.

The offence carries a five-year statutory minimum sentence except in exceptional circumstances and Ratcliffe even had the sentencing date delayed so he could give away his sister at her wedding, such was the likelihood of custody.

He received two years imprisonment, suspended for twenty-four months, was ordered to complete 300 hours community service work and pay £300 costs and a £120 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor Mr. Douglas Adams said: “The defendant was at Heathrow Airport and was going to Thailand for a holiday for a month when his hand luggage was searched and the firearm found.

“He said that his job is to clear houses and he found the item in a property and kept it at his business premises.

“He was anxious about leaving it there because he was going away on holiday and he put it in a bag and forgot it was there.

“He said he thought it was an old deactivated firearm.”

The defence claim the gun is probably around one hundred years-old, with the model's first year of manufacture dating back to 1894.

“It is almost beyond belief that somebody would deliberately take it to an airport with the security that is there now,” said Mr. Steven Pidcock, defending.

“A firearms expert concluded it is one hundred years-old, the ammunition is obsolete, but unfortunately for Mr. Ratcliffe there is modern ammunition to fit it.

“A possible defence could be to argue it is an antique or curio, but it is unlikely a court would find that.

“Mr. Ratcliffe does accept possession of it, but we will argue these offence comes under exceptional circumstances and it would be unfair to impose the minimum five-year sentence.”

The court heard the gun was in “very poor condition” and required attention before it could be fired.

“There is no suggestion this was to export for financial gain,” added Mr. Pidcock.