County Lines Drug Dealer Derailed

A crack cocaine and heroin dealer, who utilised the train network during his County Lines illegal drugs trade, has been locked up.

Charles Oluwaseyi Ogunnowo, 26, of Crest Road, Croydon is starting a sentence of five years and eight months after a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation.

He pleaded guilty to being concerned in supplying crack cocaine and heroin, possession of cannabis and possessing criminal property and was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court.

Ogunnowo was stopped by officers from BTP’s County Lines Taskforce at Three Bridges railway station, near Crawly, West Sussex on February 24.

Just after midday Ogunnowo was spotted by plain clothed officers alighting a rail replacement bus service at the station, having travelled from Brighton.

His behaviour aroused the attention of the officers who then engaged with him as he walked towards a London-bound train.

Ogunnowo told the officers he was in possession of £850 as well as a burner-style phone, that he claimed belonged to his cousin.

He was subsequently searched and in addition to the money and phone, he was found to be in possession of cannabis.

The officers then arrested him on suspicion of being concerned in Class A drug supply, money laundering and possession of cannabis.

An investigation into Ogunnowo’s activity was launched and text message data on the burner-style phone he was carrying on the day was analysed.

Detectives discovered more than 500 broadcast messages in the phone’s outbox offering the sale of heroin and crack cocaine to a mass recipient list.

Detective Inspector Graham Moss said: “It’s evident from the data found on Ogunnowo’s phone that he was operating a lucrative business peddling harmful drugs between London and Sussex using the railway.

“As a result of our intelligence-led operations and the quick investigative work in this case, he’ll now have plenty of time on his hands in jail to reconsider his criminal activity.”

Stanley Knife Thug Laughed About Inflicting Horrific Facial Injury

A shameless thug, who laughed about the facial wound he inflicted on a teenager outside a railway station, has been locked-up.

Kai John Laing, 21, even shouted out his true name after slashing the 19 year-old's cheek with a Stanley knife.

The victim was with two friends, who had asked Laing just moments earlier if he was “okay”, when he stared at them outside Ashford International, Kent.

At Canterbury Crown Court Laing, of Manston Road, Ramsgate pleaded guilty to counts of inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent, on January 3 and possessing an offensive weapon.

He was sentenced to four years and eight months.

Laing will also remain on parole for an additional thirty-six months after his release.

At just after 10.30pm, the victim and two friends were standing outside the station when Laing and his partner walked by the group, looking at them as he passed.

One of them asked if he was “Okay”, to which Laing replied “cushtie”.

Laing stopped and handed his shopping bags and work boots to his partner, pulled the Stanley knife from his waistband and approached the three men.

As he got closer to the group, one of the men pushed him away before Laing swung the knife in the face of the victim, causing a 10-centimetre gash to his cheek.

Laing then repeatedly shouted: “That’s my name. Kai John Laing,” and left the location.

Emergency services were called, and the victim was rushed to hospital, where he received stitches to the open wound on his cheek.

The day after the attack Laing was identified as the culprit and officers attended his home address, arrested him and brought him into police custody for questioning.

In interview British Transport Police officers showed Laing a photo of his victim’s injury, and he responded by laughing.

Detective Constable Ellen Whinney said: “This was a despicable act of violence that resulted in the victim, who Laing had met just moments before the attack, sustaining a horrifying facial injury.

“His actions on that evening were ghastly and brainless – I’m glad that he’ll spend his immediate future behind bars where he can’t harm anyone else.”

Racial Abuse On Liverpool Street Train: Do You Know This Suspect?

Transport police are hunting this suspected racist after a woman travelling on a train with her children was abused.

British Transport Police (BTP) have released this image to the public and are requesting their assistance in identifying him.

They are treating it as a suspected racially aggravated public order offence.

The victim was travelling on a train from Liverpool Street, City of London shortly after 6.00pm on December 4, last year.

She had her children with her and an unknown male passenger began making derogatory racial comments towards her.

BTP officers believe the man in the CCTV image may have information which could help their investigation.

If you recognise him, or have any information, please contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 154 of 06/12/21.

Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Staring Train Creep: "A Danger To Women And Girls"

A sinister train passenger, who continuously stared at a woman in the carriage and blocked her exit, has been locked-up.

Dominik Bullock, 26, of Spurcroft road, Thatcham, Berkshire was travelling in the county between Reading and Newbury at 1.45pm on Saturday March 5.

He was convicted of threatening behaviour and at Reading Magistrates’ Court was sentenced to twenty-two weeks imprisonment.

Bullock sat next to the victim on the train and began staring at her very intently. 

The woman asked him to stop staring several times as it was making her feel uncomfortable, but he refused.

She asked Bullock to move as he was blocking her exit, but he refused again and said she would have to climb over him, while spreading his legs.

The victim, who was visibly upset, continued to ask Bullock to move out of her way. 

Bullock remained emotionless and continued to refuse.

Other passengers in the carriage also started asking Bullock to move while the victim phoned the police, but he continued to refuse.

The train manager was alerted and removed Bullock from the train at Thatcham.

He was identified by a British Transport Police (BTP) officer from station CCTV and was arrested four days later by Thames Valley Police officers.

BTP Sergeant Charlotte Collins said: “It’s clear from Bullock’s persistent and distressing actions that he is a danger to women and girls. 

“I’m pleased to see that after five days he was identified and sent back to prison, thanks to the crucial help of our colleagues at Thames Valley Police.

“No one should be made to feel scared or uncomfortable whilst travelling, and we are committed to making sure women feel safer on the network. 

“I commend the victim for her bravery in reporting this incident.

“I would urge anyone who witnesses or experiences sexual harassment on the railway to report it to us by texting 61016. In an emergency, always dial 999.”

Resident Wannabe Voyeur At Nine Elms Development

Keybridge Tower

The resident of a landmark Nine Elms development has been placed on the sex offenders register after he was caught trying to spy on somebody enjoying the building's luxury spa.

Vishnu Shastry, 29, lives in Keybridge Tower, Exchange Gardens, on the south bank of the Thames, where a two-bedroom apartment is currently on the market for £950,000.

He pleaded guilty at Croydon Magistrates Court to one charge of attempting to observe a person doing a private act, for the purpose of sexual gratification on February 20.

Last month he was sentenced to an eighteen-month Community Order, which includes 140 hours community service work.

Shastry was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for the next five years.

The court told him to pay £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.  

Puppy Love: Mercedes Police Crash Driver Dashing Home To Pet

An economics graduate with ‘forgotten’ cocaine in his wallet led police on a 70mph early hours chase that ended with him crashing into a skip and parked car.

Property maintenance manager Ibrahim Sharif, 24, was yesterday banned from the roads for three years for his latest motoring offence.

He claimed he was dashing home because his puppy had somehow got into the family summerhouse and was causing a panic.

However, he hit speeds over double the limit in residential south-west London and his rear passenger, a neighbour, had to be cut from the wreckage of his C-class two-door white Mercedes.

“I noticed I had a lot of missed calls and texts from my mum. My six-month old puppy had broken into the summerhouse and was causing a commotion,” Sharif told Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court. 

“I take my puppy everywhere, even to my office when I am at work,” he added, conceding he did not take the pet out with him that night. “It was past their bedtime.”

Sharif, of Clarence Avenue, New Malden pleaded guilty to driving dangerously and possessing cocaine in Thetford Road, New Malden on September 25, last year.

He claimed he had forgotten about the cocaine, which had been in his wallet after his birthday a year or two previously, denying that was his motivation for fleeing police.

Judge Peter Lodder QC told Sharif: “At 2am police officers saw your white Mercedes driving at excess speed and unsurprisingly they chose to intervene.

“You noticed them and increased your speed, driving massively in excess of the speed limit and you crashed into a skip that moved fifteen feet, colliding with a parked Audi that was extensively damaged.

‘In your car was a young woman in the front and a male in the rear and the later had to be cut out of your vehicle by the fire brigade.

“It was pure chance that none of those people were injured or killed. You suffered a fractured wrist and told the officers you were really stupid. That is a gross understatement.

“Within that car was your wallet that had a wrap of cocaine in it and I do not accept the account you gave in your police interview that it had been to you a year or two before and you forgot all about it.

“I do not put this down to panic at the fate of your dog. You are highly-educated and intelligent, according to your references.

“I do not accept you had no idea that cocaine was in your car.

“I regard that explanation as nonsense. You were driving at excessive speed for whatever reason.

“You may well have panicked in part by your knowledge of possession of Class A drugs and your performance in the witness box only confirms that.

“I watched and listened to you very closely.” 

Sharif, who has three previous speeding offences, was sentenced to four months imprisonment, suspended for two years and must obey a six-month electronically-tagged night time curfew between 7pm and 7am.

He must also complete 150 hours community service and was fined £750 for dangerous driving; £500 for possessing cocaine, plus £425 costs and must pass an extended driving test to regain his licence.

Sharif was driving home from a UCL student pub near Russell Square, Holborn, where he had “one weak gin and tonic” and played pool and ping pong.

“I panicked because I rely heavily on my car,” he told the court. “I do site visits and visit various properties and had extensive points and feared losing my licence.”

Sharif claimed the cocaine was given to him on either his 22nd or 23rd birthday. “I just stuffed it in my wallet to keep it out of sight. I should have thrown it away.

“I forgot it was there. I don’t know why I didn’t throw it away, it was really stupid.”

A clearly unimpressed Judge Lodder announced: “It is highly improbable he was given the cocaine at a party a year or two before. I can’t believe someone would carry around cocaine in their wallet for up to two years.

“One he was noticed by the police his driving worsened dramatically.

“He knew he had cocaine. Why other should he drive in that fashion that was even worse?

“I take a sceptical view. I am more inclined to take the view that what was in his wallet would cause him more trouble.”

Sharif’s lawyer Dominic Lewis told the court: “He behaved immaturely and recklessly that night, but he is capable of behaving like a responsible adult.

“Plainly he needs to learn how to drive responsibly.”

Cure For Football Trouble: Ointment Associate Banned

Lambert With Exclusion Zone Map

A young Bradford City football hooligan - flagged by West Yorkshire Police as a known troublemaker - has been banned from attending games for jumping onto the pitch at an away fixture.

Jobless plumber Kian Lambert, 20, was arrested at his team’s League Two 1-4 victory at Sutton United on April 30.

After hearing a statement from West Yorkshire’s football intelligence unit, which stated Lambert was a known associate of the notorious ‘Ointment’ firm, Croydon Magistrates issued a four-year banning order.

Lambert, of Royds Hall Avenue, Bradford pleaded guilty yesterday to entering the playing area at a football match and was fined £100 and ordered to pay a £34 victim surcharge.

Lambert was watching the game with friends in the home supporters area and says he only jumped onto the pitchside in an attempt to join Bradford City fans in the away enclosure.

Prosecutor Alex Alawode told the court: “It was during the second half, at around 4.20pm that the defendant was seen jumping over a crowd barrier onto the pitchside.

“He was observed by stewards who ejected him from the stadium and he was arrested outside by police officers.

“He told the officers he was with friends who could not get away tickets.”

The Crown Prosecution Service applied for a football banning order for first-time offender Lambert based on evidence collected by PC Rupert Kendrick of West Yorkshire Police.

The court heard he was known to police in Bradford for anti-social behaviour and disorder at football matches.

He was observed with a group of fifteen fans who travelled to the Nottingham Forest Carabao cup-tie last August and “antagonised” locals drinking outside pubs and cafes.

When spotted police say he threw on his Stone Island coat, hid under the hood and put on a pair of goggles.

Lambert caused trouble at Bradford City’s League Two game against Oldham Athletic on August 14, last year, said Mr Alawode. “He was seen shouting and trying to break through police lines.

“He was observed with approximately twenty youths identified as the ‘Ointment’ in a car park and was seen throwing punches at other males before running off.”

A week later on August 21 Lambert travelled to Mansfield Town for a league fixture, said the prosecutor with police “extra vigilant” regarding his behaviour.

On October 23 he was on a supporters coach surrounded by Swindon Towns fans at an away league game.

“The defendant was shouting abuse and issuing challenges at the opposition fans and police officers drew their batons to keep the fans apart.

“The defendant was one of any people screaming abuse and trying to get off the coach to get to the Swindon fans,” explained Mr Alawode.

“The police say he continues to pose a risk and a banning order is required to send a message to the defendant and his peers.”

Lambert disputed the police intelligence and the court heard none of the incidents resulted in his successful prosecution.

The magistrates made the four-year order, which prohibits Lambert going within three miles of Valley Parade before and after home games and within five miles of opposition grounds during away fixtures.

He is also banned from going within half a mile of the two train stations nearest Valley Parade on home match days and is banned from going within five miles of any stadium where the England national team is playing.

Lambert also needs the permission of the British Transport Police to use the UK rail network or London Underground on a Bradford City or England match day.

Drunken Fashion Grad's Mask Mandate Meltdown

A drunken fashion graduate, who swore at bar staff and threw a Covid-19 warning sign at them when asked to wear a mask, was sentenced yesterday.

Lincoln-native Kayla Jones, 26, snapped: “F***ing hell. Why do I get asked this? F***ing hell, I’m exempt,” when greeted at the entrance to the south London pub.

Since her arrest and charge Jones has moved from her mother’s address in Goxhill Close, Birchwood, Lincoln to Cabrini House, Honor Oak Rise, Forest Hill.

She pleaded guilty to assaulting member of staff Sam Ayling; causing criminal damage to a picture frame and being drunk and disorderly at The Rye pub, Peckham Rye on April 24, last year.

Jones was visibly intoxicated when she entered the pub with a masked friend at 8.50pm and CCTV was previously played to Croydon Magistrates Court showing her flinging the laminated A4-sized sign, which was on an entrance table and the picture frame, smashing it.

Prosecutor Tharshani Siva told the court yesterday: “Police were called to a report of a pub customer assaulting a member of staff.

“This defendant was asked to wear a face mask due to the Covid-19 regulations at the time and she shouted at the member of staff.

“The defendant picked up the sign from the table and threw it at the member of staff and she then threw a picture frame, which hit him and smashed to the floor.

“She was led out and continued shouting at the staff.

“The defendant was at least reckless as to any damage being caused and the offences are aggravated by being intoxicated at the time.”

The court heard Jones’ ambitions to set up her own business within the fashion industry were wrecked by the Covid-19 crisis. 

The A4 table sign informed pub customers they were required to wear a mask.

Her lawyer David Thomas told the magistrates: “The defendant suffers severe anxiety and this is exacerbated by a member of the press in court today.

“The defendant does not live in the Lincoln area, her mother does. The press may take this into account if this needs to be reported there.

“Her behaviour was out of character and she has expressed remorse, regret and insight.

“She is of previous good character and she has lost that now. That in itself is a punishment and she will have to live with that.

“There was a little or no planning in her throwing the sign at someone.”

Jones was sentenced to a twelve-month Community Order, which includes 80 hours community service and was ordered to pay Mr Ayling £75 compensation, plus £25 to the pub for smashing their frame.

She must also pay £300 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

Mr Thomas told the magistrates Jones is in receipt of benefits. “Her ability to pay is zero.”

The court ordered her to pay at the rate of £20 per month.  

Accountant 'Poet' Stalked Beautician

Oluwaseyi Elemide stalked Demi Witter

An accountant, infatuated with a striking beautician, did not impress her with his clumsy attempts at romantic poetry and has been sentenced for stalking.

University of Northampton-graduate Oluwaseyi Elemide, 26, wrote to Demi Witter: “Roses are red, violets are blue. We fit together like a bespoke three-piece and dapper shoes.”

He became a pest at her Lavender Hill business ‘lash+brow lab’ in Battersea, bringing a gift of tea and a card, banging on the salon windows, following her on Instagram and sending unwanted emails.

Nigerian-born Elemide, of Keevil Drive, Putney pleaded guilty at Wimbledon Magistrates Court to stalking Ms Witter, 28, involving serious alarm and distress, between July 20 and 27, last year.

“His behaviour is frightening and I am worried he will wait outside and follow me home,” said Ms Witter in her victim impact statement. “He turned up unannounced three times in a week.”

“I think he is infatuated with me and I am stressed out and anxious because of this. I have to work with the door locked and I am afraid he will confront me in the street.”

Prosecutor Corran Helme told the court the pair’s initial contact occurred when Elemide approached Ms Witter, who quit a sociology degree to start her business, in the street.

“He tried to engage her in conversation and informed her he had his own business and engaged in an arms-length business level and she told him she was not interested.

“She gave him her business card and week later received an email from the defendant, explaining he could help her business and she replied, informing him no help was needed.

“However, he did not stop and began following her on Instagram. She blocked him and he sent her an email.”

Elemide wrote: ‘How are you? Some of the content was good on Instagram. You blocked me, what did I do to deserve that?’

He then attended the victim’s busy salon and left a box of teabags and a greeting card wishing her luck.

Ms Witter told Elemide to grow up and asked how old he was, repeating he was not welcome at the salon and she would call the police if she saw him again.

Wimbledon Magistrates Court

Two minutes later he returned to the salon window, showing the victim a post-it note with his age written on it.

Elemide even tried to get an appointment at the salon, emailing Ms Witter: ‘Hi. I’d like to have a booking to try something with my brows’.

When she begged to be left alone he replied: ‘Jesus Christ. What the f****’s your problem?’

Ms Witter and her female business partner were alone in the salon at 5.45pm on July 27. “Suddenly there was a loud banging on the window and the defendant was there again,” explained Mr Helme.

“They felt afraid and hid behind one of the screens in the salon.”

Elemide’s lawyer Alex Mullen told the court: “He had a tough time during Covid and his restaurant business closed and he is now in an accounting role full-time for a television and film production company.

“He has a degree in accounting and finance from the University of Northampton and this infatuation has sadly landed him in court.”

Elemide was sentenced to a twelve-month Community Order, which includes 50 hours community service and up to 20 days of a recommended activity requirement.

The court also made him subject to an indefinite restraining order, prohibiting contact with Ms Witter or going to the salon and he must pay £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

Keep Off The Booze For 100 Days

A heavy-drinking sex offender, who molested a woman in a central London square, has been ordered by a court to avoid alcohol for a period of 100 days.

Craig Clark, 35, of Harehedge Lane, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire will be subject to alcohol monitoring equipment supervised by the Probation Service.

He pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court to sexually assaulting the woman in St. Martin's Square on July 11, last year.

Clark also pleaded guilty to possessing a small amount of cocaine when he was searched the same day at Walworth custody centre.

The court sentenced Clark to a nine-month Community Order, which includes an alcohol abstinence requirement.

During this period a Probation Officer will monitor Clark's alcohol consumption via monitoring equipment.

He must also complete 80 hours community service work.

Clark was ordered to pay £200 compensation to the victim; £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

Sexual Assault At Hippodrome Casino

Hippodrome Casino

A casino punter has been sentenced for sexually assaulting a woman at the landmark Hippodrome in the heart of London’s West End.

Tourist Pawan Yadav, 34, of Copthorne Tara Hotel, Scarsdale Place, Kensington appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court.

He pleaded guilty to one count of sexually assaulting the woman at the casino venue on February 19.

Yadav was fined £200, with £85 costs and was ordered to pay the victim £100 compensation.

He must also pay a £34 victim surcharge and the court ordered Yadav to serve fourteen days imprisonment if he fails to pay in full.

Driving Red Card For Boozy Ex-Footballer

A once promising footballer, caught driving his Mercedes outside Buckingham Palace at over three times the drinks limit, has been banned from the roads for two years.

Zambia-born Gabriel Bwalya Kunda, 29, came through Charlton Athletic’s youth system before the midfielder's talents took him to Spain’s Atletico Madrid.

After spells with Valencia and Real Zaragoza Kunda returned to south-east London and is now living within five miles of The Valley, where his footballing journey began.

Kunda, of Finchale Road, Abbey Wood pleaded guilty to driving the silver Mercedes in the Mall on December 29, last year with 111 micrograms of alcohol in his breath.

The legal limit is 35.

At Westminster Magistrates Court he was sentenced to a two-month Community Order, which includes an electronically-monitored home curfew for the same period between 9.00pm and 5.00am.

Kunda was also disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

NOT GUILTY: Respected Sound Pro Retains Good Name

Innocent: Neil Kavanagh

An audio expert has been cleared of assaulting his partner during a row over long-running building work at their £850,000 detached home.

Yesterday sound engineer Neil Kavanagh, 70, boss of Old Barn Audio, Eridge Green, Tunbridge Wells was found not guilty after a half-day trial.

He was cleared by Bexley Magistrates of assaulting 54 year-old Heather Naqvi at the address in Leafy Grove, Keston on August 23, last year.

His partner of eleven years claimed she was deliberately thrown into a wardrobe, leaving a visible injury on her back, but Kavanagh always insisted he was trying to calm her down.

The father-of-three told the trial the couple had been victims of a “sociopath” builder. “We were out of pocket by seventy thousand pounds.”

The subject came up again one evening. “Heather went ballistic. I did not want to argue and went to bed,” Kavanagh, who has since moved into a hotel, told the trial.

“She was yelling at me, my ears were ringing, calling me an effing liar. It was loud and I was half asleep, I was stunned.

“She was saying I was f***ing useless at business, that my business was falling around my ears when in fact it has tripled in  the last couple of years.

“I was just in my Y-fronts and placed the open palms of my hands on her shoulders. It was meant to be calming, but it did not work.”

Reminiscing on their relationship Manchester-native Kavanagh added: “When it was good it was ecstatic. I thought we would be together for life.

“She thrust her leg out and it made me collapse to one side and I got stuck in the carpet.

“My knee does not twist and I was going to fall, no doubt about it and I grabbed the shoulders of the fleece Heather was wearing, my fleece.

“It was instinctive. I was hanging onto Heather for support.

“There was a tussle. It was very quick and Heather spun out one hundred and eighty degrees and landed between her side of the bed and the wardrobe.

Wardrobe: Heather Naqvi

“She did fall heavily and I was worried she hurt herself.”

Earlier fashion boutique owner Ms Naqvi confirmed the couple were now in the middle of dividing up their assets and their relationship is over.

“The argument was about him gaslighting me about something he said and he said | must have been imagining it or misheard him,” she told the court from behind a screen.

“I was annoyed, fed up and he pretended to be asleep and dismissed me. I called him a: ‘Shifty f***ing liar.’

“We were just shouting at each other and he suddenly said: ‘Right. That’s it,’ and got out of bed and threw me towards the door.

“He grabbed me and threw me and I whacked the wardrobe. He grabbed the fleece I was wearing and was pulling it.

“I was kicking out at him. I kicked at his genital area, but I didn’t want to do him any damage.”

She claimed Kavanagh ripped her mobile phone out of her hand as she tried to call a friend and she eventually called the police 101 non-emergency number twelve days later to report the incident.

“I had a big red mark on my back, a welt from where I hit the wardrobe and pain in my neck like whiplash.”

Kavanagh claims she told him a week before the row they would split up when her son reached college age in two-and-a-half years time.

She agreed the building work had caused rows between them. “Due to Neil’s actions we have lost a huge amount of money.”

There were also other arguments. “The previous row was about him washing the toilet seat in the kitchen sink.”

The three magistrates announced they could not be sure an assault had occurred and dismissed the charge against Kavanagh, who retains his good character.

The Price Of The West End: £2,735 For Pub Race Charges

The Champion pub

A visitor from the Scottish Highlands, who racially-abused two people in a central London pub, is counting the £2,735 cost of his outburst.

Alistair James Campbell, 50, of Ferry Road, Beauly, near Inverness was sentenced at City of Westminster Magistrates Court.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of racially or religiously-aggravated harassment at The Champion, Wells Street, Fitzrovia on September 13, last year.

Campbell was fined £750 on each count and ordered to pay £500 compensation to each visctim.

The court also ordered him to pay a £150 victim surcharge, plus £85 costs.

Poultry Plot: Meat Traders Charged

Anthony Fear (L) & Mark Hooper (R)

Four men, accused of plotting to sell illegal meat to the general public, appeared in court for the first time yesterday along with two associated companies.

They are: Company director Anthony Fear, 60, of The Old Ice Cream Factory, Somerset Bridge, Bridgewater.

He runs Fears Animal Products Ltd.

Appearing alongside him was Mark Hooper, 61, of The Old Ice Cream Factory, Somerset Bridge, Bridgewater.

Both are charged with conspiracy to defraud between June 12 and September 22, 2020, namely by dishonestly diverting poultry categorised as animal by-product, which was unfit for consumption, into the human food chain.

They are also charged that between the same two dates they contravened or failed to comply with EU food safety and hygiene requirements by placing onto the market poultry categorised as animal by-product that was unfair for human consumption.

Ali Afzal (L) & Azar Irshad (R)

Fears Animal Products Ltd. of The Old Ice Cream Factory, Somerset Bridge, Bridgewater, also faces the same two charges.

They appeared at Croydon Magistrates Court alongside Ali Afzal, 42, of East Street, Walworth and Azar Irshad, 36, of High Road, Ilford.

Those two men face the same two charges along with Barking Halal Meat & Fish Ltd. of High Road, Ilford.

All four men were bailed to appear along with the two companies at Inner London Crown Court on June 13.

HMO Landlord Fined For Bedsit Breaches

A landlord who rented an undersized bedsit room and blocked a potential fire escape with a piano was fined £8,000 today.

Research scientist Efstathios Theodoridis, 55, appealed the decision when blocked by the council from renting the tiny room, but continued regardless when he lost.

Southwark Council inspectors checked standards at the four-bedsit house of multiple occupation (HMO) in Langdon Way, Bermondsey on October 21, last year and also found the fire alarm system was sub-standard.

Greek-born Theodoridis, an immunobiology specialist at Guy's Hospital, Southwark says he has spent £18,000 to rectify the issues raised by the inspectors.

He currently has three occupants at the property with only one paying rent and the other two facing eviction proceedings.

Theodoridis, of South Terrace, Surbiton, Kingston-upon-Thames appeared at Croydon Magistrates Court, where he was fined £2,000 on each summons and was ordered to pay £3,198 costs.

He pleaded guilty to renting out the property to more occupants than was allowed under the licence between September 1, 2020 and October 21, last year.

Prosecutor Ryan Thompson, representing the London Borough of Southwark, told the court Theodoridis was limited to renting the property to four people from three family groups.

However, inspectors found occupants from four family groups.

Theodoridis did not have permission to rent one particular room that was 5.2m square, but it was occupied by one of his residents.

He also pleaded guilty to failing to ensure his name, address and telephone contact number were available to each resident and clearly displayed in a prominent position within the HMO.

Theodoridis further pleaded guilty to a summons of failing to properly protect the occupants due to an insufficient fire detection system; doors to the four bedsits were missing intumescent strips, cold smoke seals and self-closers and the kitchen door was missing intumescent strips and cold smoke seals. 

He also pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that all means of escape from fire in the HMO were kept free from obstruction as the entrance hall and first floor area of the common parts escape route was used for storage. 

The court heard the property had once been Theodoridis' own family home, but in recent years had been licenced by Southwark Council to be a HMO.

He produced three references from former residents, who commended Theodoridis for the condition he maintained the property in and attention and care he took regarding his tenants.

One even described him as “the best landlord I have ever had”, adding Theodoridis also mixed with his tenants socially and adhered to his responsibilities.

During the Covid crisis he was considered a key worker for his hospital research role.

District Judge Nigel McLean told Theodoridis: “You utilised the appeal procedure so knew you could not rent that room, but did so regardless.”