Life For Moped Gunman Who Killed Innocent Student

A moped-riding gunman, who was part of an armed scooter gang who shot a teen dead outside a South London convenience store, has been caged for life – with a 24-year minimum.

Student Ryan Bravo, 18, (pic.top seconds before he was shot) was fatally injured outside Costcutter’s, Camberwell Road, Camberwell in August 2008 on his way to buy some milk with two of his brothers and a cousin.

Jobless Ashley Bucknor, 21, (pic.mid.) was convicted at the Old Bailey of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

An accomplice, Nathan Miller, 19, (pic.bottom) of Bramah Green, Myatt’s Field Estate, Brixton was convicted of possessing ammunition, with intent to endanger life, and will be sentenced later this year.

The five-strong gang rode by the shop on mopeds, wielding at least two guns and firing bullets towards the shop at 9:30pm, leaving Ryan fatally wounded on the pavement outside.

Minutes later Territorial Support Group officers spotted five young males, including Bucknor – who was holding two motorcycle helmets - running in Gosling Way, Kennington.

He was caught after a chase and police seized the purple latex gloves he was wearing along with a handgun wrapped in a sock with an empty cartridge case jammed in the breech.

The gun had been fired outside the shop, but it was not the weapon that killed Ryan.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Trident – which specializes in investigating violent black-on-black crime – searched Miller’s home four days later and seized the murder weapon and ammunition.

Detective Chief Inspector Gordon Allison of Trident said: “This verdict is a great result as officers have worked relentlessly to bring the right people to trial for this murder.

“I believe that Bucknor and Nathan Miller are a danger to the public. They went out that night armed with a firearm intent on targeting two young men as part of retaliation for an incident earlier in the day in Lambeth.



“Ryan was from a close-knit family that had been enjoying an evening together.

“He was no gang member. He was expected to start a university course soon and was generally known as a good lad.

“It was an absolute tragedy that he died at the hands of these criminals.”

Busy Robbers Jailed For Spree Of Raids

Three armed robbers responsible for a six-week spree of raids, which left staff and customers at eight betting shops across North London terrified have been caged.

Yousef Koleilat, 22, (pic.top) of The Roundway, Tottenham received nine years.

Patou Mayamba, 22, (pic.mid.) of no fixed abode received eight years.

Jotkar Hussein, 21, (pic.bottom) of Maple Close, Stoke Newington received six years.

They all pleaded guilty at Harrow Crown Court to conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to carry a firearm or imitation firearm, with criminal intent.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Flying Squad – which specializes in investigating commercial robberies – were first alerted to the gang on March 6, last year when two armed men fled empty-handed from William Hill bookmakers, Willoughby Lane, Tottenham after threatening staff.

The next day two robbers escaped with £786 from a betting shop in Highgate Hill, Archway after threatening staff with a handgun.

Six more similar raids occurred between March 19 and April 14 and despite threats of violence the gang often left empty-handed and on one occasion with merely £10.

Detective Constable Paul Harburn, of the Flying Squad, said: “These men carried out frightening and sustained raids over a two month period.

“Staff and customers at the targeted premises were left distressed by their actions, especially when they were unable to meet their demands to hand over large amounts of cash.

“Flying Squad officers were eventually able to track their movements and arrested them.

“It is thanks to the professionalism of the case put forward that they had no choice but to plead guilty at court.”

Pedestrian Killed By Motorcyclist: Witness Appeal

Police are making a fresh appeal for witnesses as they continue to investigate an early-evening collision between a motorcyclist and pedestrian, who suffered fatal head injuries.

James Christopher Daley, 68, (pictured) - known locally as Jim – was struck by the motorcyclist in Ewell Road, near the junction of Langley Road, Surbiton, Surrey, (pictured) on November 17, last year at 6:35pm.

Mr. Daley was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, but sadly never recovered and passed away on November 29.

A post-mortem examination on December 2 gave the cause of death as a head injury.

The motorcyclist involved in the collision did stop at the scene and has assisted police in the investigation.



Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service Road Death Investigation Unit are investigating.



Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 020 8941 9011.



No arrests have been made and enquiries continue.

Gooner A Goner At Gunner's Games

A notorious football yob, arrested all over the country following his beloved Arsenal, has been slapped with a three-year official ban for a series of alcohol-related incidents at matches.

Police received a string of complaints from fellow-supporters and local pub landlords about 44 year-old Gary Smith’s boozy behaviour and he had been arrested by police in Glasgow, Wolverhampton and Barnet.

Smith (pictured) of Newlife Apartments, Northampton was arrested by the Metropolitan Police’s Football Intelligence Unit and cannot attend Arsenal matches – home or away – for the period of the order.

He pleaded guilty at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court to being drunk and disorderly outside Arsenal Underground Station on November 30, last year as he travelled to a home fixture at the Emirates’ Stadium.

Police noticed he appeared heavily intoxicated and was seen to barge into other football supporters.

Islington Police's Football Intelligence Unit successfully applied for a Section 14A football banning order against him.

Police Constable Dave Walters, Football Intelligence Officer for Islington, said: “Mr. Smith's banning order will come as a great relief to law abiding Arsenal fans.

“The police received several complaints about his behaviour from his fellow supporters and local licensees. 



“The Football Intelligence Unit is actively building similar profiles for all people who come to notice of police on match days.

“This will include both those involved in football violence and those who behave in an 'anti-social' manner.

“It is a small minority of supporters that attend football and cause problems and it those people that we are targeting and bringing to justice.”



The banning order runs from December 15, 2010 to December 15 2013 and prohibits Smith from coming within 2km of the Emirates’ Stadium on matchdays and similarly entering any town where Arsenal have an away fixture.

'Ponzi' Ponce Freeman Eventually Coughs To Con

A flamboyant foreign exchange dealer admitted today blowing £14m invested by up to 700 investors in a ‘Ponzi’ scheme, which funded his lavish lifestyle.

Terence Freeman, 62, of King’s Place, King’s Road, Horsham, West Sussex, formerly of Whitehall Lane, Buckhurst Hill, Essex, is the former boss of City-based GFX Capital Markets Ltd.

Freeman was investigated by the City of London Police’s Economic Crime Department, after initially reporting threats from investors to police, complaining his car was daubed with paint.

Throughout 2006 and 2007 Freeman – who had a luxury box at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club – also blew £14,000 a month rent on exclusive Square Mile offices in a bid to look every bit the successful businessman.

He pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to being knowingly a party to the carrying on of a business, namely GFX Ltd., for a fraudulent purpose, namely the inducement of persons to invest in a ‘Safe’ exchange scheme by making false representations and statements as to the protection and profits of investments.

Thirty investors are alleged to have lost over £130,000, and one couple who hoped GFX profits would fund their dream home lost £1.4m.

Jailbird Freeman, who changed his name from Terry Sparks after his release from a four-and-a-half year sentence in 2000, was also subject to a fifteen-year company director disqualification order.

He also pleaded guilty to engaging in business while bankrupt, acting as a director when bankrupt, acting in contravention of a disqualification order and will be sentenced on February 14.

Three counts of money laundering were dropped.

Investors were promised risk-free high returns on the foreign exchange markets, but millions of pounds were soon disappearing on botched trades and running his expensive company.

Much of the rest was moved straight into a foreign account and blown on holiday homes in Cyprus and France, a top of the range land rover and lavish gifts for his new younger Eastern European bride, including a £120,000 diamond ring.

Freeman initially covered-up his crimes by moving funds around the SAXO Bank trading accounts and issuing false GFX statements telling investors they were all making healthy profits.

Freeman’s deception began to be exposed in 2008 when, expecting a US government bail out of Lehman Brothers, he kept millions of his clients money invested in dollars.

Days later the bank went under, the value of the dollar plummeted and he lost half his total investment fund.

To try and ease investor concerns, and while at the height of the financial crisis, GFX announced 12 per cent profits for the month.

Around the same time, posing as an experienced trader, he invited potential new clients to a country manor house and even as his fraud was crumbling people, continued to invest in GFX.

Detective Superintendent Bob Wishart, from the City of London Police’s Economic Crime Directorate, said: “Rub away the sheen and you find Freeman is the archetypal fraudster happy to steal money and ruin lives.

“People invested their futures with GFX only to find they had been horribly conned by this criminal.

“Even after being caught Freeman was still trying to blame anyone, but himself.

“It was only after a long and painstaking investigation that he finally admitted to the huge amount of personal and financial damage he had caused.”

Wanted: Violent Tesco's Shoplifters

Police are hunting these two shoplifters who turned violent when confronted by staff at an East London Tesco’s – leaving one man with a broken jaw.

The first suspect (pic.top) strolled in with an accomplice (pic.bottom) at 11:10am and began stealing food from the chiller at the back of Tesco’s Express, Romford Road, Forest Gate on December 1, last year.

After hiding food in his jacket the first suspect was challenged by a 30 year-old member off staff, who was punched in the face.

The suspect was detained and his accomplice escorted outside, but the second man suddenly returned and punched a 28 year-old member off staff in the face.

They fled the shop and escaped on mountain bikes.

Both victims were taken to the Royal London Hospital and treated for facial injuries.

Suspect 1 is described as a white man with short blond hair, about 6ft 2ins, aged between 30- 40 and wearing a yellow high visibility jacket, a grey hooded top, blue denim jeans and gloves.

Suspect 2 is described as an Asian man, about 6ft tall, aged between 30-40 and wearing a baseball hat, black jacket, blue denim jeans and gloves.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact detectives on 020 727 5855, or alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Koran-Reading Tutor Jailed For String Of Child Sex Attacks

A paedophile, trusted by a string of parents to look after their young daughters and share teaching from the Koran, has been caged for three years and three months for a campaign of sick abuse.

Ashraf Miah, 38, of Joseph Street, Bow, East London abused half a dozen girls – one age only four years-old – and has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

He was convicted at Snaresbrook Crown Court (pictured) of thirteen charges of sexual assault by touching against the six girls during 2005 and 2009.

Miah was entrusted to teach young females and to read from the Koran either at his home address or at their address.

He was arrested in November 2009 for offences against two of the girls and detectives from the Child Abuse Investigation Team discovered four more victims stretching back several years.

Miah was also slapped with a lifetime ban from working with children.

Detective Sergeant Martin Bird from the Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “The tragedy of this case is that a highly respected member of the community took advantage of their position of trust.

“It goes to show that even if someone thinks they have got away with it at the time, young people are brave enough to come forward and testify at court.”

Machete Man Caged For Horror Street Attack

The machete-wielding leader of an armed mob, who led a late-night attack outside an East London takeaway in which the victim lost an eye, has been locked-up for a seven-and-a-half year minimum.

Saifour Rahman, 23, (pictured) of Charnwood Gardens, Poplar also severed the victim’s nose outside Perfect Fried Chicken in nearby Westferry Road on April 27, last year.

He was convicted at Snaresbrook Crown Court of grievous bodily harm, with intent, and violent disorder and received an indeterminate sentence for public protection.

At 9:45pm the victim and two friends were standing outside the takeaway when they were attacked by a mob led by Rahman armed with machetes, poles and wooden sticks.

Rahman struck the victim in the face with the machete he was brandishing and slashed at the head of another man with the fearsome knife, causing bruising.

The victim received massive trauma injuries resulting in the complete loss of his left eye.

The blow also severed his nose completely at the bridge and he will require facial reconstructive surgery.

Detective Sergeant Lee McCullough of Hackney police said: “This conviction highlights the continual commitment of the Metropolitan Police Service to dealing with violent crimes committed by those who are willing to use weapons against innocent members of the community.

“The sentence sends out a clear message to others that they will be brought to justice if they commit such crime.”

Police Hunt Massage Parlour Taser Gang

Police are hunting these violent robbers after a three-strong gang – armed with a taser – raided a North London massage parlour, using the weapon on two of the female staff.

Detectives from Haringey’s Robbery Squad have released these CCTV images of two of the suspects.

The first suspect (pic.top) stormed into the massage parlour in Langham Road, West Green, South Tottenham just before midnight on November 10, last year, threatening the receptionist with the taser.

The second suspect (pic.bottom) followed along with a third white man.

Two other female staff members were tasered before the suspects rifled through their belongings, taking mobile phones and cash.

The suspects also forced open the till, but found it was empty.

The first suspect is described as a black, wearing a grey jacket, light colour jeans and a grey woolly hat and carrying a taser gun.

The second suspect is described as being a man of white or Mediterranean appearance wearing dark clothing.

Detective Constable Jo Ravenhill, from Haringey Robbery Squad, said: “The suspects were willing to use violence as a means to an end, which makes it imperative that we identify them and hold them to account for their actions.

“I appeal to any witnesses or anyone who believes they may recognise the individuals in the images to contact police.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact DC Jo Ravenhill on 020 8345 0870.

To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Scholar Caged For Plastic Bag And Knife Attack On Sleeping Wife

A suicidal college lecturer depressed by his career and a £25,000 credit card debt was jailed for five-and-a-half years today for pulling a plastic carrier bag over his sleeping wife’s head while armed with a knife.

Academic Joe Mancini, 52, of Vicarage Gardens, East Sheen, South-West London – a finance guru and expert in private equity and venture capital – had just returned to the family home near Richmond Park after teaching at Paris’s International School of Business.

As their twin five year-old sons slept in another bedroom Mancini got up at 4am and tried to force the bag over his 44 year-old wife's head while holding an eight-inch kitchen knife.

“She believed she was fighting for her life,” Judge Susan Tapping told Mancini at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court (pictured). “It is only your wife’s determined struggles to save herself that prevented worse.”

Mancini pleaded guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, with intent, on June 11, last year. The original charge of attempted murder was allowed to lie on the file.

Mancini, a double masters degree holder in molecular medicine and bioinformatics, studied at University College London, Imperial College London and Schiller International University, London, where his wife was also a student.

“Having equipped himself with the best qualifications no job materialises,” said Mr. Sailesh Mehta. “He had suicidal thoughts and had visited more than one train station contemplating taking his life.

“Separation from his family had a negative effect on him,” added Mr. Mehta, explaining Mancini had returned a week earlier from his Paris flat. “He puts his family and his job at the centre of his life.”

Judge Tapping told the defendant: “You attacked your wife in her bed. You tried to pull a plastic carrier bag over her head.

“You pulled it down to eye level and she fought, fearing suffocation. She pleaded with you not to do it.

“You then turned to your second weapon, the knife and she had defence wounds on both hands where she grabbed hold of the blade to prevent you stabbing her.

The couple had enjoyed an untroubled twenty-year relationship up until the attack.

She fled downstairs and the defendant did not pursue her, even throwing down the phone so she could dial 999.

“It seems you came to your senses and you told her to call the police,” Judge Tapping told the first-time offender.

“There had been a build-up of stress in your life. You are a highly-educated man, but your inability to hold down a full-time job brought financial pressures.

“I regard these offences as very serious. You attacked your wife when she was vulnerable and armed yourself with two different weapons.

“You took out all your problems on your wife and she is to divorce you.”

The judge also granted a restraining order against Mancini, which will begin on his release and last until September 2022.

Woman's Pepper Spray Attack On Sleeping Boyfriend

An angry woman sprayed her boyfriend of three years in the face with painful pepper spray when he accused her of an affair after the couple's afternoon drink and drug session, a court heard today.

Office administrator Hayley-Marie Redmond, 31, also armed herself with two knives from the kitchen of their home in Spencer Place, Croydon, which she dropped when her boyfriend screamed out in agony.

First-time offender Redmond pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court (pictured) to possessing a weapon for the discharge of a noxious substance and assault at the address on November 25, last year.

Prosecutor Mr. Andrew Ramsubhag told the court the couple had been drinking and smoking cannabis before returning home at 4pm and rowing over the defendant's alleged infidelity.

"Miss Redmond accepts she got out of bed two hours later and went into his room with the pepper spray he bought her and sprayed him in the face as he slept.

"He woke screaming and she dropped the knives she was holding and called the police."

When quizzed by officers Redmond complained her boyfriend was "controlling".

"She said she could not take it any longer," added the prosecutor. "She even thought of killing him at the time, but wouldn't have gone through with it."

Redmond's lawyer Mr. Matthew Chidlay told the court: "She is in her own words disgusted by her actions and this signalled the end of a very unhappy and troubled relationship."

She had split with her boyfriend several times and twice called the police to the address previously.

Judge Ruth Downing told Redmond: "This had the potential to be an extremely serious assault on your partner. Your remorse and response was immediate."

Redmond was sentenced to a twelve month community order.

Street Crime Poster Boy Caught With Knife

The former poster-boy of an anti-street crime campaign has been locked-up today after staying out of trouble for over a decade, when suspicious police found him loitering with a kitchen knife.

Graphic artist Janni Oswald, 30, of Victoria Road, Finsbury Park, North London was sent to a secure psychiatric hospital after pleading guilty to possessing a bladed article in nearby Station Place on September 15.

As a teenage tearaway Oswald confessed to hundreds of muggings to finance his cannabis habit, which began as an 11 year-old and he has convictions for grievous bodily harm, with intent; attempted robbery and affray.

In 2001 he fronted the Islington Crime Reduction Partnership’s “Be Aware, Street Robbers” campaign and designed posters distributed throughout the borough, vowing he had turned his back on crime.

Blackfriars Crown Court heard police near Finsbury Park Station searched Oswald at 5:30pm after spotting him loitering for around thirty minutes and a kitchen knife was found in his coat pocket.

He was charged and remanded in custody to Pentonville Prison.

Oswald was under a court-imposed supervision order at the time after police found him with two kitchen knives when arrested for throwing a brick through a neighbour’s window.

The court had made an interim hospital order on October 15, sending Oswald to the secure unit at Chase Farm Hospital, where he received treatment for schizophrenia, delusions and hallucinations.

Oswald claimed he carried the knife because of “dangerous people in the world” and expressed fears about the Chinese military and plotters planning to rob the British government.

“It is an alarming offence, but the knife was not used anybody or produced to threaten anybody,” announced Judge Daniel Worsley. “Knives are very frightening things for people to carry.”

The judge made a Section 37 hospital order under the Mental Health Act, returning Oswald to Chase Farm Hospital for continuing psychiatric treatment.

Doctors can apply for the order to be lifted once they feel treatment has been successful.

Barmaid Caught Driving Home After Boozy Party

A boozy East End barmaid - caught driving home at midnight while three-and-a-half times the drinks limit - was banned from the road for two years and eight months today (Tuesday).

Single-mum Tracey Fallon, 37, of Petticoat Square, Middlesex Street, Whitechapel pleaded guilty to driving her Renault Clio in nearby Aldgate on December 17, last year with excess alcohol in her breath.

City of London Magistrates' Court heard first-time offender Fallon - a part-time barmaid at the Still & Star pub, Little Somerset Street, Aldgate (pictured) - was stopped by police at 11:50pm.

She failed a roadside breath-test and at the police station gave a reading of 122 microgrammes - the legal limit is 35.

Fallon admitted drinking at a leaving party and described her decision to drive the short distance home as a: "foolish error of judgement."

She was fined £500, with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge.

Scrawny Sex Predator Caged

A sex beast who stalked lone women walking alone late at night – pouncing on them from behind after they got off night buses – has been locked-up for a four-and-a-half year minimum.

Portugal-born Nelson Dos Santos, 26, (pictured) prowled Lambeth, South London – home to many Portuguese immigrants.

He received an indeterminate sentence of Imprisonment for Public Protection at Southwark Crown Court for the string of offences during which he violently pushed his victims to the ground and digitally penetrate them.

Dos Santos pleaded guilty to sexual assaulting a 27 year-old in Richborne Terrace on November 8, 2008; a 23 year-old in Guildford Road on November 27, 2009; a 41 year-old in Cleaver Street on December 2; a 27 year-old in Vauxhall Grove and a 35 year-old in Hotspur Street on December 5.

The first attack was at 8:00pm and the next four all between 11:50pm and 4:00am.

Women were pushed to the ground or forced against a wall by Dos Santos during the attacks and the last two victims were assaulted within twenty minutes of each other, forcing police to step-up late-night patrols in the area.

He was eventually identified via forensic evidence.

Detective Inspector Keely Smith of the Metropolitan Police’s Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: “This man ruthlessly attacked lone females late at night, using the same MO and increasing the frequency and violence of his attacks.

“It was imperative that we got him off the streets and prevented him from continuing to attack - his actions have mentally scarred his victims and he is a sexual predator whom, I have no doubt, would have gone on to rape and seriously injure his victims.”