Mum-Of-Three Caged For Jamaica Drug Run

An Edgware single mother-of-three caught smuggling £47,000 worth of Jamaican herbal cannabis at Gatwick Airport was jailed for nine months yesterday.

Allie Trail, 33, of Briar Walk pleaded guilty to unlawfully importing 16.4 kilos of the drug on a Montego Bay flight on October 6, last year.

Prosecutor Miss Shanaz Ahmed told Croydon Crown Court the drugs were loaded into the defendant’s suitcase after she checked-in at the Jamaican airport.

“On CCTV it could be seen she was then holding a much heavier suitcase, which was intercepted and as she went through the green channel at Gatwick (pictured) she was stopped.

“Her tag was on the luggage and it was searched and the drugs found.”

Trail, who has sons aged fifteen and twenty months and a three-year old daughter, had set off on the £515 return trip on September 21.

She told a probation officer preparing a pre-sentence report she was hoodwinked by a Jamaican man known only as ‘Lee’ and did not know she was smuggling drugs.

“She was taken advantage of by her association with Lee, but she does admit there were circumstances that should have alerted her,” said Mr. B. Patel, defending.

“Lee was a forceful character and she was not likely to profit in direct terms from what happened.”

Judge John Anderson told Trail, who brought her two youngest children to court: “I have grave doubts as to the explanation you gave.

“Before leaving to return to this country you knew what you were doing, you knew what you were carrying. This was a knowing disobedience of the laws of this country.”

Tycoon Admits Shooting Neighbour's Burglar Alarm

One of Britain's richest men pleaded guilty yesterday to arming himself with a shotgun and shooting his next-door neighbour's annoying burglar alarm in an exclusive Central London neighbourhood.

Keen game shooter Peter Shalson, 53, (pictured) of Hamilton Terrace, St. John's Wood was filmed on security cameras climbing over an iron fence and smashing a glass back door before shooting the burglar alarm control box inside his neighbour's (pic.bottom.r.) house.

Shalson, worth around £175m after selling his coat-hanger and packaging business, dramatically changed his pleas a week before he was due to stand trial at Southwark Crown Court.

He pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, namely criminal damage, on January 3, last year and causing criminal damage to a door, lamp, window and burglar alarm belonging to Norman and Cindy Dawood.

He maintained his not guilty plea to burglary, with intent to cause criminal damage, and this charge will lie on the file.

"Representations have been made by the defence and the case has been reviewed," prosecutor Mr. Roger Smart told the court. "The charges reflect the same course of conduct."

First-time offender Shalson was bailed until March 28 for sentencing on condition he does not contact his next-door neighbours.

"Clearly it is a case where a report would be suitable," said Shalson's lawyer Mr. Mark Haslam. "It is a sad day."

The defendant's £10m home is currently up for sale. "It is on the market and he may not be there very long," added the lawyer.

Other residents rang 999 after hearing shots in the affluent street and the owners of the house - a family of five - returned from a country break to find the back door smashed, the alarm in pieces and an empty gun cartridge on the floor.

Shalson, who regularly shoots at a hunting lodge near Exmoor, Devon was questioned by police ten days later and eventually charged. He had always maintained his innocence until today.

He made his fortune from coat-hanger company Braitrim, which he transformed into a packaging business and then sold for £109m.

Shalson then became a pub entrepreneur with the company Pubfolio and venture capital group SGI.

"It is all very sad," announced Judge John Price, bailing Shalson.

Cheated Investors Applaud Rogue Trader To Prison

A rogue foreign exchange trader, who swindled £14m out of 335 unsuspecting investors, after concealing his shameful criminal past, was jailed for eight years today.

Terence Freeman, 63,(pictured) 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.

To ringing applause from approximately twenty-five investors the conman was jailed by Southwark Crown Court Judge Christopher Hardy who told Freeman: “This matter is one of the most serious cases of it’s kind I have had to deal with in nearly twenty years in this court.

“It is so serious because of the sheer amount of money involved, the number of victims, over three hundred, and the type of victims you were dealing with.

“Not big institutions, but ordinary hard-working families who entrusted you to invest their savings, pensions and inheritances and all is likely to be lost. I have read a number of heartrending impact statements.

“You have an appalling criminal record for dishonesty going back to 1979 and you were bankrupt and disqualified from being a company director.

“Had your investors known this they would have run a mile instead of investing their life-savings with you.”

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.

“When he posted a large profit he would proudly take phone calls from elated clients,” prosecutor Mr. Stephen Hellman told the court.

“However, after the stock market crash and the Lehman Brothers collapse on September and October 2008 Freeman’s trading fortunes got much worse.”

He lied to customers, falsely inflating profits, when in fact their investments were nose-diving and were not protected by risk precautions Freeman had boasted about.

Freeman tried to secure further investment to bail out his company during an extravagant presentation at five-star Hanbury Manor Country Hotel, Ware, Hertfordshire.

“He presented slides that claimed GFX had been making profits,” explained Mr. Hellman. “Freeman made quite a lot of money.

“He made a number of ad hoc withdrawals from the GFX account. There was a lack of transparency about how he was remunerating himself and he was doing rather well out of it.”

Incredibly, after being charged Freeman started trading again from offices at Gatwick Airport under GFX Capital International Ltd. and was arrested during a police raid, which shut him down on October 7, last year.

The court was told one investor, Hornchurch roofing contractor Peter Beeson, 52, lost his family’s assets of £600,000 after being tricked by bogus statements showing his money had doubled.

“The GFX statement bore out the dream,” he said in a statement. “The dream became my worst nightmare.

“I will have to carry on working as long as I can with no pension or savings,” added dad-of-two Mr. Beeson. “I feel I have let my family down……..I am angry with myself.”

Freeman was not red-flagged by the Financial Services Authority and many customers, including one of the heaviest casualties, went ahead and invested after checking their website.

He pleaded guilty 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.

Freeman, who changed his name from Terry Sparks, was a bankrupt, banned from running a company for fifteen years and had been sent to prison by four different Crown Courts for financial crime between 1979 and 1997.

He also pleaded guilty to engaging in business while bankrupt, acting as a director when bankrupt and acting in contravention of a disqualification order.

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.

Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings were adjourned until August 1.

Lambeth Park Sex Attack: E-Fit Issued

This is an E-Fit police have released of a suspect wanted for a sex attack on a 21 year-old woman in a South London park, who was pounced on from behind then chased.

On December 16, last year the victim was walking along a path in Archbishop Park, Carlisle Lane, Lambeth at 3:40pm when she heard footsteps approaching behind her.

The suspect sexually assaulted her then chased the terrified young woman and Lambeth Borough’s Sexual Offences Unit is investigating the case.

Detective Constable Danny Wood, said: “This was a worrying attack on a young woman and we are doing all we can to identify and arrest the man responsible.

“We have also released the e-fit in the hope that someone will recognise him and contact us. 



“I would also urge anyone who was in Archbishop Park on that day, and may now remember seeing the victim running or the suspect, to contact police.”

The suspect is described as a black man who was about 6' 2" tall and of slim build.

He had 'bulging eyes' and was dressed in a dark puffa-type jacket, dark jogging bottoms and a dark coloured top with a hood that he wore over his head. 



Detectives are asking any witnesses or anyone with information to contact them on 07785 382837 or to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Failed African Refugee Jailed For Sex Attack Outside West End Nightclub

A failed Zimbabwe-born asylum-seeker, whose sex attack on a young woman outside a West End nightclub left her pouring with blood and naked from the waist down, was locked-up for four years yesterday.

Student Admore Chingware, 32, of Whiteley Street, Reading, Berkshire “stalked” the lone woman from ‘Paparazzi’ nightclub,(pictured) even returning to continue the violent attack when chased away by a van driver.

He was convicted at London’s Southwark Crown Court of indecently assaulting the student near Regent Street on January 29, 2004 and assaulting her, causing actual bodily harm.

“She was found naked from the waist down save for a pair of jeans around her ankles and she was bleeding profusely,” prosecutor Mr. Hugo Daniel Lodge told the court.

“She has had her confidence shaken. It has effected her social life and effected her confidence in public,” added Mr. Lodge. “It was a distressing incident that has had a profound effect on her life.”

Judge Martin Beddoe told father-of-two Chingware, whose wife has been given indefinite leave to remain in the U.K: “You were fuelled by drink, but that is not a mitigating factor.

“You stalked your victim as she left the nightclub where you had both been present separately,” added the Judge. “It was the early hours, it was dark and you knew how intoxicated and vulnerable she was.

“You followed her and attacked her, striking her to the face, knocking her to the ground, your motive was sexual.

“Having been disturbed by a van driver you ran away and went back and continued your violent sexually motivated attack, pulling down her trousers and knickers.

“You ran off for a second time when the van driver returned and left your victim injured, naked from the waist down and in a state of great distress.

“You did not admit the offence and the victim had to relive the incident, which she had been trying unsuccessfully to put behind you over seven years,” added the Judge. “It is probable one way or another it will effect her for the rest of her life.”

New Husband Killed Father-In-Law And Slashed Mum-In-Law In Horror Knife Attack

An Internet groom, who killed his father-in-law in a "frenzied" knife attack, also slashing his mother-in-law's throat in front of his own two year-old son, was sentenced to life imprisonment today.

Abbas Burhanpurwala, 32, of Copsewood, Werrington, Peterborough, stabbed Ismail Thathia, 58, twenty-five times, using a second kitchen knife after the first snapped in two.

He pleaded pleaded guilty to murdering Mr. Thathia, on September 27, last year and inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent, on Jaitunbia Thathia, 56, at the family home in Chatsfield, Werrington.

"He was killed in his own home in front of his wife and two year-old grandson by a frenzied attack carried out by this defendant," prosecutor Mr. Jonathan Seely told Southwark Crown Court.

Indian-born Thomas Cook call centre worker Burhanpurwala enjoyed an Internet romance with the couple's daughter Sabera and they gave the thumbs-up to an arranged marriage in 2007.

However, Burhanpurwala became increasingly angered by his wife's long hours at the family's successful Peterborough phone shop and Sabera described him as "possessive", "controlling" and prone to "temper tantrums."

He had even threatened to kill himself and the couple's son Ayaz and once drank cleaning fluid.

Burhanpurwala - obsessed by the prospect of losing his wife and child - arrived at the family home around 2pm, but flew into a violent rage when Mr. Thathia said: "I will call the police."

"The defendant started punching Mr. Thathia in the face, causing him to fall back," explained Mr. Seely. "He got a bread knife from the kitchen and stabbed him to the left side of the chest and the blade broke.

"He got another knife from the kitchen and stabbed Mrs Thathia to the neck, causing blood to pour out.

"The sole purpose of that attack was to enable the defendant to return to the frenzied attack on Mr. Thathia.

As Mrs Thathia stumbled out the front door with a life-threatening wound to her jugular vein Burhanpurwala continued stabbing her husband, leaving the dining-room and hallway splattered with blood.

He received fatal stab wounds to the neck, chest and abdomen.

Mrs Thathia was treated at Peterborough District Hospital and to this day can only eat via a tube inserted in her nose.

A lady passer-by who found her coughing up blood in the street knocked on the front door and Burhanpurwala told her: "Get the police. Tell them what I have done. They tried to take my son away."

The bloodstained defendant hailed an arriving police car confessing "I did it" and told officers through tears: "I would never have done it if she hadn't taken the kid."

Burhanpurwala's lawyer Corrine Ransom told the court: "Mr. Burhanpurwala is deeply, deeply and heartfeltly full of remorse and is aware of the devastation he has brought on the family.

"He was very excited about starting a new life in England, but he was a somewhat isolated man and never developed friendships outside the family.

"He is going to lose his wife and son and by his acts that day he has brought about what he dreaded."

Mr Justice Saunders recommended Burhanpurwala serve a seventeen-and-a-half year minimum before he is considered for parole announcing: "This defendant killed his father-in-law by stabbing him a number of times.

"He also stabbed his mother-in-law, causing serious injuries that she will continue to suffer from for a long time.

"The family have also been devastated by the loss they have suffered. The defendant's son has lost a grandfather and effectively lost a father.

"I accept it is this defendant's fear of losing his son that caused him to react like this on this particular day."

Detective Inspector Dave Grierson said: "This tragic incident was the culmination of a domestic situation but the circumstances in no way justify the violence used by Burhanpurwala."

Convicted Stalker Given Green-Light To Continue Legal Case Against Victim

A notorious stalker, jailed for breaching a lifetime restraining order, is taking legal action against his long-suffering victim, claiming his reputation is being ruined by her online postings.

Ex- Sky News producer Elliot Fogel, 35, discovered yesterday fresh charges against him have been dropped after the CPS took expert advice from a Human Rights lawyer.

Fogel, of White Lodge Close, Isleworth, West London had been arrested and charged again after his representative contacted 35 year-old complementary therapist Claire Waxman.

This appeared to put him in breach of the order, imposed in 2005 by Brent Magistrates' Court, which prohibited Fogel, or anybody acting on his behalf to contact Mill Hill, North London resident Mrs Waxman.

Before the CPS sought expert advice Judge Shaun Lyons announced: "By initiating civil proceedings he has breached that restraining order. The actions have caused someone else to contact a protected person."

He was described as "obsessive" when jailed for four months last year for a seven-year stalking campaign, which included hundreds of late-night phone calls, breaking into Mrs Waxman's car and repeatedly following her.

A Judge ruled Fogel, formerly of Edgware, North London had caused her "mental harm" and a search of his computer revealed the defendant had Googled his victim over 40,000 times in just twelve months.

At Wood Green Crown Court on Wednesday the CPS dropped two charges that Fogel breached the restraining order on or before November 17, last year by initiating civil proceedings and attempting to retrieve material from Mrs Waxman on or before November 1.

"She is writing about me on a website and readers are invited to leave comments," complained Fogel outside court. "All I am trying to do is bring proceedings that stop this."

CPS lawyer Martha Godwin announced: "An issue was raised during this case, which required the CPS to take some expert legal opinion.

"The opinion confirmed that a restraining order cannot be used to stop someone from accessing civil courts as happened in this case. This meant we could not pursue this prosecution and we offered no evidence."

Fogel developed an unhealthy interest in Mrs Waxman when they were both college students in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, where she had to continually tell him to leave her alone.

After leaving college in 1993 she heard nothing for ten years until receiving a dinner invitation from Fogel, which she declined.

A few months later, in December 2003, Fogel was spotted jogging on the spot outside her home and spent more and more time loitering around her workplace.

He even posed as a prospective parent at the nursery Mrs Waxman's daughter attended, paid for background searches on her husband Marc and her father and collected her wedding photos.

She was forced to move home five times, developed an eating disorder and claims stress caused by Fogel caused a miscarriage.

Bodybuilder Avoids Prison For Illegal £1/2 Million Steroids Trade

A well-known Essex bodybuilder and gym boss, who made over £500,000 selling illegal human growth hormone and steroids, which potentially put customers at risk of HIV and mad cow's disease dodged prison with a suspended sentence today.

Heavily-tattooed Steven Luke Corbersmith, 34, (pictured) of Grasmere Gardens, Frinton-on-Sea shipped the unlicensed and unregulated body-building drugs all over the world.

His gym, SLC Health and Fitness, of Anglian House, Unit One, Foundary Yard, Hall Lane, Walton On The Naze was raided by the Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency on September 17, 2008, who seized a huge variety of illegal drugs.

One Chinese-manufactured injectable drug - purporting to contain human growth hormone (HGH) - instead contained Albumin, a human blood product, which carries the risk of HIV and CJD.

"Members of the public seem only to willing to buy these drugs to improve their strength or looks or whatever," Southwark Crown Court Judge Christopher Hardy told father-of-two Corbersmith. "It seems for a time you made a considerable profit from it."

Corbersmith pleaded guilty to six charges brought under the Medicines Act and Misuse of Drugs Act and was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years, placed under a six-month supervision order, ordered to perform 100 hours community service and pay £2,500 costs.

He pleaded guilty to selling Tamoxifen, without a prescription, over the Internet and attempting to sell Class C drug Somatropin between July 8 and August 2, 2008.

He also admitted possessing HGH drugs Trenbolone, Somatropin, Methandienone, Nondrolone, Testosterone, Mesterclone, Chorionic Gonadotropin and anabolic steroid Stonozolol, with intent to supply, at his gym.

Corbersmith also pleaded guilty to possessing Indian-manufactured Viagra copycat drug Kamagra and possessing Tamofixen, with intent to supply, on September 17 and supplying Class C drug Somatropin via the Internet between April 1 and September 15, 2008.

Prosecutor Mr. Christopher Foulkes told the court the defendant's website was investigated by the agency and two successful Internet test-purchases were made.

"SLCFitness was unlawfully selling and advertising prescription-only medicines and controlled drugs," he explained. "One did not contain HGH, but Albumin, a human blood product, which may not have been tested for HIV or CJD. It presented a potential health hazard to the public."

In a locked gym cupboard were HGH and anabolic steroid drugs ready to be shipped to customers in the USA, France, Italy, the Philippines and all over the U.K.

Two laptops were seized at Corbersmith's home, which contained details of his Internet sales, along with a box of receipts and credit card details.

The prosecution estimate the defendant made £518,814 selling illegal drugs between March 2007 and September 15, 2008 and they will pursue these illicit profits under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

He confessed typically paying £140 wholesale for medicines, then selling them on for £405.

Corbersmith's lawyer Miss Phillipa Beswick claimed the profits were not so great as all the orders were not fulfilled.

"Mr. Corbersmith has for a long time been a bodybuilder. He was originally purchasing the drugs for his sole use and there were other associates who realised it would be cheaper to buy in bulk for themselves.

"At the time it was non-profit. He did not realise when he started up this business the illegality of it. It started off small and the sales escalated.

"He is a well-known local man, well-known for his charity work," added the lawyer, explaining her client ran the London Marathon in 2005, raising money for a fibrosis charity and has locally raised funds for the Sea Cadets and Lifeboat Service.

Judge Hardy announced he was persuaded to suspend the sentence because Corbersmith is currently waiting cancer-test results after two lumps were found in his bowel, largely looks after his daughters aged 2 and 5 and has had the case hanging over him a considerable time.

Greedy Museum Thief Locked-Up

A heartless thief who targeted two of London's best loved museums – greedily planning to sell treasured artefacts to antique dealers – has been caged for fifteen months.

Gary Doyle, 54, of Lascotts Road, Whetstone, North London was caught by the Metropolitan Police’s Art and Antiques Unit and arrested with assistance by an Art Beat Special Sergeant.

Detectives were investigating the theft of a replica Tudor helmet from the National Army Museum’s (pic.top) ‘Making of Britain’ gallery on October 5, last year when they learned of a similar crime two days later at the Forty Hall Museum, Enfield, North London (pic.bottom).

Six maps of Middlesex had been snatched in a well-planned theft and Doyle immediately travelled to Central London where he unsuccessfully tried to sell them to suspicious antique dealers.

The defendant failed to convince experts the maps belonged to a relative and using CCTV images at the gallery police linked Doyle to the two thefts.

He was arrested on November 25 in Palmers Green, North London.

Detective Constable Michelle Roycroft from the Art and Antiques Unit said: “Doyle's arrest and subsequent charge demonstrates how by working closely with our partners in the museums and trade organisations we will combat thieves and thwart their attempts to profit from robbing Britain's heritage.”

Armed Cocaine Criminal Caged After Police Op

A drug dealer caught with three guns and £113,000 in cash when police raided his Bedfordshire home has been sentenced to thirteen-and-a-half years imprisonment.

Andrew Lee Wallman, 28, of Bradford Road, Toddington also had an industrial drug press and enough cutting agent to produce 50 kilos of cocaine.

He was arrested by the Metropolitan Police’s Middle Market Drugs Partnership, which specialises in targeting dealers in and around London with the co-operation of other law enforcement agencies.

Armed with a search warrant obtained after a careful intelligence operation officers swooped on Wallman’s address on July 17, last year.

They seized three handguns. An Olympic 0.38; a Czech 6mm Kora and a Reck 92F (pictured).

Also confiscated was 35 kilos of cutting agent Benzocaine, plus a drug dealer list.

After the sentencing at Luton Crown Court Serious Organised Crime Agency Principal Officer Nigel Eeles said: “We are determined to disrupt criminal networks on all levels.

“Justice has been served and we are pleased with this result which sends out a clear message to all those involved in serious crime.

“We will continue to work in partnership to rid our streets of drugs and firearms and prosecute those people responsible for organised crime.”

The Middle Market Drug Partnership is a joint partnership between the Metropolitan Police, the Serious Organised Crime Agency and City of London Police.

Rapist Starting Nine-Year Stretch

A violent rapist is beginning a nine-year prison sentence after he was convicted by a jury of attacking a lone 21 year-old woman in the middle of the night.

Metin Sanci, 34, of Ferndale House, Manor Road, Canning Town, East London pounced on his victim as she walked along a North London street following a night out.

He was found guilty at Blackfriars Crown Court of raping the woman in Hanley Road, Finsbury Park (pictured) on July 24, last year.

Sanci suddenly grabbed the victim at 5:20am, punching her and putting his hands around her throat.

She fought back, biting, punching and scratching, but was unable to prevent Sanci raping her and fleeing.

He was caught by police fifty metres away after a neighbour, who heard the victim’s screams, raised the alarm.

The woman was taken to Whittington Hospital and treated for cuts and bruises.

Rapist Bus Driver Jailed And Banned

A bus driver, who raped a boozy 24 year-old woman after she boarded his double-decker late at night, has been locked-up for eight years and slapped with a lifetime commercial driving ban.

Kalash Vijay, 42, (pictured) of Evergreen Way, Hayes, West London was driving an N207 night-bus when the lone victim boarded at 2:44am on February 7.

Isleworth Crown Court heard she had been out with friends in Acton and after boarding fell asleep on the top deck.

Internal CCTV images show Vijay went upstairs half an hour later and brought the victim down to the lower deck.

He then turned off the lights and showed the bus as out of service.

Vijay stopped the bus in Dawly Street, Hayes - dropped the victim off - and parked his vehicle at Hayes bus station.

He returned in his car to Dawly Street, picked the woman up, then drove home, where he raped her twice.

Vijay drove her to the bus station in the morning and the next day she reported the attack to police.

He was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order was made, banning Vijay from driving any public service vehicle including buses, coaches, mini-cabs or taxis.

Detective Constable Anna Hukowski, of the Metropolitan Police’s Sapphire Team said: “Vijay told the court a string of lines, claiming the victim was his girlfriend.

“I am grateful the jury saw through those lies.

“Vijay took advantage of a young woman in a vulnerable condition.

“She has shown incredible strength of character in reporting this incident and we have used our expertise to ensure that Vijay was identified and brought to justice.”