Benefits Cheat Escapes Jail With Suspended Sentence

A benefits cheat, who continued claiming taxpayers money by lying about her own wealth, has dodged jail with a suspended sentence.

Rita Hewlett, 55, (pictured) of Partridge Knoll, Purely, Croydon claimed income support and housing and council tax benefit for many years.

At Inner London Crown Court she was sentenced to sixteen months imprisonment, suspended for two years, placed on probation for twelve months and ordered to complete sixteen structured supervision for woman sessions.

She was charged with two counts of dishonestly making false statements on or about June 25, 2001 and January 22, 2005 in relation to income support applications, namely that she failed to declare she had excess capital.

Hewlett also faced seven similar charges of dishonestly making false statements on or about April 29 and May 15, 2000; May 11, 2001; April 6, 2002; April 7, 2003; October 30, 2011; November 2, 2011 in relation to housing benefit applications, namely that she failed to declare she had excess capital.

She was also charged that between November 24, 1998 and June 12, 2011 she evaded the liabilty to make a council tax payment of £12,258 to Croydon council and made a money transfer of £60,059, by deception, from the Department of Work and Pensions on March 26, 2002.

Hewlett also faced a charge of obtaining a £44,326 money transfer, by deception, from the Department of Work and Pensions.

Eleven Years For Abuser Who Repeatedly Raped Indian Domestic Worker

A cruel boss, who repeatedly raped an Indian domestic servant, who was used and abused by him as a “sexual toy” has been caged for eleven years.

Two women, who mistreated her as a “general dogsbody” received non-custodial sentences.

The 39 year-old vulnerable and illiterate mother-of-four became a virtual slave of the family for six years, despite repeated complaints to the police and social services.

She was also scalded with boiling water, burned with a hot iron, beaten and threatened that if she complained her throat would be cut and her body buried in a back garden, Croydon Crown Court heard.

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

Butcher Enkarta Balapovi, 53, (pic.top) of Charlbert Street, St. John's Wood was convicted of five counts of rape.

Optician Shashi Obhrai, 53, (pic.mid.) of Pembroke Road, Northwood received 18 months for causing actual bodily harm and 20 months for threatening to kill the victim.

Those terms were both suspended for twenty months and she was also ordered to complete 100 hours community service.

Secretary Shamina Yousuf, 33, (pic.bottom) of Pavilion Way, Edgware received a community order for causing actual bodily harm and was ordered to complete 40 hours community service.

After the verdicts the victim said: “They have treated me so badly that I worry at night that they will come for me.

“When I think of Salim (Balapovi) I feel like my wounds are reopened. I can't move on - he raped me.

“Shashi Obhrai put a hot iron on my arm when I asked her for my earnings to be paid.

"These people are dangerous they have ruined my life and kept me away from my children. Each should be punished for their wrongdoings."

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Sumner of the Trafficking and Prostitution Unit, said: "This victim came to the UK to earn enough money to provide her children back in India with a better life, but instead the defendants made her own life a living hell for over three years.

"She is deeply traumatised yet found the courage to seek help and face her abusers in court because she does not want these people to able to hurt anyone else."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

After two years and eight months with the couple, who paid just £24 for that period, the victim escaped with the help of a Pakistani stranger at a supermarket.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Home Office Visa Official Jailed For Student Scam

A UK Border Agency visa case worker - who offered extensions to students for cash - rejecting one application when £1500 was not paid, has been jailed for four years.

Civil servant Waseem Majid, 36, by-passed immigration rules on a "vast scale" but was caught after a Mauritian student  recorded his demands for money during a telephone conversation.

He was employed by the Home Office at Croydon's Lunar House and when the UKBA and police raided his home he dumped incriminating files over his back garden fence and more were found in his shed, bedroom and Mercedes car.

Father-of-one Majid, of Chestnut Rise, Woolwich was convicted of two counts of misconduct in public office on or before August 28, 2011 - the day his home was raided.

"He was encouraging people and he was doing it for money," said Croydon Crown Court Judge Stephen Waller. "It only came to light because one person had the guts to go to the police.

"You knew the power you had over applicants and you were trusted by your employers to act responsibly and fairly," the judge told first-time offender Majid.

"You abused your position to access confidential information to provide an immigration advisory service on a widespread basis and your motivation was to make money.

"You made a demand of one particular applicant, who wanted a student visa extension, of fifteen hundred pounds. You could have been charged with blackmail, it was a very serious offence."

The court heard UK-born Majid, whose family is of Pakistani origin, now fears his non-English speaking wife will struggle to properly claim benefits while he is in prison.

Prosecutor Mr. Tony Badenoch told the jury others were involved in organising the visa scam, but Majid was the ringleader.

  

"He was at the head of it and had access to information and the opportunity to take that material away from work for criminal purposes.

"He did things way, way, way outside his remit, things that were criminal and Majid was doing this on a vast scale," explained Mr. Badenoch. "He was not just taking home his own files, but everyone else's.

"When his home was visited a brown Mercedes was parked outside and when officers entered they noticed his wife looked nervous and kept glancing toward the back garden.

"Located in a garden next-door was a mass of confidential UK Border Agency documentation in bags and there were more in the shed, his bedroom and the Mercedes.

"He had taken the documentation home for criminal purposes, we say, and texts found on a phone also dumped in the bag contained biographical details of people for criminal purposes."

Texts in the dumped phone revealed Majid had been sent the details of eighteen hopeful visa applicants.

"They knew what Majid was all about, that is why they kept going to him. They knew going to Majid was the best way to sort out the visas, there was a service being provided that was criminal," added Mr. Badenoch.

Investigators discovered Majid had written amounts of money , such as £500 and £1,000 next to the names of applicants he was dealing with. 

Majid telephoned Mauritian-born University of Greenwich business information technology graduate Nirmal Kumar Ramdeehul, 26, demanding £1,500 to approve his visa extension application, and the jury were played the recordings.

"I received a phone call from an unknown person from a withheld number and they told me they worked for the Home Office," the student told the court.

"The person said he was looking after my application and he said he thought I would not be getting a visa.

"He said I had been working over the allowed time of twenty hours per week."

Majid's work extension number was later checked and it was confirmed calls had been made to Mr. Ramdeehul's mobile.

"The same man phoned a few days later, calling me 'bruv', and he said there should be a deal for me to get the visa.

"He said I should pay money to be granted the visa, over a thousand pounds. I was very much shocked, I was not expecting things like this to happen."

Mr. Ramdeehul did not pay any money and a few days later his application was refused by Majid.

Mr. Alex Britton, defending, said: "He has a wife, a five year-old son, has diabetes and suffers depression and he is worried his wife, who is from Pakistan, will not be able to deal with the bills and benefit claims."

Majid, who has worked on-and-off for the UKBA for over a decade was suspended for two years in 2002, but was eventually cleared of any misconduct.

He was sacked on October 20, 2011 and has been living on benefits ever since.

A total of twenty-nine Home Office staff have been convicted of visa offences in the last five years.

Police Catch Late-Night Drink-Driver After Prang

A late-night drink-driver, who crashed into the vehicle he was following when it suddenly braked, has been fined and banned from the roads.

Gardener Martin Inman, 42, of Dumpton Park Drive, Ramsgate, Kent boozed during a pal's birthday before jumping behind the wheel of his car.

He pleaded guilty to driving his Peugeot 306 estate, with excess alcohol in his breath, in Waterloo Road, Lambeth on April 4.

Camberwell Green Magistrates Court (pictured) heard Inman had 62 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35.

Police were called to a damage-only accident at 9.45pm and Inman, who smelled strongly of alcohol, failed a roadside breath-test.

He told the court: “The person in front of me slammed on their brakes. It wasn't my fault.

“I am a self-employed gardener and without my vehicle I cannot work. It has severe consequences on my life.

“I bowed to peer pressure, it was a friend's birthday with drinks after work.

“I have built a business up in London over many years and now I will lose that client base.”

He was diqualified for twelve months, fined £300, with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge.

Duo Jailed For Plotting To Trick Driving Theory Test Examiners

L - Sedou Mbangi R - Alvaro Silva

Two African friends, whose plot to by-pass the driving theory test was described by a judge as: "The type of offence that strikes at the very fabric of our society," have been jailed.

Congo-born Sedou Mbangi, 49, twice tried to get pals to sit the test for him, but on the second occasion Angola-born Alvaro Silva, 39, was identified as an impostor and arrested.

"The message must go out and will go out that those who look to circumvent this test will almost certainly receive custodial sentences," announced Woolwich Crown Court Judge Marks Moore. "A car in the hands of an unqualified person can kill or injure."

Mbangi of Pinner House, Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell and security guard Silva, of Dagenham Road, Dagenham pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the Driving Standards Agency's Theory Test Centre in Southwark on August 7, last year.

Mbangi alone pleaded guilty to similarly conspiring to defraud the Staines test centre with an unknown accomplice on April 24.

Prosecutor Mr. Gregor McKinley told the court Mbangi's name was flagged after an unknown male posing as the defendant tried to sit the theory test in Staines.

"The staff realised the person did not look anything like the photo on the provisional licence."

Mbangi booked another test four months later.

"Mr. Silva turned up to take Mr. Mbangi's test and because of the earlier reported test security staff were made aware of what may happen.

"Mr. Silva was arrested and interviewed and made admissions that he was there to take Mr. Mbangi's test. He said he was doing it as a favour for his friend and not for any monetary gain."

Mbangi was granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK in 2005, but refused his citizenship application because of criminal convictions in France and the Home Office have now served notice of deportation.

His lawyer Claire Antenen said: "It was a very unsophisticated offence of fraud and clearly Mr. Mbangi and Mr. Silva were likely to be found out."

However, Judge Moore pointed out: "Well, they did not think that or they wouldn't have committed the offence.

Miss Antenen added: "He asked a friend and then asked a reluctant Mr. Silva several times to sit the test. No money exchanged hands for this at all."

Father-of-three Silva's lawyer Miss Keima Payton said: "He was begged by Mr. Mbangi to take the test for him. It was a moment of weakness on his part and he feels he has been duped into this because he did not realise Mr. Mbangi could have sat the test in French."

Jude Moore told the defendants: "This is the type of offence that strikes at the very fabric of our society. The tests are there to ensure drivers understand the signs and procedures of our roads because failure to understand them puts members of the public at risk."

Mbangi was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment and Silva received six months.

Voyeur Spied On Naked Housemate With Secret Bathroom Camera

A voyeur, who installed a secet camera to record a naked female housemate taking a bath, has been ordered to pay her £300 compensation.

Jason Shotton, 23, of Hall Hill Road, Holbeach, Spalding, Lincolnshire concealed the small camera in a wash bag on top of the toilet.

The first-time offender confessed to police he had a “crush” on the young woman and wanted to see her naked.

He pleaded guilty to voyeurism, for the purpose of sexual gratification, on or about September 1, 2011 at Underwood, New Addington, Croydon.

Shotton was placed on a three-year community order, ordered to attend a sex offenders course, sign the sex offenders register for five years and pay £85 costs.

Croydon Magistrates' Court heard he was caught when a friend of the victim went through his belongings and found the recording.

The woman was distressed by the offence and Shotton's friendship with his ex-housemates has completely broken down.

Bench chairman Roger Keep said the one-off offence “was planned and thought out,” and asked Shotton: “You’ve seen the video on a number of occasions – can you imagine her embarrassment?”

Prosecutor Nicola Calnan said Shotton had stayed at various addresses after having some problems.

His victim was among his friends and he slept downstairs for a few months at her parents’ home.

It was after he returned to Lincolnshire that a housemate found the recording.

“Shotton was interviewed by police and confessed to setting up a webcam in a wash bag on the top of a toilet,” said Mrs Calnan.

“He said he had a ‘crush’ on her and wanted to see her naked. Initially, he thought it was ‘nice’ as he watched it but then ‘felt it was wrong and perverted.”

Paul Carr, defending, said: “It was one video, a one-off. She had taken a photo of him naked and said she would show their friends.

“The next day he set up the webcam – his desire was to have some form of collateral.”

Mr. Carr said Shotton, who prepares food for Marks & Spencer, is sorry for what he did and his current girlfriend is standing by him.

Wannabe Pharmacist Stole From Disabled Care Home Resident

A mental health care home assistant manager "lied and lied" when caught stealing from a vulnerable resident - even plundering the victim's savings after he died.

Uganda-born Geoffrey Mutenga, 37, who has ambitions to become a pharmacist, tried to convince bosses the money was for a memorial bench and for a photographer to take portrait pictures of the residents.

The single dad-of-two, of Beaumaris Gardens, Upper Norwood, who entered the UK in 2002 on a student visa, pleaded guilty to stealing £800 from Joseph Donovan between September 9, 2011 and January 18, last year.

The prosecution dropped charges of stealing £600 from another resident.

Croydon Crown Court heard Mutenga was employed at Care Home, 55 Beulah Road, Thornton Heath, (pic.bottom) but was sacked and now receives jobseekers allowance and housing benefit.

The pharmacy graduate, who has permanent leave to remain in the UK, was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for twelve months and ordered to perform 150 hours community service work.

"You literally dipped into someone else's bank account and lied and lied consistently when it was found out," Judge Ruth Downing told Mutenga. 

"I am well aware of the sensitivity concerning fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers signing over their finances to care homes."

Mutenga forged his boss's signature on cheques for £300 and then £500 and was caught on a bank's CCTV cashing the second sum two weeks after Mr. Donovan, who was in his late-sixties, passed away.

The victim was described as a "severely disabled man" by prosecutor Mr. Joel Smith.

Mutenga was quizzed by police and immediately told them a pack of lies.

"He said he had spoken about a memorial bench and had taken the cheque and cashed it, but lost the money." explained Mr. Smith. "He said he had taken the first cheque to make a payment to a photographer to come to the home.

"He even produced a receipt from a photographer , but when police attended the residential address there was no reply and telephone calls and emails were not replied to."

Mutenga will soon be starting a masters in pharmacy at Brighton University, but he has not even got his degree certificate from Kingston University yet because he still owes them £2,000.

The conviction for stealing from a vulnerable victim in breach of trust also casts doubt on whether Mutenga could ever successfully register with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

"The financial pressure he was under at the time was seismic," said Mr. Ignatius Fessall, defending. "That is the reason he dipped his hand into the account of Mr. Donovan.

"He is very, very sorry. His shame and remorse is genuine."

Judge Downing concluded: "Mr. Mutenga lied pretty consistently about where the money went and it took him some time to 'fess up to it.

"He even told the probation officer he did it out of the goodness of his own heart and says he did it to bring Mr. Donovan's capital below the threshold for claiming benefits."  

The care home have compensated Mr. Donovan's beneficiaries, but no order was made against the defendant, who was told by Judge Downing: "You're a man that plainly lives on a financial knife-edge."

Painkiller Addict Stole From Parents To Fund Habit

A painkiller addict stole £30,000 in cash and jewellery from her own parents - including highly sentimental valuables - to support her 32-tablet a day habit.

Telesales worker Estelle Langford, 29, continues to live at the family home, where among other prized possessions she snatched gold watches and bracelets over two years.

"This was theft in rather disreputable circumstances where you stole from the family home in breach of trust," Woolwich Crown Court Judge Stephen Dawson told the first-time offender.

"This was bad criminal behaviour that you acknowledge should not have occurred and it must have been a tough decision by your parents to report it to the police.

"Nothing short of intervention would have stopped you damaging yourself with this drug-taking."

Langford, of Hawthorn Road, Bexleyheath pleaded guilty to stealing the property from her parents Peter and Janice Langford between April 1, 2010 and October 27, last year.

She was sentenced to a twelve-month community order, which includes a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement.

Prosecutor Mr. John Venes told the court: "Her father Peter suspected that his daughter had drug problems because she had several jobs and could not hold one down.

"He had found tablets in a waste bin and under her pillow and noticed gold watches, rings and bracelets had gone missing."

Langford's haul included a £1,000 bracelet; 22 carat gold bracelet, worth £900; a £500 gold watch and a £500 Omega watch.

Langford was eventually confronted and given thirty minutes to leave the house when her father noticed she had stolen items from the garage.

"She said she had stolen to fund a drug habit and the police were called and she was arrested," explained Mr. Venes. 

"She admitted she was dependent on over the counter non-prescription drugs such as codeine and other painkillers.

"She had taken some jewellery of a sentimental value from her mother's bedroom, including her grandmother's heirlooms, and sold it at Cash Convertors and other places, but was rather vague."

Her lawyer Mr. Nicholas Alexander said: "This is an act that Miss Langford has consistently regretted and she acknowledges that what she has done to her family is a gross breach of trust.

"Out of their care and love for their daughter they pressed the matter because they could see her deteriorating and there is now no animosity between them and she remains at the family home.

"Her codeine addiction turned her personality so much and her sister describes her as a transformed person from what she was.

"As a result of a general work injury she took codeine and it progressed to thirty-two tablets a day, which were all bought at chemist shops."

Judge Dawson told Langford: "I hope by the end of the twelve month period the drugs will be behind you and you will be able to get on with your life and recognise your parents love you and want you to end this drug use.

"I am making no order for compensation because the defendant has no income."

Book Keeper Fleeced Picture Agency Employers

A book keeper - employed by an internationally-renouned art and history picture library - who was arrested and charged with diverting ten of thousands of pounds into her bank account, has dodged jail with a suspended sentence.

Natalie Morgan, 36, of Shirley Avenue, Croydon worked for West London-based AKG images, of Melbray Mews, Hurlingham Road, Fulham.

The company has a picture library of over ten million artistic works, photographs and prints and customers all over the globe.

Morgan appeared at Hammersmith Magistrates Court charged with fraud by abuse of position, namely that between January 1, 2010 and November 1, 2011 she dishonestly transferred £44,505 in company funds into her Barlcays bank account.

The case was committed to Isleworth Crown Court (pictured) where she pleaded guilty.

Morgan was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months, and ordered to perform 250 hours community service work. 

Taxi Driver Banned After Death Crash

A taxi driver, whose vehicle was involved in a fatal collision, has been banned from the roads for a year after he pleaded guilty at Inner London Crown Court.

Brandon Leo Smith, 60, (pictured) of Colyton Road, East Dulwich was placed on a twelve-month community order and will have to complete eighty hours community service work as well as receiving the driving disqualification.

Robert Frys died as a result on injuries he received in Long Road, Clapham on January 20, last year.

Smith was also ordered to pay £200 costs.

Smith, the director of BLS Taxis Ltd, was charged with causing the death of Mr. Frys by careless or inconsiderate driving without due care and attention in Long Road at the junction with Rookery Road.

Sixties Movie 'It Boy' Locked-Up Again

Top: Quarrier today. Below (mid) with Farrow & Sellars

Fallen sixties movie star Iain Quarrier, who one tried to to abduct a screaming five year-old girl in a busy supermarket, received four months imprisonment yesterday for calling his neighbour a "bitch" after the woman reported him for approaching youngsters in the street.

The 71 year-old former It Boy - a protege of legendary movie director Roman Polanski - found himself locked-up again after his neighbour tipped-off police and later gave evidence against him, resulting in a six-month prison sentence.

Pensioner Quarrier, of Chesterton Road, North Kensington, West London pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words outside his home, with intent to cause Joanne Reddan harassment, alarm or distress.

Alcohol and illness wrecked his promising career and he went from the glamour of the sixties movie world to being locked-up in Bethlem Mental Hospital in 1972.

Prosecutor Mr. Paul Mitchell told Hammersmith Magistrates' Court the pair had been neighbours for twelve years and Miss Reddan, who was leaving her home with her teenage child at around 3pm, had the confrontation with the defendant outside.

"I saw Iain Quarrier standing in the street and as I walked past with my child he said: 'Bitch'," she told police in a statement. "I was distressed and decided to ignore him."

She returned home two hours later and saw Quarrier again when she took out her rubbish. "Iain pointed at me and said: 'I'm going to kill her.'

"I went back inside and called the police," explained Miss Reddan. "After I gave evidence against him in January I did not think I would have to see him again."

Quarrier is facing eviction from the council property, which has been home since the 1980's.

He denies threatening to kill Miss Reddan and claims he is the victim of her malicious accusations, but the court made a restraining order, prohibiting him having direct contact with the victim.

In 1996 he was cautioned by police for indecently assaulting two girls and in 2010 pleaded guilty to attempted abduction in Sainsbury's, Ladbroke Grove and was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and was made subject to a Prohibitive Activity Order, banning him from unsupervised contact with children under sixteen years-old.

Two weeks before the Sainsbury's offence Quarrier approached a nine year-old girl in the same supermarket and while holding out a twenty pound note said: "I'd like to buy you."

The attempted abduction involved a drunken Quarrier holding the five year-old girl tightly by the shoulder and dragging her towards the exit. 

He was directed by Polanski in 1967's 'Dance of the Vampires' and 'Cul-de-sac' (1968) following his big-screen debut in 1964's 'The Fledglings'.

Quarrier also appeared in the George Harrison-inspired psychedelic fantasy 'Wonderwall' in 1968 as well as Brit-flick 'Separation' in the same year.

Parking Rage Pensioner Punches Ambassador's Chauffeur

A 'parking rage' pensioner attacked the Indonesian ambassador's chauffeur - punching him three times in the face and kicking him between the legs - when he refused to leave a suspended bay.

Malcolm Hammond, 65, shouted: "You are not allowed to park there," at driver Henky Sofjan, who had just driven ambassador Yuri Octavian Thamrin to the nearby London Central Mosque in St. John's Wood - opposite his home.

Hammond, of Park Road pleaded guilty at City of London Magistrates' Court to assaulting Mr. Sofjan on December 28, last year.

Today he was placed on a three-month supervision order, which includes an electronically-tagged night time curfew between 6pm and 6am, ordered to pay the victim £200 compensation, £85 costs and a £65 victim surcharge.

A Freedom of Information request earlier this year revealed foreign embassies owe City of Westminster council £1.4m in unpaid parking fines.

Prosecutor Miss Louise Thomas told the court: "The victim parked his Mercedes in Grove Gardens in a suspended parking bay, but felt he was allowed to park there because he says the sign was covered up.

"Mr. Hammond banged on the window of the vehicle with his keys, while telling Mr. Sofjan he was not allowed to park there and the driver got out of the vehicle.

"Mr. Hammond then lunged forward and punched Mr. Sofjan three times to the left side of his face while shouting: 'He's trying to kill me.'

"A woman who witnessed the incident shouted: 'Stop it,' and Mr. Hammond then kicked Mr. Sofjan in the groin with his foot, making contact, but causing no injury.

"The victim was left with reddening and swelling to his left cheek."

The police were called and Hammond was arrested and questioned.  

"There was reddening to his hands, which he disputed," added Miss Thomas.

Hammond's lawyer Mr. James Martin said: "He was upset that this gentleman, who was chauffeuring an ambassador in a diplomatic car, was parked across his access."

Online Paedophile Sentenced For Child Porn Stash

An online pervert, who downloaded thousands of sick sexually explicit images of children, has dodged jail with a suspended sentence.

Michael Mills, 62, of Demesne Road, Wallington was arrested and charged after police seized his Dell desktop computer.

He pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court (pictured) after he was charged with twelve offences under the Protection of Children Act.

Mills was originally charged with making 4,593 indecent images of children on or before August 7, last year.

These were made up of 3,549 at Level 1; 211 at Level 2; 405 at Level 3; 386 at Level 4 and 42 at Level 5 - the most serious and extreme examples of sexual abuse.

Mills faced an aditional five sample charges of making indecent images of children from Level 1 to 5 and four similar sample charges, reflecting Levels 1 to 4.

He was also charged with making 14 indecent movies of children, namely one at Level 2; four at Level 3 and nine at Level 4.

Mills was charged with one count of distributing an indecent Level 4 movie of a child to another. 

Paedophile Pensioner Locked-Up

A paedophile, originally charged with sex attacks on two teenage girls spanning nearly forty years, has been locked up for four years and two months.

Robin Rogers, 68, of Tredown Road, Sydenham was accused of performing oral sex on the second girl and tying her to a chair and fondling her breasts as well as pleasuring himself in front of her.

He pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court (pictured).

Rogers was charged with five counts of indecent assault by digital penetration on the first girl when she was aged under fourteen years-old on dates between December 12, 1965 and December 11, 1967.

He was also charged with three counts of indecent assault against the second girl when she was aged under fourteen and sixteen years-old between August 15, 2001 and April 30, 2004.

Rogers was also charged with gross indeceny against the girl on two occassions between August 15, 2001 and April 30, 2004.

He was further charged with inciting the girl to engage in sexual activity between May 1 and August 14, 2004 and assaulting her between the same dates.