Graduate Crashes Car After Night Of Drink And Drugs

An aspiring chartered surveyor crashed his Mercedes while driving home after a night of booze, ecstacy and cocaine.

Evan Waters, 24, buried the car into trees while driving along the A3 with illegal levels of the two drugs still in his system.

He pleaded guilty at Wimbledon Magistrates Court to driving in Esher Common on March 27 with excess levels of ecstacy and cocaine in his blood.

There was also evidence of alcohol, but it was under the prescribed limit so he was not charged with drink-driving.

The court heard Waters, of Barn Green Close, Denmead, Waterlooville, Hampshire was driving a red Mercedes A180, which sufffered “considerable damage” when it left the road.

Police were called to the scene and Waters admitted he had been drinking the night before.

The court heard the first-time offender had been out with friends in London until 3am and slept in a hotel before driving home.

Waters claims fatigue caused him to fall asleep at the wheel and when the car's tyres touched the muddy verge the vehicle slipped off the road.

He says he does not recall taking any drugs the night before.

The graduate is currently employed as a quantity surveyor and is tested for alcohol and drugs at work, which is a two hour daily commute via car.

The magistrates told Waters, who has a first-class honours degree: “You left the road. A dangerous situation to be in.”

He was disqualified from driving for twelve months, fined £550, with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £50 victim surcharge.

Obsessed Student Banned From London For Stalking Yoga Tutor

An engineering student's two-year obsession with a yoga teacher he stalked has resulted in a ban from entering London.

Birmingham University student Krystian Czekaj, 30, of Ashton Road, Rugely, Staffordshire "scared" the young woman when he suddenly appeared at her new workplace.

He pleaded guilty to stalking Emily Lacy between July 2014 and  May 17, which he knew amounted to harassing her.

He turned up outside Sangye Yoga, 300 Kensal Road, North Kensington on May 6, which was the final straw and Miss Lacy called the police.

Yesterday he was sentenced to eight weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years and must complete a probation-ordered twenty-five day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Prosecutor Mr. Kunal Dave told Hammersmith Magistrates Court  Czekaj began taking  yoga classes in Birmingham and asked Miss Lacy out for a cup of tea.

She rejected his requests and he subsequently followed her and a friend to a restaurant, where he stared at them through the windows.

"He sent her letters professing his love for her and would telephone her work looking for her and also sent flowers, card and a teddy bear."

She reported him to police while in Birmingham and the harassment stopped, but began again after her move to London. 

His lawyer Mr. Rodney Coleman told Hammersmith Magistrates Court: "There's a history here, first in Birmingham and then it gets more serious when he comes to London and pursues the same course.

"He's an intelligent person, but Miss Lacy did not want a relationship with him.

"He has now said: 'If I am released I won't contact her.'

"By pursuing his ardent behaviour he may have thought she would become interested in him."  

In her victim impact statement Ms Lacy said: "I feel scared that Krystian turned up at my workplace at Sangye Yoga.

"I want this to stop and feel vulnerable by his actions. I can't keep Krystian out of my thoughts, I'm worried by Krystian following me.

"This is not normal behaviour, it is weird. I wish he would never contact me or come near me again.

"I don't want to worry about this for the rest of my life." 

Magistrate Mr. Henry McGrill told Czekaj: "You pleaded guilty to stalking and in this case it is harassment for two years, concluding in a visit to Miss Lacy's place of work and you came down from Birmingham to do so.

"Mr. Coleman, on your behalf, suggests you do not fully understand what you have done and won't do it again.

"We're going to give you a chance to prove what you must and must not do."

A condition of the sentence was that Czekaj cannot cross the M25 for two years and he was made subject to an indefinite restraining order prohibiting contact with Miss Lacy or visiting her workplace.

"Any breach of any of these orders will result in prison for you and I understand you have spent some time there on remand and will not want to go back."

He will not have to pay compensation to the victim. "I'm sure Miss Lacy would rather be shot of the whole matter," added the magistrate.

An order to pay £85 costs and a £115 victim surcharge was substituted of the time he has spent in custody.

Wealthy Polo-Playing Businessman Thumped Mini-Cab Driver During Route Dispute

Punch: Simon Lo Gatto

A wealthy polo-playing businessman returning home from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix gave a mini-cab driver a black eye while boasting about his riches.

Simon Rubel Lo Gatto, 44, the owner of a leading Italian luxury office furniture company based in St. James' had a dispute with the driver over the route he was taking.

He had just been collected from Heathrow Airport on November 30, last year and was on his way to his £1.15m apartment in Arthur Road, Wimbledon Village.

However, during the journey he changed his mind and demanded to be taken to Brinkley's Garden, a restaurant in Hollywood Road, Little Chelsea to meet his girlfriend.

"He was sitting behind me and slapped my left arm," Sri Lankan cabbie Nakalingam Koneswaran told Ealing Magistrates Court yesterday.

"He said: 'I'm a rich man, do you know my family? We're a valuable family.'

"As I turned around he punched my face, the left eye and I told him to get out, but he said: 'If you stop I'll punch you again.'

"I was scared that he would punch me again and when I dropped him off I said: 'Thank-you' and he said: 'F*** off.'

"This was very painful for me and swollen the next day, a black eye. This incident traumatised me and I am scared if someone shouts at me from behind."

Lo Gatto is the European MD of Interoffice, a sponsor of his polo team, and the company counts Rolls Royce, Microsoft, The FA, Mishcon De Reya and L'Oreal amongst its clients.

He is a member of Ham polo club, a partner and international ambassador for Dubai Fashion TV and Dubai's five-star Royal Ghantoot Marina and Resort.

"Scared": Nakalingam Koneswaran

Prosecutor Mr. Bhavin Patel told the court Lo Gatto disappeared into an airport bar and started drinking while Mr. Koneswaran looked after his suitcase.

The defendant claimed he had two lager shandies to settle his nerves despite flying out from Heathrow at least twenty times a year.

"There was a disagreement as they neared Chiswick, with the defendant shouting they were in the wrong lane for the A4.

"Mr. Koneswaran told the defendant he was in the correct lane and Mr. Lo Gatto replied: 'You f***ing talking to me?'

"He then punched him in the left eye and said: 'I'm a mafia man. I can do whatever I want'."

The mini-cab driver told the magistrates: "He was treating me like a servant. I've never had anyone treating me like that.

"He walked like a proud man and he was ignoring me and demanding me to do things."

Mr. Koneswaran took two photographs of his black eye, which were shown to the court, and Lo Gatto was arrested at home on December 4.

Fifteen hours later he was questioned and denied also kicking the driver's seat and saying: "You'd be my slave in Saudi Arabia."

Lo Gatto denied drinking on the flight or being drunk and told the court: "He starts being a little rude and we began to argue loudly.

"I knew he was in the wrong lane and the word 'f***' was used by both sides."

He denied punching the driver or having a dismissive attitude: "If I am confident in myself and someone sees that as arrogance that's their interpretation."

Lo Gatto, who was once cautioned for a domestic assault, was convicted of assaulting Mr. Koneswaran.

 He was bailed to return to court for sentencing on June 29.

Musician Fears USA Ban For Malicious Campaign Against Two Men

A musician fears he will not be able to tour the USA after being convicted of sending malicious messages to two men.

Alexander Keevill, 35, the creative driving force behind The Microdance, left one recipient living in fear and needing counselling to get over the communication.

The public relations copywriter, of Balls Pond Road, Hackney pleaded guilty to two counts of sending communication of a threatening nature between October 26 and 30, last year.

"His ability to travel to America where he has the greatest number of followers may be effected by the nature of these offences," his QC Patrick Gibbs said.

Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court heard Keevill has been diagnosed with Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

A pre-sentence report from the Probation Service concluded he was in "emotional turmoil" at the time of the offences.

One of the complainants, a physiotherapist, said in a victim impact statement: "I was in grave fear. It was callous and real.

"It has taken months to recover from the stress, has triggered depression and I have needed counselling.

"I went to the police because I couldn't sleep normally due to the remorseless and callous way this was conducted."

Judge Peter Lodder QC, the Recorder of Richmond-upon-Thames told the first-time offender: "You acted in a way calculated to maximise distress to your victims.

"You had not been taking your own medication...... you were rash and impulsive."

Keevill was sentenced to two months imprisonment, suspended for twelve months, ordered to complete 150 hours community service work and pay £670 costs. 

Afterwards the musician said: "I am regretful of my actions and am fully understanding that I fell foul of the law through a stupid and rash response to discoveries I had made before committing the crime of malicious communications.

"This though was a response entirely determined by the emotions engendered by the nature of what constituted my provocation."

Convicted Romanian Robber's Double Sex Attacks Within Weeks Of UK Arrival

A “dangerous” Romanian criminal, who targeted two lone women in sexually-motivated attacks within weeks of arriving in the UK, has been locked-up for 16 years.

Heavily-tatooed Nicusor Ion, 41, of Islip Gardens, Northolt was armed with a knife on both occasions when he struck at the same underpass.

Fortunately Ion – who is a convicted robber in his homeland - was disturbed by passers-by, which cut short the attacks as he dragged each victim into bushes.

He was convicted by an Isleworth Crown Court jury of sexually assaulting a 28 year-old woman at 6.45pm on August 9, last year near the Target Roundabout, Northolt.

Ion was also found guilty of attempting to rob the woman and possessing an offensive weapon.

The victim was grabbed from behind by Ion and forced into bushes at knifepoint.

She was robbed and sexually assaulted by Ion, who fled when disturbed by a member of the public.

Three days later, at 9.30am on August 12, he attacked a 47 year-old woman in the same underpass.

Ion grabbed her and tried to drag her into bushes before pushing her to the floor.

He was again disturbed by a member of the public and ran off.

Ion was convicted of attempting to sexually assault the woman, robbing her and possessing a bladed article.

Police took her on a drive around of the local area and she pointed him out as he stood outside a betting-shop in nearby Mandeville Road.

The first victim also picked Ion out from an identity parade.

Detective Constable Ben Robinson from Ealing CID said: "These were violent and sustained attacks on two lone females in broad daylight which must have been terrifying for the victims.

“However, due to their courage officers were able to quickly identify Ion following the second offence and arrest him.

"Ion is a dangerous man who will now spend a considerable amount of time behind bars.

“Such offences will not be tolerated and we will do everything within our power to ensure offenders are brought to justice."

Lone Woman Mugged By Three Cowardly Youths: CCTV Of Suspect Released

Police hunting for three youths, who snatched a mobile phone and bank card from a lone woman in south-east London have released this CCTV image of a suspect.

On October 12 last year at approximately 6.15pm the victim, a 37-year-old woman, was walking in Lewisham Road by the junction with Quince Road, Hither Green when her phone was taken.

The phone case contained her bank card which was subsequently used to make purchases in Surrey Quays, Lewisham and Deptford.

Three male teenagers were seen fleeing from the robbery on mopeds.

Detectives are keen to identify a male that was captured on CCTV later that day at a petrol station in Surrey Quays at 7.53pm.

A 17-year-old boy was arrested on 23 October, last year in connection with this incident and was bailed pending further enquiries.

Anyone with information should ring Detective Constable Carly Walker on 020 8284 7700 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, quoting reference 3620866/15.

Council Continue Hunting Suspect Who Smashed Their CCTV 10 Years Ago

A man suspected of vandalising a council's CCTV system a decade ago has ironically been captured on camera and circulated as wanted.

Hackney council's coverage of the Shoreditch area suddenly stopped working at 7.00am on July 25, 2006.

Council staff visited the roof of a building in Stanway Street on the Harman Estate, Hoxton and found the transmitter to the cameras damaged.

The damage was caused by a scaffold pole found nearby on the roof.

A video clip taken at the time of the offence was identified by Hackney council staff on a social media website earlier this year and reported to police.

The video clip shows a man with short brown hair hitting the transmitter with a scaffold pole.

He is seen wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

Police are keen to hear from anyone who may recognise this man, or who witnessed the man carrying out the attack.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 020 7275 3449 or via 101 quoting reference number 202265, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Burglary Suspect Caught On CCTV

Police are hunting this scaffold-climbing burglary suspect after offices were broken into.

Officers on Islington Borough are appealing to identify the man they would like to speak to following a break-in at a business address in Clerkenwell.



At about 8.00pm on Wednesday, January 6 the premises in Charterhouse Buildings, EC1 was closed and locked for the night.

However, when staff returned the following morning at about 8.30am, it was discovered that a burglary had taken place.



An Apple MacBook, cash and earphones were among the items stolen.



CCTV seized from the premises shows a man who is believed to have used scaffolding to access the building.



Officers would like to identify this man, and are asking anyone with information to contact them via 101, or to remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org.



Enquiries are also underway to establish if this incident is linked to previous burglaries at other business in the building. 

Bonnie Prince Charlie Star's 'Last Call' Pub Assault

Bonnie: Jamie Bacon

A young actor who stars in the title role of the latest Bonnie Prince Charlie historical epic attacked a bar manager when his girlfriend was refused an after-hours drink.

Jamie Bacon, 24, is set to play the Jacobite pretender in the multi-million pound production of movie The Great Getaway, which is due to start filming in Scotland later this year.

He was picked to play the role of Charles Edward Stuart - who was defeated at Culloden in 1746 - by Scottish writer-director Robbie Moffat, who is rumoured to have also cast Kristen Stewart  and Brendan Gleeson.

Bacon and actress girlfriend Beatrice Colwyn-Foulkes, 22, were celebrating her final performance at Arts Educational, a drama school near The Tabard pub, Bath Road, Chiswick.

He splits his time between his parents residence at Carina Court, Banks Road, Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset and her Battersea home and is also an alumni of Arts Educational.

Bar manager Saman Aljaf, 27, told Feltham Magistrates Court yesterday the pub stopped serving at midnight on December 6, last year.

"The defendant walked behind the bar and said: 'C'mon mate, you can serve one more' and I started to guide him, using very gentle force, away.

"People don't usually act with that level of arrogance or confidence to walk behind the bar," added the manger, who told Bacon he had the power to bar him from the premises. 

"He was resisting and reluctantly moving backwards and did push me in the chest and said: 'Don't touch me, don't touch me.'

Attacked: Saman Aljaf

"He said: 'F*** you, you can't tell me what to do, you can't bar me' and became progressively more defiant.

"He said if I tried to take his drink off him, he'd put me on the floor. He said: 'I've paid for this drink, I'm not going outside.'

"I said: 'Just f***ing leave now' because my staff were getting distressed and I put my hands on his shoulders with open palms to usher him out of the door.

"He immediately grabbed the scruff of my neck by the back of my shirt and forced me against the wall with his full body weight, his full force. It was a heavy thud.

"He still had a bottle of cider in his hand and I was afraid he'd bottle me.

"He did seem intoxicated, but not really drunk, but whatever he had gave him the confidence to do what he did.

"I had a bit of a sore neck, a fabric burn where he grabbed me."

Barmaid Michaela Burton, 24, called the police and told the court: "I saw Saman being pulled back by his shirt, which was tight around his neck and his neck was pulled backwards.

"The defendant kept saying: 'Come outside.' It was like he wanted to fight," added the New Zealander.

"His group were making fun of my accent and were egging the situation on. One woman said to me: 'Come outside so I can put you on the ground'."

Collusion: Beatrice Colwyn-Foulkes

Prosecutor Mr. Vijay Khuttan said: "The defendant's girlfriend was seeking more alcohol and accepted the explanation, but the defendant demanded alcohol.

"He became boisterous and aggressive and when ushered away said he would not leave and would fight anybody.

"Mr. Aljaf ushered him out by placing his hands on him and the defendant got hold of the back of his shirt, around the neck, and pushed him against the wall.

"The friends of the defendant intervened and prised him away from the manager." 

Bacon, who has two convictions for violence as a teenager, told the court he had two glasses of wine earlier in the evening and went behind the bar in an attempt to get served by a barmaid he knew.

"The bar manager came aggressively at me and grabbed the top part of my chest and began pushing me backwards, shouting at me to: 'F*** off.'

"In self-defence I've pushed his arms off me and went outside with my girlfriend. Twenty minutes later the police turned up and arrested me in front of everyone."

Bacon spent the night in police cells and when questioned nine hours later told officers the bar manager was: "Heavy-handed and aggressive."

Mr. Khuttan asked him: "You wanted your friend the barmaid to break the law to serve you and your friends drinks?"

Beatrice backed-up her boyfriends's account saying: "He pushed back in self-defence when the manager aggressively moved towards him. It was quite scary."

She had enjoyed a champagne dinner with her family and Bacon after the play and the pair joined around 30 drama students who had been drinking all night at the pub.

"Arrogant": Young Star

However, magistrate Mr. Chris Hack rejected both their accounts: "There may have been some collusion and your evidence was less than credible," he told Bacon.

"We believe Mr. Aljaf and his account that you grabbed him by the collar and pushed him against the wall

"This was an unfortunate incident that got out of hand and you assaulted Mr. Aljaf during an intentional act of aggression."

Bacon was found guilty of assaulting the manager and was fined £180, with £400 costs and was ordered to pay £50 compensation to Mr. Aljaf and a £20 victim surcharge.

"We have hear the facts of this case and the seriousness of it," added Mr. Hack who heard Bacon assaulted a bouncer 6 years ago and was convicted of actual bodily harm as a youth.

"There's clearly a little bit of a pattern and we should caution you as to your future actions. We don't want to see you in court again. We don't think you are a bad person."

Bacon's lawyer Mr. Andrew Moxon told the magistrates: ''He is a very pleasant and likeable young man who went behind the bar maybe trying to impress the ladies by getting them a drink."

He said the young actor, who is supported financially by his parents, has no alcohol or drug issues. 

Outside court Mr. Aljaf said: "He was arrogant, like he was above us and we could not tell him what to do."

Consultant Gynaecologist Accused Of Groping Female Patients

A consultant gynaecologist groped six female patients during private and NHS consultations, even asking one woman to reveal her tattooed bum, a court heard yesterday.

Mahesh Patwardhan, 53, was turned on by rubbing himself against women while "groping" their breasts from behind as they bent over an examination couch, the jury were told.

Patwardhan, of Alderton Hill, Loughton, saw NHS patients at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Charlton and private patients at The Blackheath Hospital and The Holly, Buckhurst Hill, Essex.

He has pleaded not guilty at Woolwich Crown Court to six counts of sexual assault between July 2, 2008 and September 24, 2012.

He also denies two counts of fraud relating to falsely billing private medical insurers for work he did not perform.

Prosecutor Miss Kate Bex said the first woman, aged 37, was an NHS patient referred by her GP who says the consultant groped her between her legs.

"It lasted ten seconds, but she was so shocked and surprised she did not say anything at the time."

She reported Patwardhan to the police after reading he was disciplined by the General Medical Council.

The second woman, a mum-of-three aged 32, was also seen at the Queen Elizabeth. "He came behind her and put his arms around her and onto her breasts.

"He groped her breasts and squeezed them with his hands and she was in total shock," said Miss Bex, explaining the woman made an excuse to avoid removing the rest of her clothing.

In digitally-recorded interview with police the woman explained: "He came behind us and that's when he put his hands on us. He wasn't talking, he was just groping my breasts.

"It was horrible, I was in total shock. I didn't know what to do, I felt sick and disgusted.

"When he said: 'Take your knickers off' I knew something was wrong. If I had lied on that couch and took my knickers off what would he have done?"

The third woman, a 35 year-old private patient, says Patwardhan groped her between her legs. 

"She says she heard him making a groaning noise and he asked her about her sex life and if she had orgasms," said Miss Bex.

Patwardhan performed intimate cosmetic surgery on the woman, but billed her insurers - AXA PPP - for cyst removal because they would not cover the true operation, the jury were told.

"Afterwards he told her she would soon be having: 'Lots of sexy sex and orgasms' in a way that gave her the creeps."

The fourth woman, a 37 year-old mum-of-two, says Patwardhan became more intimate after sizing her up.

"The cuddling started after her second or third visit," explained Miss Bex. "He'd hug her goodbye and push his body into her, grab her bottom and kiss her on the cheek.

"He examined her breasts after asking her to bend over the couch and asked her to show him the tattoo on her bum."

The fifth woman, aged 30, was a private Blackheath Hospital patient, who had an ovarian cyst.

"The defendant put his arms around her, his hand on her knee and told her she was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside.

"He asked her to bend over the couch and she could feel his body pressing against hers from behind while cupping her breasts.

"She thought he became aroused and she was embarrassed so put her clothes on and left the room as fast as she could."

Patwardhan offered to investigate the back pain of a sixth woman, aged 26. "He felt her spine and then cupped her breasts.

A private BUPA patient, aged 21, came forward to report Patwardhan for making her sign a claim form for a £195 non-existent pre-surgery consultation.

She was seen at The Holly, where the defendant's wife was the anaesthetist, and said she did not make a fuss because she was in the couple's hands.

When questioned by police Patwardhan mainly answered "no comment" to questions, but did deny making dishonest claims and conducting sexually-motivated examinations.

The trial is expected to last three weeks…………

Drunken Royal Designer To The Stars Whacked Stewardess When Ordered Off Dubai Flight

Pain In Neck: Leena Romu

 A drunken royal designer to the stars whacked an air stewardess when ordered off a flight to Dubai for her foul-mouthed behaviour.

Leena Romu, 63, who has worked for iconic British fashion designers Vivienne Westwood and Anthony Price, struck Lisa O'Keefe in the back.

Romu, of Bromyard House, Bromyard Avenue, Acton, who now designs bridal and evening gowns, was being led off the Virgin plane.

On boarding she was unsteady on her feet and bumped into the bulkhead and nearly fell into another passenger's lap before getting into a row with a father travelling with his young son.

He told her to stop swearing and when ordered off the plane Romu shouted at him: "Shut up. It's your f***ing fault."

Romu, who has worked on designs for the Royal Family and the Harry Potter film franchise, denied, but was convicted of assault and fined £105, with £300 costs and ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge.

Ealing Magistrates Court heard the stewardess noticed Romu boarding the Heathrow flight on December 20, last year with bottles of duty free alcohol.

"She stumbled into the bulkhead of the aircraft, was unsteady on her feet and the passengers behind her told me they thought she had been drinking," said Ms O'Keefe.

"She was asking one passenger where her seat was and nearly fell into the lady's lap. The father of a young boy was asking her to refrain from using foul language."

"Hurt": Lisa O'Keefe

Ms O'Keefe said a colleague detected alcohol on Romu's breath and she was told to leave the plane.

"She was shouting in my ear that she was going to sue Virgin and me and I got a shove, slap between my shoulder blades.

"It felt like the heel of the hand between my shoulder blades and she said: 'I didn't hit you, I pushed you.'

"Two hours into the flight I said to my colleagues: 'I think she's really hurt me' and after going to sleep I couldn't move my neck and saw a physio for six sessions."

Prosecutor Mr. Bhavin Patel told the court the row escalated with Romu asking Ms O'Keefe: "What do you mean?" and "What are you trying to say?"

Staff told first-time offender Romu they had concerns she was well enough to fly.

"She was becoming more unreasonable and it was having an effect on other passengers and Ms O'Keefe went to speak with the captain."

Another passenger described Romu as "angry" and said she deliberately barged into the stewardess.

Police were called and Romu said three pins in her hip made her unsteady and she accidentally stumbled into Ms O'Keefe when she stopped abruptly in front of her.

Romu has also worked on designs for Batman film The Dark Knight, plus Duran Duran and Joan Collins. 

Pensioner Robbed At Gunpoint After Bank Visit: CCTV Released

Police have released a CCTV image of a suspect they wish to speak with after an elderly man was robbed at gunpoint in Woolwich.

At approximately 10.15am on Thursday, January 7, the victim - a man aged in his early 70s - returned to his van in the Wilkinsons car park after withdrawing a substantial amount of money from a bank on Woolwich New Road.

He was approached by the suspect, who got into the car and produced a black handgun, before telling the victim to drive.

They drove past the Woolwich Ferry and turned into Farmdale Road, close to the flyover for the A2, Blackwall Tunnel approach.

The suspect told the man to stop the van before stealing the money and running away.

The suspect is described as black, aged in his early thirties, 6ft 2ins tall and of athletic build.

He was wearing a black coat and had a scarf over his face.

Detectives from Greenwich are investigating and would like to speak with anyone who either saw the suspect get into the van at the car park, or running away from Farmdale Road.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Millwall v Crystal Palace Pub Punch-Up: CCTV Released

Police hunting two violent thugs after a boozy clash between Millwall and Crystal Palace supporters have released this CCTV image.

The two groups became abusive towards each other after watching football in the Gordon Arms pub, Park Road, Chislehurst on December 13, last year.

They continued drinking for five hours after watching a televised game and at around 10.00pm violence broke out and one of the men is believed to have been armed with a knife.

Three people sustained injuries to their heads, necks and arms and the fight continued outside the pub.

Detective Constable Max Ndobho, from Bromley CID, said: "We are keen to speak to the men in the images.

“Anyone who knows their identity or whereabouts, or who witnessed the fight is asked to get in touch with us."

Anyone with information should contact DC Ndobho at Bromley CID via 101, or alternatively, they should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Cheeky Shop Burglar Nicked Cash & Cigs: CCTV Released

Detectives from Tower Hamlets investigating a burglary at a convenience store have issued CCTV footage of a man they wish to identify and speak to in connection with the incident.

On Wednesday, January 6 police were called at around 6.40am to a report of a burglary at a food and wine store on Hackney Road in Tower Hamlets, east London.

The burglary was reported to have occurred at some point between 2.00am and 5.20am that day.

Cash and tobacco were stolen.

CCTV overlooking the front counter captured a man just after 2.00am go behind the till and remove the cash drawer and cigarettes.

The suspect is described as a white man, aged in his thirties and 6ft tall.

He was wearing a dark blue hooded top with a white stripe in the middle of the hood, an Adidas tracksuit and light brown shoes.

Police are keen to hear from anyone who may recognise the man shown on CCTV.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police via 101 quoting reference number 201015 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Greedy £78m Ponzi Fraudsters Jailed For Olympic-Sized Scam

Seven Years: Spencer Steinberg

Three Ponzi fraudsters who used fake contracts with the London 2012 Olympics and international hotel chains to swindle £78m out of family, friends and other investors have been jailed.

A small east London electrical wholesale company was the vehicle used in the scam, which financed the purchase of Rolls Royce, Bentley, Ferrari's and Porsche cars for the organisers, plus yachts and million pound homes.

Chartered accountant Spencer Mitchell Steinberg, 46, of Lodge End, Radlett, Hertfordshire and garment storer Michael Strubel, 54, of Princes Manor, Royal Drive, New Southgate denied the charges.

They were both sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

Both men had pleaded not guilty to conspiring between January 1, 2006 and May 31, 2010 to defraud investors in Saunders Electrical Wholesalers Ltd; Zac Fashion; Camlet Capital Investments; Camlet Capital and Hole In One.

Seven Years: Michael Strubel

They falsely promised Saunders Electrical Wholesalers Ltd had high-value electrical contracts with blue chip hotel chains and with London 2012's Olympic Village. 

Jolan Marc Saunders, 40, of Almonds, Avenue, Buckhurst Hill, Essex pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge.

He also pleaded guilty to contravening a company director disqualification order by running Saunders Electrical Wholesalers Ltd. between December 19, 2008 and May 31, 2010.

He was sentenced to six years and nine months imprisonment.

Approximately 91 investors, many from the north and east London jewish community, were cheated.

"Investment deals were around the massive supply of electrical goods to hotel chains and later on those involved in the construction of the Olympic Village in Stratford," said prosecutor Miss Sarah Foreshaw QC. 

"These defendants, using the vehicle of a small electrical company, were saying: 'We've secured the contract for the whole of the athletes village.' The contracts to supply were fictitious."

Investors put money in with the promise they would receive up to 7% interest on contracts to supply the Hilton and Marriott hotel chains with trousers presses, lightbulbs, air conditioning units, television sets and other electrical equipment.

"The vast pool of money was never used to buy electrical goods for hotels," explained the QC. "The defendants skimmed off huge sums of money for themselves.

Jolan Saunders: Six Years Nine Months 

Ironically some investors joked the scheme, which ran from 2006 until May 2010, was a scam similar to notorious Ponzi fraudster Bernard Madoff, 77, serving 150 years for an $18 billion fraud.

"You will hear the name Madoff in this case. Ironically his sentence in 2008 made the news and some of the investors joked whether this was a similar Ponzi scheme because it all seemed too good to be true.

"They were assured by the defendants that it was not. In their joke they had hit upon the truth.

"This fraud involves persuading people to part with their money on the promise these defendants were going to invest it for them in a very good profitable business, but they effectively pocketed the money for themselves.

"It made them rich. Rich at the expense of their investors.

"You will hear about Bentley's, Ferrari's, Porsche's, Rolls Royce's, yachts and million pound houses. You will hear that these defendants, for a while, lived the life of Riley.

"When it all unravelled and the victims discovered what they had done there were tears and expressions of regret from both these defendants.

"Some of those tears may have been genuine because they knew by then they were in trouble, they had been found out.

"Many of those who lent money were friends, they trusted them. The defendants hoped the fraud would continue for longer so the closest of their friends and family members would cash out when the scheme imploded.

"The tears of regret were as convincing as the lies they told to convince professional people to invest money. They are conmen and they do it well."

   

The trio were arrested in December 2010 by the Serious Fraud Office, assisted by officers from the Serious Organised Crime Agency, Met, Essex and Hertfordshire police raided five residential addresses and one commercial premises during Operation Canon.

"Saunders Electrical Wholesalers Ltd (SEWL) was a one man and van set-up," explained Miss Foreshaw.

"It did sometimes do business with hotels on a small scale and that was useful because it had some genuine purchase orders and invoices from electrical suppliers.

"They provided useful templates to create documents that suggested SEWL was involved in a fantastic multi-million pound contract.

"The basic lie was that SEWL had mega-orders that required large short-term financing. 

"Bank statements and company accounts were falsified and emails doctored.

"Vulnerable victims parted with tens of thousands of pounds and sometimes their life-savings.

"Many were business acquaintances, many were from the Jewish community in north and east London, friends, family, people who trusted them, some knew them from childhood.

"The defendants, caught up in gold fever and with the trappings of wealth ploughed on."

Saunders rented space for SEWL at a warehouse run by Strubel in Hainault Business Park, Fowler Road, Ilford.

Strubel has a background in the garment trade and ran Zac Fashion - a storage company - and his accountant was Steinberg.

Both Steinberg and Strubel handed over cash-stuffed envelopes to investors. "They were, these three, the prosecution say, as thick as thieves.

"They bought properties together and went on holiday together during the fraud," said Miss Foreshaw.

"All grew rich from the fraud and Strubel, in particular, treated himself to luxury cars and a yacht."

Saunders forged genuine hotel purchase orders to impress investors, in one case doctoring a genuine £120 lightbulb order to show a fictitious £90,000 order and on another occasion a £4.71 order became one for £79,000.