Married Benefit Claimant Said She Was Single

A benefit cheat, who claimed she was single while living with her husband, has received a suspended prison sentence.

Debbie Jones, 44, of Ferney Meade Way, Isleworth dishonestly declared she had no potential additional income coming into her household.

During this time she was paid Housing Benefit; Income Support; Employment Support Allowance and Jobseekers Allowance.

At Bexley Magistrates Court she was sentenced to twelve weeks imprisonment, suspended for twelve months.

Jones was also placed on a twelve-month Community Order, which includes up to ten days rehab and must pay a £115 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

She pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to notify the London Borough of Hounslow she was living with her husband between February 16 and August 9, 2015.

Jones also pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement to the London Borough of Greenwich on August 12, 2015, namely that she was single.

She also admitted fraud by dishonestly failing to disclose to the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) on May 11, 2017 she was living with her husband.

Jones similarly made a false statement to the DWP on May 24, 2016; September 20, 2017 and between February 10, 2015 and May 18, 2016.

The court found Jones co-operated with the investigation, admitted her guilty early and showed genuine remorse.

Tranmere Rovers Fan's Racist Wembley Rant

A drunken Tranmere Rovers fan missed his team’s dramatic Wembley play-off victory after shouting: “You f***ing p*** c***,” at an asian security officer.

Electrician Jordan Unsworth, 23, of Mavis Drive, Birkenhead, Wirral claims he was agitated by police sniffer dogs outside the stadium.

The dad-of-one pleaded guilty at Willesden Magistrates Court to racially aggravated threatening behaviour and trying to enter a sporting event while drunk on May 25.

Tranmere Rovers beat Newport County 1-0 in the final seconds of injury time to secure promotion to League One.

The first-time offender was conditionally discharged for eighteen months and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor Ms Neeta Minhas told the court on Friday: “At the football match police dogs indicated this defendant should be searched and he took umbrage and was extremely difficult with the officers.

“He appeared to be intoxicated and the officers had to restrain him and police began escorting him away from the ground.

“The defendant turned to one of the security officers and said: ‘You f***ing p*** c***,’ and these words were captured on the police bodywork footage.”

The audio of the footage was played in court and police officers could be heard repeatedly telling Unsworth to “calm down” and “chill out” before the racial slur.

He could also be heard shouting: “You think I give a f***?” and: “This is embarrassing this.”

The security officer did not hear Unsworth’s words at the time, but after hearing the police recording said: “I was upset by the comment made to me, but unfortunately I am used to it at the football.”

Police could be heard telling Unsworth his behaviour was “unacceptable”, considering there were so many families and children around.

The Crown Prosecution Service applied for a three-year football banning order, but this was rejected by the magistrates.

“It was a brief incident after he was approached by dogs. He has a fear of dogs and told them he was very scared,” said Ms Ruta Mikailaite, defending.

“It was a negative search, no drugs were found, but he was detained and his arm was put behind his back and he was in pain.

“His shirt was ripped as a result of being detained.

“His girlfriend and her family are the real supporters of the team and he went out of loyalty to them and to his village. They are a small team from a small village.

“He was on the coach and they were all drinking, which he could not handle. He missed the game after paying for a ticket and the coach.”

Unsworth was released from police custody at 3am.

“He had never been in custody before and was terrified of coming to court today,” added Ms Mikailaite.

“I have never met anyone so anxious, fearing they would go to prison.

“His father did not speak to him he was so ashamed and my client is also ashamed.”

After reading a letter from Unsworth magistrate Ms Sonal Dave told him: “These are serious offences. There were families and children there.”

Psychiatric Hospital For Mother & Son 'Witchfinders'

Leonora & Mark Joseph

A born-again Christian mother and son ‘witchfinders’, who shouted “death by fire” chants at their upstairs neighbour, have both been committed to secure psychiatric hospitals by a court.

Leonora Joseph, 76, and her son Mark Joseph, 56, targeted 45 year-old Samantha Ginsburg, believing she was a witch, Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard.

District Judge Andrew Sweet announced at the conclusion of their trial he found the allegations proved and they committed the acts claimed.

The Joseph’s, of Cromwell Road, Wimbledon both pleaded not guilty to harassing upstairs neighbour Ms Ginsburg between August 27 and November 30, last year.

The charge accuses both Joseph’s of shouting: “Death by fire,” playing their television loudly and calling their neighbour a: “Witch.”

After Ms Ginsburg eventually reported them to the police she logged 38 separate incidents between August 28 and making a second police statement on January 4, this year.

Mrs Joseph will be admitted to Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and her son to Springfield University Hospital, Tooting.

Samantha Ginsburg

Mrs Joseph told the trial: “Somebody in witchcraft will not like the name of God and in particular Jesus. I will call her a witch, because that is what she is, that’s not hateful, that’s her occupation.”

Mrs Joseph claimed Ms Ginsburg was exposed as a witch when she “reacted in horror” upon first meeting her, behaviour a local “Godly” woman said was a tell-tale sign.

“The woman, who I met in Waitrose, told me: “She sees Jesus in you. No-one will know, only a witch will know you are a follower of Jesus.”

During prayers for her failing health Mrs Joseph said she saw an image of Ms Ginsburg on her bedroom wall and said flatmate Klaudius Barran was also involved.

“How can they say we are chanting? Christians don’t chant. We fight against the spirit, we don’t fight against the human.”

She conceded playing religious Trinity Broadcasting Network and God TV at high volume so the neighbours would hear the words.

Quoting Exodus Mrs Jospeh told the court: “Thou shall not suffer a witch to live. That is the word of God.

“We want to destroy this witchcraft. It doesn’t just attack us, but also non-believers and they wouldn’t be aware.

“It comes to us this witchcraft and it is the work of Satan.”

She confirmed the loud prayers and TV were designed to be heard. “It was intended to upset the spirit in them. These are people dealing with evil, with Satan. They are haters of God.”

Her son Mark told the court: “We are in spiritual warfare. They are practicing witchcraft. This is not something a court or police force can deal with.

“We have had a life of hell with them as neighbours. They are tracking us, eavesdropping, all our activities are monitored.

“They are trying to murder us.”

Solicitor And G.P. In Four-Year : 'Battle Of The Bins' Feud

Not Guilty: Hugh Sorrell

A veteran solicitor charged with harassment was simply defending his strip of land during a four-year wheelie bin battle with his Harley Street doctor neighbour, a judge has ruled.

Hugh Clement Sorrell, 76, found himself arrested and prosecuted after repeated run-ins with Dr. Jayshree Pillaye, 72, outside their apartments in leafy Pinner.

The pair were involved in a dispute over the bins, repeatedly moving each other’s out of the way and Dr. Pillaye also claimed he moved her religious artefacts, with both parties accusing the other of digging up their flowers.

He claims neighbourly relations soured when the general practitioner lost a civil claim against the other leaseholders of Tudor House, Pinner Hill Road in 2013 and was ordered to pay £450,000 court costs.

On Friday at Willesden Magistrates Court Sorrell, a property and lease specialist, was found not guilty of harassing Dr. Pillaye by abusing her between February 17 and August 20, last year.

“The defendant did nothing more than protect his proprietary rights, apart from one incident in four years when he called her a bitch,” ruled District Judge Dennis Brennan.

Giving evidence behind a screen Dr. Pillaye told the trial: “I was in fear every time I stepped out to my bins. Mr. Sorrell said things that were hurtful, fearful and caused me to panic.

“He said that I didn’t own land to the side of my kitchen, that I was squatting and trespassing and that I didn’t own my part of the freehold.

Bins Battle: Dr. Pillaye

“He said that I was a thief and made me doubt whether I owned my flat. Mr. Sorrell is a solicitor and he said it so often I wondered what is the truth and what isn’t and had to look at my own deeds.”

Sorrell told the court: “I was annoyed that she was trespassing, virtually on a daily basis, not one bin, but three and would shunt mine aside.”

He also alleged she dug up lavender flowers he planted.

Dr. Pillaye began recording their confrontations on her phone, saying her neighbour would abuse her from an upstairs window.

“He would say: ‘You are unworthy, go and squat somewhere else.’ I should not be living in fear, I should be enjoying life, I love my flat and neighbours and social network.

“He would refer to my brain as: ‘Sawdust between your ears’ and say: ‘How can you be a doctor if you can’t read?’

“He also used the derogatory term ‘coolie’ and called me a bitch a couple of times and called me a cow and made a moo sound.

“It is dehumanising, I despaired, I felt helpless, there as no civility.”

Battle Of The Bins: Tudor House

Both Sorrell and Dr. Pillaye have resided in their apartments for over thirty years, with the lawyer telling the court he tried to keep her: “As distant as possible.”

She told the court: “It is a constant barrage, saying I’m unworthy to be a human being and he is digging up my plants now.”

As a Tamil Hindu Dr. Pillaye placed artefacts in the disputed area. “Mr. Sorrell said: ‘I don’t care if they are religious things. You are trespassing, that’s my part of the garden.’

“I want to enjoy what belongs to me and planted flowers that reminded me of my childhood, but he dug them up three or four times.”

Sorrell told the trial Dr. Pillaye’s behaviour was motivated by her expensive civil court defeat. “She did not like that she was condemned to indemnity costs.

“She would move her bins onto land comprising my lease and I would move them off. She put her bins totally in my area virtually on a daily basis.

“She did not tend to come out after dark so at sunset I would move them.”

After the not guilty verdict was announced the court heard Dr. Pillaye made a further complaint to police, regarding more recent incidents, which may be subject to investigation.

Anarchy In The UK: Illegal Sierra Leone £164K Cheat Still Here

Bangura: £164K Cheat

A Sierra Leone fraudster, who used a bogus identity to get UK residency and swindle over £164,000 in benefits, is still demanding to remain in the UK, a court heard.

Single-mum Aminata Bangura, 44, was refused leave to remain as a student in 2004, but won her Home Office case under the fraudulent name.

She was accelerated up the council waiting list after having a son, now aged ten years-old, who needs lifelong NHS care for sickle cell anaemia. 

Bangura, of Laird House, Redcar Street, Camberwell was sentenced to two years imprisonment in May, last year for the immigration offences, but was released after eight months.

At Inner London Crown Court Judge Silas Reid questioned why she had not been automatically deported as a non-UK resident who had received over twelve months imprisonment.

“She’s a Sierra Leone citizen so what’s going on there with automatic deportation that should have followed sentencing?” he asked.

“I thought people were kept in custody. The Home Office have obviously decided she can have her liberty,” added the judge, who was sentencing Bangura for a Southwark council benefits scam that came to light after her prison sentence.

“The Home Office are still processing her application for leave to remain,” said Mr. Edward Duncan-Smith, defending. “The Home Office did not take any steps to detain her.”

Bangura pleaded guilty to three new charges of fraud by false representation in relation claims for income support; housing benefit and council tax benefit by using the false name of Marie Buli.

She applied for the benefits from March, 2008 and collected approximately £64,100.

The prison sentence she received last May included her also fraudulently obtaining a £50,000 student loan, plus around £50,000 in working tax credits, child tax credits and child benefit.

Prosecutor Mr. Orlando Gibbons told the court: “The Crown say it was sophisticated. She planned it.”

I Wanna Stay In The UK: Bangura

Mr. Duncan-Smith claimed Bangura was under the control of the father of her son when committing the offences and was of good character before the scam.

“She has been used by a dominant male, who used her to line his own pockets,” said the lawyer. “She has served a year in custody and it had a profound effect on her.”

However, this was not accepted by Judge Reid, who said: “I am not impressed by you saying she has no criminal convictions when she has been doing this for ten years.

“She is here for offences for which she should go back to prison.

“This is her stealing from the state so she can live. She is not entitled to be in the country from what I can see.”

The probation service even limited the number of community service hours they recommended because Bangura can’t afford to travel to their projects.

The judge told her: “You illegally came to this country and lived under a false identity for a decade and applied for benefits you continued to receive until you were sent to prison.

“You were given a council flat and all this money was stolen from the public and you had no right to that money or to be in this country.

“You knew you were stealing this money and could have said it at the time when you were sent to prison to make a clean sweep.

“I take into account your genuine remorse and the fact that apart from this there there has been no other offending and you are caring for and are the sole parent of your ten year-old son.

“I am not going to put you back in prison and take you away from your son today.”

Bangura was sentenced to ten months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months and ordered to complete 80 hours community service.

“You stole from this country so you have to pay something back,” the judge told her.

Ex-Boyfriend Admits Sending Boob And Bum Pics Of Former Lover To Her Dad

A man who sent half-naked pictures he took of his ex-girlfriend to her father during a post-break up dispute has eventually admitted his guilt.

Kevin Bolenge, 30, of Ludovick Walk, Barnes, sent close-up underwear snaps of her breasts and bum and had initially claimed they were of another woman.   

He pleaded guilty to disclosing private sexual images of the woman, with intent to cause distress, between October 8 and 10, 2017.

Bolenge denied a second charge of racially-aggravated threatening, abusive words and behaviour and this was dropped by the prosecution.

Prosecutor Helen McCormack told Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court the pair had a relationship that was “tempestuous at times.”

“The defendant sent the pictures to her father and they were pictures of a sexual nature, clearly provocative, taken during the course of their relationship.

“This was because she was declining to keep in touch with him.”

Judge Martin Barklem bailed Bolenge until August 2 for sentencing, saying of the images: “She is always clothed. They are not indecent.

“An immediate custodial sentence is extremely unlikely.”

Ms McCormack said the prosecution will be applying for a restraining order against Bolenge, prohibiting him contacting both his ex and her father.

The racially aggravated charge that was dropped was in relation to alleged texts by Bolenge, which read: ‘Keep taking selfies with your Paki friend,’ and: ‘White slag.’  

OAP Gun Charge: CPS Drop Case

A Surbiton OAP, arrested and prosecuted for having a powerful .44 gun, had the charge against him dropped the day he was due to stand trial before a judge and jury.

Michael John Bensley, 75, had a year-long wait from the day the weapon was found to discovering he would walk free.

He had always fought the charge of possessing a prohibited weapon, namely the Russian-made gun, which allegedly had a barrel of less than 30cm in length and was less than 60cm long overall.

Bensley was charged with having the gun on June 11, last year at his home in Tolworth Road.

When he initially appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court the case was immediately transferred to Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court.

At the crown court the Crown Prosecution Service announced that after a review of the charge they decided it was not in the public interest to prosecute Bensley. 

Eight Years For BBQ Host Who Raped Air Hostess Guest On Couch

8 Years: Van Der Linde

A BBQ host is starting an eight-year prison sentence for taking advantage of an exhausted and tipsy air hostess he raped on the couch of his South Harrow flat.

Plumbing and heating engineer Nico Van Der Linde, 42, pounced as his long-term partner slept off the night’s drinking and the victim dozed in his lounge.

A Harrow Crown Court jury rejected his claim the pair had consensual sex and unanimously convicted him of raping the 36 year-old woman at the Roxeth Green Avenue address on October 15, 2016.

The Emirates employee, who had 5-6 glasses of red wine, told the trial: “I woke up and he had my shoes off, pants off, underwear off, my legs open and was moving back and forth.”

“I shouted: ‘What the f***, what the f***’ quite loud and his eyes went big. He couldn’t believe it.

“I saw my underwear, shoes, everything scattered around the lounge floor and got dressed in the bathroom and ran out the door and was crying hysterically all the way.

“I got on the bus crying hysterically and people were staring at me. My brain couldn’t understand what just happened.”

She had to stop Van Der Linde repeatedly topping up her glass throughout the evening and credited him for being a conscientious host.

“I even called him a gentleman,” she recalled. “We all had a fair amount to drink and Nico took off my shoes and put my legs on the sofa to make me more comfortable.”

BBQ : Van Der Linde

She had travelled to the flat directly from Heathrow Airport and had not slept during the previous thirty-six hours.

Earlier prosecutor Mr. Steven Talbot Hadley told the jury there had been an incident in 2014 when the woman slept over at Van Der Linde’s flat.

“Both had consumed alcohol and the complainant was sleeping on the sofa when she awoke with this defendant behind her in the ‘spoon’ position and she remonstrated with him.”

Three months later the woman told Van Der Linde’s partner and the defendant confessed, saying he often felt “cuddly” after a few drinks.

Despite this the woman was invited to sleepover again. 

“When she woke up the defendant had slipped off her jeans and pants and pulled down his own underwear below his knees and was thrusting,” said Mr. Talbot Hadley.

Van Der Linde was questioned by police on October 26. “He said she complained of sore feet and he began massaging her feet and she liked this and he began rubbing her leg.

“He found himself pulling off her jeans and she assisted in this and removed her underwear and all this was completely with consent.

“He said when sex concluded she got really funny with him and stormed off and left the premises.”

Police seized his phone and found one message Van Der Linde sent to a friend afterwards, which read: “You got a good lawyer to represent me on rape charges?”

Isleworth Crown Court

A middle-aged paedophile, convicted of sex offences against a nine year-old girl over a decade ago, received a fourteen-year prison sentence today.

He is Ataur Rahman, 52, of Saughton Mains Terrace, Stenhouse, Edinburgh.

He was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court, west London.

Rahman originally appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates Court charged with three counts of raping the girl between November 1, 2004 and August 30, 2005.

He was also charged with engaging in penetrative sexual activity with the girl, namely with his tongue, between the same dates.

The offences occurred in west London.

On each count of rape Rahman was sentenced to fourteen years imprisonment, to run concurrently with each other.

A twelve-year sentence for the engaging in penetrative sexual activity offence will also run concurrently.

The court also ordered Rahman to spend an extra one year on licence on his release from prison.

He must also sign the sex offenders' register for life.

PE Teacher Gets Suspended Sentence For Child Porn Haul

A PE teacher, who runs an educational company, has received a suspended prison sentence for downloading sickening videos, which include a five month-old baby being raped.

Julian Sebastian Derrington, 62, was caught by Operation Bellona Metropolitan Police officers during a raid on his suburban home on September 5, last year, from which he runs Timelord Education.

Until recently Derrington, of Hampton Road, Worcester Park was employed by Raynes Park High School in south-west London.

He appeared at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court after pleading guilty to making 47 Category A indecent moving and still images of children.

He similarly pleaded guilty to making 92 Category B and 31,309 Category C indecent moving and still images of children.

Derrington also admitted possessing a prohibited image of a child and possessing 52 extreme pornographic images of people have sex with horses and dogs.

He admitted the offences when he first appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court.

On that occasion prosecutor Miss Mary Atere told the court: “This was the result of a Met Police operation targeting people accessing indecent images on the internet.

“Twenty-two devices were seized, such as laptops, tablets, hard drives and cameras and there was a very high number of indecent images on two of these devices.

“One Category A video is almost fifty minutes long and includes a number of children being raped and the youngest is said to be five months-old.

“There is obvious distress to the children and some of them are crying.

“The defendant was a teacher at the time prior to his arrest.

“The guidelines suggest a starting point regarding sentence of twelve months imprisonment.”

Derrington was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years and must complete up to 27 days rehabilitation.

He must also sign the sex offenders register for ten years and was made subject to a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Council's Hardship Fund Boss Jailed For Nicking £94K

A council boss, who fled to the USA after taking nearly £94,000 from a taxpayer-funded hardship fund for vulnerable residents, has been jailed for two years.

William Rossetti, 32, supervised the Surrey Crisis Fund while employed by the county council, which helped needy locals with emergency cash for essentials such as food and heating.

However, over three years the married university graduate, of Colburn Crescent, Guildford topped-up 37 bogus cards with money on 316 occasions, Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court heard.

Rossetti claims he was haunted by debt and a need to keep his wife Rebecca happy with treats and investigators found multiple card usages in restaurants near the matrimonial home.

He pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position between June, 2014 and April, 2017; fraudulently misusing a computer and possessing articles for use in fraud, namely blank ALLPAY cards.

Prosecutor Mr. Stephen Apted told the court Rossetti was employed at the council’s county hall HQ in Kingston-upon-Thames as the scheme’s supervisor a year before the fraud began.

When a promotion took him to a new role based at Guildford Police Station the swindle was exposed and Rossetti was suspended on April 24, 2017.

He disappeared to Philadelphia, where he claims he contemplated suicide, but was persuaded to return by his wife, who flew out to him and was arrested at Heathrow Airport on May 16, 2017.

As an official ‘superuser’ Rossetti had full access to the scheme and loaded cards he created with up to £2,000 a time, even though the usual legitimate amount were £50-£60.

The scheme was administered by finance company ALLPAY and 12 of the cards were discovered in his police station desk.

Rossetti even abused the usernames of two council colleagues to obtain more money when one was on Easter holiday and the other had left their role.

“He is thoroughly ashamed and disgusted with what he has done, letting down his colleagues and nearest and dearest,” said Mr. Abdullah Al-Yunusi, defending.

“He was burdened by much debt from his student days due to misspending and miscalculations and via a personality disorder a desire to buy gifts for his wife, driven by a sense of paranoia of abandonment.

“He saw the ease with which transactions occurred and did a test transaction and got away with it.

“Much of the spending was in local restaurants and on railway tickets.

“He fled to the USA when confronted by the reality of what he had done and his life effectively came to and end.

“He ended his relationship with his wife and wrote her a pack of lies that he was going to Europe and there were thoughts of self-harm and ending his life.”

Judge Anne Brown said: “The taxpayers paid their taxes expecting this fund would be there for welfare purposes.”

Naked Shower Video Publisher Must Remain Behind Bars

Dobla: Appeal

An accountant jailed for tricking a love rival into sending her a naked show video, which she posted online, will remain behind bars while she fights the sentence.

Convent-educated Blerina Dobla, 26, has lodged an appeal against the four-month jail term imposed a week ago, but was denied bail pending the outcome.

“I cannot predict what the outcome will be even though many such custodial sentences are suspended,” announced Inner London Crown Court Judge Freya Newbery.

Dobla, of Melliss Avenue, Richmond-upon-Thames is currently incarcerated at HMP Bronzefield and her full appeal hearing is scheduled for the end of next week.

“One of my concerns is that if I release her on bail there is the additional anxiety of being readmitted to custody after her release,” added the judge.

“I am not prepared to grant bail. She will remain in custody until the appeal is heard next Friday.”

Dobla adopted the fake identity of a male model during internet exchanges with her ex’s new 23 year-old girlfriend and persuaded her to send revealing pictures and videos.

She then published them online and deliberately tagged her friends and family in the embarrassing Instagram posts.

Judge Newbery noted the probation service had compiled a supportive report regarding Dobla, who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Dobla pleaded guilty to sending a communication of an indecent or offensive nature on January 30, 2017, namely an Instagram video of the victim naked in the shower.

She also admitted a similar charge of sending the same shower video to the victims’ friends and family via Instagram on November 1, 2017, plus additional images of the young woman in various states of undress.

The victim was persuaded to send them via Snapchat, believing the material would be only visible for a few seconds and could not be saved by the recipient.

In a lengthy victim impact statement the victim said: “I am a shell of the person I once was. This has taken a toll on my physical and mental health with attacks of anxiety and depression.

“All of my hard work was knocked down for someone’s entertainment, publicly displaying images without my consent has been like torture to humiliate me.”

When he jailed Dobla last week District Judge Karim Ezzat said: “Her behaviour was well-planned and manipulative over a period of months during which she bullied and coerced these images and published them.

“The impact on the victim has been devastating and says this has ruined her life.” 

Dobla, who attended the Catholic Gumley House Convent School - moto ‘Vive Ut Vivas’ (live that you may live) - founded in 1841 was also made subject to a five-year restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim.

Do You Know These Scumbags? : OAP Has £1K Nicked In Croydon

Police believe these two women acted together to cut open a 93 year-old woman's trolley in Croydon to snatch £1,000 cash she just withdrew from a bank.

At approximately 11.20am on Tuesday, April 2, the pensioner withdrew the cash from a bank on North End.

She placed the money – which was in an envelope – inside her shopping trolley and this transaction was witnessed by one of the female suspects.

The woman left the bank and was followed by the two suspects as she walked along Church Street.

The suspects continued to follow the victim as she visited a number of local shops and made a number of attempts to distract her.

At 11.42am, one of the suspects was captured on CCTV footage bending down next to the woman’s shopping trolley.

A short time later, the victim discovered that the trolley had been cut and the money taken.

Police were contacted and officers from the South Area Command Unit launched an investigation.

CCTV images were secured, and detectives have today released images of the two women they are trying to identify.

Suspect 1 is of slim build with long black hair. She was wearing a grey mid-length coat, black trousers and white trainers. She was carrying a black, over the shoulder handbag.

Suspect 2 is shorter, and of larger build with long black hair. She was wearing a red hooded jumper with blue and white stripes on the upper arm, a black jacket, black trousers and black trainers.

At the time of the theft, they were both wearing headscarves, although officers believe these were put on outside the shop in an attempt to disguise their appearance.

Detective Constable Ciara Riordan, based in Croydon, said: “We believe that the suspects saw the victim at the bank counter as they were passing and deliberately targeted her.

“The victim, who was very independent prior to this crime, is now anxious about leaving her house and will only go shopping with her grandson.

“I would urge anyone who recognises these women to contact us so that we can prevent them from targeting other vulnerable members of our community.”

There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.

Anyone with information about the identity of the two suspects should call DC Ciara Riordan on 020 3276 2217 or by email on ciara.riordan@met.police.uk

Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.