Global Marketing Giant Omnicom Lost £500K To Fraudulent Employees

Suspended Sentence: Luke Ward

Two fraudsters, whose new lives in the Netherlands and Australia ended when their former employer discovered a half a million pound scam, have been sentenced.

Former colleagues at global giant Omnicom Media Group, Thomas Wilson-Ward, 36, and Luke Ward, 33, returned to the UK to face the music.

Accountant Wilson-Ward was the ringleader and pleaded guilty to defrauding the company of £519,000 between December, 2015 and March, 2019.

Croydon Crown Court heard he blew all the money on gambling, alcohol and cocaine.

Ward took over the fraud and along with Wilson-Ward pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the company of £83,000 between October, 2018 and March, 2019.

Wilson-Ward received three years imprisonment and Ward twenty months imprisonment, suspended for two years, plus 200 hours community service work and fifteen days of rehab.

He also spent the proceeds on alcohol and cocaine, plus paying off some credit card bills.

The company's corporate clients include Apple; Adidas; Nissan; Exxon Mobil and VW.

Prosecutor Stefan Hyman told the court Wilson-Ward was a purchase ledger manager, who had access to Omnicom’s computer and accountancy system and simply paid money into his own bank account.

“False invoices were manufactured of companies who provided services to Omnicom and a total of forty transfers were made to the defendant’s account.”

When Wilson-Ward was made redundant from the company’s London HQ in Southwark the fraud continued with Ward, who was employed as a contractor at the company.

By the time their scam was exposed Wilson-Ward was living in Amsterdam and Ward in Perth. “It is to their credit they are here,” said Mr Hyman.

Extradition proceedings were not necessary and both defendants voluntarily returned to the UK for interviews with the company and then the police.

Wilson-Ward’s lawyer Charlotte McNally told the court: “In the last three years he has sought to rebuild his life after feeling he had been sucked into the London media world whirlwind.

“He told the police he was in a dark place and had developed an addiction to gambling, alcohol and cocaine.”

Ward’s lawyer Rakesh Bhasin said: “He followed a method devised by Wilson-Ward after he helped his work colleague in the cover-up.

“He turned to cocaine and heavy drinking before moving to Australia with his partner. The family have now moved back to Kent.”

Recorder Nicholas Yeo told father-of-one Wilson-Ward: “You probably thought, in a sense, this was free money that could be taken from a large company with no real harm.

“From almost the first moment you started working at the company you were stealing from it and abused the trust you were given to feed your greed. It was flagrant and sophisticated.”

He told Ward: “Your involvement was far less, but you joined in.”

The fraud was a blow to morale amongst the defendants former colleagues and Recorder Yeo added: “There was an abuse of personal trust.

“You sit next to someone, who you think is working for the company, but they are syphoning off money for themselves.”

Guest Denies Church Birthday Party Rape Of 12 Year-Old

A church birthday party guest shoved a 12 year-old attendee into bushes and twice raped her as she walked home through a dark park, a court heard.

Ghana-born Kofi Prempeh, 27 - nicknamed ‘Africa’ - ignored the girl’s pleas to stop and attempts to push him off, Croydon Crown Court was told.

Prempeh, of Wide Way, Mitcham has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape in the park near Leighton Street, West Croydon on August 4, 2018.

Prosecutor Nicola Merrick told the jury the girl, who had only turned twelve years-old the previous month, attended the party alone, with her family believing she would be safe amongst fellow-churchgoers they knew.

“That evening there was a birthday party and the congregation attended and the girl’s mother thought members of the church would keep an eye on her daughter.”

At 9pm the girl decided to start the short walk home. 

“She was outside the church when the defendant came out and spoke to her while holding a bottle of beer, which she thought was Guinness.

“She believes he tried to persuade her not to go home and as she walked through the park he was beside her.

“Mr Prempeh pushed her down into some bushes and pulled up her dress and touched her breasts and pulled her knickers down.

“She as shouting at him to leave her alone,” explained the prosecutor. “She was upset and tried to push him off.

“She was saying: ‘Stop, stop. There are people that can see you,’ but that did not seem to put him off.

“She was crying and he could see she was upset and told her to stop. She could not stop herself and he shouted: ‘No more crying.’

“The complainant phoned her mother and told her she as okay and the defendant was allowed at the family home that night.

“He kept telling the girl she was not to tell anyone what he had done to her and that it would be bad for her.

“The defendant told her: ‘If I find out you’ve said anything to anyone there will be trouble.’

“The girl confided in her cousin and three months later told her family what had happened.”

Prempeh was arrested and answered all questions “no comment” when interviewed.

Trial continues………………

Operation Citizen: £1.6m Suspected Fraudster Hunted

A specialist City of London Police fraud team are hunting this suspect after £1.6m was withdrawn from banks in Ipswich and Colchester.

The Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU) have released this image and are appealing for the public's assistance in identifying the individual.

The mystery person is suspected of committing fraud by illegally obtaining access to a victim’s bank card and using the card to make large cash withdrawals.

They are thought to have made these cash withdrawals at Colchester and Ipswich bank branches between March, 2020 and July, 2021.

Anyone with information should contact Detective Constable Gary Kearley of the DCPCU on 020 7709 6600 or by emailing dcpcu@dcpcu.pnn.police.uk, quoting Operation Citizen.

Seven Years For Pub Thug

Jailed: David Pattinson

A pub thug, who twice kicked another unconscious drinker in the head – causing a bleed on the victim's brain – when their brawl spilled into the street, has been jailed for seven years.

The male victim suffered a fractured skull; hearing loss; amnesia and took nearly two years off work to recover from his injuries.

David Pattinson, 45, put the boot in after knocking the other man out cold outside the pub in Moorgate, City of London on Monday, February 11, 2019.

At Inner London Crown Court Pattinson, of Duke Street, Luton, Bedfordshire was convicted by a jury of inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent.

Detective Sergeant Ben Hurley, from the City of London Police, said: “This was a vicious and senseless attack; the victim sustained injuries that have had a huge impact on his life and he will now have to live with those forever.

“I hope that the sentence passed down today brings some closure to the victim, although no sentence will make up for how much these injuries have changed his life.”

CCTV footage from the pub showed Pattison entering at 8.32pm.

Pattison made his way to the bar before approaching a table, where the victim was sitting with another person. 

The CCTV footage showed Pattison, the victim and the other person talking around the table.

At 8.41pm after several minutes of conversation, the footage showed Pattison and the victim squaring up to each other. 

The pair began fighting in the pub before the fight spilled out onto the street.

Pattison headbutted, punched and kneed the victim in the face, causing the victim to fall to the floor unconscious. 

Pattison then kicked the victim in the head twice before the other person who was sat at the table intervened.

When interviewed, Pattison claimed that he didn’t know why he had been arrested and that he hadn’t done anything wrong.

The victim sustained a number of injuries, including retrograde amnesia meaning the victim has no recollection of the night or the attack.

Ex-Spurs Star Charged

Former Tottenham Hotspur star Chris Armstrong will appear in court tomorrow accused of assaulting a man at his local Tesco’s, where he is also alleged to have caused £2,000 in damage.

The 50 year-old ex-Premier League striker, who has also played for Millwall and Crystal Palace has been bailed to appear for the first time at Westminster Magistrates Court.

The six-foot tall Newcastle-upon-Tyne-born former centre forward hit sixty-two goals in all competitions for Spurs between 1995 and 2002, following his £4.5m transfer from the Eagles.

Armstrong, of Ifield Road, West Brompton is charged with assaulting Alex Boetang, causing him actual bodily harm, at the Fawcett Road store on July 18, last year.

He is also charged with causing criminal damage to the store’s security barriers on the same occasion.

During his career, which started and finished at Wrexham, Armstrong also scored a total of seven goals for Millwall and fifty-seven for Crystal Palace.

His promising career, which also saw him earn an England B call up, was disrupted by frequent groin injuries and ankle operations.

Office Burglar's Ten-Year City Of London Ban

A notorious Square Mile office burglar has been banned from the City of London for a decade after being caught targeting multiple businesses and organisations for computer equipment.

Neville Patrick Stanbury, 52, perfected the knack of following legitimate staff through secure doors and posing as an employee or associated agent or officer to justify his presence in the building.

City of London Police successfully applied for a ten-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) when Stanbury, of Old Kent Road, Southwark was sentenced for his latest offences.

He was arrested in October, last year for five burglaries, which cost five businesses almost £40,000 in damage and loss.

At Inner London Crown Court he received three years community supervision; 180 hours community service work and six months of drug rehab.

The terms of the CBO prohibit Stanbury from: Tailgating any person into any building to which he does not normally have access or authority.

Impersonating any employee, agent or officer of any company, charity, or public body where he is not an official, verifiable, employed member of staff or contractor.

Entering the area designated by the City of London which is identified by any road name with a City of London crest and EC1, EC2, EC3 and EC4 post codes.

Taking part in the disposal or sale of electronic tablet devices and or laptop computers; whether directly or indirectly.

Stanbury is also required to register any laptop, desktop computer, or tablet device in his possession and or ownership on www.immobolise.com, with the exception of any mobile phone, computer or tablet device registered to a verifiable company and/or organisation, used by him for work purposes, and/or in the course of his legitimate gainful employment.

Acting Detective Sergeant Kirsty Richardson of the City of London Police said: “We are pleased that His Honour Judge Ian Darling was able to approve the Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) recommended by the City of London Police, preventing Stanbury from targeting further premises in the Square Mile. 

“Stanbury is a prolific criminal, and his most recent offences, which included theft of electrical equipment from five premises across the City, cost local businesses almost forty thousand pounds in damages and replacement of property.

“Theft from large organisations is not a victimless crime. Businesses have been hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, and criminal activity such as this could be a breaking point for many. 

“We will actively seek to use CBOs to effectively protect the City and the people who live, work and visit here.”

Blinds Boss Jailed For Tax Offences

Woolwich Crown Court

A self-styled ‘Solar Shading Expert’, who sold blinds for a living, will be out of the sun for a while after being imprisoned for tax fraud.

Paul David Murphy, 55, was a company director with Kent’s ‘New Origin Blinds’.

At Woolwich Crown Court he was sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment.

Murphy, of Tarran Cottage, Hook Green Road, Southfleet can expect to be paroled after serving half of that time.

He initially appeared at Bromley Magistrates’ Court two-and-a-half years ago charged with three counts of fraud by false representation, namely submitting false self-assessment tax returns.

They related to the 2013-14; 2014-15 and 2015-16 tax years.

Murphy was also ordered to pay a £149 victim surcharge.

Heads Crutch: London Bridge Assault

Police have released an image of a suspected train station thug after a man was headbutted.

The British Transport Police (BTP) are appealing for the public's assistance in identifying the individual in the image.

At 10.04pm on Thursday December 16 last year, a man approached another man at London Bridge station and an altercation broke out. 

The man then headbutted the victim before walking away.

Officers believe the man in the CCTV image may have information which could help their investigation.

If you recognise him, or have any information, please contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 151 of 17/12/21.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Guilty: Zen Massage Boss Who Molested Female Client

A respected massage therapist was convicted yesterday of acting out a “pornographic fantasy” when he molested a young professional woman two decades his junior.

Masseur Graham Stannard, 47, repeatedly touched the “attractive” half-naked 25 year-old woman between her legs, claiming he was encouraged by her moans of pleasure.

However, the woman insists she did not consent and her involuntary moans were a response to Stannard massaging her painful sciatica - caused by an irritated nerve.

The Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court jury rejected his claim he honestly believed the woman was consenting and unanimously found him guilty of two counts of sexual assault. 

Stannard, of Fleetwood Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, was bailed until sentencing on March 28 and Judge John Lodge told him: “You have been found guilty of two very serious offences and custody is a very realistic option and you must prepare yourself for that.”

The trial heard Stannard, the boss of Healing Zen Massage and a practitioner of Zen-Su deep release massage had a therapy room in a beauty salon in Bedford Hill, Balham, south London.

After reading his positive online reviews the woman, who has a high-pressure desk job, booked an appointment to receive a massage on August 2, 2020.

The jury viewed her recorded police statement in which she said: “When I removed my mask he said: ‘Wow. You’ve got such a lovely smile,’ and I thought that was the first thing out of place.”

She stripped-down to her knickers and lied face-down on the massage table as Stannard began. “He said: ‘It’s really nice you are making those noises. I’d like to hear more of them’.

“They were just the normal noises of a massage,” she told the trial, explaining Stannard put his hand between her legs after massaging her hip area.

“He just went for it and touched me four times or something, quite hard under my knickers so it was not a mistake.

“I went completely quiet. I always thought in a situation like that I’d be shouty and tell him to: ‘F*** off,’ but I just completely froze.

“I started moving my bum and hips away, but it didn’t deter him and I thought: ‘What the f***?’

“I thought: ‘F***, he’s going to do it again,’ and this time he really went for it.

“He asked me to turn over. I was topless and he looked stoked, so happy with eyes wide open, buzzing.

“He said: ‘You’ve got such an amazing body,’ he was ecstatic and said he was going to do my front and I thought he would do something worse.”

She said Stannard hastily concluded the massage then tried to discuss it with her. “He was close to my face and from then it was just creepy.

“He returned after ten minutes and he was like: ‘God, that was amazing. Maybe I can take you out to dinner and do a massage after that.’

“He gave me a hug and was going to try and kiss me and I left and called my boyfriend and burst into tears and told him what happened.

“I was sitting on the kerb, breathing heavily, it was horrible. I walked around for twenty minutes dry heaving and had a bath when I got home because I had oil all over me and wanted to get it off.”

She then received a text from Stannard, which read: ‘Lovely to see you. Let me know about home massage.’

Earlier prosecutor Warwick Tatford told the jury: “This defendant has worked as a full-time masseur for over eleven years and has a proper business.

“No doubt his regular clients think good of him, but he gave into sexual temptation that day when he gave a massage to this twenty-five year-old lady, an attractive lady as you will see in the video.

“It was under her knickers so must have been deliberate and he seemed to be enjoying it and she did not consent to it.”

Stannard did not deny touching the woman between her legs when questioned by police. “His case is she either consented and was excited or if she didn’t consent he genuinely believed she was.”

The prosecutor rejected this, telling the jury: “He just fancied her and couldn’t resist sexually assaulting her.

“It was quite a forceful massage and she made noises when he hit a painful spot. She talks about moaning, but not with a sexual meaning.

“He started imitating what she was saying, like it was turning into some sort of pornographic fantasy.

“The defendant seems to have been caught up in the excitement of it all and acting out a sexual pleasure.

“He told the officers he was sexually aroused and had crossed the line. That’s quite close to admitting sexual assault and he says he got carried away in the moment and that it felt consensual.”

When cross-examined the woman was asked about the noises she made and said it was “wrong” to conclude she was “aroused” during the massage.

She was asked why she did not ask Stannard to stop, replying: “It happened so quickly, I was in shock. I didn’t know what to say.”

Additionally, the woman was questioned as to whether moving her bum and hips could be “misconstrued” as joining in with the sexual behaviour. 

Judge Lodge told the jury: “I am not going to sentence the defendant today. The prosecution will want to consider if they want to seek a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to prevent the defendant committing similar offences.

“I will also ask for a pre-sentence report from the Probation Service to cover issues such as the risk of re-offending.”

Suspected Speccy Sex Pest Hunted

Police are hunting a tube train sex pest, who molested a young teenage girl, when she tried to get away from him.

British Transport Police (BTP) have released this image of the male they are looking for and are appealing for the public's help in identifying him.

The complainant was travelling home on a Jubilee Line train at 7.15pm on September 18, last year when a male boarded at Wembley Park.

He sat opposite her and asked for her age. 

She told him she was 14 years-old and he started asking for her Snapchat username.

The complainant moved away from the man towards the carriage doors and was ready to get off the train when he followed her.

He said: “I want to chill with you,” and then sexually assaulting her.

The complainant disembarked the service at Neasden Underground station, leaving the male on the train.

Officers believe the man in this CCTV image may have information which could help their investigation.

If you recognise him, or have any information, please contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 633 of 18/09/21.

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

Masseur Accused Of Groping Female Client Between Her Legs

A respected massage therapist was acting out a “pornographic fantasy” while twice molesting a young professional woman, he claims was enjoying his intimate touching, a court heard.

Masseur Graham Stannard, 47, repeatedly touched the “attractive” half-naked 25 year-old between her legs, saying he was encouraged by her moans of pleasure.

However, the woman insists she did not consent and her involuntary moans were a response to Stannard massaging her painful sciatica - caused by an irritated nerve.

Stannard, of Fleetwood Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault at his therapy room in Bedford Hill, Balham on August 2, 2020.

The Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court jury viewed the woman’s police interview, in which she confirmed it was her first appointment with Stannard, a practitioner of Zen-Su deep release massage.

He is the boss of Healing Zen Massage and has a suite at the beauty salon she visited. “He was quite well-known in the therapy, massage world and had good reviews,” the woman explained.

“When I removed my mask he said: ‘Wow. You’ve got such a lovely smile,’ and I thought that was the first thing out of place.”

She stripped-down to her knickers and lied face-down on the massage table as Stannard began. “He said: ‘It’s really nice you are making those noises. I’d like to hear more of them’.

“They were just the normal noises of a massage,” she told the trial, explaining Stannard put his hand between her legs after massaging her hip area.

“He just went for it and touched me four times or something, quite hard under my knickers so it was not a mistake.

“I went completely quiet. I always thought in a situation like that I’d be shouty and tell him to: ‘F*** off,’ but I just completely froze.

“I started moving my bum and hips away, but it didn’t deter him and I thought: ‘What the f***?’

“I thought: ‘F***, he’s going to do it again,’ and this time he really went for it.

“He asked me to turn over. I was topless and he looked stoked, so happy with eyes wide open, buzzing.

“He said: ‘You’ve got such an amazing body,’ he was ecstatic and said he was going to do my front and I thought he would do something worse.”

She said Stannard hastily concluded the massage then tried to discuss it with her. “He was close to my face and from then it was just creepy.

“He returned after ten minutes and he was like: ‘God, that was amazing. Maybe I can take you out to dinner and do a massage after that.’

“He gave me a hug and was going to try and kiss me and I left and called my boyfriend and burst into tears and told him what happened.

“I was sitting on the kerb, breathing heavily, it was horrible. I walked around for twenty minutes dry heaving and had a bath when I got home because I had oil all over me and wanted to get it off.”

She then received a text from Stannard, which read: ‘Lovely to see you. Let me know about home massage.’

Earlier prosecutor Warwick Tatford told the jury: “This defendant has worked as a full-time masseur for over eleven years and has a proper business.

“No doubt his regular clients think good of him, but he gave into sexual temptation that day when he gave a massage to this twenty-five year-old lady, an attractive lady as you will see in the video.

“It was under her knickers so must have been deliberate and he seemed to be enjoying it and she did not consent to it.”

Stannard did not deny touching the woman between her legs when questioned by police. “His case is she either consented and was excited or if she didn’t consent he genuinely believed she was.”

The prosecutor rejected this, telling the jury: “He just fancied her and couldn’t resist sexually assaulting her.

“It was quite a forceful massage and she made noises when he hit a painful spot. She talks about moaning, but not with a sexual meaning.

“He started imitating what she was saying, like it was turning into some sort of pornographic fantasy.

“The defendant seems to have been caught up in the excitement of it all and acting out a sexual pleasure.

“He told the officers he was sexually aroused and had crossed the line. That’s quite close to admitting sexual assault and he says he got carried away in the moment and that it felt consensual.”

When cross-examined the woman, who has a high-pressure desk job, was asked about the noises she made and said it was “wrong” to conclude she was “aroused” during the massage.

She was asked why she did not ask Stannard to stop, replying: “It happened so quickly, I was in shock. I didn’t know what to say.”

Additionally, the woman was questioned as to whether moving her bum and hips could be “misconstrued” as joining in with the sexual behaviour. 

Trial continues…………….

Masseur Secretly Recorded Female Client

A massage therapist - who specialises in treatments for new mums and their infants - was caught recording a regular young female client undressing on his mobile phone, a court heard.

Married father-of-one Tamas Dominko, 35, was later assessed to have “compulsive sexual behaviour” - destroying his high-profile career.

The qualified masseur, of Harrowdene Gardens, Teddington, graduated in 2015 from London’s Bodyology Massage School and also obtained qualifications in acupuncture and pregnancy and postnatal care.

He pleaded guilty to one count of voyeurism, namely recording another person for the purpose of sexual gratification, on July 11, last year at The Massage Centre, 86 Turnham Green Terrace, Chiswick.

Now a kitchen porter, Dominko was the boss of Little Steps Baby & Mother Wellbeing, teaching parents massage techniques for their new-born

He also specialised in massage for new mothers to overcome C-Sections, uncomfortable scar tissue and post surgical pain.

Ealing Magistrates’ Court heard his client that day - a woman in her twenties - had booked a sports massage with Dominko, who had treated her previously, at 10.15am.

“He worked at The Massage Centre by contract and clients came in hourly and the complainant had been coming for three years,” said prosecutor Maya Arputham.

“She saw a mobile phone could see her directly and she realised something was wrong and turned it towards the wall and took her top off and undressed.”

The complainant received a massage from Dominko, but was unsettled by what she had found, the court heard.

“She knew something was wrong and was nervous and was later shocked to see the phone still recording and took the phone off the shelf and took it to reception,” explained Ms Arputham.

“To her astonishment the phone was showing her and the manager of the centre apologised and the police were called and the defendant was arrested.”

Police also visited Dominko’s family home, seizing his desktop and laptop, but no further suspicious images were stored on them or on his mobile phone.

In her victim impact statement the young woman said: “I was shocked and felt threatened and did not know how to deal with it.

“I felt incredibly vulnerable, trapped in a room with Tamas almost naked. I am not the first person he is done this to, but it is the first time he has been caught.”

Magistrate Rupert Holderness sentenced Dominko to a twelve-month Community Order, which includes thirty-five days on the Horizon sex offenders programme.

He must also complete up to thirty days of a rehabilitation activity requirement; 100 hours community service work; pay £250 compensation to the victim; £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

Also ordering Dominko to sign the sex offenders register for five years the magistrate told him: “It is a serious matter and people do go to prison for this sort of thing.

“If you do this sort of thing again you could face the real prospect of going to prison.”

The victim had seen a phone in the same position during previous appointments, but Mr Holderness announced: “There is a suspicion, but we cannot take this into account during sentencing.

“She expresses suspicion this has happened before, but when the defendant was asked this by the probation officer he refused to answer and told the psychiatrist he did not want to talk about it.”

However, the police investigation has concluded and Dominko’s lawyer Tamasin Graham told the court: “We are drifting into speculation, which has no place in this sentencing exercise. We are here for one incident.

“He is a man of previously good character and that is the real tragedy of this. That record is blighted and is something he will have to live with for the rest of his life.

“The words he uses to express his remorse and describe his behaviour jumps off the page. He speaks of great shame and regret and understands it is completely unacceptable and wrong.

“He has done all you could expect him to in the aftermath to redress his motivation for offending,” added the lawyer. “An unfortunate way of dealing with his problems developed when he was young.

“He has been diagnosed cautiously with compulsive sexual behaviour and it is something he has to live with.

“He has made a clean break professionally and drawn a line under his career as a masseur and is now working as a kitchen porter.”

The court heard Dominko has already completed thirteen self-funded therapy sessions and twenty behaviour group sessions.

“He recognises it as a problem,” added Ms Graham. “He is a family man with a wife and daughter, aged three-and-half years old and is taking steps to deal with a real condition.”

Park Drug Dealer Caught By Police

A heroin and crack cocaine dealer caught by police in a west London park is starting a prison sentence.

Ibrahim Amana, 29, received two years and nine months imprisonment when he appeared at Isleworth Crown Court.

He was convicted of possession of Class A drugs, with intent to supply.

On Saturday, November 28, 2020 officers from the Violence Suppression Unit were on proactive patrols in Hounslow.

They saw Amana enter Lampton Park and meet with two other males in some bushes.

He was observed by one of the officers sitting down on a makeshift bench with a cling-film bag on his lap.

On seeing police Amana attempted to flee, but was caught after a short foot chase.

He was detained in possession of twenty-eight individual rocks of heroin and crack cocaine.

Jailed: Two Women Who Sent Bogus Letter To HMP Belmarsh Drug-Dealer

Girlfriend: Shannon Price

A drug-dealer’s girlfriend has been jailed for falsely convincing a government agency he was the victim of modern-day slavery - almost springing him from custody.

Remarkably, the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) concluded the heroin and crack cocaine dealer was a victim, based partly on the bogus threatening letter the girlfriend sent to HMP Belmarsh.

However, the Crown Prosecution Service and the police were not convinced and their investigation exposed the plan.

At Woolwich Crown Court Shannon Price, 25, received ten months imprisonment and her friend Taylor Woolcock, 23, received eight months.

Mother-of-two Price convinced Woolcock to write the prison letter to drug-dealer Oluwaseyi Olorisade, 31, who was later sentenced to five-and-a-half years imprisonment.

He was on remand when the letter was intercepted, which read: “We can get to you in Belmarsh. You’ve been stabbed before, we can get to you. Make sure you give no names, don’t f*** with me. You know who this is.”

Cleaner Price, of The Copperfields, Tupman Close, Rochester and security guard Woolcock, of Ann’s Place, Stoke, Plymouth both pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice between October and November, 2020.

Prosecutor Gareth Munday told the court Price’s boyfriend was charged with supplying heroin and crack cocaine. “His defence was that he was a victim of modern-day slavery.

“He said he was threatened by others and forced to supply drugs and had been stabbed in the past.”

The NRM concluded Olorisade was a victim of modern-day slavery, but police found Woolcock’s fingerprints on the letter and she told officers Price asked her to write and send it.

“She said Price had been putting an awful lot of pressure on her to assist. She said she had been massively pressured into it by Price, who told her it would assist her boyfriend’s defence.

“She knew he was not a nice individual and described him as a middle-man in drugs supply.”

When Price was arrested she told police: “It’s not as if I put a gun to her head,” added the prosecutor. “She also said her boyfriend had not asked her to do it.”

The court heard the single mum-of-two endured an abusive childhood and had been brought up in the care system.

Her lawyer Charlieann Sherriff told the court: "She does not accept she was responsible for any threats or pressure and this was not significantly thought out or planned.

"She believed she was in a stable relationship with her boyfriend and felt very alone when he was remanded in custody."

Price was arrested at her home address on June 7, last year. 

"She lied in interview and tried to shift the blame onto Woolcock," said Mr. Munday. "It could well have caused a miscarriage of justice."

Woolcock, who has never served a prison sentence before, is one of eight children and grew up in the West Country care system, where she met Price.

She had plans to “turn her life around” and begin a college course to become a barber.

Woolcock’s lawyer Alex Rynn requested his client have the benefit of a Probation Service pre-sentence report, but this was rejected by Judge Jonathan Mann QC, who announced there was no alternative sentence to immediate imprisonment.

“She finds herself here as a result of misplaced loyalty,” said Mr. Rynn. “Both defendants were in care and school together.

“She was drinking too much and taking too many drugs. She left her own fingerprint on the letter, this was not a sophisticated offence.

“She felt an enormous amount of guilt having to say no.”

Judge Mann said: “There is a mechanism to investigate those who are victims to protect those genuinely trafficked from being prosecuted.

“It is sad that people who are not victims of modern-day slavery use this mechanism to get out of taking responsibility for what they have done and that’s what happened in this case.

“The prison received a letter that reinforced his defence and the mechanism concluded that he was a victim of modern slavery, based in part to that letter.

“The referral scheme was attacked by the unscrupulous, who abused that mechanism,” added the judge. “However, the CPS were unwilling to accept that ruling.

“The consequences were that a guilty drug dealer would have got away with it and this was a very serious attempt to pervert the course of justice.

“Such a serious attempt to pervert the course of justice, even an extremely fumbled one, cannot be anything other than a custodial sentence.”