Tooting Bec Break-In: CCTV Image Released

Police continue to hunt this suspected burglar after a Tooting Bec break-in netted £2,600 in computer equipment and a watch.

Detectives on Wandsworth Borough have released this CCTV image taken in the alleyway at the rear of residential premises.

On Friday, July 22, last year police were called at around 6.45pm to reports of a residential burglary in Hereward Road.

The burglary occurred between 10.15am and 10.42am that day.

CCTV overlooking the rear of the premises caught a man walking up and down an alleyway shortly before the property was broken into.

The suspect is described as a stocky black man, aged in his late twenties, with short hair.

He was wearing a grey hooded top, light blue jeans and dark trainers and carrying a dark brown bag.

Detective Constable John Baldwin of Wandsworth CID, said: “We are keen to hear from anyone who may recognise the man shown in the footage or the still released, or anyone who witnessed the incident.”

Anyone who can assist the investigation is asked to contact Wandsworth CID via 101.

To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.

Eleven Year-Old Girl Molested On London Bus: Image Released

Police are hunting this suspected sexual predator after an 11 year-old girl was molested on the top deck of a bus and followed to a nearby shop.

On July 31, last year the girl took a seat at the rear of a route 25 bus as it travelled along Walworth Road, Walworth.

A short time later a man sat down next to her.

As she got off the bus at her stop and passed the man he sexually assaulted her.

She went into Superdrug in the Butterfly Walk shopping centre Camberwell Green and saw she had been followed into the shop by the suspect.

She purchased some items and left the shop, noticing that the suspect was now waiting at a nearby bus stop.

She made her way in the opposite direction and luckily he did not follow.

The man is described as aged between 35 and 45 years-old and approximately 5ft 8in tall, and of medium build.

Anyone with information, or who recognises the man in the image, is asked to contact PC Andrew Barrenger from the Roads and Transport Policing Command on 07826 536183 or via 101.

To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

French President's Pal Denies Assaulting Ex-Wife And Boy Outside £7.7m Kensington Home

President's Pal: Laine

The ex-wife of a leading entrepreneur and liberal intellectual - who is a confidante to new French president Emmanuel Macron - told a court today: “It was like a movie scene,” when he attacked her and a 10 year-old boy outside his £7.7m Kensington home.

Qualified lawyer Mathieu Laine, 42, is accused of grabbing the arm of former wife Eleanore Salin, 40, and pulling her during a Boxing Day domestic last year.

“Suddenly I felt my arm was pulled and I heard screams, Mathieu. I didn’t see him coming, I was very surprised,” the mum-of-two told Hammersmith Magistrates Court. 

Father-of-three Laine, of Palace Gardens Terrace has pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault on December 26, 2016, claiming his ex wants to end his access to their boys, aged 10 and seven.

The court heard a crowd gathered in the exclusive road, drawn by Ms Salin’s screams, with Laine’s new wife threatening to call the police to take her away.

Laine, the founder of consultancy firm Altermind and UK sister company Hypermind married Alix Foriel-Destezet, the daughter of French billionaire Philippe Foriel-Destezet, after the divorce and they have a daughter together.

Ms Salin admitted hiring a private detective to track her husband after they split in March, 2015 and campaigned for her sons not to attend their father’s marriage, even petitioning the priest. 

Ms Salin, also a qualified lawyer, had arrived at the property in a Uber cab with the young boy, following a day of stressful phone calls and text exchanges with Laine.

“It was a very distressing time, Mathieu put a lot of pressure on me. I was receiving a lot of text messages and phone calls.”

Ex-Wife: Eleanore

She claims her arm was sore for up to ten days after the incident. “I can still feel where Mathieu grabbed me on that day.

“My arm was red for several days. Mathieu grabbed the boy violently and the boy’s back was against Mathieu’s chest and he put his hand over his mouth and his legs were floating in the air.

“It was like a movie scene. He threw him  in the house and I can’t remember what I did. I was in a state of shock.”

She told the court Laine pointed a finger at her and shouted: “You will pay. You are a dirty person and you will pay for what you do.

“He closed the door and I heard him saying awful things to the boy. He said: ‘You little stupid boy, little shit, little arsehole. You will pay for this.’

“I heard him hitting him twice and I went up the steps and knocked the door very loudly. I had the sensation he was in danger.

“I felt very dizzy, very shocked running down the street not knowing what to do, asking for help from the neighbours.

“I was desperately looking at my phone trying to remember the number of the police, 999. The Uber driver said: ‘I saw everything, I’ll call the police.’”

Laine, who has lectured in economics and political philosophy at Sciences Po, Paris - known as Paris Institute of Political Studies - claims his ex has an agenda for bringing the charges.

Laine’s lawyer Miss Orla Daly told the court: “There is a motivation behind what we say is a false allegation.”

Cross-examining Laine’s ex-wife the lawyer added: “He says you have taken advantage of a difficult situation that night to ensure he does not have contact with his sons.

Swish: Palace Gardens Terrace

“That is something you have been trying to achieve for a very long time,” said Miss Daly, suggesting Ms Salin had threatened to end Laine’s access: “By any means possible.”

The defendant had to take his ex to the Family Court, who ruled he could have the sons five days every fortnight.

Ms Salin admits she was left reeling by their split. “I was shocked because it happened so abruptly.”

She also conceded being unhappy about the prospects of her sons attending their dad’s marriage. “I’m a Catholic and shocked the boys would have to attend a wedding so soon.”

Earlier the boy told the court: “He held me against the wall and he hit me when I was running, he ran too. He grabbed me and hit my leg.”

The youngster described the force of the blow as five-out-of-ten, however when police officers questioned him at the scene he denied being struck.

The trial will continue on July 17.

Millionaire Playboy Banned After Crashing Ferrari Into Group Of Teens

The millionaire playboy son of a wealthy South Korean shipping family was banned from the roads for a year today and fined £6,000 after losing control of his powerful £208,000 Ferrari and ploughing into a group of terrified schoolchildren.

Andy Kwon, 36, grew impatient in heavy Battersea Bridge traffic near his £750,000 apartment and mounted the pavement as his U-turn manoeuvre ‘fishtailed’ out of control, inflicting serious injuries on the teenagers.

He told Wimbledon Magistrates Court his four supercars, garaged underneath his Chelsea home in Hepworth Court, Gatliff Road are now up for sale and he will hire a chauffeur during the 180 non-domicile days he spends in the UK.

Kwon pleaded guilty to driving his red 2015 4.5 litre Ferrari 458 Speciale without due care and attention in Battersea Park Road, Battersea on December 12 last year and was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £600 victim surcharge.

Seven teenagers were hospitalised as they walked to a Christmas party, with one knocked over railings and falling four metres into the windscreen of a parked Toyota Corolla below.

“He performed a u-turn in the street and the students were in front of him,” said prosecutor Miss Jackie Hughes. “His wheels began to spin and he lost control and mounted the pavement and collided into the group.”

The teenagers, aged sixteen and seventeen years-old suffered facial cuts and bruises, injuries to their legs with some suffering continued pain to their hips, knees necks and shoulders and dizziness and headaches.

Kwon’s lawyer Mr. Robin Sellars told the court his client had not driven the Ferrari for a month, contributing to an unfamiliarity he had with the vehicle’s power.

“He was driving for a short period and on Battersea Bridge there was a queue of traffic and he decided to turn around. After the u-turn he accelerated and lost control of the vehicle, it took him by surprise.

“He did not take appropriate action and the car fishtailed.”

Kwon spends most of the remaining year in Singapore for tax purposes and before the disqualification had given up driving in this country. “He’s a man of considerable means. He can use a driver.”

Magistrate Mr. Rod Wood told Kwon: “We have noted the seriousness of this accident and the number of victims involved.”

Somalian Accused Of Pocketing Benefits While Living In His Homeland

A pensioner accused of swindling over £38,000 in benefits while living in his Somalia homeland appeared in court for the first time yesterday.

Mohamed Qoomaal, 71, of Archery Close, Harrow arrived on bail at Uxbridge Magistrates Court.

He faces two charges of dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances to Harrow Council and the Department of Work and Pensions.

They relate to claims for housing benefit and pension credit respectively on dates between August 20, 2013 and February 22, last year.

Prosecutor Mr. Darren Watts told the court: “This gentleman has claimed over thirty-eight thousand pounds he was not entitled to while living out of the country for two-and-a-half years in Somalia.”

Due to the seriousness of the case the magistrates declined jurisdiction and sent Qoomaal to Isleworth Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on July 11. 

Online Dating Scam: Seven Men Cheated Out Of £100K

Wanna Date?: Grace Akintaro

Two young women admitted yesterday their roles in a £100,000 online dating scam, which saw seven men duped into believing they were funding a romantic date with an internet sweetheart.

Grace Akintaro, 24, adopted the role of the fictitious date during phone chats with at least two of the victims and some of the money was laundered by 22 year-old Victoria Nwogu.

The men were convinced their online romance with ‘Amanda Jenson’ was genuine and sent money for travel and expenses, but dates were cancelled with one excuse after another.

“Judging by what the victims say there were detrimental effects, both psychologically and financially,” announced Judge Nicholas Heathcote Williams QC.

“They were expecting to get their money back, they thought they were loaning the money.”

Student Akintaro, of Pettacre Close, Greenwich pleaded guilty to seven counts of fraud between August 1, 2014 and December 2, 2015.

Those charges were dropped against Nwogu, of Maryon Grove, Greenwich, who pleaded guilty to one count of laundering £3,490 between  April 29 and May 6, 2015.

Cash: Victoria Nwogu

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s Fraud and Linked Crime Online (FALCON) squad began investigating cons involving four of the men who had reported the scam to Action Fraud.

Further three victims were found during the investigation and all seven had been Match.com customers.

The fictitious Amanda Jenson asked for travel costs to meet up then for short term loans to cover rent and other expenses.

Forged documents were used to trick the victims into accepting ‘Amanda’ was due an inheritance and could repay the money.

One man lost £46,000 and another sent money he received from his late wife’s death in service insurance policy.

Others used up lumps of their pensions and one took out an equity release on his house to help ‘Amanda’.

The audacious fraudsters even tried to prise extra cash from one victim who agreed to meet ‘Amanda’ at an airport and was told to pay a customs charge to facilitate her release.

A photo of the fake ‘Amanda’ was found on Akintaro’s phone and most of the bank accounts were registered to her address. 

Police know Akintaro visited bank branches at least sixteen times, withdrawing £23,000 of the victims’ cash.

Ironically she told the court: “I was naive and used by this person I was in love with.”

The total loss is £104,962 and prosecutor Mr. Kevin Dent said: “The amounts going through Miss Akintaro’s bank accounts add up to just over one hundred thousand pounds and directly link with the seven victims.”

Akintaro used her three bank accounts and a paypal account to transfer the money, but claims all she has to show for it is a £5,000 Renault Clio and a few hundred pounds.

“It was not a peripheral role because she was talking over the net,” said the judge. “We are looking at high culpability because of the high number of victims and long period of time.

“These were romance frauds and the fact I am ordering a pre-sentence report is no indication as to the sentence. There is a real prospect she will go to prison.”

Mr. Dent added: “There would have to be a female involved and that was Miss Akintaro. She may not have been at the top of this, but played a role over a period of time.”

They will return for sentencing on June 20.

Not Guilty: London Visitor Cleared Of Damaging Ghandi Statue

A Milton Keynes man has been cleared of damaging a landmark statue of Ghandi, but convicted of having cannabis and assaulting a cop after his arrest.

Jobless Simon Francis Bradley, 33, of Felbridge, Kents Hill did not even turn up for his trial and will now suffer cuts to his benefits after being fined.

He always denied the charges and was cleared of causing criminal damage to the statue of the Indian independence leader in Tavistock Squre, Bloomsbury on July 17, last year.

Bradley was also found not guilty of threatening behaviour at the same place.

However, he was convicted at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court of possessing cannabis in Tavistock Square and was fined £100, with £100 costs and ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge.

Bradley was taken to Holborn Police Station where he was convicted of assaulting PC Basill on the same day and fined £100 and ordered to pay £100 compensation to the officer.

Young Drug Dealer Gets Suspended Sentence

A young Scot, caught street-dealing nine ounces of cannabis in London last summer, has received a suspended prison sentence.

Connor Joseph Claydon, 20, of Perth Road, Saint Cyrus, Dundee was sent to the Crown Court for sentencing due to the seriousness of the charge.

He had initially pleaded guilty at Camberwell Green Magistrates Court to possessing the drugs, with intent to supply, on August 3 in Lambeth.

“You have pleaded guilty to an offence that is beyond this court’s powers of sentencing,” District Judge Ann Sawetz told the first-time offender at the time.

Claydon was sent to Inner London Crown Court, where he received six months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to pay £170 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.

Dad Gets Suspended Sentence For "Metal Iron" Punch On Son After 'Boro's Play-Off Loss

Punch: Mark McKenna Sr.

A drunken father, who busted his teenage son’s jaw with a single punch after enduring Middlesbrough FC’s play-off final defeat two seasons ago, received a suspended prison sentence yesterday.

Off-shore oil rig scaffolder Mark McKenna ,46, decked Mark McKenna Jr., 18, with a blow the teenager compared to a “metal iron.”

The pair and other relatives had been on a 48-hour drinking binge, which continued in a pub near Wembley Stadium, where their team had just lost 2-0 to Norwich City.

McKenna, of Matford Avenue, Middlesbrough was convicted by a jury of inflicting grievous bodily harm on his son, who was left spitting blood, on May 25, 2015.

Sentencing him to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for 2 years, Wood Green Crown Court Recorder Harold Persaud said: “There is no doubt Mark annoyed and irritated you greatly, but you struck him in such a way that it fractured his jaw.

“He said it was like getting hit with a metal iron. That was some strike wasn’t it?

“Both of you were under the influence of alcohol, having been drinking since you arrived in London the day before.”  

McKenna Sr. claimed he was the peacemaker during the family’s post-match drinking session and was leading his son away from a row with his cousins.

“He expresses deep remorse and says he feels terrible that he had to hit his own son and it kills them both to this day,” explained his lawyer Mr. Daniel Jones.

Fractured Jaw: Junior

“Mr. McKenna senior says their relationship now is: ‘Brilliant.’ His son says his father has helped him with his scaffolding qualification and says his own anger issues contributed to this offence.”

The court heard it is not the first time the defendant has been in trouble. “He’s not a man of good character, in the past there are serious offences of violence,” said prosecutor Mr. Edward Lewis.

Doctors later discovered McKenna Jr’s jaw was fractured in two places and the teenager had been brawling all weekend with family members and had a pre-trip fight.

McKenna Sr. told police he had nine beers that day and intervened outside a pub when his son attacked his cousin Sam just before midnight.

He says his son then turned on him and McKenna Sr.’s father, Derek, 65, had to step in. “He attacked me and his grandad had to drag him off.

“I think I hit him back for hitting me, the top of his head, it was not hard. I was angry for him attacking me, there was no need for it.”

McKenna Sr. insists this blow could not have fractured his son’s jaw because it was aimed at the top of his head and didn’t knock him over.

Earlier McKenna Jr. reluctantly gave evidence and confirmed he had a fight in Middlesbrough on the eve of the trip that left his face swollen.

He had five or six cans of beer before the match and was angry with Sam. “He was winding me up and intimidating me, saying he was going to boot some respect into me.”

McKenna Jr. had three fights with Sam on the matchday, decking him twice and wanted to continue brawling when his father split them up.

He admitted punching his father, almost knocking him over, and “squaring up” as his dad tried to lead him away.

“I wanted him to get out of the way to get to Sam,” McKenna Jr. told the jury, admitting he was ready to strike his father again.

A passing police officer watched the confrontation and witnessed McKenna Sr. decking his son with a single blow.

Recorder Persaud also ordered a tearful McKenna Sr. to attend thirty-six days of rehabilitation, which will include ten days of a specific activity requirement.

“The offence is two years old and there has been no offending since that time,” he told McKenna Sr. “If I imposed a custodial sentence old wounds that have healed may be reopened again.

“That fact weighs with me and is in your favour.”

Benefit Fraudster Kept New Man A Secret During £48K Swindle

A mum-of-three secretly lived with her partner for six years while cheating taxpayers out of nearly £50,000 by claiming to be a single parent.

Serbia Khatun, 30, will not be pursued for compensation and will continue having £22 per week deducted from her current benefits.

At that rate it will take 42 years to repay the money.

Primary school lunchtime supervisor Khatun, of Cambridge Gardens, Kingston-upon-Thames now receives working tax credits.

She pleaded guilty to three counts of dishonestly failing to disclose to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) that she was sharing a common household with her partner.

Khatun claimed income support; housing benefit and council tax benefit totalling £48,479 between May 2008 and June 2014.

Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court heard the DWP, acting on a tip-off, raided her council flat where they found a man still in bed.

His clothing was in wardrobes and cupboards and the man - the father of Khatun’s two youngest children - had written her an anniversary card celebrating “seven years” together.

The court heard she fled an abusive first marriage in Tower Hamlets and moved across London, where she was housed by the council.

She claims her second partner no longer lives with her and has on-off contact with his two children.

Recorder Richard Prior told Khatun: “You have made a full facts plea to serious counts of dishonesty sustained over six years, causing considerable loss to the public purse.

“Your conduct was so serious so as to pass the custodial threshold, fully meriting a custodial sentence.

“However, you have an unhappy history, you pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and there is evidence you are of positive good character.

“Your dishonest conduct is very serious and there must be a significant penal element.”

Khatun received thirty weeks imprisonment, suspended for twelve months and was ordered to perform 250 hours community service work.