Greenwich's Public Astronomer Admits Gay Child Porn Charges

Greenwich Observatory’s Public Astronomer, who wrote a book on the science behind tv’s Dr. Who, today admitted downloading 407 sick sexual images of boys.

Dr. Marek Kukula, 49, who has also worked for NASA and has a PhD in radio astronomy, appeared at Inner London Crown Court. 

Police raided his £780,000 flat in Millennium Square, Tower Bridge, seizing 18 devices and finding the disgusting movie clips and still images on an old laptop and two USB sticks.

Dr. Kukula is the observatory’s official spokesman on astronomy and space science, having held senior research positions at UK universities and at NASA’s Space Telescope Science Institute.

He pleaded guilty to making 34 Category A indecent images of a child; 107 Category B and 266 Category C indecent images on or before October 5, last year.

“There will have to be a pre-sentence report,” announced Judge Nigel Seed QC. 

Kukula’s lawyer told the court police seized an old silver laptop computer, on which the astronomer had downloaded the images nine years ago.

All the files had been subsequently deleted.

Kukula was bailed until July 24 and the judge told him: “You have pleaded guilty to these matters.

“These are serious matters and all sentencing options are open. 

“You are of good character, but that’s no guarantee you won’t receive a sentence of imprisonment.”

At the Royal Observatory Greenwich he oversees science content and exhibitions and public programmes and is a spokesperson for the landmark institution.

He is also the author of ‘The Intimate Universe’ and while a project manager and researcher in residence at the University of Edinburgh he managed a national scheme to train young researchers and match them with secondary schools.

He also has a degree in Physics with Astrophysics.

Ticket Trick Backfires For Illegal Parker

An NHS administrator went to extreme lengths to avoid four parking tickets by doctoring a genuine RAC breakdown invoice to cover dates she was caught.

Her deceit was exposed by suspicious council enforcement officers, who noticed her vehicle’s milage never changed despite being ticketed over a period of six weeks.

Sharon Senyange, 27, repeated the same trick three times after it worked initially, when Lambeth council cancelled her first £130 ticket after incorrectly accepting she had genuinely broken down. 

The King’s College Hospital employee, of Chandler Way, Peckham pleaded guilty to eleven counts of fraud by false representation between February 27 and April 19, last year.

At Camberwell Green Magistrates Court she was ordered to complete 200 hours community service work and pay £746 costs to the council and an £85 victim surcharge.

Her white two-litre BMW was repeatedly ticketed in South Island Place and Patmos Road, Kennington, said prosecutor Mr. Jonathan Melnick.

“She appealed her first ticket, explaining that she had broken down and she had left a note in the windscreen.

“She attached an RAC invoice and as a result the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) was cancelled.

“Three further PCN’s were issued and appealed using a similar RAC breakdown invoice with the job number and dates changed, but with the milage staying the same.”    

The council refused to cancel the next three appeals and contacted the RAC. “She did have a genuine call-out at one point and has taken advantage of that.

“These are quite serious offences,” added Mr. Melnick. “There is a degree of sophistication.

“They were changed to tailor the PCN and someone looking at them may have been taken in and they were on the first occasion.

“It was motivated by personal gain to get out of these PCN’s of £130.”

Senyange told the court: “It was stupid of me and since then I have changed. I was being influenced by others.

"I’m working for the NHS now and I understand the ramifications of my actions.”

Heathrow Exec Crashes Merc On Morning Commute While Over Methamphetamine Limit

A senior sales executive with Heathrow Express lost his job after crashing his Mercedes on his morning commute while three times the methamphetamine limit.

Australian-born Tate Williams Crawford, 37, a graduate of Queensland’s Griffith University is now sweating on a Home Office decision to allow him to live and work in the UK.

The commercial sales expert, of Crampton Street, Walworth pleaded guilty to driving the silver 2.1 litre vehicle with 30 micrograms of the drug per litre of blood on January 22.

Prosecutor Kate Seal told Camberwell Green Magistrates Court it was 8.35am when police were called to a collision involving Williams Crawford in Harleyford Road, Kennington.

“The officers conducted a preliminary impairment test test at the roadside, which he failed.”

At Brixton Police Station a blood sample was taken, which proved he was under the influence of the drug.

Williams Crawford’s UK residency is via his marriage to a British citizen and the Home Office are awaiting the outcome of the case before granting him another two years.

“I lost my job because of the incident. I was driving to work,” he told the court.

“The Home Office wrote to me and said they could not approve me until the outcome of the case.

“I have joined a couple of NHS community counselling organisations. It has been very stressful, something I don’t want to face again, I want to keep a clean record.

“Because of the Home Office I am not allowed to work at the moment and we have had to take out a couple of credit cards to help the shortfall.

“I drove, I tested positive, yes. I did not realise how long I’d have to wait, I do apologise, I’m remorseful.

“Will it effect my employment possibilities? Yes probably.

“I’m thankful I did not cause harm to myself or to other people.”

He was fined £120, with £85 costs, ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge and was disqualified from driving for twelve months.

Skunk Dealer Jailed For 10 Years After Police Guns Raid

A skunk cannabis dealer caught by gang-busting cops with four handguns and a fake firearm is starting a ten-year prison sentence.

Kaziem Ofondo, 32, was also caught with 60 rounds of live ammunition when Operation Trident officers, who investigate black-on-black crime, raided his south-east London home.

A search warrant was executed at the address in Halesworth Road, Lewisham on April 28, last year.

Police found five kilos of the drug, plus £9,790 cash in one of the bedrooms.

Ofondo pleaded guilty to five charges of possessing a prohibited firearm, four charges of possessing associated ammunition and one count of possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

In a locked shed, officers discovered the four handguns and an imitation firearm with dozens of cartridges and a silencer.

Woolwich Crown Court heard Ofondo was arrested and interviewed, stating ‘no comment’ to all questions.

Detective Constable Darren Eyers, said: “Ofondo was caught with an arsenal of lethal weapons that posed a potentially fatal risk to members of the public.

“Trident officers are working around the clock to arrest those involved in gun crime and seize the illegal firearms that only bring violence and misery to the streets of London.

“Anyone caught in possession of a prohibited weapon can expect to be arrested and subjected to a lengthy jail sentence.”

Cashpoint Robbers Snatch £200: CCTV Released

Police hunting a pair of cashpoint robbers, who snatched £200 from a young woman, have released these CCTV images of their suspects.

At approximately 2.00pm on Sunday, December 17, last year, the victim - a 27 year-old woman - used an ATM cash-point in Victory Parade, Woolwich.

As £200 in cash was dispensed from the machine, two males pushed past her and stole the cash before making off on foot towards Plumstead.

The first suspect is described as a black male, wearing a green hooded coat and blue jeans.

The second male was also black, wearing dark clothing.

Detective Constable Mark Day of Greenwich CID said: "We take robbery offences such as this extremely seriously, and I would urge anyone who recognises either of the suspects to call police.

“Both are wanted for questioning in relation to this incident.

"I would also like to remind the public to be aware of who is around them when they use cash machines.

"In addition, people are advised to shield their PIN and to avoid any ATM that seems to have been tampered with.

"If you see anything suspicious, please call police."

Anyone who recognises the suspects, or has information that may assist police, should call detectives at Greenwich CID on 101.

To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Pickpocket Targeted Lone Female Nightbus Passenger He Also Molested

Police are hunting this suspect after a woman was sexually assaulted and pickpocketed after stepping off a night bus in the early hours of the morning.

The woman had just travelled on a N73 to Walthamstow bus station on March 11 and was approached between 3.00am and 4.00am by a male.

He began walking with her and she pushed him away when he molested her.

The suspect ran off and the woman realised her mobile phone and bank card was missing.

Shortly afterwards the card was used to withdraw cash from an ATM in the area.

The suspect is described as a white man, approximately 5ft 8ins tall, of slim build, in his mid to late twenties.

He was wearing a grey hooded jumper, a black jacket and a baseball cap.

He was carrying a small ‘man bag’ and wore distinctive trainers with reflectors on the toecaps.

Anyone who recognises the man in the image or has information they believe could be of significance is asked to contact officers at the Child Abuse and Sexual Offence Command on 020 8733 5999, or via 101 quoting reference 1397/11Mar.

To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Jail Warning For Bogus-Funeral Fraudster

A liar told his new boyfriend he needed cash to bury his recently-deceased daughter and tried to extract more money with a false rape-claim.

Jobless Steven Dudley, 47, was warned yesterday to expect to be locked-up for the crimes when he returns to court for sentencing.

He pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation, namely that between September 5 and October 11, 2016 he dishonestly, with intent to gain £1,350, represented he needed to pay for his daughter’s funeral.

Dudley, of Park Parade, Harlesden, north-west London also pleaded guilty to blackmail, namely making an unwarranted demand with menaces for £3,000 on October 5, 2016.

The prosecutor told Inner London Crown Court: “Mr. Dudley, who met the complainant on a website entered into a relationship to get money out of him.

‘He lied that his daughter had died and threatened to report to the police that the complainant had raped him to get three thousand pounds.”

The court heard Dudley has been diagnosed with Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder and acts impulsively without regard for the consequences.

Judge Michael Wood QC agreed to bail Dudley until July 18 for a pre-sentence report, announcing: “He is entitled to substantial credit for pleading guilty, but it is very serious and a community sentence is not appropriate.

“He is a person with a number of offences for fraud in the past and this is a serious one with the element of blackmail.

“I cannot see that a non-custodial sentence is appropriate here.”

Violent Watch Robber Wanted For Nicking £10K Breitling

Police are hunting this suspected violent robber, who punched a sales assistant in the face and ran off with a £10,000 Breitling watch.

On Saturday, January 6 the suspect entered a stockist of the luxury watch company in Westfield Shopping Centre, Stratford, east London.

He asked to try on the Breitling Super Avenger II, valued at over £10,000.

The suspect then assaulted the sales assistant by punching him in the face and fled the store taking the watch with him.

Detectives would like to hear from anyone who can name the male shown in this CCTV still, which were captured inside the shopping centre before the offence was committed.

The sales assistant, also male, did not suffer any lasting injuries.

Anyone who can name this person should call Flying Squad Detectives by dialling 101, quoting reference CAD5149/6Jan18 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Fake Taxi Driver Jailed For Double Rape Of Boozy Passenger

A fake taxi driver, who dragged his female passenger into a second-floor flat and raped her after a boozy night out, has been locked-up for a minimum of nine years.

Keith Gillings, 67, of Hanway Road, Hanwell was sentenced to life imprisonment for the offence and must serve that time until he can be considered for parole.

The court heard how on July 25, last year the victim, a 47-year-old woman was drinking with friends in Hammersmith.

At approximately 11.00pm, she left the pub and got into a vehicle she believed was her taxi.

The driver was Gillings, who took the victim to her home address, where she collected money and requested he take her to a local shop to get some tobacco.

Sometime later she realised Gillings was not going in the correct direction and when questioned he advised her that he knew a different shop that would still be open.

As the car approached traffic lights and slowed down the victim attempted to escape the vehicle, but it was locked.

Gillings grabbed her wrists and prevented her from getting out.

He took her to a block where he dragged the victim into a flat and raped her, twice.

After the attack the victim managed to escape from the flat and ran away.

Gillings gave chase, but could not catch her.

Detective Sergeant Trevor Struthes, from the Metropolitan Police's Child Abuse and Sexual Offences unit (CASO), said: "Officers carried out a thorough and in-depth investigation which brought a violent and depraved man to justice.

“They worked tirelessly to support the victim through this ordeal and got her the best possible result when they arrested and charged Gillings.

"He will be spending nearly the remainder of his life behind bars, where he will not be able to attack and harm any other women again."

Carer Punched OAP, 82, In Face

A care worker at an OAP home punched a dementia-suffering resident in the face, inflicting a bleeding cut to his cheek.

Velma Lahai, 23, was employed at The Pines Care Home, West Hill, Putney, where a colleague witnessed her landing the early-morning blow on the vulnerable resident, who is also bipolar.

She was convicted of ill-treating the resident during an early-morning wake-up on December 18, last year.

Lahai of Sprewell House, Lytton Grove, Putney was sentenced to six weeks imprisonment, suspended for twelve months and ordered to complete 200 hours community service work.

She must also comply with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to twenty days and pay £200 compensation to the victim and £100 costs.

Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard resident Jeremy Kemp, 82, is unable to look after himself and needs help changing his clothing and cleaning himself.

When Lahai and a colleague entered his room at 6am they found he was covered in his own urine.

The defendant was heard asking him: “Why did you kick me in the eye?” and punched him in the face.

Mr. Kemp immediately put his hands up to his face and blood started pouring from a wound to his cheek, which healed after two days.

He did not require hospital treatment and was cared for on site, with the wound being cleaned and dressed.

Lahai complained Mr. Kemp flicked faeces and urine into her eye and said the injury was nothing more than a 1.5cm scratch to the cheek, which quickly healed.

The victim was described in court as “extremely vulnerable” and was not able to give an account to the police or attend the trial.