Ex-Private School Teacher Dies Before Court Appearance

Wimbledon Magistrates' Court

A former schoolteacher at a private prep school has died before a court appearance on historic child sex offences charges.

Timothy Harbord, 67, was a sports coach, who taught English and history at Colet Court – the junior division of St. Paul's – in Barnes, south-west London.

He was due to appear at Wimbledon Magistrates Court on four counts relating to one boy, aged under fourteen years-old.

Harbord, of Waunci Crescent, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk was charged with four counts of indecent assault between July 6, 1987 and July 8, 1989.

He was arrested as part of police enquiry Operation Winthorpe, which has been investigating allegations of historic sexual abuse at the school. 

It has been reported Harbord taught at the school for twenty-five years and left in 2013, following his first arrest.

Carer Spent Vulnerable Woman's Money Online

Wimbledon Magistrates' Court

A carer has been sentenced for abusing her position of trust by using a vulnerable woman's money to buy goods on the internet and pay a credit card.

Leanne Julie Melborn, 30, of Suncroft Place, Green Lane, Chessington, Kingston-upon-Thames appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court.

She was charged with fraud by abuse of position between July 4 and 9, last year while employed as a carer at Calder Court, Britannia Road, Surbiton she acted against the financial interests of Pauline Higgins.

Melborn purchased items on the internet and made a payment to a Capital One credit card while employed to care for the victim, a housing association resident.

She was sentenced to a Community Order, which includes 120 hours unpaid community service, plus up to ten days of rehabilitation.

Melborn must also pay £85 costs and a £90 victim surcharge.

Wine-Drinking Lawyer And Pal Avoid Ban For Parking Merc

Danielle Amodio (L) & Sophie Stevens (R)

A solicitor and a HR manager, both caught drink-driving at over double the limit at 6am have avoided bans after convincing a court they were merely trying to avoid a parking ticket.

Lawyer Danielle Amodio, 31, and recruitment specialist Sophie Stevens, 32, both had a go at moving the Mercedes from a residents-only parking bay.

They argued at Wimbledon Magistrates Court they had special reasons no to be subject to the usual automatic disqualification of at least twelve months.

Amodio, the £72,000 a-year legal counsel to technology provider Genius Sports and £50,000 a-year Stevens both pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol in their breath in Dundonald Road, Wimbledon on May 19.

Amodio, who lives in a £675,000 apartment at nearby Tiffany Heights, Standen Road, Southfields had 90 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35.

Stevens, of William Road, Wimbledon had 76 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath.

The court heard both women took to the wheel of the Mercedes with Stevens reversing a slightly longer distance as they attempted to move it from the residents bay, which came into force at 8.30am on a Tuesday morning.

Amodio had driven to her friend Stevens’ home and the pair had been drinking wine the night before.

However, a suspicious local called the police after witnessing them both moving the vehicle and officers stopped them as they strolled back to Stevens’ place.

Afterwards Stevens said: “We are not used to being in trouble, it is crazy. The whole thing was a bit odd.

“There was someone at the end of the road watching us try to get out of the space. They must have assumed we were drunk, I think they called the police.

“We were walking back when a police car pulled up. They asked: ‘Did you just drive?’ We said: ‘Yes, we were just parking’, thinking nothing of it. Then we were breathalysed.”

Instead of the usual disqualification the JP’s imposed 8 penalty points on Amodio’s driving licence and 9 penalty points on Stevens’ licence.

“Ms Amodio is a solicitor and she notified the Solicitors Regulation Authority two days later,” said Simon Harrison, defending.

“She is very resourceful and knows what she did was wrong.”

Amodio is now potentially subject to professional misconduct proceedings as she has a criminal conviction.

She was fined £1,392, with £250 costs and a £139 victim surcharge.

Stevens, who recently began claiming Universal Credit was fined £120, with £250 costs and ordered to pay a £34 victim surcharge.

NOT GUILTY: Couple Cleared Of Parking Row Assault Charge

Peter Joyce & Grecia Arancivia

A couple have been cleared of assaulting their neighbour during a parking row in their small cul-de-sac.

Tempers rose during a dispute about precious parking places and there was a confrontation involving several residents.

Account Manager Grecia Arancivia, 30, and Peter Joyce, 29, were both found not guilty of assaulting their female neighbour on October 24, last year.

Prosecutor Angela O’Dwyer told Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court: “The two defendants and the complainant Eldred Mathieson are neighbours in a cul-de-sac with limited parking.

“This has become a bone of contention and on October 24, last year there was a dispute over parking because there were only two spaces for all of the neighbours.

“After there is an argument there is a physical assault by pulling hair and clothes by Arancivia and Joyce joins in and is complicit in the complainant being pushed by them back against her car, where she bangs her head.”

However, Arancivia claimed Mathieson spat at her after flashing a two-fingered insult towards her and her boyfriend.

She described Mathieson as “goading” and “provoking” and deliberately obstructing the area with her vehicle.

During her evidence Mathieson hardly mentioned Joyce at all and the court heard little evidence of any assault by him.

She told the court it was 10pm and her car was in a parking space, when another neighbour asked if she was leaving as the defendants turned up in their vehicle.

“The male defendant said something about the parking and I saw him push my neighbour.”

Events escalated with the pushed neighbour’s father leaving the house, adding to the numbers outside.

“Everyone had something to say and the female defendant shouted at me that I was a ‘slut’ and an ‘alcoholic’, and I told her she should be ashamed of herself.

Eldred Mathieson

“She came towards me and grabbed me by my clothes and hair and thrust me back onto my car.

“I felt the thrust of my head bang back onto the car and I could see him coming towards me with his hands as if the two of them were pushing me back.

“I felt dizzy and I had a pain in my head. It was hard to believe it had happened.

“I called the police when I got back inside my house because it was an assault on me and I had a pain in my head”.

When cross-examined Mathieson denied telling Arancivia: “Go back to Peru and get your father to pay child support”.

She also denied spitting. “No, I’ve never spat at anyone in my life”.

Kennington Park Rape: Hunt Continues

Police continue hunting a Kennington Park rapist featured in an appeal three days ago on BBC's Crimewatch Roadshow.

A reconstruction of the early hours attack in Kennington Gardens, south London was broadcast by the programme.

This CCTV image has also been released by detectives investigating the attack, which occurred between 2.00am and 2.20am on Sunday, December 29, last year.

The victim, a woman in her twenties, was walking in the street when she was approached by an unknown man who attacked her.

The woman, who also suffered a blow to the head, was taken to a London hospital as a precaution and later discharged. 

She is being supported by specialist officers.

Detective Inspector Ian Kenward, of the Central South Safeguarding Command Unit, said: “Enquiries are ongoing and we are keen to speak to the man in the footage. 

“We are urging anyone who may have been in the area or who recognises him to contact police.”

Any witnesses or anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101 or contact via Twitter @MetCC. Quote CAD 783/29DEC19.

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

Brewer Caught Driving After Drinking-Session

Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court

A brewer, caught driving his Audi at nearly three times the drinks limit, has received a suspended prison sentence.

Edmund Razzall, 31, who has resigned from his director role with Symmetry Brewing was the craft beer company's head brewer.

He appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court charged with driving, with excess alcohol in his breath, in Churchill Road, Kentish Town, north London on March 7.

Razzall, of Burnt Mill Brewery, Woodlands Dairy, Ipswich, Suffolk had 100 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35.

He was also charged with driving the black Audi A3 diesel without insurance on the same occasion.

Razzall was sentenced to ten weeks imprisonment, suspended for twelve months and disqualified from driving for thirty-three months.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £122 victim surcharge.

Charity Thief Harassed Woman

A disgraced children's charity worker with a drinking problem has been convicted of harassing a woman last year.

Christopher Wiseman, 41, of Woodlea Drive, Bromley was sentenced to a twelve-month Community Order after fighting the case.

He appeared at Bromley Magistrates' Court charged with pursuing a course of conduct between June 15 and July 12, last year, which amounted to the harassment of Nicola Deane.

Wiseman was said to have continued contacting the victim after being asked to stop and also contacted her brother and mother and her place of work.

He was ordered to complete sixty hours community service work; an alcohol treatment programme and pay £500 costs and a £90 victim surcharge.

Wiseman was also made subject to a two-year restraining order, prohibiting contact with the victim.

He hit the headline two months ago when sentenced to twenty-one months imprisonment, suspended for two years, for offences including the theft of a laptop and three mobile phones from Mayfair-based charity Children's Investment Fund.

Wiseman was the Third World charity's IT boss and also abused the organisation's credit card by using it to buy cigars and alcohol during a works trip to the 4-star Sheraton New Delhi.

Attack At The Block

Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court

A Barnet resident has been convicted over a violent incident at his block of flats.

Anthony Mansi, 30, of Merlin, The Concourse, Colindale appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court.

He was charged with assaulting a Mr. Hassania, causing him actual bodily harm, at another flat in the block on July 3.

Mansi was sentenced to an eighteen-month Community Order, which will be monitored by the Probation Service.

He was also ordered to complete eighty hours unpaid community service work.

Mansi was made subject to an indefinite restraining order, prohibiting contact with Mr. Mansi.

He must also pay the victim £400 compensation, plus court costs of £85 and a £95 victim surcharge.

Non-League International Convicted Of Assault

A non-league footballer, who has played internationally for Montserrat, has been convicted of assaulting a woman at his home address.

Bradley Woods-Garness, 34, is currently on the books at Wingate & Finchley.

The forward was at Chelsea and Wycombe Wanderers as a youth.

He went on to be a successful goalscorer for Farnborough; Billericay Town; Sutton United and Canvey Island.

Woods-Garness represented Montserrat at the 2012 Caribbean Championship and has also found the net for his country.

At Highbury Corner Magistrates Court he was charged with assaulting Gabriel De'ath, causing her actual bodily harm, on July 27, last year at his home in Upper Handa Walk, Canonbury, Islington.

He was fined £60, with £100 costs and ordered to pay a £32 victim surcharge.

Disgraced Ex-Police Worker Convicted Again

A disgraced former police employee has been convicted of posting a threatening message on facebook.

Adrian Milton, 51, of Swallowdale, South Croydon was sentenced at Bromley Magistrates Court.

He was charged that between December 19, last year and April 1, this year he conveyed a threatening message to Colin Hillman, for the purpose of causing distress or anxiety.

Milton received a Community Order, which includes a twelve-week electronically-tagged home curfew between 9pm and 6am.

He must also comply with an indefinite restraining order, prohibiting contact with the victim and was ordered to pay £95 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

The former Metropolitan Police employee – who was based at Croydon – was jailed in April, 2017 to two yearas and eight months imprisonment for stealing shotgun ammunition and two mobile phones from a criminal exhibits store.

He was the subject of a Directorate of Professional Standards Investigation and when officers raided his home they also seized extreme pornography, much of it involving images of children.