Man Denies Raping And Biting Woman's Lip

A woman was raped at a Carshalton address, where she was so badly beaten her jaw was fractured and lip left hanging off following a savage bite, a court heard.

Russell Stowell, 40, of River Gardens dialled 999 at midnight after biting through the woman's lip at the home he shares with his father, the jury were told.

“He kept squeezing and squeezing my neck and biting my face and whacking my head off the wardrobe and walls,” she told the Croydon Crown Court jury.

“He bit my lip and there was blood eveywhere.

“He pulled me by the hair and punched me in the face and kept hitting and strangling me and said I was going to die.”

Prosecutor Mr Andrew Copeland said it was one second after midnight on June 1 when Stowell dialled 999, claiming the woman had fallen and cut her lip.

The ambulance crew took her to the nearest hospital.

“Her lower lip was hanging away and the crew's suspicions were aroused,” said the prosecutor. “She was frightened, petrified and made the allegation the defendant assaulted her.

“At the hospital she said she was raped.”

The ambulance crew called the police and the woman spoke to an officer.

“She said she had been sexually attacked, raped and assaulted.”

The woman told police she asked Stowell to stop during sex because it was so rough and painfull and he told her: “That's how I like it.”

She said she was pulled off the bed by her hair.

“He bit me on my bottom lip and there was blood eveywhere and he panicked.”

The prosecutor told the court: “He continued to fulfill his gratification against her wishes, even though it started out as consensual.

“He hit her so hard he broke her jaw. There was strangling of her neck, leaving red marks, biting of her lower lip, leaving it hanging off while threatening to kill her.

“It was all the blood pouring from her lip that made him think again.”

Stowell has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape; two counts of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and one count of making a threat to kill on May 31.

Trial continues.........

Suspended Sentence For Drunken Pest

Westminster Magistrates' Court

A local drunken pest, who repeatedly shouted abuse at a woman who lives a few streets away, has received a suspended prison sentence.

Stephen David Waite, 60, visited her address on three occasions in the first half of the year.

He was convicted at Westminster Magistrates' Court of harassing Erica Kovac between January 16 and July 4.

Waite, of Hurlingham Road, Fulham was abusive and threatening and refused requests to leave the woman's home in nearby Mimosa Street.

The court heard the victim was vulnerable and Waite's behaviour was aggravated by alcohol.

Waite, who has previous convictions, did not attend his trial and was found guilty in his absence.

He was sentenced to eighteen weeks imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months and must comply with an electronically-tagged home curfew for ten weeks between 7.00pm and 5.00am.

Waite must also comply with a Probation Service-ordered rehabilitation activity requirement of up to twenty-five days.

He was also made subject to a three-year restraining order, prohibiting contact with Ms Kovac, visiting Mimosa Street or any other address he knows she may reside at.

Jobless Waite was ordered to pay £100 costs and a £122 victim surcharge, which will be deducted from his benefits at the rate of £5 per week.

Hospital Order For Probation Officer Stalker

Bromley Magistrates' Court

A south London man, charged with stalking and harassing a female probation officer at her workplace, has received a hospital order and court ban not attend the office.

Sebastian Lucas, 35, of Victoria Crescent, Crystal Palace was sentenced at Bromley Magistrates' Court.

He was charged with stalking Shannon Sawyer, causing her serious alarm and distress, between May 11 and May 20 at her office in Stockwell Road, Stockwell.

Lucas was charged with making multiple visits between those dates and on one occasion cornered Ms Sawyer in a hallway and made demands.

He will now receive court-ordered medical treatment in Lambeth and was made subject to a five-year restraining order, prohibiting contact with Ms Sawyer and visiting the Stockwell office.

Lucas must also pay £85 costs.

Graduate Denies Helping Murderer Boyfriend Who Stabbed Cousin To Death

Megan & Mary Armstrong-Challinor

The graduate daughter of a retired academic helped shield her bad-boy murderer boyfriend from police after he stabbed his cousin to death in broad daylight, a court heard.

Former Manchester Metropolitan University student Megan Armstrong-Challinor, 27, moved Jerome Bailey, 38, into her parents’ £800,000 home while they were holidaying in Spain.

Croydon Crown Court was told he used his girlfriend’s mother’s Oyster card to travel to the murder scene and is suspected of using her dad’s old Scout knife to stab Tesfa Campell, 40, in Battersea on July 3, last year.

Bailey was convicted on January 21 of murdering Mr Campbell in Latchmere Road, Battersea on July 3, last year and is in custody awaiting sentence.

Prosecutor Mr John Price QC told the jury: “This trial concerns a third person, Bailey’s then-girlfriend Megan Armstrong-Challinor.

“The prosecution says that after the killing and knowing what Bailey has done, she helped him evade capture by the police.”

There was even evidence that Armstrong-Challinor, a graduate in film and global media, made internet searches if ‘conjugal visits’ were allowed to prisoners in the UK.

Officers raided her parents’ home in Victor Road, Teddington at 8.15am on July 7, 2019 and the defendant’s father Bruce Armstrong, 62, told the jury the first he knew about it was: “When they put the door in.”

Mr Armstrong, the retired Dean of Students at Kingston University and his wife Mary saw police arrest their daughter and Bailey and then search their home and garden.

He told the court the couple had lived in a variety of addresses during their three-year relationship, with Armstrong-Challinor holding down a variety of jobs to support the pair.

Murderer: Jerome Bailey

“It was fairly obvious he was not contributing his fair share,” said Mr Armstrong of Bailey. “That was my suspicion.”

He told the jury his daughter lied she needed to borrow the family car for a hospital emergency involving Bailey hours after the murder.

Now the director of an educational business, Mr Armstrong added: “I said if he’s being discharged from hospital he can make his own way back.

“He was a grown man and I felt she ran after him too much.”

His daughter had moved back into the family home after an ankle operation and an “incident” forcing her to leave her previous address, but on returning from Spain her parents found Bailey was also there.

Confirming he was not happy about it Mr Armstrong said: “They were looking for somewhere else to live and were due to leave in a week.”

After the arrests he phoned the police because his old Scout knife was not in its usual place.

“I noticed the knife was missing from the sheath. I used it for opening heavy parcels and packaging.”

It was later found in the kitchen. “That knife was similar to the description given by eye witnesses,” said Mr Price.

The prosecution say Bailey deliberately changed his appearance after the murder, ridding himself of his distinctive long locks.

The defendant’s mother Mary Armstrong-Challinor told the court: “It was very hot in July and I said to him it must be hot if you had your head shaved.”

She also offered him medical advice after the supposed 1.00am hospital dash. “I suggested he look after himself better and he said he had stomach problems, nothing more than that.” 

Bruce Armstrong

Mr Price told the jury the Oyster card used by the murder suspect was registered to Mrs Armstrong-Challinor at the Teddington address. 

Police attended four days after the murder. “There they found Bailey and arrested him at the home of this defendant’s parents.

“She too was in the house that morning when the police arrived and she too was arrested.

“Her involvement came in the aftermath of the killing, assisting her boyfriend to evade arrest by the police, knowing what he had done.

“In the Summer house in the back garden were two yellow plastic string bags of the same kind taken from Mr Campbell by his killer.

“Both of these were within another bag that contained a quantity of cannabis and items related to the use of cannabis.

“The Oyster card that was registered to Mrs Armstrong-Challinor and used to travel from Teddington to Clapham Junction was in one of the yellow bags. 

Armstrong-Challinor, of Victor Road, Teddington denies one count of perverting the course of justice and the trial continues.

Cross-County Trek To Harass Ex-Fellow School Pupil

Stefan Grys 

A Lincolnshire man sent an intimate picture of himself to a former fellow-school pupil and travelled halfway across the country to harass her at work while disguising himself behind a mask.

Stefan Mark Grys, 26, bombarded the woman with hundreds of facebook messages and repeatedly entered the cosmetics shop she worked in, despite being ordered to leave.

At Wimbledon Magistrates Court yesterday Grys, of Cedar Road, Stamford was placed on a twelve-month community order, which includes up to ten days rehabilitation.

He was also made subject to a an indefinite restraining order, prohibiting contact with Grace Powell-Smith and entering the SW19 Wimbledon postcode.

Grys pleaded guilty to harassing the woman, who attended the same Peterborough school as him, on June 15 at Lush, Wimbledon Bridge.

Prosecutor Ms Sudara Weerasena told the court the pair were not schoolfriends, but Grys approached her in Peterborough in 2013.

“She felt uncomfortable due to the conversation and wanted it to end and went into a shop to avoid the defendant.

“The defendant contacted her in May, this year and sent multiple facebook messages and she did not understand why because they had nothing in common.

“He sent a photo of his penis, but there was no reason for this, it was unwanted.

“It included the message: 'If you had to choose money or a big dick what would you go for?'

“He also sent another message, saying: 'I guess I felt led on.'

“She says the facebook messages were in the hundreds and she blocked him.”

On June 15 Grys suddenly appeared at her workplace.

“He attended her work address in Wimbledon,” explained Ms Weerasena. “He was wearing a large mask and a beanie hat and she did not recognise him at first.

“He was acting strangely and asked: 'Do you recognise me?' and took off the mask and hat.

“He was asked to leave, but returned and then returned for a third time.”

When the shop closed Grys was loitering outside and the victim started looking for either security guards or police to assist her to the train station.

Wimbledon Magistrates' Court

Grys shouted at her: “Grace, you need to speak to me. You owe me that.”

In her victim impact statement Ms Powell-Smith said she was “shocked” by the intimate picture, adding: “When I saw him in the shop my stomach dropped.

“I panicked and was shaking all day and have hardly slept since. I am scared he will find out where I live and feel physically sick and upset.”

During the hearing Grys made rambling comments about plagues, trade deals and economic collapse, demanding the case be transferred to an Ecclesiastical court.

The magistrates heard Grys had difficulty picking up on the fact his attention was unwanted and failed to interpret the effect he was having on her.

He told the court: “I want to say I won't visit Lush or contact Grace again.”

He was also fined £40, with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge.

Drink-Drive Mum Over Three Times Limit

Wimbledon Magistrates' Court

A drunken mum-of-two, caught driving over three times the drinks limit after downing a bottle of vodka, has been banned from the roads for two-and-a-half years today.

Carla Sloman, 44, still owes £600 per month in payments for the next two years on her Audi Q5, which she is no longer allowed to drive.

The £82,000-a year IT professional, of Leigham Court Road, Streatham pleaded guilty to driving the blue two-litre vehicle in Roehampton Lane, Roehampton on August 26 with excess alcohol in her breath.

Her reading was 128 microgrammes. The legal limit is 35.

Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard she consumed the bottle of vodka over a couple of hours driving around the Roehampton area and ended up sleeping in the car.

“She was at rock bottom and that's how she feels today,” her lawyer told the court. 

“She has always used alcohol as a prop. She is a high-achieving lady, with a career, which she has held down while juggling family commitments.”

Sloman pays private school fees and owes a relative £40,000. 

Despite her husband earning £145,000 the court heard the couple have sunk much of their savings into renovating their home.

“They are not particularly flash, they have no savings,” added the lawyer.

The magistrate told Sloman: “You are obviously remorseful and have entered a guilty plea. It was a very high reading.

“There is always a high possibility people can be killed by drink drivers.”

Sloman was placed on a twelve-month Community Order, which includes 150 hours unpaid community service, plus up to 25 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

She was disqualified from driving for 30 months and must pay £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

Wash And Throw: OAP Floored In Launderette

Police are hunting this suspected thug, after a 78 year-old man was thrown to the floor in a north-west London launderette – suffering four broken ribs.

The OAP was suddenly attacked without warning when a man burst into the Harlesden launderette in Mordaunt Road and violently pushed him against one of the machines.

Detectives have released this CCTV image as they continue trying to identify the man suspected of the June 6 assault at 11.30am.

The sudden attack took place after the mystery man violently pushed open the door of the launderette and marched over to the retired welder, ripping his t-shirt and pushing him.

The pensioner fell hard onto the floor, suffering the four broken ribs, and the suspect ran away from the scene.

In a bizarre turn of events, the attacker returned shortly afterwards and kneeled down to apologise to the victim, telling him it was only a ‘joke’. 

He then attempted to give the victim £20, telling him he could use the money to finish his laundry.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he had to stay for a week and is still in pain months later.

Officers know the suspect arrived in a car outside the launderette with two other men, but they were not involved in this incident.

There have been no arrests to date.

Detective Constable Helen Moriarty of the North West Command Unit, who is investigating, said: "I ask people to look at the CCTV footage and see if they recognise this man, then do the right thing and contact police. 

“I believe someone out there will recognise the suspect and be able to tell us who he is. 

“This was a frightening and cowardly attack on an innocent victim and it is imperative we find the person responsible.

“The victim and his family were left terrified following the callous actions of a man who preyed on vulnerable, elderly people. 

“We are doing everything we can to find him are determined to get justice for the victim and to make sure those responsible face the consequences of their actions.

“Similarly, I ask anyone in the area at the time to please contact police orCrimestoppers and share that information with us.

Anyone who has information that could help police is asked to call 101 ref CAD 2717/05JUN20.

Alternatively tweet @MetCC or to remain 100% anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Concrete Case: Police Seize Heroin During Drug Swoop

Drugs cops found 24 kilos of heroin encased in a concrete block when they stopped a vehicle in east London.

Forty-eight packages of the Class A drug – each weighing 0.5 kilos – were seized.

During an ongoing proactive police investigation a 32 year-old suspected drug dealer was stopped by marked police vehicles in Dagenham on November 17.

The local man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and taken into police custody.

Commander Dave McLaren, from the Metropolitan Police's Specialist Crime Command, said: “This demonstrates the extent criminals will go to in order to conceal drugs trafficking activity from police. 

“However, we are committed to being one step ahead of these types of criminals to make sure we remove drugs from streets of London.

“Drugs supply is a driving factor in the levels of violent crime and by taking forty-eight blocks of suspected heroin out of the hands of criminals we will have made a major blow to organised drugs supply networks.”

Uzi Found In Stolen Car

This Uzi sub-machine gun – complete with silencer and ammunition – has been found in a stolen car parked in south London.

Police recovered the cache after removing the vehicle and carrying out a forensic search.

Officers from the Specialist Crime Proactive Syndicates seized the vehicle at 12.00pm on November 16 in Appach Road, Brixton Hill.

They were engaged in an operation to tackle serious violence.

The subsequent search of the vehicle found a bag containing an Uzi SMG, the silencer and the ammunition. 

The firearm will now undergo analysis.

Detective Superintendent Steve Ellen, from Specialist Crime South, said: “This is a significant recovery.

“A loaded machine gun has been taken off the streets thanks to the ongoing work of our officers tackling gang violence in the capital.

“Our investigation is in its early stages but we will be working to establish who left the firearm in the vehicle and whether it has been used in any criminality. 

“I would encourage anyone with information about violent crime to contact police or Crimestoppers.”

There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.

Trike Strike: Mum Hit By Kid's Three-Wheeler

Wimbledon Magistrates' Court

A dad threw a tricycle at his ex during a domestic row as she held one of their three children in her arms, a court heard yesterday.

Tyrone Black, 41, was ordered out of the address as he started fixing himself a sandwich and the couple began arguing.

Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard Black, of Bishops Grove, Hampton, previously breached a non-molestation order relating to his former partner Emma Huth.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting her at her home in Air Sea Mews, Twickenham on April 18 and bailed to return for a pre-sentence report on January 21, next year.

The court heard Ms Huth began recording him on her phone when he refused to leave and he asked her to stop.

They continued arguing back and forth by the front door and Black picked up a kid's tricycle and threw it at Ms Huth, who received a glancing blow to her arm from the handlebars.

Black left and his ex called the police several hours later.

She did not suffer any injury.

When questioned by police Black admitted throwing the trike, accepting it may have made minor contact with Ms Huth's arm.