Cruel Conman Takes £100K Painting From Pensioner

This £100,000 painting was taken from the home of a pensioner last night by a cruel conman who blagged his way into her home by posing as an investigator from her bank.

She had divulged the painting's value during a telephone conversation with the fraudster, who convinced her that her bank cards had been used in a crime.

The 89 year-old received a call at her South Kensington home informing her that someone from her bank would call to collect her debit cards, which had been compromised by criminals.

During that telephone conversation she was quizzed about valuable items in her home and mentioned the painting by Samuel Palmer 'The Comet of 1858.'

Jewellery was also taken by the conman, who is now being hunted by police.

The pensioner telephoned her bank to confirm the account, but the caller had not hung up and simply posed as her branch, confirming the story to her.

The conman is described as white man, believed to be aged in his 30s, approx 5ft 10inches tall, with dark hair and spoke with an English accent.



Anyone with information is asked to contact Kensington and Chelsea Serious Acquisitive Crime Unit on 0208 246 0173 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.



Police have offered the following advice: Neither your bank nor the police would ever ring you and state that they are coming to your home to pick up your card, so never hand it over to anyone who comes to collect it. 


Your bank will never ask you to authorise anything by entering your pin into the telephone handset. 


Never share your pin with anyone - the only times you should use your pin is at a cash machine or when you use a chip and pin machine in a shop / restaurant. 


If you think you have been the victim of a fraud or scam of this nature report the crime to your local police.

Pedestrian Killed By Stolen Car: Police Continue To Appeal For Witnesses

Police are appealing for witnesses, who saw an early-morning pedestrian killed by the driver of a stolen car, which mounted the pavement.

Christopher Ritchie, 52, (pictured) from Chadwell Heath, Essex was fatally injured as he walked along Forest Drive, Manor Park at 7.23am on November 20, last year.

He was pronounced dead at the scene from a head injury.

The vehicle, a blue Ford Focus, had been reported locally as being stolen and came to a halt nearby.

The driver left the scene on foot.

A 38-year old man was later arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of a road traffic collision.

He has been bailed to return to police at a later date.



Detective Sergeant Helen Lambert from the Metropoltan Police Service's Road Death Investigation Team said: “This fatal collision took place on a busy highway frequented by many local people and commuters.

“I’m convinced somebody saw something that can help us with our enquires. 



“The family are naturally devastated by the loss of their loved one, an innocent family man who was going about his everyday business.

“I would urge anyone with information to call our incident room hotline on 020 8597 4874 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.” 

Overseas Student Slashed During Midnight Rucksack Mugging

A mature student from Spain was slashed with a knife when two muggers tried to rob him of his rucksack just after midnight in a north-west London street.

The 30 year-old, who is studying English, was attacked outside Brondesbury Court, Willesden Lane, Cricklewood (pictured) at 12.35am on January 5.

Detectives from the borough of Brent arrested two youths, aged 15 and 17, and are appealing for witnesses.

The victim refused to hand over his rucksack when approached by two males and during a struggle was slashed with the knife.

He received serious injuries and was rushed by ambulance to a central London hospital where his condition is now stable, but may be life-changing.



The suspects, who were arrested twenty-four hours later on suspicion of inflicting grievous bodily harm, have been bailed to date next month.

Detective Constable Fiona Davidson of Brent CID said: "This was a shockingly violent attack on a man who was simply attempting to prevent the robbery of his bag.



"I would urge anyone who saw what happened, or who has information about those responsible, to make contact with police."



Anyone with information can call officers on 020 8733 3709 or speak with Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Latest Deviant From Notorious Essex Family Tried To Met 10 Year-Old Boy For Sex

Inner London Crown Court

A young paedophile with “deviant and perverted ideas” was caught in a police sting after arranging to meet a ten year-old boy he wanted to abuse.

David Michael Lane, 24, of Hubberd Road, Little Canfield, Dunmow received a suspended prison sentence yesterday for setting-up the meeting with an undercover police officer, who claimed to have an available son.

“You are a danger to young children, say the probation service, and will continue to be a danger if something is not done about it,” Inner London Crown Court Judge Nigel Seed QC told the first-time offender.

“You have ended up as an adult with some pretty deviant and perverted ideas. It would have been oral rape and whether you would have carried it out we will never know.”

Lane, whose father and uncle are convicted sex offenders, pleaded guilty to arranging or facilitating an act that involved the commission of an offence, namely oral rape, on October 8, last year, plus eight counts of possessing indecent image of children.

He was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, placed on two years probation, which includes a sex offender treatment programme and must undergo NHS psycotherapy.

Lane, whose mother, sister and other family and friends were in court to support him, was also made subject to an indefinite Sexual Offenders Prevention Order and must sign the sex offenders register for ten years.

Prosecutor Mr. Tom Wilkins told the court the Metropolitan Police's Child Protection Command ran an operation monitoring the internet and during Skype and telephone conversations Lane revealed an interest in the subject of “dads and boys.”

“He said a ten year-old boy would be perfect and that he would like to see a father and son together and sexual imagery of a father and son.”

“Eventually Lane met an undercover police officer and said he would like the boy to perform oral sex on him and he would like to see the officer have oral sex with the child and then he would like to join in.”

After purchasing lubricant and condoms the defendant was arrested and made a full confession.

"He said that he had been troubled by his sexual desires and wanted to be stopped from committing any future offences and that he couldn't cope.

“He said that he had been viewing indecent images of children for many years, since he was a teenager, exposing himself online and reading about child abuse fantasies.”

Police found a total of 64 indecent images on Lane's computer and phone.

“None of the images were taken by himself,” added Mr. Wilkins. “Over 50% were at least at Level Four and some were at Level Five, the most serious.”

Lane's lawyer Miss Ann-Marie Talbot told the court: “He has taken this opportunity to unburden his soul.

“He is young enough to change and he has been open and frank about difficult circumstances and subjects.

“A custodial sentence is not the best way to ensure Mr. Lane does not trouble the police or court system in the future and he is a young man a number of people continue to rate very highly.”

In a statement Lane revealed: “I've tried to block this for too many years. I started at the age of eleven and twelve and tried to have girlfriends.....I know you can't stop this for a fact.”

However, Miss Talbot claimed: “He now knows help does exist for his sexual paraphilia.”

Judge Seed stressed no prison sentence available to him would be long enough to ensure Lane, who has been in custody since his arrest, received necessary treatment.

“Whilst you are to be pitied you merit punishment for what you have done,” he told Lane. “There are explanations, but they don't justify your behaviour.

“It is in the public interest to make sure you receive the appropriate treatment, getting you out of your deviant behaviour and protecting children.”

Mystery Surrounds Respected Electrician Turned Cocaine Courier

A Wolverhampton electrician caught at Gatwick Airport with £270,000 worth of cocaine hidden inside three drink bottles has been jailed for four years.

Roy Grizzle, 53, of Redhurst Drive, Fordhouses had just stepped off a flight from Montego Bay, Jamaica when he was stopped by UK Border Agency officers.

The smuggling operation has left the first-time offender's family shocked and baffled as to why the father-of-three, who has never been in trouble before, should become involved in such a risky and serious offence.

He pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court (pictured) to being knowingly concerned in the importation of 2.172 kilos of 63% pure cocaine on November 7, last year.

The drugs were secreted within three bottles of aloe vera and Jamaican-born Grizzle tried to talk his way out of trouble.

“He gave an account of going to the St. James' area to sort out a property issue and had gone to a shop in Sandy Bay to buy the drinks and did not know anything about cocaine in them,” explained prosector Mr. Andrew Ramsubhag.

Grizzle's lawyer Mr. Kieron Berkeley said: “He was in Jamaica because he had been left some property, not of any real value, and was administering those affairs.

“He has no debts and is not an alcoholic or drug-addict and the family are ashamed their father is where he is.”

Grizzle has been in custody since his arrest and not offered any real explanation for the offence, added the lawyer.

“He has been inward looking and gone within himself, but it is not clear to me what the background to his offending is.”

Judge Jeremy Gold told Grizzle: “It is a great shame to see a man of your age standing across from me in a courtroom.

“You were living a blameless life with your family, but have now committed this serious offence.

“I can only assume that it was done for money.”

Doctor Swindled Free NHS Drugs He Mailed To His Indian Mother-In-Law

A hospital doctor received a suspended prison sentence today for obtaining free NHS cancer drugs after writing 145 prescriptions for medication he mailed to his mother-in-law in India.

Dr. Sukhendeo Chattopathyay, 50, who was employed in the intermediate care unit at Orpington Hospital continued the fraud after he was exposed by stealing the name of a patient on his ward and using it on a subsequent prescription.

Croydon Crown Court heard his mother-in-law, who continues to battle breast cancer, registered with her local G.P. as a resident when merely visiting the UK and Dr. Chattopathyay maintained the illusion after she returned home.

Dr. Chattopathyay, of Holywell Close, Orpington pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation between January 7, 2009 and September 5, 2012 by dishonestly representing to Rowlands Pharmacy that Jyotsna Bhadra was an NHS patient.

He also pleaded guilty to another count of fraud by false representation on September 5, 2012 when using the hospital patient's name to obtain an NHS prescription from the same pharmacy.

Indian-born Dr. Chattopathyay told further lies to the pharmacy, including having his mother-in-law's G.P's permission to write the prescriptions even though that doctor had died seven years earlier and also tried to have evidence destroyed.

The £40,000 a year doctor admits he could have easily afforded the buy the medicines privately and the sentencing judge concluded he had been motivated by "greed".

Prosecutor Miss Eleanor Mawrey told the court that as well as the cancer drugs Dr. Chattopathyay also defrauded the NHS out of painkillers, stomach acid pills and an asthma inhaler.

He came under suspicion on July 17, 2012 after writing a prescription for three months supply of the cancer drugs just three weeks after he had received 84 free tablets for Mrs Bhadra.

"He said that she was his mother-in-law and that she was travelling in India. That was a lie, she was living in India and was a resident there.

"He stated that she was a patient and he had cleared it with the surgery, but that doctor had died in 2005 and Mrs Bhadra was not a patient of that surgery anymore," explained Miss Mawrey.

When Dr. Chattopathyay returned to the same pharmacy in September for more cancer and stomach acid drugs staff refused to dispense them.

"He then entered into another series of lies, saying he had cleared it with the G.P. but eventually said he would not do it again and asked the pharmacist to shred the prescription.

"However, the next day Dr. Chattopathyay took things to a whole new level when the pharmacy received a prescription for stomach acid drugs.

"The patient named on the prescription ad never been prescribed those drugs, in fact she was a patient on the ward where Dr. Chattopathyay worked."

Police arrested the father-of-two at his family home on October 17, 2012. "He said he believed his mother-in-law was entitled to prescriptions on the NHS."

The GMC are now re-reviewing Dr. Chattopathyay's fitness to practice and his eight-month suspension without pay from the hospital cost him £27,000 - adding to his growing debts.

"He has paid a heavy price. If he had admitted this fully straight away it would have been dealt with internally," explained Mr. Benjamin Narain, defending.

"He is completely sorry for what he has done and admits he behaved dishonestly.

"He was on a good salary and could have afforded to buy the drugs and send them to his mother-in-law.

"He was motivated by the desire to help."

Judge Jeremy Gold QC sentenced Dr. Chattopathyay to 9 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months and ordered him to complete 150 hours community service work and pay £3,000 costs.

Dr. Chattopathyay must also pay £1,114 compensation to the NHS.

"This country expects the very highest standards of behaviour from doctors practicing throughout the country," Judge Gold told him. "A doctor's actions must be beyond reproach.

"Your actions shake the confidence of the general public. It is shameful behaviour.

"You committed this offence out of greed and took advantage of your position to write prescriptions for drugs that you could have purchased on the open market instead of defrauding the NHS."

Gun Cops Seize Revolver After Armed Swoop

Firearms cops swooped on a van in north London, seizing this gun and arresting two men.

The Armed Response Vehicle officers stopped the white van at 10.25pm in Truro Road, Wood Green on January 9.

The vehicle was searched and the revolver and ammunition found.

The men, aged 21 and 29 years-old, were arrested for possessing a firearm, with intent to endanger life, and taken into custody.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said: "Day in and day out detectives and firearms officers continue to combat gun crime to protect Londoners.

“I am proud of what they do and their resilience and focus to continue even in the midst of this week’s news.

“Armed criminals have killed more than 50 people in this city - from all communities -- in the past 3 and half years.

“We send out well-trained, professional armed officers nearly every day to protect the public from this threat.”

Fake-Job Rapist Locked-Up

A knife-wielding rapist, who lured a woman to his bed-sit after placing a bogus job ad, has been caged for seventeen years.

Bulgarian national Atanas Miryanov, 38, (pictured) even tried to push the terrified half-naked woman out of a second-floor window as she attempted to escape.

The victim, 26, responded to the online advert Miryanov placed on Bulgarian-language site novoto.co.uk, seeking women to work at a car wash.

She arrived at his address in Sutton Common Road, Sutton on July 1, 2013, where the heavy-drinking defendant asked her to wait for the manager 'Georgi' as he became increasingly drunk.

The woman, also Bulgarian, eventually asked to leave, but Miryanov grabber her, threw her onto the bed and raped her.

She feigned an asthma attack in a desperate bid to end her ordeal, but this prompted the defendant to try and rape her again while threatening her with a knife.

The victim tried to flee via the upstairs window and clambered onto the ledge, where Miryanov tried to push her out of it and fortunately her screams were heard by several passers-by, who called the police.

Miryanov, who has been in the UK eleven months, was arrested and when quizzed by police claimed he did have sex with the victim, but she had consented.

He was convicted of rape by a Croydon Crown Court jury.

Detective Sergeant Janet Archibald, of the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said: "Miryanov subjected the victim in this case to a terrifying sexual assault.

“The victim said she was prepared to risk her own life in order to escape from him and she did this by climbing semi-naked and precariously onto a high window ledge, and fortunately her cries were heard by members of the public.

"I would like to thank those witnesses who assisted this case.

“The victim of this awful crime has shown incredible bravery throughout this investigation and I wish to thank her for helping the Metropolitan Police Service to bring this dangerous and predatory criminal to justice.

“I also wish to appeal to any other women who may have been attacked by this individual and not yet come forward to do so."

Stockbroker's Teenage Son Caught Drink-Driving In Early Hours

The teenage son of a wealthy stockbroker was caught drink-driving in the early hours of the morning after leaving his family's multi-million pound home in his new BMW to collect a stranded group of girls.

Henry Hoare, 18, a finance student at Bristol University, lives at the Grade II-listed Hollycombe House, Liphook, Hampshire, but was at his family's Belgravia property when he received the early hours call.

He pleaded guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court to driving the black Series 1 vehicle, with excess alcohol in his breath, in Eaton Square on December 15, last year.

He was supported in court by his father, Tim Hoare, 63, who founded the hugely successful T Hoare & Co in 1993, in partnership with Canada's Canaccord.

The court heard Henry was nearly double the drink-drive limit when stopped at 2.20am and he was fined £400, with £80 costs, ordered to pay a £40 victim surcharge and disqualified for a year.

Prosecutor Miss Amanda McCabe said the vehicle caught police's attention because they believed it was travelling at 45mph in a 30mph zone.

"The defendant was pulled over by the police with four passengers in his car and slipped as he got out of the driver's-side door and was unsteady on his feet and said he had four pints that evening."

After failing a road-side breath test Henry was arrested and later blew an alcohol reading of 68 microgrammes - the legal limit is 35.

His lawyer Mr. Robin Falvey told the court: "He is of good character, he has pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and he does not ask me to make any excuses.

"He never intended to drive, he was staying at the family home in Gerald Road, off Eaton Square when he was telephoned by some female friends asking for a lift.

"At that time of night he should have told them to get a taxi.

"He receives an allowance and it would be disingenuous for me to say his family will not pay his financial penalty.

"It may be a little less serious than someone who has the intention to drive.

"I have spoken to his father, who sits at the back of the court, and he says that since obtaining his licence his son has been very responsible in relation to driving and drink-driving."

District Judge Mrs Davinder Lachaar disagreed, announcing: "He intended to drive and he did drive. These terms are used too liberally."

She told Henry: "Your female friends should have gone home on their own volition."

Ex-School Governor Jailed For Inciting Young Girls To Meet For Sex

A former school governor, who tried to persuade two schoolgirls - aged thirteen and fifteen - to meet him for sex during explicit internet conversations, has been jailed for three years and nine months.

Management consultant Malcolm Greenaway, 66, (pictured) of Stanley Park Road, Carshalton Beeches, Surrey pleaded guilty to two counts of causing or inciting the under-age girls to engage in sexual activity between January 1 and October 31, 2010.

Greenaway was a governor at Wallington High School for Girls between 1988 and 1997 and at Stanley Park Infants and Junior schools between 1992 and 1988.

He also pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to thirty-two counts of possessing indecent images of children, which were found on his computer when police executed a search warrant at his home on January 28, 2012.

Prosecutor Mr. Hamish Reid told the court a family friend of the thirteen year-old Cheshire schoolgirl raised the alarm after discovering the youngster was communicating on Facebook with a user who posted an image of a male's bare torso.

The same user encouraged the girl to try on her swimming costume and made repeated contact with her as well as another Cheshire schoolgirl, aged fifteen years-old.

“He had made contact with the girls, pretending to be someone else, and tried to meet them, although no meetings took place,” explained Mr. Reid.

“He invited them to engage in sexual activity, such as intercourse.”

Greenway was traced via his computer's unique IP address on January 19 and his home was raided nine days later.

He told officers he was depressed and the court heard he made attempts at self-harm after he was arrested and bailed.

The Recorder of Croydon Warwick McKinnon announced: “These are two potentially very serious offences.”

Art Expert Who Thumped Wife Given Marriage Counselling Thumbs-Up

A former Christie's art expert, who slapped his wife across the face while driving in busy west London as their two children watched from the rear seat, had a restraining order amended today to allow the couple to seek marriage counselling.

Art dealer Damian Brenninkmeyer, 43, a member of the Dutch dynasty that owns the C & A chain store is the former head of the Old Masters department in Christie's Amsterdam, having been their specialist in New York and also worked at New Bond Street auction house Bonhams and Butterfields.

He pleaded guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court last August to assaulting his wife of ten years Fiona Brenninkmeyer, 40, on July 8 and was sentenced to four months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months and made subject to a six-month restraining order, banning him from their luxury Fulham home and contacting his wife.

He was also ordered to complete a domestic rehabilitation course and pay £120 costs after the court heard violence against his wife stretched back to their honeymoon when she was eight months pregnant.

Today, Brenninkmeyer, who now lives with his father at The Water Gardens, Warren Road, Kingston-upon-Thames appeared at the same court along with Fiona and the order was amended to allow contact between the couple for the purposes of counselling.

"There is a letter from Mrs Brenninkmeyer saying why she wants the order varied," said Miss Stephanie Roe, defending. "The variation is to amend the terms to allow counselling."

The order was due to expire on February 28, but Miss Roe added: "They want to start marriage counselling before then."

Agreeing to amend the order bench chairman Mr. S. Elia told Brenninkmeyer: "We have read the original witness statement from your wife and read her letter and we are satisfied that you have abided by all the conditions of your restraining order and there does seem to be a genuine wish by you and tour wife to have a go at salvaging your marriage.

"We all wish you all the best and hopefully this will be the last time you are here Mr. Brenninkmeyer."

Prosecutor Miss Helen Clutton did not oppose the application, explaining: "Mr. Brenninkmeyer was of previous good character and this is his only conviction.

"There was a caution on July 6, last year when Mr. Brenninkmeyer admitted he threw water on Mrs Brenninkmeyer a few days before this incident and punched her.

"The police assessed the risk at the time as standard. It has not changed and there have been no other incidents.

"They have not seen each other, there has been no other contact."

After Brenninkmeyer pleaded guilty last year prosecutor Mr. Paul Mitchell said the family were planning to drive to Mrs Brenninkmeyer's mother's home in Buckinghamshire on that Sunday afternoon.

"Mrs Brenninkmeyer could sense a bad mood and was afraid the defendant would get angry with her, but he assured her everything was going to be okay.

"They were driving along Fulham Palace Road when the defendant became aggressive and started shouting: 'I want to punish you for what you did to me'."

The court heard Brenninkmeyer was still angry with his wife for calling the police two days earlier and told her: "I'm going to break your phone and tell the accountant not to allow you to have another.

"She said: 'Please calm down for the kids', but he started to bash his fists on the steering wheel while they were still moving," explained Mr. Mitchell.

"He then back-hand hit her across the right side of her face.

"He was driving erratically so she decided to call the police and grabbed her phone, but Mr. Brenninkmeyer grabbed her hand, clawing at her hand.

"He gave up, but grabbed her sunglasses from her lap and threw them out of the window.

"The right side of her face was throbbing and she could see bruising as the journey continued and at Beaconsfield Services she took the two girls into a service area and cried.

"Mr. Brenninkmeyer said: 'Why don't you get back in the car? You're causing a scene'."

There was another row back at the family home that night when Brenninkmeyer discovered his wife had taken money from their joint account to pay a cleaner and he pushed her down onto a sofa.

Brenninkmeyer's lawyer Mr. Mark Haslam told the court: "This is a marriage both parties think can be saved and there is an email from his wife to that effect."

  

The court also heard Brenninkmeyer has been undergoing treatment for anxiety.

On the sentencing date Mrs Clutton revealed there was a long history of domestic violence, explaining: "Mrs Brenninkmeyer says that she has been a victim of domestic violence since she was pregnant with her first child.

"When she was eight months pregnant they were on their honeymoon when he hit her, put his hand around her neck and pushed her onto the bed and hit her."

Law Firm's Bean-Counter Sentenced For £12K Benefit Fraud

A financial controller with a solicitor's firm kept his job a secret from his local council during a £12,000 benefits swindle in which they paid his rent and waived community charge payments.

Lee Graham, 56, (pictured) whose original £10 a-week compensation offer was rejected by Isleworth Crown Court was told to start making arrangements to immediately pay back the money, which would have taken twenty-three years under his plan.

Graham, of Warwick Road, Earl's Court pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement on October 19, 2007 to obtain benefit from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

He received £10,655 in housing benefit and £1,325 in council tax benefit while earning up to £2,000 per month on a self-employed basis with Marylebone solicitors Julian Young & Co.

Graham was sentenced to a twelve-month community order, which includes 150 hours community service work, and a £1,200 compensation order was made.

He admitted the offences months earlier and on that occasion was told to stop feeling sorry for himself, find employment, and start repaying the money.

"He plainly has skills and works in the middle of London and there are a host of people out there looking to employ people with Mr. Graham's skills so he could pay compensation if he wanted to," said Judge Robert Winstanley.

"I am looking for conduct that shows he is willing to make financial reparations," added Judge Winstanley. "I will defer sentence in the expectation that Mr. Graham will find a job and do so in a realistic time."

Prosecutor Mr. Paul Sharkey told the court Graham's jobseekers allowance claim was legitimate when it began in 2004 and the rent and council tax bills on his housing association flat was covered by the local authority.

After learning he was working the council wished to interview the defendant, but he failed to turn up to speak to investigators at the town hall on three separate occasions.

Graham's lawyer Mr. James Dennis said his client returned to work after caring for his now-deceased mother and because his confidence was low did not come off benefits.

"He was not sure how it was going to work out and he decided, very stupidly, not to inform the local authority. It snowballed and he buried his head in the sand.

"The sums earned were relatively modest, but he should have declared them. He was not living an extravagant lifestyle.

"Mr. Graham is not claiming benefits or working anymore and relies in friends to get by. He is a man of very little means.

"He realises this is money that has to be paid back and he wants to pay the money back, but his financial circumstances are what they are."

Romanian Big Issue Vendor Snatched £50 From Blind Pensioner Customer

A Romanian Big Issue seller, who stole £50 from a kindly blind pensioner, who was buying a copy of the homeless magazine, was jailed for four months today for the "deeply nasty" offence.

Razvan Dumitru, 22, has fifteen aliases and six bogus dates of birth and has been offending since he arrived in the U.K. without a visa as an eleven year-old along with his father and five siblings.

The father-of-two, of Victoria Road, Lower Edmonton was selling the Big Issue outside Morrisons supermarket in High Street, Sutton on November 30.

Under the old EU rules the job gave him self-employed status, a national insurance number and the right to claim benefits.

When 66 year-old Jane Phillips, who recognised his voice, stopped to buy a copy he reached into her purse and snatched five £10 notes.

A mother with her two children saw what was going on and a male witness noticed the pensioner was distressed.

Dumitru denied taking the cash and started packing up, but was detained after a struggle with the man, who was assisted by a member of the store's security staff.

Police were called and the sergeant was assisted by two passing off-duty police officers.

Dumitru had £23 cash in his pocket and the five tenners hidden between copies of the Big Issue in his bag and pleaded guilty to theft when he appeared at Croydon Magistrates' Court.

Police revealed the pensioner was "over the moon" with the help she received from members of the public and the police and thanked them for their support although the incident has shattered her faith in human nature.

She told police she would regularly give the vendor £1 while shopping, but never took a copy of the magazine because she cannot read.

Dumitru was remanded in custody to Croydon Crown Court for sentencing, where Judge Barbara Cameron told him: "You have pleaded guilty to a deeply nasty opportunistic theft in the street from a blind woman.

"The offence was committed out of greed when she kindly tendered to you a one pound coin and then felt you touching her purse, exploiting her vulnerability to take fifty pounds.

"This was an appalling and reprehensible crime, committed two days after a suspended prison sentence hanging over you ran out."

Dumitru's lawyer Mr. Graham Lloyd told the court: "Looking at his record it is quite appalling. Between the ages of fifteen and seventeen there are a large number of dishonesty offences and he went into custody for the first time aged seventeen."

The court heard the defendant has never learned English during his eleven years in the UK or held down a steady job, except earning £280-£500 per month selling the Big Issue.

Judge Cameron told Dumitru, who has convictions for burglary, theft and attempted theft: "You exploited your position of trust as a Big Issue seller, wrecking the reputation of those vendors.

"Your income relies on these nasty opportunistic incidents of theft and you have demonstrated little remorse.

"You have failed to understand a blind woman is highly vulnerable in the street and these offences cause enormous distress and effect the confidence of vulnerable people." 

Detective Constable Lee Blunden said:  "At this time of festive cheer and goodwill, it's hard to imagine a less charitable act than stealing from a blind person.

"We would like to thank those members of the public who came forward to help this victim."