Family Of Roma Gypsies Jailed For Brutal Exploitation Of Trafficked Fellow-Poles

Ana Gil & Dawid Gil

A family of Roma gypsies, who tricked three fellow-Poles into moving to London, where they were ruthlessly exploited and subjected to brutal beatings and their national insurance numbers used to rip-off the benefits system, were jailed today.

One female victim, 31, was constantly sexually molested and forced to shoplift and beg with her two children and her husband, 32, and another man had to collect scrap metal for up to twenty hours per day and hand all their money over to the family.

The family are: Ana Gill, 48, who received three years and her boyfriend, former jailbird, Jan Majewski, 49, a prolific offender in his homeland, who received four years, both of High Road, Romford.

Her four son's: Wladyslaw Gil, 33, of Budock Court, Budock Drive, Ilford; Dawid Gil, 31, and Mateusz Gil, 20, both of Field Road, Forest Gate and Fabien Gil, 28, and his wife Bogumila Mirga, 30, both of Salisbury Road, Forest Gate.

The Recorder of Croydon Warwick McKinnon told them: "After each arrived their identity documents were confiscated, violence was routinely deployed, they were in bonded labour and the single male was made to break into unoccupied houses.

Jan Majewski & Wladyslaw Gil

"You used his identity to claim tax credits and to make bank loans and the woman was barely allowed out of the house and was made to go begging and shoplifting, her children were made to steal and their id's were used to obtain tax credits.

"They were threatened with violence and they had witnessed beatings being meted out and the victim impact statements reveal the devastating effect on all three."

The single male was left with "permanent physical and psychological damage" as a result of beatings inflicted by Wladyslaw.

"The violence you perpetrated was without mercy, it was extreme and as routine as it was relentless and callous and sadistic, causing long-term damage," the judge told him.

Wladyslaw was sentenced to ten years imprisonment; Dawid two years; Mateusz twenty-one months; Fabien five years and Bogumila three years.

The Polish couple and their two children were brought to the UK and kept under the control of professional shoplifter and father-of-five Fabien Gil, the court was told.

Mateusz Gil

While the husband was sent to work at a banana-packing plant in Stanstead and surrender 70% of his wages his wife and two children were kept locked in a room for a year.

When that job ended he was forced to collect scrap metal and hand all the proceeds over, purportedly in exchange for food and lodging.

Prosecutor Mr. Tim Hunter told Croydon Crown Court: "Fabien and Ana Gil threatened to beat up the children and Mateusz Gil - then aged fifteen years-old - also subjected the woman to repeated sexual assaults.

"He would follow her into the bathroom and pester her for sex. He would grab her breasts, buttocks and vagina both above and beneath her clothing."

Judge McKinnon told Mateusz: "Fifteen years-old or not what you did was to engage in a systematic course of sexual harassment and assault over several weeks. She was seen as an object of commercial and sexual exploitation." 

The family escaped after the husband got Fabien Gil drunk one night, snatched his identity documents from the defendant's wallet, and fled to Wales.

They later told the police of Majewski: "He was the brains behind the operation….The boss of the whole family."

Bogumila Mirga & Fabien Gil

The couple had seen another Pole under the control of the family, Robert Wylezol, 41, who also came from the town of Nysa, near the Czech border and was used to break into squats for the defendants.

"He worked twenty hours a day collecting scrap metal in a pram and Fabien Gil kept all the proceeds and he was told to work or there would be no food.

"He received daily beatings from Wladyslaw Gil and on one occasion was beaten unconscious and suffered fractured ribs," added Mr. Hunter.

"The victim was also beaten with a metal pipe and urinated blood for a week and after escaping for one night and sleeping in a park was beaten unconscious, with ribs broken on both sides."

The jury were told the severity of the beatings were influenced by the amount of money Mr. Wylezol made for the family and he was kept under their control by threats to kill his son and family living in Poland.

He was moved to illiterate heavy-drinking father-of-three Wladyslaw's new address in Ilford, where he slept in a locked storage room with no bed, until he escaped and slept rough for four months until assisted by a charity.

Convicted thief and fraudster Wladyslaw was convicted of trafficking Robert Wylezol into the UK for exploitation and along with father-of-three Dawid and Fabien was also found guilty of conspiring to traffick the same victim within the UK for exploitation.

Fabien was convicted of trafficking the couple into the UK for exploitation and Mirga was found guilty of an identical charge in relation to just the wife.  

Wladyslaw, Fabien and Jan Majewski were convicted of conspiring to traffick the husband within the UK for exploitation. 

All three, plus Mirga and Ana were found guilty of the same offence in relation to the wife..

Wladyslaw Gil was convicted of four counts of actual bodily harm against Mr. Wylezol and Mateusz Gil convicted of four counts of sexual assault against the wife.

They had all pleaded not guilty to the charges, which date from January 1, 2009 until September 30, 2010.

Holidaymaker Caught At Heathrow With Antique Gun Is Sentenced

An Eastbourne holidaymaker, caught with a gun in his luggage as he tried to board a flight to Thailand, received a suspended prison sentence yesterday.

House clearer Mark Ratcliffe, 52, of Royal Parade, claims he found the firearm in a property he was emptying and forgot it was in his bag.

He pleaded guilty at Isleworth Crown Court to unlawfully possessing a prohibited firearm, namely a .32 inch Gate Loading Revolver, at Heathrow's Terminal Three on Christmas Eve, last year.

The offence carries a five-year statutory minimum sentence except in exceptional circumstances and Ratcliffe even had the sentencing date delayed so he could give away his sister at her wedding, such was the likelihood of custody.

He received two years imprisonment, suspended for twenty-four months, was ordered to complete 300 hours community service work and pay £300 costs and a £120 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor Mr. Douglas Adams said: “The defendant was at Heathrow Airport and was going to Thailand for a holiday for a month when his hand luggage was searched and the firearm found.

“He said that his job is to clear houses and he found the item in a property and kept it at his business premises.

“He was anxious about leaving it there because he was going away on holiday and he put it in a bag and forgot it was there.

“He said he thought it was an old deactivated firearm.”

The defence claim the gun is probably around one hundred years-old, with the model's first year of manufacture dating back to 1894.

“It is almost beyond belief that somebody would deliberately take it to an airport with the security that is there now,” said Mr. Steven Pidcock, defending.

“A firearms expert concluded it is one hundred years-old, the ammunition is obsolete, but unfortunately for Mr. Ratcliffe there is modern ammunition to fit it.

“A possible defence could be to argue it is an antique or curio, but it is unlikely a court would find that.

“Mr. Ratcliffe does accept possession of it, but we will argue these offence comes under exceptional circumstances and it would be unfair to impose the minimum five-year sentence.”

The court heard the gun was in “very poor condition” and required attention before it could be fired.

“There is no suggestion this was to export for financial gain,” added Mr. Pidcock.

Two-Time Blackmailer Gets Suspended Prison Sentence

A blackmailer, convicted of making demands on the individuals of two companies, has received a suspended prison sentence.

Anthony George McPherson, 53, of Gutenburg Court, Grange Road, Bermondsey fought the charges, but was convicted by a Southwark Crown Court jury.

The charge is usually met with an immediate custodual sentence, but the trial judge decided the circumstances of the case did not merit McPherson going straight to prison.

He was originally charged with blackmailing a man associated with a Borough-based events company by making an unwarranted demand for £50,000 on or before October 9, last year.

He was also charged with similarly blackmailing a man who works for a seperate company, by making a demand for £150,000 on October 7, last year.

As a condition of bail McPherson was prohibited from contacting either company or their employees.

He was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months, ordered to complete 150 hours community service and pay £500 costs.

Wannabe Mum Claims She Was Molested By Prolific Sperm Donor Prof

A wannabe mum - "desperate to have a baby" - told a jury today a University College London scientist, who says he's fathered 58 children via his sperm donor service, demanded sex in return for a sample.

Professor Gennadij Raivich, 51, a perinatal neuroscientist, denies sexually assaulting three women who used his unregulated "one stop shop" artificial insemination service, in the hope of becoming pregnant.

The 31 year-old single woman travelled from her Cambridgeshire village to Raivich's address at Rashleigh House, Thanet Street, St. Pancras after they communicated online.

Prosecutor Mr. Tom Wilkins told Blackfriars Crown Court Raivich persuaded her to provide what he called: "Artificial Insemination Plus" - namely oral sex to assist him provide the sample.

"She says she was faced with the ultimatum that unless she performed oral sex on him she would not get a donation. She was desperate for a baby and agreed."

The woman gave a video-recorded interview to police in and told the jury from behind a screen: "He kept asking for AI Plus because it would make things quicker.

"He laid sofa cushions on the floor and was taking his trousers off and said he wanted AI Plus because it would be quick and he did not have time to provide the sample himself.

"With my baby brain I agreed to AI Plus and he took his underwear off and lay on the floor and I performed AI Plus and the donation was ready in thirty seconds.

"While I was doing AI Plus he asked me to take my clothes off so he could touch me.

"I said I did not mind doing AI Plus, but did not want to do anything else, but he put his hand on my bottom over my jeans then kept trying to put his hands down my waistband and up my top."

Raivich carried a "donation kit" which contained a dvd player, which he watched pornography on, rubber gloves and a speculum and pipette and was happy to carry-out home visits all over the country.

"Before putting the speculum inside me he slid a couple of fingers in and rubbed me and said having an orgasm would improve my chances of conceiving," she explained.

"I told him to stop because that was not what I was there for, but he tried it three or four times and I told him to stop each time and he did.

"He asked to see my breasts because he was a doctor and wanted to see if I had Polycystic Ovary Syndrome."

She said Raivich touched her breasts both "over and under" her clothing.

"I knew if I didn't do AI Plus I wouldn't get a donation and he wouldn't come to my house.

"I was excited, I was desperate at the time to have a child. That donation might have got me pregnant."

Mr. Wilkins said: "Each complainant in this case is a woman who met the defendant through an internet forum dedicated to sperm donation.

"He provided a one stop shop for women who wanted semen. All were desperate to have a baby."

His service was informal and did not conform to the guidelines of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and he often used the pseudonym Frank Qualman, the court was told.

"The defendant met these women in order to inseminate them. He took advantage of their desperation, his anonymity and informality by committing various types of sexual assaults upon them," added Mr. Wilkins.

The prosecution accept Raivich is a qualified doctor in Germany, but has always been an academic scientist and has never practiced medicine and is not registered with the General Medical Council.

"On the websites he advertises his services as a sperm donor and represents himself as a: 'Medical doctor based in Central London' providing a service called Intra-Cervical Insemination or ICI."

Before seeing the Cambridgeshire woman the first complainant saw him on February 27, 2012 when "wholly gratuitously and without warning" he inserted two to three of this fingers into her vagina for three to five seconds, the jury were told.

"Such was her desperation to have a baby she returned ten times to his Russell Square address."

"He was not the altruistic donor, but someone who is sexually-motivated," Mr. Wilkins told the jury. 

The third victim was visited by Raivich at her home in Great Yarmouth and on the second occasion sexually assaulted her, she says.

"He lifted up her t-shirt and groped her breasts and put two fingers into her vagina and rubbed her clitoris without consent.

"He says he checked her breasts to test her fertility."

Raivich has pleaded not guilty to assault by digital penetration in relation to the first woman; one count of assault by penetration and sexual assault against the Cambridgeshire woman on November 21, 2012 and two counts of assault by penetration and two counts of sexual assault on November 27.

He also denies two counts of sexual assault against the Great Yarmouth woman on January 31, last year and assault by penetration on the same date.

Trial continues……………

UCL Prof Who Has Fathered 58 Children Via Sperm Donations Denies Molesting Three 'Customers'

A professor, who claims he has fathered 58 children via his "one stop shop" insemination service, preyed on the desperation of three wannabe mums by sexually assaulting them during his consultations, a court heard today.

Professor Gennadij Raivich, 51, a perinatal neuroscientist at University College London told one victim she had to repeatedly perform oral sex on him to obtain the samples she craved, the Blackfriars Crown Court jury were told.

Raivich, of Rashleigh House, Thanet Street, St. Pancras carried a "donation kit" which contained a dvd player, which he watched pornography on, rubber gloves and a speculum and pipette and was happy to carry-out home visits all over the country.

Prosecutor Mr. Tom Wilkins said: "Each complainant in this case is a woman who met the defendant through an internet forum dedicated to sperm donation.

"He provided a one stop shop for women who wanted semen. All were desperate to have a baby."

His service was informal and did not conform to the guidelines of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and he often used the pseudonym Frank Qualman, the court was told.

Two of the women, both aged 26, were in lesbian relationships and the third, 31, was single and Raivich told her that her chances of becoming pregnant were increased if she orgasmed during the insemination process.

"The defendant met these women in order to inseminate them. He took advantage of their desperation, his anonymity and informality by committing various types of sexual assaults upon them," added Mr. Wilkins.

The prosecution accept Raivich is a qualified doctor in Germany, but has always been an academic scientist and has never practiced medicine and is not registered with the General Medical Council.

"On the websites he advertises his services as a sperm diner and represents himself as a: 'Medical doctor based in Central London' providing a service called Intra-Cervical Insemination or ICI."

The first victim - a lesbian - saw Raivich on February 27, 2012 when "wholly gratuitously and without warning" he inserted two to three of this fingers into her vagina for three to five seconds, the jury were told.

"Such was her desperation to have a baby she returned ten times to his Russell Square address."

He persuaded the single woman to provide what he called: "Artificial Insemination Plus" - namely oral sex to assist him provide the sample.

"She says she was faced with the ultimatum that unless she performed oral sex on him she would not get a donation. She was desperate for a baby and agreed."

Raivich also groped her between her legs during the sessions. "He told her an orgasm would help her conceive.

"She told him three or four times not to touch her there, but he went ahead regardless and now he says he can't recall stimulating her in this way.

"He was not the altruistic donor, but someone who is sexually-motivated," Mr. Wilkins told the jury. 

"She was desperate for a baby and returned a week later for a donation in return for performing oral sex on him and felt she had to put up with it, she had been trying for a baby for a year."

The third victim was visited by Raivich at her home in Great Yarmouth and on the second occasion sexually assaulted her, she says.

"He lifted up her t-shirt and groped her breasts and put two fingers into her vagina and rubbed her clitoris without consent.

"He says he checked her breasts to test her fertility."

Raivich has pleaded not guilty to assault by digital penetration in relation to the first woman; one count of assault by penetration and sexual assault against the second on November 21, 2012 and two counts of assault by penetration and two counts of sexual assault on November 27.

He also denies two counts of sexual assault against the third woman on January 31, last year and assault by penetration on the same date.

Trial continues……………

Paedophile Couple Jailed For Sex Abuse Of Young Girl

A paedophile couple were exposed after the female half of the duo dropped her mobile phone down a friend's toilet and sick images of her abusing a young girl were seen after it was repaired.

They exchanged approximately 3000 text messages during the period the victim was subjected to the attacks, with the man encouraging more and more sexual abuse.

Jobless Sarah Summerfield, 30, of Hayes received six-and-a-half years imprisonment and jobless Adrian Eldridge, 38, of West Drayton received ten years.

Summerfield admitted three counts of assaulting a child under 13 years-old by penetration and two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13.

She has been made subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) until further notice and will be a Registered Sex Offender (RSO) for life.



Eldridge was found guilty of three counts of encouraging or assisting the commission of one or more offences, namely sexual assault on a child under 13 by penetration.

He was also convicted of three counts of encouraging or assisting the commission of one or more offences, namely sexual assault by touching on a child under 13.

Eldridge was additionally declared a Dangerous Offender and will have his licence extended for a further two years.

He too was made subject to SOPO and will remain a RSO for life.



Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court heard pair were arrested after Summerfield dropped her mobile phone by accident into a toilet while visiting a friend in July last year.



The friend offered to get the phone fixed and Summerfield accepted.

When the device had dried out the friend managed to switch it on and discovered the images and movies of Summerfield sexually abusing a child.



The friend then contacted police and officers from The Metropolitan Police's Child Abuse Investigation Team arrested Summerfield and after analysis of her phone arrested Eldridge.



Summerfield and Eldridge had exchanged 3000 text messages in which he encouraged Summerfield to commit sexual assaults against the girl.



Detective Sergeant Tony Smith of the Met's Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said: "I hope that the sentences handed down today will reassure the public that the Met takes the investigation of child abuse and sexual offences very seriously.

"I would encourage anyone who suffered sexual abuse as a child or adult, regardless of how long ago that was, to come forward and speak to us."

Distraction Burglars Targeted Residential Building For The Elderly

Deborah Arthur

Two heartless women burglars – who targeted elderly people in their own homes – have been locked-up for tricking their way into a residential building.

Deborah Arthur, 43, of no fixed abode, received three-and-a-half years and Fortunata Paczkowska, 30, of Bury Street, Lower Edmonton received five years.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard the duo were seen on CCTV at 8.00pm on January 26 pressing the intercom to enter Ajex House, East Bank, Stoke Newington.

Once inside, they spoke to several residents and attempted to gain access to their flats.

A 79-year-old male resident allowed them into his flat after they convinced him to read a letter.

Once inside the address, they stole several items, including cash and credit cards.



Fortunata Paczkowska

The suspects’ images were circulated in the local press and a local resident called police after seeing the image of Paczkowska in a local newspaper.

They were both charged with artifice burglary and remanded in custody.

Paczkowska was also charged with another distraction burglary at Ajex House on March 8, last year involving a victim who was a 91-year-old man. 



Detective Constable Anwen Clissold, from Hackney’s East Area Detections Team, said: “These two women were clearly trying to target a number of residents at the location.

“I hope this case highlights the willingness of the public to help us identify offenders in Hackney. 

Meat Supplier Harassed Chef Who Went Bust Owing Thousands

"I'd Just Lost Short Of £5,000" - Gibson

A meat wholesaler, owed nearly £5,000 by a restaurant that went bust, was convicted today of threatening to have the chef-owner “clubbed” by Irish gypsies if he didn't pay-up the money.

Barry Ray Gibson, 47, of School Road, Downham, Billericay – boss of L & O Meats Limited – left Edward Shaerf, 29, a former chef at The Ivy “scared and paranoid” and forced to leave the home he shared with his wife and nine month-old daughter for ten days.

Trouble began when L & O Meats, of 32 Saffron Court, Southfields, Basildon discovered the company which owned '1 Blenheim Terrace', a St. John's Wood brasserie, had gone into liquidation earlier this year.

Mr. Shaerf, who opened the venture with two colleagues from The Ivy, told Hammersmith Magistrates Court that he received a call from and angry Gibson on January 17, demanding the outstanding bill be settled or he would send “people” around to the restaurant.

“I was scared and paranoid,” said Mr. Shaerf, who conceded there was a legitimate debt. “There are better ways to deal with this than making threats.”

He told the court Gibson was “very angry” and threatened to have him “clubbed” if the bill was not paid and received a similar sinister phone call from the defendant on January 20.

Another call was taken by Mr. Shaerf's sous chef, Stuart White, who explained: “He was angry and demanded to know where was the money, who was responsible, where did they live and that he would pass on the debt to gypsy traveller friends to collect.

“He said that other debtors, who owed him money, were still in hospital.”

Mr. Shaerf made a complaint to police that he was being blackmailed and father-of-three Gibson was arrested on January 21 and taken to Charing Cross Police Station.

He told the court he had inherited his forty year-old family business from his step-father and had reduced his bill to 1 Blenheim Terrace to £2,800 by waiving his firm's profit, but was frustrated in his attempts to deal with the issue.

"Scared and Paranoid" - Shaerf

“I phoned Ed up to find out how we were going to recover our money, I might have been angry,” he said. “I'd lost just short of five thousand and needed to recoup my money.”

He denied threatening violence or suggesting heavies would be sent to the business, explaining he was referring to an Irish debt collector he met at his son's boxing gym.

“I wanted someone to collect our money rather than go through solicitors and chuck more money at it,” Gibson told the court. “There were no threats of violence.

“I said: 'We've met people that collect money.' They're Irish and I met them at the boxing gym where I take my son. They told us they were licensed.”

District Judge Mike Snow found Gibson guilty of harassment by putting Mr. Shaerf in fear of violence between January 16 and 21 and sentenced him to a three-month electronically-tagged daily home curfew between 6pm and 2am.

He also ordered Gibson to pay Mr. Shaerf £250 compensation, £620 court costs, a £60 witness tax and made an indefinite restraining order, prohibiting the defendant from contacting the victim and Mr. White.

“I found Mr. Shaerf and Mr. White to be very impressive, very precise,” he announced. “Careful listening to the voicemails is very revealing. What does handing the debt over mean if it doesn't mean sending someone to sort you out because they are much more ruthless?

“He asks for Mr. Shaerf's home address. Why would he do that if it was not to put the frighteners on?

“I don't believe Mr. Gibson. He was angry, he'd been let down and he knew it was unlikely he would get his money back and put this man in fear.”

The judge told Gibson: “I can understand how frustrated you must have been when the company of Mr. Shaerf went into liquidation, but it can't be condoned that you took the law into your own hands and put this man in fear.”

United Airlines Fined For Using Under-Sized Dog Containers

Heathrow Airport

United Airlines have been left with a £13,000 court bill after admitting six offences of transporting dogs on their flights in containers that were not large enough.

The American-owned company, of United House, 451 Southern Perimeter Road, Heathrow Airport admitted the summonses at Uxbridge Magistrates Court.

The offences, which the airline admitted in writing, spanned from January 21 to February 27 and related to the transportation of two great Great Dane's; a Rough Collie; two German Shepherd's and an unidentified dog.

They admitted landing an animal, which had been transported in contravention of the standards set by the International Air Transport Association, in that the dog's travelling container failed to meet the required dimensions, contrary to the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order and the Animal Health Act 1981.

They were fined £1500 on four of the summonses and £1750 on the remaining two, plus court costs and were given a month to pay.

Car Thief Murdered Israeli Woman

A Romanian murderer is facing life imprisonment after admitting stabbing an Israeli woman to death and driving away in her car.

Nicolae Patraucean, 20, of Chichester Court, Stanmore killed 55 year-old Rivka Holden at her flat in Falcon Way, Colindale on March 16.

A police car was flagged down at 12.20pm and officers alerted to a seriously injured woman at her home address.

An ambulance rushed to the scene, but Ms Holden was pronounce dead at the scene.

Arrangements were made for the body of Ms Holden, a regular attendee at Kingsbury Synagogue, to be returned to her native Israel for burial.

A murder investigation was launched under Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Wall of the Homicide & Major Crime Command.



The victim’s red Hyundai i20, registration RE62 AEA, which had been stolen during the incident, was later found in the Kingsbury area.



Detectives traced Patraucean and he was charged the next day with the murder of Ms Holden.



Patraucean is due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, July 25. 

Hairdresser Caught Having Sex In Car After Boozy Cocaine Night Out

A hairdresser was caught by a shocked passer-by, who filmed her having sex in her VW Beetle, while nearly three times the drink-drive limit having snorted a line of cocaine the night before, a court heard today.

Julianne O'Connor, 33, claims the female pedestrian started filming her and her boyfriend on her mobile phone while the pair had sex when parked in a residential suburban street after a saturday night drinking-session.

The mum-of-one pleaded guilty to outraging public decency by being naked and having sexual intercourse in the vehicle in Mount Ephraim Road, Streatham on May 25.

She also admitted being in charge of the car with 96 microgrammes of alcohol in her breath - the legal limit is 35 - and possessing a small wrap of cocaine in nearby De Montford Road.

Prosecutor Mr. Brinkman May told Camberwell Green Magistrates Court it was 7.55am when the pedestrian spotted the pair.

"She noticed a male and female in a blue VW having sex or performing a sex act and was clearly alarmed by what was going on and called the police."

Officers caught up with O'Connor in a nearby street and although her car's engine was still warm they had no evidence she had been driving.

"Both individuals seemed to be under the influence of drink or drugs and after police found cocaine in Miss O'Connor's handbag she told them she had done a line earlier.

"She was found in the vehicle and it was suspected she had been driving, but we can't prove it.

"She fully admitted having he class A drugs and she was mortified and apologetic, explaining her judgment was impaired by drink and drugs and did not know it was so late.

"Miss O'Connor said she felt she was being filmed because the witness had her phone out."

Her lawyer Miss Natalie Cottrell told the court: "This was a very regrettable event and she regrets what happened that day.

"This was a Saturday, Sunday night just before the Bank Holiday and she was out drinking that evening and met up with her boyfriend.

"She didn't want him in her home, but spoke with him in the car and one thing led to another.

"She is very remorseful and tearful and says she is a very, very occasional user of cocaine, a social user and does not have a problem.

"It was due to drinking earlier that impaired her judgment and she did not mean to cause distress to anyone. This witness had a good look and was very close to her car window."

First-time offender O'Connor spent twenty-four hours in Brixton Police Station before she was charged and her boyfriend accepted a caution.

She was fined £280 for being in charge of the vehicle while over the limit, disqualified for six months and fined £150 for possessing the cocaine.

There was no separate penalty for the outraging public decency charge, but O'Connor was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £28 victim surcharge.

West London Sex-Pest Hunted By Police

Police hunting a West London sex-pest have released this CCTV image of the suspect, who has been approaching lone women in the street.

The incidents have taken place in the Earls Court and Kings Road areas between April 13 and 29.

The first offence happened on April 13 at approximately 4:35pm in Philbeach Gardens, Earls Court.

The 23 year-old female victim was walking home when the suspect approached her then grabbed her and sexually assaulting her before running off.



The second offence happened on Sunday April 27 at 9:10am in Longridge Road, Earl's Court.

The 23-year female victim was walking home when the suspect approached her. He grabbed her bottom and legs and ran off.



On Monday April 28 at 1:40pm the suspect struck again, this time in Hammersmith near the Queens Head public house, Brook Street.

The 28 year-old female victim was walking her dog when the suspect became verbally abusive towards her.



On Tuesday April 29 at about 8:45pm the 19 year-old female victim was walking along the King's Road, Chelsea when the suspect came up behind her and grabbed her bottom.



The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 5ft 5ins to 5ft 7ins, aged between 25 to 30 years. He has a London accent and short dark hair.



If you have any information please contact Notting Hill CID on Kensington 020 8246 0148 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. 

Knife-Wielding Mugger Stabbed Prostitute To Death

"Cold Blooded": Farooq Shah

A knife-wielding midnight mugger is facing a life sentence for murdering a pregnant prostitute he stabbed twice in the chest as he cycled around east London looking for victims.

Farooq Shah, 21, of Station Road, Forest Gate had robbed a vulnerable victim less than an hour earlier then targeted 24 year-old Romanian Mariana Popa – the mother of a six year-old child who had only been in the UK a few weeks.

He was convicted at Woolwich Crown Court of murdering Mariana in Ilford Lane, Redbridge, shortly before midnight on October 28, last year.

He was also found guilty of a knife-point mugging in nearby Upton Park the same night, when he robbed a partially-sighted man in his fifties, and will be sentenced on June 27.

Detective Inspector Darren Richards said: "This was a cold-blooded, senseless murder by a man who went out that night, armed with a knife, intent on using it to commit serious injury to someone.



"He had already threatened and robbed a vulnerable man with a knife earlier that night, and he was hanging around the Ilford Lane area, looking for another victim.

“He killed Mariana because she was there, because he thought he could get away with it.

“In doing so, he has deprived a young daughter of her mother. Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of Mariana."



Stabbed To Death: Mariana Popa

The murder investigation was launched by officers from the Homicide and Major Crime Command after police were called by the London Ambulance Service at approx 00:15am on Tuesday, October 29, to reports of a woman injured in Ilford Lane, near the junction with Loxford Lane.



Officers attended and she was treated for a stab injury and she was taken to an east London hospital where she died at 01:53am.

The post-mortem examination ascertained that she died from shock and haemorrhage and stab wounds to the chest.



Mariana, who has a six year-old daughter, had been spoken to by police three times that night and she had been issued with a caution for soliciting.



CCTV footage proved critical in this case, and approximately 400 hours was reviewed over the course of the investigation.

Police recovered the footage from a number of cameras along the road, one of which had actually caught the murder taking place.

It shows Mariana walking along with a man on a bicycle, when he is seen to take a knife from his back pocket and stab her twice in the chest.

He then makes off towards Loxford Lane on his bike, while Mariana manages to make her way to a nearby shop where she collapsed.



Through the footage, detectives were able to trace the attacker to an area around St. Francis Way.

During door-to-door enquiries on November 6, officers discovered a bicycle matching the description of that seen in the CCTV footage.

Shah was inside the flat and, finding he fitted the description of the murderer, he was immediately arrested. 



At the address, police found a bag belonging to Shah that matched one worn by the murderer in the footage; they also recovered a Samsung Galaxy phone which Shah had given to his friend, who was present at the flat. 



Enquiries revealed that the phone had been taken during a knife-point robbery in Harold Road, Upton Park, at approx 11.00pm on the night of October 28.

CCTV footage had already shown that the murderer had been travelling from that direction to Ilford Lane.

That victim was partially sighted, but crucially was able to describe his assailant's distinctive thick beard.



Dead Man Unidentified: E-Fit Issued

Police have released this e-fit of an unidentified man, who was found dead in the grounds of a disused building in Lower Addiscombe, Croydon.

The body was found at 6 Morland Road at 3.05pm on Thursday, May 8 and the death is being treated as non-suspicious.



The man is described as black, of medium build, 5ft 8ins to 6ft tall, with short black and grey hair and a full black and grey beard. 



He was wearing a black v-neck sweater, brown shirt, blue denim jeans with a brown belt and black lace-up boots. He also had with him a dark green t-shirt. 



His clothes appeared clean and it did not appear as if he had been sleeping rough.

A small black bag was found near to his body. 



Enquiries have led police to believe that the male was living in rented accommodation and recently lost his job. 



Police are particularly interested in any landlords who had a tenant matching the description who has recently gone missing or not paid the rent. 



Anyone with information is asked to please call Croydon Missing Persons Unit on 020 8649 0016 or 101.

All calls with be treated in confidence.

Violent Groper Hunted By Police

Police are hunting this man – suspected of grabbing the same woman's breasts and buttocks within a week.

Metropolitan Police officers have made a public appeal for assistance in tracking-down 39 year-old Italian Gianluca Certo.

He also slapped the woman across her face several times during the incidents in Cricklewood Broadway, Cricklewood on April 16 and 23.

Certo is described as white, 5ft 7ins tall, of a medium build with short black hair and brown eyes.

He may or may not currently have facial hair. 



He is known to have links to London area, but it is possible he may have travelled outside the local area or even the country. 


Officers would ask anyone who knows of his whereabouts not to approach him, but to contact police either by 999 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. 

Nightclub Bouncer Had Cache Of Illegal Weapons In Luggage After Far East Holiday

A nightclub bouncer was caught at Heathrow Airport with a cache of illegal weapons in his luggage after a “trip of a lifetime” to Thailand.

Ashley Otter, 28, of Pendderi Road, Bynea, Llanelli, Dyfed had two stun guns, two knuckle dusters and a telescopic baton in his holdall, which he bought at a Bangkok market on the last day of his trip.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon; two counts of possessing an offensive weapon and one count of importing a weapon on January 30.

Otter received twelve months imprisonment, suspended for a year, ordered to perform 200 hours community service and pay £150 costs.

Isleworth Crown Court Judge Martin Edmunds QC told the first-time offender: “If you found someone trying to bring them into a nightclub you would have confiscated them and called the police.”

Prosecutor Mr. James O'Connell told the court Otter arrived in the evening on a flight from Bangkok via Delhi and was asked by customs officials whether he was carrying cigarettes or weapons.

“He said he had one stun gun in his bag and when his holdall was searched the other items were found.

“He said he bought some gifts for friends on his last day and was aware they could not be purchased in the UK.”

Otter's lawyer Mr. Gerald Mohabir said: “He is mentally scarred and mentally contrite. He's a good egg that took a hard-boiled decision on holiday.

“On what he thought was the trip of a lifetime he bought these items at a market where they were not illegal.

“As soon as he passed customs he realised the decision was stupid and he was extremely nervous.

“He was not trying to smuggle them in for a nefarious purpose.”