Alleged £17m 'Ponzi' Fraudster Committed To Crown Court

A foreign exchange dealer accused of a ‘Ponzi’ scheme that left 800 investors £17m out of pocket has been committed to Southwark Crown Court.

Terence Freeman, 61, of King’s Place, King’s Road, Horsham, West Sussex, formerly of Whitehall Lane, Buckhurst Hill, Essex, is the former boss of City-based GFX Capital Markets Ltd.

Freeman (pictured) was investigated by the City of London Police’s Economic Crime Department, after initially reporting threats from investors to police.

He appeared at City of London Magistrates’ Court charged that between June 1, 2006 and September 30, 2007, within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court, he was knowingly a party to the carrying on of a business, namely GFX Ltd., for a fraudulent purpose, namely the inducement of persons to invest in a ‘Safe’ exchange scheme by making false representations and statements as to the protection and profits of investments.

He is also charged that between October 1, 2007 and February 9, 2009, within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court the business of GFX Ltd. was carried on with intent to defraud creditors by similarly making false representations and statements.

He also is also charged that between January 1, 2006 and February 9, last year, being an undischarged bankrupt, acted as a director of GFX Ltd.

Between the same dates he is charged with failing to disclose to business associates his former name, under which he was made bankrupt.

Freeman is further charged with stealing £120,590 between November 7 and 30, 2007, belonging to investors in GFX Ltd and between the same dates acquiring, using or possessing criminal property, namely a diamond bespoke ring and gentleman’s signet ring.

Police began investigating GFX Ltd. on February 4, last year after Freeman himself complained of threats from investors.

Thirty investors are alleged to have lost over £130,000, with one individual said to have lost £1.5m.

He was bailed to appear for a plea and case management hearing on February 16.

Boozy Train Thug Attacks Fellow-Passenger

A railway yob – preoccupied on his mobile phone – viciously punched a fellow-passenger twice in the face for simply brushing past him, causing a lip wound needing seven stitches.

An enjoyable Sunday night out with his fiancé was ruined for 30 year-old Caterham retail manager Steve Coombs, who now suffers flashbacks every time he passes through Balham Railway Station.

Part-time scaffolder Terry Sevier, 27, of Bedford Hill, Balham, pleaded guilty to assault, causing actual bodily harm, at the station on August 30, last year and was jailed for eight months at Southwark Crown Court.

“Your behaviour was deplorable and deeply anti-social,” Judge David Higgins told Sevier, who fled the attack, but was identified by CCTV.

Prosecutor Mr. Gavin Ludlow-Thompson told the court it was 11pm when the victim noticed a drunken Sevier (pictured) descending the platform exit ramp towards him.

“He was not looking where he was going, but was instead looking at the screen of his mobile phone and the victim tried to move out of the way and they brushed.

“The victim thought nothing of it, but was followed by the defendant who was shouting and swearing. He was beside himself with rage.

“They attempted to calm the defendant down and the victim even said:’ Look, it’s all my fault. I’m sorry,’ even though he knew it wasn’t,” explained Mr. Ludlow-Thompson.

“The defendant gets close, into his face, swearing incoherently, and the fiancé is pushed out of the way.

“The victim is punched twice in the face, causing a laceration to the mouth, and is treated at St. George’s Hospital where he receives seven stitches.”

The couple were chased by Sevier and sought sanctuary in a platform office, where staff managed to usher him away, but he continued banging angrily on the door before fleeing.

Judge Higgins told Sevier, who has been locked-up since December 8, last year and has convictions for theft and robbery: “The victim was left with a small permanent scar on his lip plus a feeling of apprehension when travelling on the railway.

“Your personal circumstances do not excuse actions of this deplorable kind.”

Police Smash £2 Million Drug Gang

Four men - caught by police during an undercover operation transferring £2 million worth of cannabis in an underground garage – have been caged for plotting to supply the drug.

Surveillance officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Command watched the handover in Kilburn Park Road, Kilburn, on May 7, last year and seized 600 kg. of cannabis stuffed into 61 boxes.

The four are: Shopkeeper Hamid Charkaoui, 31, of Colville Terrace, Notting Hill, (pic. l.) Delivery driver Fouad Raihani, 34, of Galsworth Court, Bollo Bridge Road, Acton, (pic. 2^nd l.) Jobless Paul Mottley, 26, of Salutation Street, Manchester, (pic. 3^rd l.) and jobless Dawood Ahmad, 25, of Park Mews, Park Drive, Manchester, (pic. 4^th l.).

Charkaoui, sentenced to seven-and-a-half years and Raihani, sentenced to five years, were watched unloading the boxes from their van for collection by Mottley, who received five years and Ahmad, sentenced to three-and-a-half years.

Officers moved in as the Londoners loaded up the Manchester duo’s van and arrested all four men, seizing the cannabis (pic. r.) stored in heat-sealed clear plastic bags.

Police searched six address, including Charkaoui’s uncle’s property in Ebbsfleet Road, Cricklewood, where they found 6 kg of amphetamine, 29 cellophane wrapped packages of cannabis and a money counting machine.

The other searches uncovered £11,000 cash, a heat-sealing machine, a roll of heat-seal plastic and 19 rounds of ammunition.

On May 19 mini-cab driver El-Hosain Charkaoui, 49, was arrested on his return from Spain and initially denied knowing anything about the drugs at his home in Ebbsfleet Road, but received eighteen months after admitting his role in the plot.

Detective Inspector Marion Ryan of the Serious and Organised Crime Command said: "This was a significant haul of cannabis that we have successfully removed from circulation.

“Today's sentencing is testament to how seriously the criminal justice system takes this class B drug."

Double-Rapist Trapped By DNA 20 Years On

A double rapist trapped by DNA twenty years after two copycat rapes in the stairwells of different blocks of flats has been jailed for 11 years.

Tragically his second victim – traumatised for years after the attack – did not see justice done, having killed herself before the predator was captured.

Andrew Thompson, 43, of Othello Court, Old Hospital Close, Balham, was eventually hunted down after giving a DNA sample to police for a minor drug offence in 2001.

Thompson (pictured) pleaded guilty to raping a 36 year-old woman in Clapham on June 23, 1989 and 35 year-old in Battersea on November 24, later that year.

The Metropolitan Police’s Sapphire Cold Case team used upgraded DNA samples recovered from the victims immediately after the attacks and identified Thompson when the case files were reopened.

In the first attack, at a block of flats where the victim lived with her young daughter, Thompson approached her in the stairwell at 11.45pm, and backed off when she resisted, but pursued her up several flights of steps and raped her.

The second victim was raped in the stairwell of her friend’s block during a nightime visit.

Like the first rape victim she suffered emotional breakdowns and committed suicide eleven years later.

He was arrested on May 18, last year and denied both offences, but admitted the crimes four days before his trial was scheduled to begin at Southwark Crown Court.

Detective Constable Alyson Suddick, who led the cold case investigation, said: “Thompson preyed on two complete strangers, both of whom suffered severe psychological trauma as a result of their experiences.

“Thanks to technological advances since 1989 we have been able to bring him to justice, and it is only right that this vicious predator should face the consequences of his actions.”

Heroin Smuggling Ring Receives 81 1/2 Years Inside

The remaining three members of a gang of heroin traffickers began prison sentences today after a Channel Tunnel ‘suicide run’ when £30m worth of the drug stuffed into the back of a BMW was simply driven past Customs men.

The 356 kilos of heroin – packed into 13 cardboard boxes – was placed in the rear and piled on the back seats of the car, belonging to the smuggler’s elderly mother, and is believed to be the largest ever UK police seizure of its kind.

Unfortunately for the gang they were being monitored by officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Central Task force and were arrested during a handover at a motorway service station.

They are: (l. to r.) Dutchman Patrick Kuster, 37, already serving to 26 years; Harminder Chana, 32, of Upton Lane, East Ham, who received 17 years; Atif Khan, 35, of Brixham Gardens, Ilford, Essex, 15 1/2 years and businessman Abdul Matalib Shammin Rob, 30, of Cavendish Gardens, Ilford, 23 years.

All either pleaded guilty or were convicted at Kingston Crown Court of conspiracy to supply heroin as a result of the Met’s Operation Frant.

Kuster was the courier who drove the uncut heroin from Holland – gambling he would not be stopped at checkpoints – even parking the car (pic. far r.) unattended outside a Calais B&B overnight.

On April 3, last year, Kuster met Chana off the M20 in Kent and police watched as three of the boxes – containing 50 kilos of heroin - were loaded into his Seat Leon.

Officers swooped and Kuster said: “My life is over,” when cautioned, with Chana claiming: “"Look officer I'm going to be honest with you, I've never done anything like this before but I'm trying to get back into work and I was getting paid to do it."

Later that day, detectives arrested Khan outside his home and he was found in possession of a set of keys for a 'safe house' in York Close, Beckton.

A search of this address uncovered a blue Ikea bag containing 20 kilos of cocaine bulking agent Mannitol.

A set of electronic scales, a metal press, a counterfeit money discriminator, numerous mobile phones, latex gloves and written correspondence were also found at the address.

He confessed he was expecting to receive the 50 kilos of heroin collected by Chana.

Rob was arrested at his home on November 11. He was responsible for arranging and financing three boxes of the imported heroin.

In April 2000, a Belgian court convicted Rob in his absence of a multi-million pound drugs supply and sentenced him to six years imprisonment.



On October 3, 2007, at Utrecht District Court, Holland, Kuster was acquitted of transporting heroin from Holland to the UK.

Detective Inspector Marion Ryan said; "This is the biggest heroin seizure we know of, by any UK police force.

“Today's result is testimony to how the Met has prevented the serious consequences this conspiracy could have had on people's lives.

“An average addict consumes 0.438 kilos of heroin in 12 months, so this seizure would be enough to keep more than 8,000 addicts in habit for a year.

"This gang had a flagrant disregard for law, blatantly transporting these dangerous drugs in the back of their cars.

“The Met will not tolerate the use and supply of class A drugs and we continue to tackle any organised criminal networks involved in this highly illegal activity."

Muggers Fatally Knife Hero

A have-a-go hero who chased two bag-snatchers moments after they mugged a defenceless woman from behind was fatally stabbed when he caught up with the robbers.

Indian-born Sukhwinder Singh, 31, was knifed twice in the chest in Uphall Road, Barking, Essex, on January 8 and pronounced dead at the Royal London Hospital later that day.

The Homicide and Serious Crime Command are appealing for witnesses and information about the suspects, two black males aged in their 20’s or 30’s.

At about 6.40 pm a 28-year-old woman was a walking home from Barking Railway Station and was pounced upon in Loxford Road by two males, robbing her of her bag.

Sukhwinder (pictured) chased the suspects along Victoria Road into Uphall Road, where he caught up with one of them and was stabbed.

Detective Inspector John Sandlin, from the HSCC said: "This is a tragic death of a man who was killed for attempting to stop others committing crime, and our thoughts are with Sukhwinder's family.

“I would also like to reassure the wider community that tragic events such as these are very rare.

"I am appealing for anyone that knows who committed this crime, or who has any information about those who committed this crime, to do the right thing and come forward and contact police.

"My officers are also keen to hear from anybody who witnessed the initial robbery, the actual altercation that lead the stabbing and additionally anyone who may have seen any persons matching the suspects description fleeing the Uphall Road area.

"It is also possible that the suspects may have abandoned the bag stolen and I appeal to anyone who may find a brown leather shoulder bag, to contact police.

“It may be that it has signification clues that could help solve this awful crime."

New Year's Eve Killing: Man Charged

A man has appeared in court accused of murdering New Year’s Eve peacemaker Frazer Bradshaw who was beaten to death when a pub fight spilled into the street.

The 33 year-old victim (pictured) suffered fatal injuries outside the St. James public house, High Road, Cowley, Uxbridge, in the early hours of January 1.

An ambulance rushed him to Charing Cross Hospital where he was treated for serious head injuries, but after three days on a life-support machine he tragically passed away on January 4.

Witnesses say Mr. Bradshaw was trying to break up a fight between two groups at the private party

Homeless Nathan Doherty, 20, appeared in custody at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court charged with murder and was remanded in custody to the Old Bailey for a plea and case management hearing on April 15.

Two other suspects, aged 26 and 21, were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and have been bailed pending further police enquiries.

Another suspect, aged 23, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is also currently on police bail.

Fake Cop Fools Family With eBay Uniform

A fake cop who bought a police uniform on eBay tricked family and friends – including his wife – into believing he was a specialist firearms officer who protected the Queen has been jailed for 20 months.

Stuart Howatson, 31, of Millside Court, Bewdley, Worcestershire, lived a fantasy life for several years, claiming he was also employed by London’s Metropolitan Police as a dog handler or was a senior officer on sabbatical.

He convinced friends and family at his 2006 wedding former Met Commissioner Sir John Stevens would be guest-of-honour, even setting a place for the top cop, then explained in his groom’s speech security issues scuppered the invitation.

After honeymooning at a friend’s Spanish villa Howatson offered to buy the property for £720,000 cash, claiming a recent inheritance eliminated the need for a mortgage.

He prevaricated for nearly two years, stalling the supposed purchase with a series of bounced cheques and excuses.

He even created false bank statements showing monthly deposits from ‘Met Police’ and ‘MPA’, in attempts to prove his finances were sound, while taking several free breaks at the £1200-a-week property.

In 2007 he gave an educational talk, in uniform, at a nursery school where a family friend worked, talking about police work to the children and showing them examples of police batons.

Howatson was arrested at his home in October 2008 after intelligence about his activities was passed to the Met’s Anti-Corruption Command.

Officers examined a number of Howatson’s computers and discovered a number of indecent images of children, for which he was further arrested.

He pleaded guilty over several hearings at Worcester Crown Court to: possession of articles of police uniform; possession of an offensive weapon; false accounting; fraud by false representation and possession of and making indecent images of children.

In sentencing, the judge described him as “a common trickster and a conman”.

Detective Inspector Claire Moxon, of the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards, said: “Howatson went to great lengths to maintain a long-running deceit, taking advantage of the trust placed in him by the people around him.

“His behaviour has not only deeply affected his family and friends, but risked undermining the integrity and professionalism of genuine police officers everywhere.”

Cornish Culture Visits The Capital!

A drunken Camborne man, caught on CCTV kicking and slapping his girlfriend following an all-day drinking session in London, was told he might go to prison.

Near shore driller George Anthony Matthews, 27, of Higher Penponds Road, Higher Penponds, had been drinking tequila slammers and beer for hours with his girlfriend before the row suddenly broke out.

He pleaded guilty at City of London Magistrates’ Court to assaulting Talutha Landry, by beating, outside Blackfriars Train Station (pictured) on November 2, last year.

“The bench has seen the recording of the offence which is quite depressing,” said Chairman Nick Anstee, the Lord Mayor of London. “We think it is a serious offence and are asking for reports. All options are open, including custody.”

Matthews, currently employed on a short-term contract in the capital, was visited that weekend by his girlfriend of three years, Ms. Landry, who did not want to press charges.

The CCTV camera captures Matthews pushing her over in the middle of the road, then pushing her over again on the pavement and landing a kick with his right foot as she lies on the ground.

Ms. Landry struggles to her feet and is pursued by Matthews who appears to grab her around the throat, slaps her face, causing her to fall again, then follows-up with another slap.

The only passer-by in the near-deserted street calls 999 and officers arrest the defendant, despite his girlfriend’s protests.

“The victim made it quite clear she was not interested,” said prosecutor Miss Regina Naughton. “The officers noticed she was rubbing her jaw and advised her to go to hospital.

“Mr. Matthew was arrested and said they had been out drinking in the West End and his memory was hazy. He had been drinking tequila slammers and bottles of beer.

“He confirmed it was him attacking his partner on CCTV and felt sick about attacking her.”

Matthews’ lawyer Mr. Roland Ellis told the court: “They went out drinking heavily all day and he can give no explanation.

“It is clearly a very nasty incident and there are no excuses and no explanation as to why this occurred.

“They are still together. They have a relationship and there have been no further incidents, in fact, this was the first,” added Mr. Ellis.

“He is mortified by this incident and has taken steps to seek counselling as to why this happened. He has already seen psychotherapist Simon Carter in Cornwall.”

Matthews was bailed unconditionally until January 26 for probation reports.

Barbican Ticketing Boss Gambles Away Stolen Money

The ticket boss of the world-famous Barbican Centre blew over £30,000 gambling online after crediting his own bank accounts in a year-long refund scam.

Ex-ticket sales manager Christopher John Todd, 35, of Cavalier Court, St. Mark’s Road, Teddington, Middlesex, was arrested after a member of his team anonymously tipped-off bosses.

First-time offender Todd pleaded guilty at City of London Magistrates’ Court that between August 21, 2008 and September 29, last year, he dishonestly abused his position intending to make a gain, namely £33,183, by refunding tickets to his account.

Prosecutor Mrs. Varinder Hayre told the court: “This defendant was employed as the ticket sales manager at the Barbican Centre and on September 29 last year the head of finance received information from an anonymous member of staff that Mr. Todd had made multiple refunds to a switch card.

“It was discovered he made several refunds to two of his Nat West Bank cards totaling £33,183.

“The refunds took place after the events and each refund had a different customer’s name.”

Todd (pictured) was investigated by the City of London Police’s Economic Crime Department.

“When interviewed he said his father was severely ill and he had succumbed to a gambling addiction as a coping mechanism and was a registered member of Paddy Power.

“The stolen money was only used to gamble with and was not used to purchase any items,” added Mrs. Hayre.

Todd’s lawyer Miss Theresa Donovan told the JP’s: “He is a man of good character. He has never been arrested in his life before and apologises profusely.

“He made full admissions and admits the amounts. He gave police all the details of how the offence came about.

“He has suffered severe depression throughout his life and has made two suicide attempts at the age of seventeen and in his mid-twenties”, explained Miss Donovan.

“His father was dying of cancer and, in fact, died some months ago and Mr. Todd had got into difficulties coping with that and developed an online gambling addiction, where all the proceeds of the offence went.”

Todd now faces a date with the Old Bailey after the magistrates decided their sentencing powers were insufficient.

“The offence is serious. This was a substantial amount defrauded from your employers,” Chairwoman Mrs. Gaye Chaney told Todd, who was committed for sentence to the Central Criminal Court on unconditional bail.

Christmas 'Peacemaker' Death: Man Charged

A man has appeared in court charged with the manslaughter of 23 year-old David Joslin, who suffered a fatal head injury when punched to the ground while acting as peacemaker after his Christmas works party.

Barry Oliver, 29, of Littleton Avenue, Chingford, was remanded in custody at Waltham Forest Magistrates’ Court to appear at the Old Bailey on April 8.

On December 20, last year the deceased (pictured) became involved in a confrontation at 1.30am involving two groups of people outside jewellers ‘Strictly Silver’ in Old Church Road, Chingford.

Witnesses claim David tried to calm things down, but was knocked unconscious and taken to Whipps Cross Hospital before being transferred to Holborn’s National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery where he died on December 27.

A post-mortem at East Ham Mortuary the next day gave the cause of death as head injuries.

A homicide incident room was opened at Barking Police Station under Detective Chief Inspector John Macdonald and an unnamed man and woman have been bailed until February pending further enquiries.