Boots Lab Rats Hoarded Erotic Teen Girl Pics

Two Boots photo lab technicians amassed a huge collection of erotic pictures of children and young teenage girls while developing unsuspecting customers' prints at a busy store.

The lab rats' secret stash of images - collected over ten years - which filled over eight carrier bags and two boxes were hidden in a concealed compartment found by a BT engineer installing a phone line.

Many of the pictures were innocent snaps of teenage girls in their bedrooms dressing-up for a night out with friends and holiday snaps customers brought to be developed at the store in Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, Rotherhithe, South-East London.

Married father-of-oneThomas Befroy, 38, of Beckenham Hill Road, Beckenham, Kent and Alan Hermon, 49, of Summerfield Street, Lewisham, pleaded guilty to possessing indecent pictures of children, with a view to distributing them, or showing them to someone else, on or before October 23, last year, contrary to the Protection of Children Act.

Tower Bridge Magistrates' Court (pictured) heard 78 of the images were deemed Level One - the lowest level of indecency - but one was Level Two, which includes non-penetrative sexual activity between children or solo masturbation by a child.

Prosecutor Mr. James Le Grys said: "The offence took place at Boots in Surrey Quays Shopping Centre. There is a photo lab in the store and a mini-lab at the rear where these two defendants had worked since 1989."

The BT engineer, installing an internet connection, raised the alarm after uncovering the stash in the compartment and further indecent pictures were found in a locked cupboard during a police search.

"The engineer placed his hands inside and found several Boots carrier bags. They contained images of a sexual nature," added Mr Le Grys. "He reported the images to management and they called the police.

"A number of photographs were of young women under the age of eighteen and dating between 1997 and 2008."

Befroy, who has a seven year-old daughter and is now subject to a social services assessment and cannot be unsupervised with the child had left the branch six weeks before the discovery to take over as manager at Boots in Battersea.

He was team leader at Surrey Quays and when questioned by police told them Hermon was responsible for making extensive copies.

"When Mr. Hermon was questioned he denied the allegations, but then admitted making extensive copies of sexual images and Mr Befroy was aware," said Mr. Le Grys.

The 78 Level One images "depict nudity or erotic posing, but no sexual activity" explained the prosecutor. "There is one of Level Two. A girl wearing no underwear.

"Both admitted using Boots' machinery to copy prints and admitted looking at them and showing them to others.

"The collection got so big they had to store it in the cupboard," added Mr. LeGrys.

All the images of the unknown girls involve females aged approximately 12 - 17 years-old.

The defendant's lawyer Miss I Hussain told the court: "Basically in relation to these offences both worked at Boots together in this lab and on occasion they would reprint photo's.

"There were also photo's of concerts, anything that was of interest to them."

Urging the court not to jail her clients she added: "These were isolated offences. There was no commercial element, the distribution was just between them. There were searches of their addresses and nothing was found there.

"They have lost their good character and will be subject to the Sex Offender's Register and they have lost their employment.

"They are now both on benefits, not in a position to look for work while awaiting sentencing and will have to ensure any future employer knows about these convictions.

"It was not a sophisticated offence and there does not seem to be a high level of personal interest," added Miss Hussain. "These men have been working lengthy hours and this has happened in the time they have been working.

"It is not a case where they have gone looking for such photo's and there is no contact with any paedophiles.

"They reprinted the photographs, looked at them, then put them away in a bag or box and not looked at them again," said the lawyer.

"A lot of them are teenage girls in their bedrooms maybe getting ready for a night out.

"I ask you not to give them prison sentences. This isn't something that would happen again," the lawyer told District Judge Mr. Stuart Black.

The Judge refused a prosecution application for a child protection order banning the defendant's from possessing images of children after Miss Hussain said Mr. Befroy's photograph's of his daughter displayed all over his house would immediately put him in breach if one was made.

"I don't think this would work in these circumstances," she said. "He would be unable to fulfill his fatherly duties."

Mr. Black imposed three-year supervision orders on both defendants and ordered them to attend the Community Sex Offenders Group Work Programme.

He told them: "I am concerned about the number of photograph's, the length of time and the covert and secretive behaviour that was going on as well as the breach of trust. These are serious matters, frankly."

A spokesman for the company said: "There are strict operating procedures in place to safeguard customers' confidentiality when developing photos and were are extremely concerned that these former employees appeared to have breached them all in an act of gross misconduct.

"We have a zero tolerance policy to issues of this nature and would like to reassure our customers that we have taken these allegations extremely seriously and acted immediately when they came to light."

Gunman Hunted After Travel Agent Robbery

This is the man Flying Squad Detectives are hunting following an armed raid at a high street travel agents.

Staff were threatened at gunpoint at First Choice, St. Mary's Lane, Upminster, Essex, on December 4, last year and foreign currency was snatched.

CCTV images of the suspect have been released by the Barking-based squad.

The suspect entered the branch on three occasions on the same day, pretending to enquire about a honeymoon and foreign currency.

On the third occasion, he approached the staff at the bureau de change and pointed a gun at a member of staff making threats before taking a quantity of cash and fleeing via a rear fire exit.

The suspect is described as white, five feet eight inches tall of medium build with a thin face and a large nose. He spoke with a London accent and was wearing a black beanie hat and black puffer jacket.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the incident room on 020 8345 4226 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Street Dealer Caught In Secret Police Drugs Sting

A crack and heroin dealer caught in an undercover police sting at a notorious drugs hotspot has been jailed for two years and four months.

Jobless Aaron Dutton, 28, White Hart Lane, Tottenham, North London, sold £20-£30 wraps of the drug to ‘Dave’ in Quill Street Market, Finsbury Park.

He pleaded guilty at Blackfriars Crown Court to three counts of supplying crack cocaine and three counts of supplying heroin on three consecutive days between July 21 and 23, last year.

Prosecutor Mr. Mark James-Dawson told the court undercover police were targeting the area’s drug dealers and an officer identified only as ‘Dave’ made the “test purchases” when approached by Dutton.

The defendant gave the officer his mobile phone number to set up future deals and was also filmed by an undercover surveillance team.

He vanished when paid £20 for drugs on August 13, but was eventually arrested and charged on January 19, this year.

“Through these courts day after day pass thieves, robbers and burglars who steal to buy drugs,” Judge John Hillen told junkie Dutton. “Those involved in the supply of drugs are responsible for crime on a huge scale.

“You were part of a chain of criminality and were caught by a police undercover operation.”

In The Dock: Five Accused Of £219m Inland Revenue Fraud

Two senior executives of stock-market accountancy firm Vantis, their wives and a financial advisor – all accused of a £219 million charitable tax scam – have appeared at Blackfriars Crown Court.

Hundreds of investors are said to have participated in the Vantis tax scheme, including an Oscar-winning movie executive, celebrity psychiatrist, senior City bankers, top lawyers and company directors.

Robert Faichney, 51, managing director of Vantis’ tax division and his wife Shirley Faichney, 51, both of Barnhill, Pinner Middlesex, were bailed along with their co-defendants to return on May 21.

They appeared alongside David Perrin, 44, the tax division’s deputy managing director and his wife Nicola Perrin, 37, both of Leagrave, Luton, and financial advisor Vikash Kulkar, 55, of Waldegrave Road, Twickenham.

All five are with one count of cheating her Majesty and the Public Revenue in a prosecution brought by HM Revenue and Customs.

The two executives are accused of devising and promoting a tax scheme that took advantage of the legislation providing tax relief on the donations of shares to charities.

Their wives are accused of involvement in their husband’s dealings and Kulkar is alleged to have attracted investors to the scheme.

The investigation relates to 328 million shares listed on the Channel Island Stock Exchange sold to investors at a value of £1 with subsequent tax relief claimed.

No pleas were entered and a trial date at the court (pictured) was set for February 21, next year.

Romanian Cashpoint Trickster Caged Again

A member of a Romanian gang of cashpoint fraudsters – caught by police for the second time tampering with ATM’s – has been jailed for sixteen months.

Mechanic Laurentiu Bunu, 23, of Speyside, Southgate, pleaded guilty to possessing an article in connection with fraud, namely a ‘Lebanese Loop’, in Holloway Road, Holloway, on February 5.

Blackfriars Crown Court heard it was 10.45 pm when officers spotted three Romanians, including the defendant, acting suspiciously near the Nat West Bank and Post Office cashpoint machines.

The trio tried to walk away when approached and unsuccessfully dispose of incriminating evidence, namely credit card-sized plastic gift vouchers they had glued together.

Bunu’s car was searched and police found the ‘Lebanese Loop’ a device, which holds unsuspecting victims’, cards in the machine to be later retrieved by the fraudsters.

Bunu, who arrived in the U.K. in 2006, was jailed for six months in June 2008, for a similar offence.

“You are a thoroughly dishonest man,” Judge John Hillen told Bunu. “You and others like you have devised ways of preying on the public with the purpose of stealing from their bank accounts.

“You were part of a team of fraudsters and thieves in possession of equipment to be used in a dishonest way. You had an element of sophistication and pre-meditation.”

The two co-defendants, who also pleaded guilty to the same charge, were remanded in custody until April 8 for sentencing.

Pop Star Estelle's Criminal Cousin Dodges Custody

The criminal cousin of chart-topping Grammy-winning pop star ‘Estelle’ dodged a return to prison today (Thursday) when sentenced for having £350 worth of party-drugs cocaine and ecstasy on him when stopped by armed police.

Jude Lebaga, 30, was originally charged with dealing after officers searched his former Barking home – seizing more cocaine and ecstasy, plus a set of scales – but those allegations were dropped.

Lebaga, of 63 Bicknoller Road, Enfield, who grew up with Hammersmith-born Estelle Fanta Swaray, 29, (pictured) who had a No. 1 hit with American Boy pleaded guilty to possessing the drugs in Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith on January 23, last year.

The prosecution dropped charges of intending to supply those drugs plus possessing further quantities of cocaine and ecstasy at 72 Chelmer Crescent, Barking, with intent to supply.

He was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court to an eighteen-month community order and was ordered to perform 150 hours unpaid community service work.

His arrest was a major embarrassment for the star who months earlier spearheaded the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Trident “Respect. You Don’t Need A Gun To Get It,” anti-black on black crime drive.

In fact it was reportedly Operation Trident officers who stopped Lebaga, who has criminal convictions and was once sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.

An order was made for forfeiture and destruction of the drugs.

Estelle wrote the song 1980 about being raised in the same four-bed house as her cousins, uncles and aunts and brothers.

Some members were “in and out of prison daily,” she said.

Her Senegalese mother and Lebaga’s mother are sisters.

Woman Caged For Landlord Murder

A bogus tenant who drugged a landlord so her accomplice could brutally beat him to death has been caged for life at the Old Bailey.

Katsiaryna Komar, 27, of Hulse Avenue, Barking, Essex, posed as a would-be tenant when viewing a room rented by 43 year-old Kemal Ozdemir, of Gladstone Avenue, Wood Green, North London.

Komar (pic. bottom) was convicted of murdering Mr. Ozdemie (pic. top) some time between April 26 and May 2, 2008 and will be locked up for a minimum of 17 years.

Investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Stewart Hill, of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said: "Katsiaryna Komar facilitated a violent attack on Mr Ozdemir, resulting in his death.

"He was murdered after agreeing to assist Komar by offering her lodgings at his address.

"She came to view his spare room, but instead, she abused his trust, drugging him before calling another man to the property.

Mr Ozdemir was then restrained and subjected to a prolonged beating, which led to his death.

"The motive of the attack remains unclear, although it is likely that it was for financial gain."

On May 2 officers forced their way into the address because Mr. Ozdemir had not been seen for some time.

Inside the address officers found the body of Mr Ozdemir and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination gave cause of death as multiple trauma injuries to the chest, neck and head caused by a blunt instrument.

Dealer Jailed For Drugs Shooting

A ruthless drug dealer, who shot a customer who owed him £150, has be caged for a minimum of fifteen years.

Desmond Meade, 25, of Crondall Court, St. John’s Estate, Islington, North London, shot the 44 year-old victim at the junction of nearby Cropley Street and Napier Grove on August 4, last year.

He was convicted at the Old Bailey of attempted murder and received an indeterminate life sentence.

His alleged partner-in-crime, Russell James Stanley, 26 of East Ham was also arrested by Operation Trident officers, who specialise investigating violent black-on-black crime was acquitted.

Detective Sergeant Chris Jones said: "This crime would appear to have been motivated by an insignificant drugs debt of £150 owed to Meade by the victim.

"Meade, who was a well placed drug dealer in Hackney, demonstrated total disregard for the victim's life and safety of other members of the public, including children who were playing nearby.

"I would like to praise the courage of both victim and witnesses who gave evidence under difficult circumstances ensuring Meade was brought to justice.

“I am satisfied that Hackney Borough will be a safer place without the criminal activities of Desmond Meade.”

Police rushed to the scene at 10.45 pm where they found the victim and a 39 year-old woman close to a Vauxhall Corsa that had crashed into a wall.

The man was rushed by ambulance to hospital where he was treated and has since made a good recovery.

The woman received hospital treatment for minor injuries and was later discharged.

The shooting took place following an alleged dispute over a drugs debt involving both parties.

The victim was involved in a brief altercation when Meade approached him.

Meade pulled a gun and shot the man once in the chest and ran from the scene.

He was arrested and charged ten days later.

Police Hunt Sex Attacker Caught On CCTV

This is the would-be rapist police want to question about an attack on a 25 year-old woman, who was followed home on the underground then dragged behind shops by her assailant.

The victim was travelling to Barking, Essex, on the District Line on December 3, last year when the man – who claimed his name was ‘John’ – engaged her in conversation.

They left the station separately at 10.30 pm, but he followed her through the town centre, grabbed her and pulled her behind a row of shops.

Luckily he was startled when a security light at the rear of a Chinese takeaway came on and the victim escaped.

The suspect is described as black, approx 30 years old, of stocky build, with brown eyes.

He was wearing a white top, brown jacket - possibly suede or leather, dark blue jeans, dark brown Timabaland-style boots, and a navy blue hat with an ‘EDF’ logo.

Anyone with information which may be able to assist the investigation is asked to call the Sapphire Unit on 01708 779 623. To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Gunman Robbed Locals

A lazy robber who committed a series of terrifying gunpoint street muggings in and around his local area during a month-long spree has been locked-up for four-and-a-half years.

Akinni Constantine, 23, of Granville Road, Wood Green, North London, was reluctant to travel far from home when pulling off the stick-ups, which netted cash, jewellery, mobile phones and cigarettes.

Wood Green Crown Court heard Constantine, (pictured) who lived just around the corner from where he committed the offences, approached his victims in the street, threatening them with a realistic imitation gun.

Detective Constable Saima Hussain said: "Constantine showed no remorse for the fear that he caused his victims, one of whom was so frightened that she collapsed in the street when he pointed the gun at her.

“Another victim, a young boy of just 14 years of age, was robbed while Constantine held the gun to his chest.

“None of his victims would have known that the firearm was an imitation and they would have been absolutely terrified for their lives.

"This conviction is good news for the victims, who have shown courage and public spirit in assisting us with this case, and I am really pleased that this violent offender has been brought to justice."

Haringey's Robbery Squad arranged for their Video Sentry Unit to place CCTV cameras overlooking the location where the robberies had been taking place.

The cameras captured footage of a man matching the suspect's description acting suspiciously in the area.

Detectives were carrying out enquiries at a block of flats in Granville Road, Wood Green on September 16, last year when they found an imitation firearm wrapped in plastic bags hidden inside a chest of drawers in the communal hallway.

Officers remained and saw Constantine, who they recognised from the CCTV images, and his fingerprints also matched those on the plastic bags.

He pleaded guilty to armed robbery in The Roundway, Tottenham, on August 12, 15, 24, September 12 and 13 and armed robbery in Darwin Road, Wood Green, on August 25 and armed robbery in Ellenborough Road, on September 3.

Drugs Plotter Spent Year On Run After Cannabis Factory Raids

A criminal, who spent a year on the run after his gang’s £200,000 cannabis-growing operation was smashed following police raids on ten drug ‘factories’, finally walked free on Friday after nine months’ locked-up.

Jobless Terry Skinner, 26, of Kestrel Close, Hainault, Essex, pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to produce cannabis on or about July 10, 2008 and was sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years plus twelve months’ probation supervision.

Prosecutor Mr. Roger Smart told Croydon Crown Court: “Vast quantities of plants were produced at several cannabis factories.

“The gang were engaged in production on a commercial scale, renting premises and installing high-output lighting, plus irrigation systems for the plants, often by-passing the mains electricity meter.

“Windows were blacked-out and a high value crop was being produced worth £200,000,” added Mr. Smart. “This was a high value commercial operation.”

Five other gang members have already been jailed, but Skinner dodged the police round up on July 10, 2008 when officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Kidnap and Specialist Investigation Team smashed the organisation.

Officers had been investigating a suspected abduction and Skinner was observed during an undercover surveillance operation with gang members and inside one of the ‘factories.’

Addresses were raided in the hunt for the kidnap victim and police stumbled upon the huge cultivation plot.

Cannabis-growing operations were found at properties in Kinross Close, Edgwarebury Gardens, Fairfield Crescent, Hillside Gardens and Axholme Avenue, Edgware, Middlesex.

Plus five more at Upper Rainham Road, Hornchurch; Pemberton Gardens, Romford; Ulverston Road, Walthamstow; Holmwood Grove, Mill Hill and Belgrave Crescent, Blyth, Northumberland.

Police issued a public appeal for Skinner’s capture in January, last year, but he was not caught until June 6 and has been in custody ever since.

In Kinross Close, Edgewarebury Gardens and Fairfield Crescent alone an unpaid electricity bill of £70,000 was run up by the gang.

Indian Illegal Overstayer Raped And Threatened To Kill Vulnerable Woman

An Indian overstayer, who brutally raped a 44 year-old woman with learning difficulties - snatched from outside a shop as her friend bought cigarettes and subjected to a 90 minute ordeal - was locked up for 8 years today (Friday).

"She was outside a shop waiting for her companion when you carried or dragged her to an alley and raped her," Judge Timothy Stow QC told Punjabi-born Raja Chandi, 27, at Croydon Crown Court.

"This must have been a terrifying attack and ordeal for her," added the Judge who also recommended Chandi for deportation. "She screamed and your reaction was to not only punch and hit her repeatedly, but you also threatened to kill her."

Jobless Chandi, of London Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, pleaded guilty to raping the victim in nearby Collier's Water Lane, on July 28, last year plus a count of assault by penetration, relating to an oral sex act he performed on her, receiving two years' imprisonment to run concurrently with with the 8-year rape sentence.

A previous complaint that Chandi (pictured) raped a young woman on a mattress after she was persuaded into his home was dropped, allowing the defendant his freedom to carry out this attack.

Afterwards Detective Inspector Jackie Wakeford-Smith said: "We are very, very pleaded with this result. He is a very dangerous man."

Prosecutor Miss Tana Adkin told the court the victim's friend thought she had walked home when he left the shop at midnight and she wasn't there.

"Mr. Chandi had come up behind her, grabbed her and took her to the alleyway. She screamed and Mr. Chandi punched her in the face and told her if she continued screaming he would kill her.

"She did scream again and he punched her to the face and body inflicting two black eyes as well as injuries she received to both cheekbones, her back, knees and shoulders."

Chandi pulled down the victim's trousers and raped her, leaving tell-tale DNA evidence. He was arrested on August 21 and tried to convince police the victim was a £10 a time prostitute.

Chandi's lawyer Miss Tanya Ossack said: "He came to this country to better himself and send money home. He was sent by his family, but has failed in every respect and now committed a heinous crime."

Judge Stow told Chandi: "She was a vulnerable lady with learning difficulties....She says she cannot get the image of your face out of her mind and will be haunted by this for the rest of her life."

The victim bravely attended court to see Chandi caged and her companion shouted "scum" at the defendant as he was led to the cells.