Lady Magistrate In The Dock For Trying To Throw Out Romanian Tenant

A respected lady magistrate is counting the cost today (Wednesday) of illegally evicting her Romanian tenant with a racist 6 foot 7 inch henchman after losing her good character and at least £9,000 for what a Judge described as a "disgraceful episode."

Bench Chairwoman Stephanie Lippiatt, 63, a senior Justice of the Peace at Kingston-upon-Thames Magistrates' Court stormed around to the bedsit during a rent row with 28 year-old Maria Percec and hurled her belongings down the stairs and into the front garden.

Widow Lippiatt, of Lower Ham Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, who is currently suspended from magistrates’ duties,was convicted of attempting to unlawfully evict Miss Percec at Durlston Road, Kingston, on June 18, last year and causing criminal damage to her property.

After her arrest Lippiatt (pictured) – a magistrate for over twenty years and a Samaritan’s volunteer – was recorded by an officer outside the police station saying: "They are bloody foreigners and they will get away with it."

Another tenant Victor Hawes, 41, of Durlston Road, who Lippiatt denies is her secret lover, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated criminal damage and received a suspended prison sentence.

Judge Stephen Waller told Lippiatt at Croydon Crown Court: "This was a disgraceful episode. You went around with Victor Hawes to one of your properties.

"The victim was effectively thrown out and her property was literally thrown downstairs and out the front door.

"You lost patience in a difficult situation and allowed Victor Hawes to take a prominent role. You shouldn't have allowed him to behave like that and as the landlord should have taken charge."

The jury cleared Lippiatt of racially aggravated assault on Miss Percec, who claimed her feet were stamped on by the magistrate, and they also found the criminal damage offence was not racially aggravated.

"This lady, at her age and having lost her good character is the greatest burden to bear," said Lippiatt's lawyer Mr. Paul Sharkey. "She is a respectable member of the community and a magistrate for several years."

Lippiatt was fined £2,000 for the attempted unlawful eviction, fined £250 for criminal damage and ordered to pay £1900 prosecution costs.

She was also ordered to pay her full defence costs or alternatively £5,000, whatever is the lesser by Judge Waller, who heard of Lippiatt's £1 million-plus property portfolio of eight rentals during the trial. "You are a woman of means," he told her.

Hawes was sentenced to four months' imprisonment, suspended for one year, ordered to perform 120 hours community service work, pay £100 costs, plus £45 compensation to Miss Percec.

Judge Waller told him: "You threw the chest of drawers down the stairs and you were heard to call the complainant a "Romanian cockroach."

"She came in and started swearing at me to 'get the fuck out of the house'," ex-box room tenant Miss Percec told the jury during the seven-day trial. "She pushed me and stamped on my feet."

Miss Percec told the jury Lippiatt was unhappy about the tenant’s boyfriend George Stanka, 31, staying regularly overnight in her room and demanded a rent increase from £150 p.m. to £250 p.m.

"She said: 'I want more money or you are out of here', that’s all she spoke about. More money," said Miss Percec.

"The £250 was way too much. The house was in really bad condition, it was a very old house.

"The room was tiny, I have now got a room six times that size."

Lippiatt, who has a rental portfolio of eight properties, denies being a slum landlady although the defence team conceded the property was not "Buckingham Palace."

The couple were naked in bed when Lippiatt and Hawes began banging on their door late at night, demanding they leave the property.

"It was really loud banging, like someone hitting the door with a fist three times," explained Miss Percec, who had managed to throw on a dressing gown before the defendant’s burst in.

"She pulled the covers off George. He was naked and she looked at him and shouted: 'get the fuck out'."

Mr. Stanka later told the jury Lippiatt racially abused the couple. "Romanian cunts'. She said that."

Both defendants then began throwing furniture, clothing and personal effects belonging to the couple down the stairs then out the front door.

Miss Percec told police Lippiatt hurled a chest down the stairs then deliberately trampled on her belongings, before tossing items out the front door.

The couple were also intimidated by Hawes. "Victor was behind her, he’s massive, the size of the whole door. You can’t compete with that force," said Miss Percec.

Lippiatt also shouted: "You are not living in my house. You are not living on my back," the jury was told.

Miss Percec told police Hawes shouted: "You’re being fucking evicted. You’re fucking Romanian. Get out of the fucking house, you ming."

Throughout his race rant, filmed on Mr. Stanka’s mobile phone, Lippiatt is standing next to him in earshot.

The jury were played the footage in which an enraged Hawes throws the tenant's belongings down the stairs and Lippiatt is seen kicking items out the front door.

"I was left with bruises on my feet and around my knee," said Miss Percec. "The police saw it and took photos the next day.

"She was trying really hard to hurt me and push me and get me out of that room. I have been abused verbally and physically."

The jury was told Hawes also called the couple: "Romanian cockroaches."

Lippiatt claims Miss Percec has done a "hatchet job" on her so her evidence would be believed and to bolster a compensation claim.

The J.P. told the jury: "Last year when I was 62, I would have said it wouldn't have even crossed my mind that I could find myself in this position."

After two decades on the bench Lippiatt finally discovered what it felt like to be a defendant when police locked her in a cell.

"I completely lost control of myself. I was screaming and I was crying and I was begging them to let me out."

She lost her removals businessman husband Clive when he was killed by a drunken motorcyclist.

Young Mum Gunned Down On Doorstep

This is the face of a young Turkish mum assassinated on her mother’s East London doorstep when a gunman now being hunted by police shot her in the chest at point blank range.

Gulistan Subasi, 26, was visiting family on the Kingsmead Estate, Kingsmead Way, Homerton to celebrate her son’s sixth birthday and was due to return to Turkey in a few days.

She was pronounced dead at the scene, just after 8.30 p.m. on March 22 and a post-mortem gave the cause of death as a gunshot wound to the chest.

Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Sebire of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, who is leading the investigation said: “Ms Subasi was callously shot at close range after answering a knock on the door to her mother's flat, which is reached via an alleyway off Kingsmead Way.

"As she collapsed on the doorstep, her killer made off from the scene along Kingsmead Way, heading towards Meeson Street E5.

"The suspect is described as male, approximately 6ft tall, of slim build, wearing a light coloured hooded top (worn with hood up), light coloured trousers, and a rucksack/drawstring bag on his back.

“His face may have been covered and he may have been wearing gloves.

"I appeal to anyone who was in the area at the time of the shooting, including anyone who was inside or close to Aysal Food Market, situated below the flat, who may have seen or heard anything suspicious to contact us.”

Late on March 24 a 27 year-old man was arrested in connection with the inquiry and taken to a north London police station and later bailed to return pending further inquiries.

The man arrested is believed to be the former partner of Ms Subasi and according to local reports he was arrested as he arrived back into the UK from abroad.

Ms Subasi had moved to Turkey following a divorce from her husband in 2006.

£20,000 Reward Offered In Murder Hunt

A £20,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the killer or killers of a Blackheath loner who suffered a violent attack at his home four months ago.

Philip Silvester, 62, of Kellaway Road, was discovered on December 13, last year by police who forced their way in eleven days after he was last seen.

Mr. Silvester (pictured) died as a result of injuries to his head and chest.

He was last seen on December 2 at about midday after driving to his local convenience store in nearby Whetstone Road in his H-reg silver/blue Ford Escort.

Detectives believe that images of Mr. Silvester captured on CCTV at the store are the last time he was seen alive.

They believe he was killed a short time later.

Investigating officer Detective Inspector Nigel Foster from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said: "Mr Silvester was a very quiet man who lead a private life and generally kept himself to himself.

"He rarely socialised and was careful about opening his front door to strangers.

"I would particularly like to appeal to anyone who was in Kellaway Road between Tuesday 1 December and Sunday 13 December 2009 and heard a disturbance in the area to contact the police.”

Rookie Swindler Chased Glamorous Lifestyle

This is the face of a notorious teen conman whose ‘Walter Mitty’ existence was funded by a string of scams that left companies in the film and fashion industry £82,000 out of pocket.

James Cameron, 19, of Neutron Tower, Blackwall Way, Poplar, East London posed as a successful entrepreneur and defrauded small companies and individuals to maintain a highflying lifestyle.

He posed as the company director of Urban Fashion and hired a photographic studio in Lambeth, professional models, hair and make-up artists and photographers to embark on a four-day fashion shoot.

None of these people or companies was ever paid.

He would also open accounts with private hire car firms and enjoyed being chauffeured around London and running up thousands of pounds in unpaid invoices in the process.

One cab firm lost £20,000 in unpaid bills.

The investigation led by Wandsworth CID uncovered offences involving 11 victims in various parts of London including Lambeth, Shepherds Bush, Wandsworth, Harrow, Hounslow, Battersea and Hackney plus two offences in Hampshire.

Cameron dodged prison at Southwark Crown Court when sentenced to 50 weeks custody, suspended for two years and was ordered to perform 200 hours community service work.

He will also be subject to 12 months supervision.

Cameron pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud by false representation and later asked for two further offences of fraud, to be taken into consideration.

Detective Constable Kate Giles of Wandsworth CID said: "Although Cameron posed as a successful entrepreneur at the expense of others he didn't actually make any money for himself. He simply enjoyed living the high life.

"But at the end of this are Cameron's victims, either self-employed or small businesses.

"He has never shown any remorse for his actions and I wonder if he appreciates or cares about the damage he has caused to numerous small businesses operating at very narrow margins.

"Let us hope that now he has been publicly named and identified, it is sufficient to deter him from continuing his fraudulent Walter Mitty lifestyle."

In August 2008 an allegation of false representation was made to Lambeth Police by a 38-year-old woman who said she agreed to work for a man who claimed to be a promotional film producer but she had not been paid.

Cameron had contacted the victim, a professional photographer, in May 2008 saying he ran a West End-based company called Urban Fashion and commissioned her to take pictures on three different occasions.

The shoots took place at studios in Shepherd's Bush and her £8,500 bill was ignored. She researched the company and found Cameron's name together with a host of articles about his history of fraud.

She then got an email from Urban Fashion saying it was going into voluntary liquidation.

A freelance make-up and hair artist answered an advertisement on an intranet site finding placements for students and graduates in the fashion world.

Cameron engaged her through telephone calls and email. She was defrauded of £650.

Further victims from the shoots were identified mostly professional hair and make-up artists. In addition the studios lost £3,882 and the model agency lost £10,500.

Further offences came to light during September 2008. A car company in Battersea told Wandsworth Police they were defrauded of £4,340 having provided cars for Cameron's alleged business activities with Urban Fashion and for his own use.

Around the same time another car company in Hackney told police that Cameron had defrauded them of £4,582 between July and August 2008.

Similarly, a black cab company in Harrow reported to police in July 2008 that Cameron had defrauded them of £21,000 between October 2006 and March 2007.

Cameron had been using the company name of Worldwide Services at that time providing two references, which were subsequently found to be false. In February 2007, Cameron settled his account with a cheque that bounced.

Further offences uncovered by the investigation included a stationery company in Hounslow who had been defrauded by Urban Fashion of £7,815 between April and June 2008.

They were paid with a cheque that was stopped before it could be cashed, saying it was an internal error.

The stationery company continued to supply goods but stopped after a new cheque was never received.

By this time, Cameron had set up another company called Extreme Office, which he used to sell on the stationery.

Junkie Beaten To Death With Own Bicycle Lock

A junkie was beaten to death in an East End street by three drug runners after he accused the trio of ripping him off and attacked their BMW with a bicycle lock.

Drug addict Sami Berjaoui, 24, (pic. top) suffered fatal head injuries in Moss Close, Old Montague Street, Whitechapel, at 6.30 am on September 21, last year.

Convicted of his murder are: Nahid Ahed, 20, (pic.centre) of Ajax House, Old Bethnal Green Road, Bethnal Green; Abu Tahir, 19, (pic. bottom) of Romford Road, Forest Gate and a 17 year-old Whitechapel youth who cannot be identified.

They will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on a date to be fixed.

Police were called by neighbours to reports of a fight and officers discovered Sami suffering head injuries.

He was taken to an east London hospital where he was pronounced dead at 07.10 am.

A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as a subarachnoid haemorrhage.

The three-week trial heard Sami confronted the three defendants, accusing them of ripping him off on a previous drug deal, and banged the bonnet of their car with the bicycle lock.

The trio jumped out of the car and beat him to death, even using the lock to inflict the fatal injuries.

Infamous Internet Burglar Nets Cash In Knifepoint Hold-Ups

A notorious criminal, who plotted terrifying knifepoint betting shop robberies, shortly after his release for a series of £100,000 ‘Google Earth’ rooftop burglaries has been locked-up for four-and-half years.

Roofer Tom Berge, 28, of Maldon Road, Wallington, Surrey, was caught in the getaway car with his accomplice after robbing Coral’s Bookmaker’s, Banstead Road, Sutton, on September 4, last year.

“I am very, very sceptical about his remorse. He showed no sympathy for the people at these betting-shops whatsoever,” announced Recorder Nicholas Heathcote Williams QC at Croydon Crown Court.

“He took pride in the fact he was a prolific public offender, a career criminal……I have great difficulty accepting he feels any remorse.”

Berge, who has committed 64 previous crimes, pleaded guilty to robbing Coral’s and also pleaded guilty to conspiring to rob commercial premises, including Betfred, St. Dunstan’s Hill, Sutton, on August 26.

His accomplice, 21 year-old Joseph Gokmen, of Winchcombe Road, Carshalton, Surrey, pleaded guilty to robbing both betting shops and was sentenced to four years imprisonment.

On both occasions two robbers armed with knives, using boxer shorts to cover their faces, confronted terrified staff and forced them to hand over cash.

They fled with £1,195 from Betfred and £700 from Coral’s, but the defendants were stopped by police and arrested in Stafford Road, Wallington after the second raid.

Berge, (pictured) who came to criminal notoriety when employing Google Earth to target buildings with valuable lead lining on their roofs, planned the Betfred robbery, but was not one of the knifemen.

He had recently been released from a sentence of twelve months’ imprisonment imposed for breaching a suspended sentence after admitting over thirty thefts from the roofs of schools, churches, museums and other historic buildings, stealing 44.5 tonnes of lead.

“The robberies were planned, disguises were used and it caused great concern at Betfred in particular as anyone watching the CCTV can see,” added Recorder Heathcote Williams QC.

“It was a team effort and having done it they went back and did another.”

He told Gokmen: “These were robberies of small betting shops with knives. They were carefully planned, a group effort. You wore disguises and caused great distress and slightly after Betfred you were back at it committing the Coral’s robbery.”

He told Berge: “You were the senior partner,” also sentencing him to four months concurrent for taking and driving away the VW car used in the getaway.

Coral’s customer Keith Adams earned a £250 reward for following the robbers outside and noting their getaway car’s number plate.

“Despite being told by the manager not to go after them he did…That was a very calm and brave thing to do, to follow men who had knives,” announced Recorder Heathcote Williams QC.

Drunken Raider's Late-Night Break-In

A bungling boozy burglar, who left tell tale DNA evidence behind after breaking into a newsagent’s in the middle of the night, dodged jail yesterday (Wednesday).

Caretaker John Crowley, 39, of Greenbay Road, Charlton, South East London was convicted by a Croydon Crown Court jury of burgling Royal Parade News, 3 Church Row, Chiselhurst, Kent, (pictured) on August 22, last year.

The court heard the shop’s owner discovered a glass panel in the front door had been smashed, causing £700 worth of damage and fifteen boxes of cigarettes, worth £300 had been snatched from the display.

Police discovered Crowley’s blood on the broken glass and he was arrested after a match was made on the national DNA database.

“This was a sad relapse by you, largely because you got terribly drunk while in the habit of binge drinking,” Recorder Nicholas Heathcote Williams QC told Crowley.

He was sentenced to seventy hours community service work and ordered to pay £750 compensation to the shopkeeper.

East London Teen Murder: Hunt Continues Three Years On

Police investigating the brutal murder of a 15 year-old boy – fatally stabbed three years ago – have renewed their appeal for witnesses to come forward as the hunt continues for the killers.

Adam Regis from Plaistow, East London, suffered a stab wound to the heart in March 2007 as he walked home after a night at the cinema with friends.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Clayman of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: "It is now three years since Adam was tragically murdered in Kingsland Road, Newham at around 21.30 on 17 March 2007.

"Since that time the investigation team has made extensive enquiries, and whilst good progress has been made, it is clear there are some people with knowledge of the murder who are not coming forward and speaking to the police.

"Those responsible must have spoken to someone following Adam's murder- a friend; family member; wife or girlfriend, and we urge those people to come forward. Do you have suspicions about anyone?

"Hiding the fact you are involved in someone's murder is difficult to live with and Adam's family have the right to know why this happened and who is responsible.

"I understand some people might have concerns about speaking to the police, but it is important they do, so we can offer them reassurance and support.

"Adam was a respected and well-liked teenager who was caring towards his friends and family and a popular student.

“He did nothing to provoke the events of that night and we still do not know why he was targeted.

"Those with information may not see this investigation as any of their business, but it is.

They are all part of the community and have a vested interest in ensuring that all those responsible for Adam's murder are held to account. "

Police were called just after 21:30hrs to the junction of Boundary Road and Kingsland Road, to reports of a teenager injured.

Adam was taken to Newham General Hospital where he died shortly before 23:00hrs.

A post mortem examination gave the cause of death as a single stab wound to the chest.

The knife used had a blade of at least 20cm and travelled through Adam's right arm and into his chest, nicking the aorta of his heart.

That evening Adam had travelled on a bus with friends back from the Showcase cinema in Beckton then strolled alone towards his home.

The driver of a VW Scirocco picked up two suspects and another two suspects were seen running north along the New City Road towards Barking Road.

Seventeen suspects have been arrested since the killing, but nobody has been charged with any offence.

CCTV footage has been released of suspects in the area police would like to identify.

Musician Swaps Bassoon For Breathalyser

Composer Craig Carpenter hit a bum note with late-night cops when blowing over the limit after being stopped driving across Tower Bridge at three in the morning.

Carpenter, 42, of Finsbury Park Road, Finsbury Park, North London pleaded guilty at City of London Magistrates' Court to driving with excess alcohol on his breath on March 19.

The court heard Carpenter, who had performed at a concert that evening, was driving his blue Nissan Torano home when pulled over by police who then detected the smell of drink on his breath.

He failed a roadside breath-test and later gave an alcohol reading of 50 microgrammes - the legal limit is 35.

The magistrates were told Carpenter regrets his "foolishness" and took a chance because he thought he could get home quickly.

He was fined £160, with £90 costs and disqualified from driving for twelve months.