Sparky Cashed-In With Dodgy Mains Electricity Earner

A rogue electrician, who amassed a small fortune by illegally diverting the power supply to over 1,500 new properties, faces losing the profits of his moonlighting operation.

Ex-EDF Energy Networks employee Derek Brown, 45, of Hamilton Close, Tottenham, North London utilised his knowledge to illicitly supply electricity to house conversions.

He pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court to ten counts of criminal damage to EDF’s main electricity service cable at locations across Haringey between 2004 and 2008.

He was only caught after a concerned member of the public called police on July 12, 2008 to report Brown working down a hole on the electricity supply without permission.

The counts reflect addresses in Roseberry Gardens, Finsbury Park; High Road, Wood Green; Mount Pleasant Road, Tottenham; Haringey Road, South Tottenham; Downhills Park Road, Tottenham; Stanhope Gardens, South Tottenham; Woodside Gardens, Tottenham; Cunningham Road, South Tottenham; West Green Road, South Tottenham; Philip Lane, South Tottenham.

He was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for a year and ordered to perform 150 hours community service work.

Brown (pictured) also faces a financial investigation and a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act, which will determine the extent of his illegal service.

Cash totalling £28,000 was seized at his home during a police search and enquiries will be made into other assets.

On the day of his arrest police found Brown tampering with the electricity network without authority from EDF Energy Networks.

Police made checks with the electricity distribution company and found Brown was a former employee without authority to be carrying out the work.

He was arrested on suspicion of abstracting electricity and officers carried out searches of his van and home address where they found a substantial amount of EDF property and equipment, including uniform and three ledgers detailing every address he had worked at since he resigned from the company in June 2002.

It is believed that over 1,500 addresses have had illegal connections implemented by Brown. Many of which are still being investigated and corrected by EDF Energy Networks to this day.

Detective Constable Kerry Burgess of Haringey CID said: “This was a lengthy and complex investigation undertaken by police with the assistance of EDF Energy Networks.

“In many cases we believe that Brown was carrying out work for houses being converted into flats and splitting the connection from the mains in order to allow each property to have a separate supply.

“The landlords claimed that they weren't aware because the work had been arranged by contractors who now have the inconvenience of having to arrange for the illegal services to be removed and new services to be properly and safely installed.

“It is a criminal offence to interfere with the electrical mains network and poses a huge safety risk to those who do so as well as to those who are left to live with the results.”

David Shepherd, head of security for EDF Energy added: “We take cases like this very seriously and welcome today's prosecution.

“EDF Energy Networks is committed to providing a safe, reliable electricity service and anyone who tampers with our electrical equipment is risking their lives and those of others who could come into contact with damaged equipment.

“Like any large organisation, we have clear procedures and review systems in place to guard against the risks of illegal behaviour and we will always assist the police with their investigations and support prosecution.

“When the police received information in July 2008 that somebody was tampering with the electricity supply, we worked together with the investigating team to help establish what had been happening.

“We are currently working to complete the restoration and repair of equipment so that people will have safe and reliable power supplies in future.

“It is important to stress that Derek Brown resigned from his role with EDF Energy Networks in 2002, and these offences relate to a later period.”

U.K's Most Hated Paedo Free In Days

A notorious sex offender, who swapped Internet child pornography with Jon Venables –the killer of toddler James Bulger – and became the target of a local hate campaign, was jailed for six months today (Monday).

Leslie Blanchard, 53, formerly from the Great Dunmow and Chelmsford areas of Essex will be released almost immediately due to time spent in custody and has been given the green light to resume Internet dating after the judge scrapped a ban.

He pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to have communicated on an adult dating site called ‘plentyoffish’ and ‘smooch’ and searched adult pornography on February 27, March 16 and July 20, breaching a court order.

“Unbelievably you took the risk of being found out and accessed that material, not once, but three times,” Judge Anthony Pitts told a clearly emotional and tearful Blanchard. “An immediate custodial sentence is inevitable.”

The offences are in breach of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) imposed on October 12, last year after he was convicted on thirteen counts including possessing, making and distributing indecent images of children and facilitating a child sex offence, namely a sexual rendezvous with a 12 year-old girl.

The order prohibits the kitchen fitter and ex-youth football coach from using any Internet chat room or forum or using the Internet except for employment, education or keeping in touch with friends or family.

However, Judge Pitts relaxed one condition and allowed Blanchard to visit Internet dating sites despite his last online romance resulting in his new girlfriend’s teenage daughters being taken into care – where they remain.

Blanchard came to notoriety after he was identified as sharing online child pornography with 27 year-old Venables, who with accomplice Robert Thompson killed two year-old James in 1993.

The killer posed as 35 year-old ‘Dawny Smith’ and sent 120 images to Blanchard, who returned the favour, the Old Bailey heard in July when Venables was sentenced to two years.

Essex Police moved Blanchard to a secret address when locals hounded the defendant and they seized his laptop on July 26.

“He had been using dating websites, two in particular ‘plentyoffish’ and ‘smooch’ and visiting sites of adult pornography,” prosecutor Mr. Simon Clements told the court.

Judge Pitts added: “His addiction in adult pornography, not illegal, but leads him further into child pornography.

“He could not resist going back into it and being in breach……He didn’t really care what the consequences were.”

Blanchard was forced out of his home by a local campaign in December, last year, leaving him unemployable and in £15,000 debt and he was hounded again last summer and fled to a secret hideaway.

The defendant’s latest relationship with the mother of teenage girls ended under the weight of publicity, claimed Miss Marion Smullen, defending.

“That lady has suffered incredibly as a result of the publicity in this case. Her children were taken into care and she has been forced to sign an undertaking not to have contact with Mr. Blanchard.

“This is not a deliberate flouting, but somebody who has been very very stupid and there is not a bit of child pornography on his computer,” added the lawyer. “This is not a man who has gone out and deliberately targeted children

“The level of hostility in the press reporting of him has been absolutely astonishing,” his lawyer Miss Marion Smullen told the court. “For someone to have to cope with that while trying to build a life is an enormous burden.

“This man was very lonely and very isolated and it was a way he thought he could have adult company. This is a very, very sad case.”

The Old Bailey heard that Venables, in messages to Blanchard, claimed to be a 35-year-old married woman called Dawn who abused her eight-year-old daughter.

Venables offered to sell access to the child during a series of messages between the pair and a price was agreed but Venables then broke off contact abruptly, saying Blanchard could not see the girl, the court was told.

Judge Pitts continued the five-year SOPO but axed the Internet-dating ban.

“If you find that useful in finding a partner you are not prohibited from adult dating sites provided that’s all it is.”

The judge added a condition that any computer Blanchard uses must be fitted with police-approved monitoring software and a filter.

“You are in a day or two going to be released,” Judge Pitts told Blanchard. “You have to get on with your life. You must not be in breach of any terms of the SOPO and there is a chance we can make some progress.”

Blanchard will see the judge on January 10, next year for a review.

Jilted Boyfriend Caged For Slashing Ex's Throat

A teenager who fatally stabbed his ex-girlfriend in the neck after bombarding her with text and voicemail messages has been caged for life – with a twelve-year minimum.

Afghanistan-born Yahya Gul, 18, (pic.bottom) pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to murdering 18 year-old student Aliza Mirza (pic.top) in Forest View Road, Manor Park on April 3, last year.

Police were called at 7:40pm along with ambulance and air ambulance crews and Aliza, of Lansdowne Road, Ilford, Essex was rushed to Whipps Cross Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Gul, of Charlbury Gardens, Ilford was arrested the next day on the M25 in Essex along with four other people.

Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Clayman of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: “Gul was in a relationship with Aliza. It was clear that this was a turbulent relationship, and that Gul was possessive and had been violent to her.

“On the day of the murder he had repeatedly sent her text massages and called her, trying to meet up with her.

“While she initially declined, she finally agreed to meet him.

“They met at Manor Park Station and walked the short distance to Forest View Road where he later stabbed her a number of times.

“Gul had taken a knife with him and we have no doubt that it was his intention to murder Aliza.

“Our thoughts go out to Aliza's family and what is an extremely difficult time for them.”

Sacre Bleu! Piaggio Pratfall Costs Boozy Franchman His Licence

A Frenchman spotted by police falling off his trendy scooter while nearly three times the drink-drive limit has been fined and banned from the roads for two years.

Alexandre Chausserlaud, 32, of Digby Crescent, Finsbury Park, North London was riding his Piaggio in the City of London at 1:40am when he fell off.

He pleaded guilty at City of London Magistrates' Court to riding the scooter in Circus Place (pictured) on October 22 after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it on his breath was 103 microgrammes - the legal limit is 35.

"I was irresponsible, it could have been worse," Chausserlaud told the magistrates who fined him £1,000, with £90 costs and disqualified him from driving for two years.

Speeding Drink-Driver's Crash And Dash

A drink-driver who downed a cocktail of lager and tequila before crashing head-first into a mini-cab at 50 mph – injuring all three occupants and fleeing the scene – has dodged prison with a suspended sentence.

Electrical and heating contractor Anthony Banton, 41, of Laleham Road, Catford was still double the limit six hours after his last drink and was so drunk the pub landlord refused to serve him.

The mini-cab driver was hospitalised for nine days, the front-seat passenger received bruising and the rear-seat passenger had to be put into a drug-induced coma and cut from the wreckage and suffered multiple fractures plus swelling and bubbling blood to the brain.

Father-of-three Banton pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol in his breath in Croydon Road, Beckenham on May 22.

Prosecutor Miss Shekinah Anson told Croydon Crown Court (pictured) it was 1am when Banton, who had been drinking at a works leaving do in Ewell, crashed his company’s VW van into the Toyota Avantis cab.

He was on the wrong side of the road as he collided with the vehicle outside Beckenham Beacon Hospital and fled the scene on foot.

“All three occupants required medical attention at the scene and in hospital,” explained Miss Anson.

Mini-cab driver Miah Akthar, 43, suffered a broken right ankle and left wrist and front-seat passenger Simon Melaniphy, 28, bruising to his elbow and knees.

Rear-seat passenger Edward Cross, 29, suffered six fractured ribs, a fractured eye socket, a hairline fracture to his sinus bone and a cut to the back of his head.

Due to the brain trauma he suffered there is an ongoing risk of epileptic seizures and he must keep regular appointments with a neurosurgeon.

Banton stopped drinking at 8.30pm, but convinced himself he was fit to drive after waking up in the pub garden after midnight.

“The landlord had refused to serve him anymore because he was so drunk,” added the prosecutor, who explained paperwork in the abandoned van led police to the defendant’s home address.

They found him sleeping in his car parked in the driveway and when breath-tested he was double the limit.

Banton’s common-law wife spun a web of lies to police – providing him with a false alibi – but he confessed the following day and she received a caution.

The defendant suspects he either blacked-out or fell asleep at the wheel while negotiating a bend and ended up on the wrong side of the road.

Judge John Tanzer told Banton: “You are a man effectively of impeccable character. You have made something of your life and done your best for your partner and three children.

“Having not remained at the scene of this appalling crash you went back to police the next day and admitted full responsibility for what you had done.

“The lives of the victims have to a degree been physically impacted and what has happened has come close to destroying your life because as well as losing your job you have not been allowed to drive and are looking at losing your livelihood.

“If I send you to prison you will probably come out to a family in disarray and possibly without a home,” added the Judge. “You are fundamentally a decent and honest person.”

Banton was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for two years, ordered to complete 200 hours community service and was disqualified from driving for 18 months.

Lying Ex Receives Jail Warning After Nicking Trophy Car

A jilted boyfriend who took his ex’s £16,000 car after they split – lumbering her with the repayments along with a tissue of lies – has been told he may end up behind bars.

Incapacity benefit claimant Paul Geoffrey Hatton, 41, of Waterdale Crescent, St. Helens, Merseyside only admitted the crime when the victim showed up to give evidence at the trial.

He pleaded guilty to stealing a Peugeot 207 GT from Julie Tegg-Vardy in Nottingham on July 28, 2007.

Prosecutor Miss Rekha Kodikara told Inner London Crown Court the couple had lived together for six months until the bust-up on the day of the theft.

“They had an argument and the defendant was told to leave by the complainant, who gave him permission to drive the car to Merseyside where his mother lives.

“She only lent him the car so he could get to Merseyside, but it was the last time she saw that car.”

Hatton failed to answer phone calls for over a month and eventually, acting on police advice, Miss Tegg-Vardy wrote to him demanding the return of the vehicle, vital for her school run.

The defendant did telephone his ex, claiming he suffered a head injury in a violent street attack.

“This was the start of a litany of lies he told,” explained miss Kodikara.

Hatton claimed he would pay off the £12,000-plus car loan after collecting money in London.

The victim then received a text from the defendant who insisted the vehicle was stolen while he was in a Southwark bank and found smashed glass in the gutter.

The theft was reported to police and on March 18, this year Merseyside officers spotted it parked in Hatton’s uncle’s driveway.

The uncle was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, but not charged and Hatton later handed himself into police and was quizzed by officers in Peckham, South London.

He told them he paid £10,000 for the car, but had no proof of purchase.

Meanwhile Miss Tegg-Vardy had paid an additional £4,536 for a car she did not have.

It was eventually re-sold for £6,400 after another 10,000 miles were put on the clock.

Hatton has offered to pay the £7,400 outstanding loan debt, but Judge Usha Karu announced: “He is not going to buy himself out of a serious offence.

“This is a serious breach of trust and all sentencing options will be open, including custody.”

Hatton was bailed until December 21 for medical reports.

Two Sri Lankans Caged After Axe And Knife Battle

Two late-night thugs whose group attacked another with an axe and knife in a quiet Hayes residential street – leaving one victim with a stab wound – were both caged today.

Bad blood had simmered between the two groups and a terrified neighbour called 999 after the defendants’ mob laid siege to a house.

Bakery worker Thievndram Thanesthasan, 28, of Shelly Close, Hayes was sentenced to twelve months and shop assistant Varathan Kandiah, 37, of Hemmen Lane, Hayes, eighteen months.

Both were convicted at Croydon Crown Court of affray in Shakespeare Avenue, Hayes (pictured) on June 6, 2008, with Thanesthasan also convicted of causing criminal damage to a vehicle and Kandiah to possessing a knife as an offensive weapon.

“You Kandiah went there armed with a knife and got involved in the affray and you Thanesthasan got involved in the fighting and you took part in smashing up the car of the Shakespeare Avenue group,” Judge Nicholas Ainley told them.

“There was bad blood between the people at Shakespeare Avenue and the group to which you belonged, which armed itself.

“An axe was used by someone or other and a knife was used and someone was stabbed,” added the Judge. “You knew he was injured and you smashed his car up.”

There were approximately four or five men on each side and Kandiah was slashed with a knife himself.

The terrified neighbour told police: “There’s a massive fight kicking off. Something is kicking off big. They are trying to smash up the house, I’m getting really scared.”

Judge Ainley told the defendants: “This was no minor scuffle, but a major fight between men in a residential area.”

Lord Pearson's Ex-CEO Jailed For £1.2M Bribes Scandal

The former chief executive of a specialist reinsurance company - founded by ex-UKIP leader Lord Pearson - was jailed for twenty-one months today for sanctioning £1,267,438 in bribes to Costa Rican government officials to guarantee multi-million pound contracts.

Ex-CEO of City-based PWS International Ltd Julian Jeffery Messent,50, of Chiltern Hills Road, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, padded his fat salary with an additional £428,000-plus in bonuses the kickbacks secured.

The father-of-five claims the covert payments - made to accounts in Panama, the U.S and a Florida travel agency as well as the officials' wives AMEX cards - were common knowledge at PWS International Ltd, a claim Lord Pearson denies.

The company, founded by Lord Pearson in 1964 reportedly provided $4 billion U.S. worth of coverage for Costa Rica's state-owned hydro-electric power plants, which owns property worth $36 billion U.S.

Messent (pictured) pleaded guilty to corruptly giving $25,843.22 to Roxana Bogentes, wife of Alvaro Acuna, an agent of Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) on or about February 9, 1999 to assist PWS International Ltd.

He similarly pleaded guilty to corruptly giving $250,000 to Reska Financial Inc. a company associated with an agent of INS, Cristobal Zawadski, on or about June 7, 2002.

Messent also asked for thirty-nine similar offences to be taken into consideration involving bribes from $500 upwards paid between February, 1999 and June, 2002 to ensure PWS kept the U-500 contract.

"I have no doubt others were involved in the process," the Recorder of Westminster Geoffrey Rivlin QC told Messent at Southwark Crown Court. "You did not initiate the corrupt relationship between PWS and INS and ICE."

The first PWS bribe in March 1997 was disguised as a $100,000 'loan' and sanctioned by a Colombian-born female employee of the company, with Messent's kick-backs securing the next three contracts, which reinsured ICE (Costa Rica's state-owned hydro-electricity and telephone service).

He "orchestrated" those bribes announced Judge Rivlin who told Messent: "This is not to say you were the only person within PWS that knew what was going on. You did not seek to disguise what was going on from senior figures."

The Serious Fraud Office were told Messent was the "fall guy" by a PWS insider and the defendant insists he "inherited" the bribes - disguised as commissions - which were known to colleagues and the heads of the finance and compliance departments.

He was appointed chief executive in August 2003, but stood down in September 2006 after INS uncovered the scandal when investigating a rogue $51,000 payment.

In September 2003 the company's annual income was £25 million. It is now part of the THB group.

"One of the major factors for the liquidation of the company was this investigation," prosecutor Mr. Hodge Malek told the court.

The SFO did not pursue a prosecution against PWS because if successful the only punishment would be a fine, diminishing the company's already depleted pension fund.

"The directing will and mind of the company was Mr. Messent," added the QC.

"Corruption such as this is very very difficult to investigate. You are looking at a very sophisticated operation with overseas bank accounts."

Messent's QC David Perry said: "The loss of his reputation means it is highly unlikely he will ever be reemployed in the insurance industry. The only industry he has known since graduating from university."

Judge Rivlin added: "This contract was systematically abused by officials at INS and ICE.

He told Messent: "Your part was so fundamental that it is not right to describe you as a fall guy...........The state of Costa Rica funded the corruption of its own officials by a foreigner.

"Only an immediate custodial sentence is appropriate," added the Judge who also ordered Messent to pay £100,000 compensation to Costa Rica or serve an additional twelve months and disqualified him from being a company director for five years.

Before his appointment Mr. Messent was a senior director with the company for nine years.

PWS at it's peak employed 250 people in 20 worldwide offices including Miami, Shanghai and Jakarta and had clients in over 100 countries.

Former Costa Rican President Angel Rodriguez and six other officials were charged with corruption in November, last year.

St.Valentine's Day Murder: £20,000 Reward

A £20,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the St.Valentine’s Day killer of a local man stabbed to death near Crystal Palace Football Club.

Mark Corcoran, 26, (pictured) stumbled into Subitha Food and Wine shop, Whitehorse Lane, Selhurst at 8.20pm on February 14 asking for help moments before he collapsed.

An ambulance was called, but tragically Mark, who had been stabbed in the chest, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers would still like to speak to anyone who may have seen or spoken with Mark on Valentine's Day.

They would also like to hear from anyone who was in the area of the Crystal Palace football ground - there had just been an FA Cup football match (CrystalPalace vs Aston Villa).

An incident room was opened at Lewisham under Detective Chief Inspector Cliff Lyons of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command.

DCI Lyons said: “We still do not know why Mark was stabbed that night.

“He was wearing a distinctive black and white stripey top that night and would have struggled to walk the 100 yards to the shop.

“Lots of people were around that evening, either out celebrating Valentine's day or at the football match, we would like to hear from these people no matter how insignificant their information may seem, if may assist us with finding out what happened to Mark.”

Any witnesses or anyone with information should call the incident room on 020 8721 4961.

If you wish to remain anonymous please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Race Rant Lands Angry Commuter Behind Bars

A tube train passenger, who launched into a frenzied race rant after staff told him to top-up his Oyster card before he could travel at busy London Bridge Underground Station, has been jailed for twelve months.

Jobless Daniel Lazar, 28, threatened to stab underground employees while delivering a tirade of abuse and jumped the barriers in a bid to get to the platform without paying.

He pleaded guilty at Blackfriars Crown Court to racially aggravated threatening behaviour on May 15.

Prosecutor Miss Jag Shah told the court it was a busy lunchtime when Camden man Lazar complained to staff after the station's security barriers failed to open for him.

They told him to top-up his Oyster card with more cash at the ticket office - prompting the violent reaction.

"I will fucking shank you. Fuck your mother," Lazar screamed at one member of staff. "Go back to the Congo where you come from you black cunt."

The target of the defendant's anger tried to shelter in the station office, but Lazar barged his way in, knocking the man into his colleagues.

A female member of staff was also confronted by Lazar, who shouted: "I'm going to fuck your eyes out."

Judge Henry Blacksell QC announced: "He is an upfront man when he has lost his temper, straight in the face of whoever upsets him.

"They were entitled to work without him behaving in this sustained aggressive way," added the Judge, asking Lazar: "Who do you think you are?"

Rogue Trader Gives Drug-Dealers A Bad Name

A rogue cocaine dealer, who sold crushed paracetamol to nightclubbers looking to get high at a landmark gay venue, was caught after undercover police posed as would-be mug punters.

Irishman John Doyle, 29, loitered outside Fire night-club, Parry Street, Vauxhall (pictured) and agreed to sell drugs to the officers, who arrested him on the spot.

A year earlier he was convicted of a similar offence when selling white powder wrapped in tissue, which he tried to pass off as cocaine in gay heartland Brewer Street, Soho.

Doyle pleaded guilty to offering to supply class A drugs and possessing articles for fraud on April 23 and was placed on a 12-month supervision order with a drug rehabilitation requirement.

Southwark Crown Court heard the unsuspecting defendant asked the officers: "Do you want cocaine or ketamine?"

Doyle directed the police down a nearby alleyway and as he pulled a wrap from his trousers was arrested.

He confessed choosing the spot because he could easily hear people approaching and was raising cash to fund his own drug addiction.

Hip Hip Hooray Bogus Asylum Seeker Can Stay!

A bogus asylum-seeker, who fled Egypt after getting a girl pregnant, can now remain in the U.K. despite lying to the immigration authorities because he married a Lithuanian.

Egyptian-born cafe owner Mohammed Zahran, 32, of Avondale Road, Mexsborough, South Yorkshire posed as an Iraqi refugee and despite his asylum application being refused was given exceptional leave to stay in the U.K. for four years.

His true identity was only revealed via fingerprints when he applied for permanent residency based on his marriage to an EU citizen.

Zahran pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to obtaining leave to remain in the U.K. by deception, namely providing false details on July 10, 2002 and dishonestly obtaining a travel document on September 11, 2002.

"A lot of water has passed under the bridge since these offences," the Recorder of Croydon Warwick McKinnon told Zahran.

"You have got married, a legal marriage, and have joint responsibility for a nine-year old child, you have employment and the right to reside in the U.K. under European law."

The court heard Zahran successfully posed as a 17 year-old Iraqi asylum-seeker to obtain leave to remain after receiving advice from an immigration agent.

He got married in 2004 and applied for residency four years later.

"He fled Egypt because he had great concerns about his life," said Mr. David Jones, defending. "He is a hard-working, reliable member of society entitled to stay in this country."

Judge McKinnon refused to make a recommendation for deportation and sentenced Zahran to a twelve-month community order, with 100 hours community service work.

The maximum sentence is two years' imprisonment.