Council Money Man Jailed For Five-Year Cash Grab

A London Borough of Southwark finance boss – who emptied council coffers of £666,000 over five years with the help of two money laundering accomplices – has been jailed for four years.

Senior Income Accounts Officer Barry Woods, 50, of Farrow Lane, New Cross gambled most of the money away – despite a £120,000 Spot the Ball win – and lost the rest in an ill-fated Dubai property venture.

He laundered stolen money through the bank accounts of his uncle, 78 year-old James Woods, of Solent Pines, Manor Road, Bournemouth and business associate Victoria Jackson, 52, of Mount Keen, Graveley, Stevenage.

Barry Woods pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud and two counts of money laundering between September, 2003 and October, 2008.

James Woods and Jackson denied, but were convicted by a Croydon Crown Court jury, of entering into a money laundering arrangement.

The court heard Barry Woods was employed between October, 1991 and November, 2008, earning a £34,000 annual salary.

He managed a team responsible for council bills, finance records, rents and most importantly purchase orders and the refund of overpayments.

A total of £175,000 was laundered through his uncle’s bank account during a two-year period, with James Woods keeping only a few hundred pounds in return.

Jackson, a programme manager with an electronics company, jointly owned a Dubai property company with Barry Woods, which laundered £140,000.

The grandmother kept £1,000 for her assistance, plus other “lifestyle gifts” bestowed by Barry Woods.

The key to the fraud was Barry Woods’ authority to sanction refunds for overpayments to the council up to £5,000.

He was arrested on August 15, 2008 and confessed everything to investigators.

No money was repaid or recovered and Southwark Council are pursuing a Proceeds of Crime Act application.

The court heard Barry Woods is “devastated” his co-defendants were prosecuted and now claims he is penniless after huge gambling debts.

Jackson was described as “deeply ashamed” and “naïve and trusting” and now fears losing her job.

Judge Stephen Waller told Barry Woods: “You used the services of others to disguise the payments through money laundering. You became over-confident and greedy and began paying money into your own account under a false name.

“I am dealing with a large fraud committed over a number of years with some sophistication involving a clear breach of trust.”

James Woods was sentenced to ten months imprisonment, suspended for a year, and ordered to satisfy a twenty-eight day residency requirement at his address.

Jackson received ten months imprisonment, suspended for a year, and was ordered to complete 200 hours community service.

Drug Dealer Caught After Crashing Car Into Telephone Pole

A fugitive drug dealer, on the run after police smashed his multi-million pound crime empire, was captured after crashing into a telephone pole and jailed for eight years.

Skip hire boss Michael Woehrle, 47, of Fairview Road, Altrincham left cryptic notes in his shed detailing the supply of cannabis and speed, plus money laundering information.

“You have been involved in the wholesale supply of drugs,” Judge Nicholas Ainley told the married father-of-two at Croydon Crown Court. “It must be in the millions of pounds.”

Woehrle (pictured), who has a long criminal history of drug dealing pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply amphetamine, cannabis resin and herbal cannabis between January 1, 2008 and November 10, last year.

He also pleaded guilty to laundering £260,000 of criminal proceeds on or before March 8, last year and possessing criminal proceeds, namely £28,875 and 360 Euros on or around November 9 in Agden Brow, Lymm.

Woehrle additionally pleaded guilty to possessing knife found in his car, which he crashed on the A56, leading to his capture by a concerned local and a passing police officer.

Prosecutor Mr. Thomas Payne told the court Woehrle’s lorry driver accomplice Alistair Allen was routinely stopped at Dover docks on March 8, last year and £260,000 cash stuffed inside seven bags was found behind the driver’s seat.

Woehrle’s fingerprints were found all over the bags and on June 15 officers from the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) searched his home.

In his garden shed officers found 149 gms of ‘skunk’ cannabis, 70 gms of cannabis, boric acid, mobile phones, pipes and blades, four holdalls and incriminating notes detailing the defendant’s large-scale drug dealing.

In the kitchen they found two quantities of cannabis weighing 10.4 gms and 1.1 gm and in Woehrle’s Audi convertible were discovered more notebooks, traces of cannabis and amphetamines, plus 0.26 gms of cocaine.

A total of 120 pages of notes were seized by police.

“They are clearly a record of drugs bought and sold, money owed to him and money laundered,” explained Mr. Payne.

“The figures are mainly in the tens of thousands, but some are in the hundreds of thousands,” added the prosecutor, indicating the largest single deal was £682,000.

The notes were littered with drug slang such as ‘Polly’, ‘Wood’, ‘Billy’ and ‘Parrot’, also naming other dealers such as ‘Mackie’ and ‘Irish J’.

Woehrle had Allen’s phone and HGV number and telephone records proved the pair met at Windy Hill, Rochdale they day before the Dover money laundering run.

Allen was later sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court to two years imprisonment.

SOCA officers phoned Woehrle after the raid on his home, but he claimed to be in Venice and failed to appear for appointments.

On November 9 he crashed his car and a suspicious neighbour, despite Woehrle’s threats, confiscated the keys, and he was detained when a passing off-duty police officer intervened.

More bundles of cash were found in his pockets, the boot and glove box along with the knife.

Woehrle has been jailed three times for drug dealing, including a seven-year sentence in 1996 for supplying a kilo of amphetamines along with cannabis and ecstasy pills.

The court heard he dropped out of the Manchester School of Art as a teenager to help run his dad’s market stall before becoming involved in the world of drug dealing.

“It is a tragedy somebody who has got talents squandered them in the supply of drugs,” added Judge Ainley. “This is obviously drug dealing on a very large scale indeed.”

Cry-Rape Girl Jailed For Falsely Accusing Dad

A 21 year-old woman, who falsely cried rape against her father - sticking to her story for six months - has been jailed for a year.

Jobless Emma Marrill, of Horseshoe Crescent, Old Dean, Camberley, Surrey even accused a man of sexual assault at her bail hostel after being charged with the offence against her father.

She pleaded guilty at Guildford Crown Court (pictured) to perverting the course of justice on June 17, 2009 by making the false rape allegation against Mr. Phillip Marrill.

"Your father had a degrading experience, which impacted his state of mind, work and travel," Judge Neil Stewart told pony-tailed Marrill.

"Much to his credit he has tried to reconcile himself to you......He is here today and obviously loves you."

Prosecutor Miss Wendy Cottee told the court Mr. Marrill was arrested at the family home in Staines on June 18, 2009 and held for 22 hours while giving intimate body samples and his clothing to police.

The defendant was also examined and stuck to her story even claiming during a second interview on June 29 there had been repeated rapes.

"She said this was not the first time her father had raped her and there were several incidents since she was fifteen years-old."

By July 26 Marrill was increasingly vague with police, claiming she wanted to drop the case and in December, 2009 and January, last year she refused to talk with investigating officers.

She was eventually quizzed under caution and admitted her tissue of lies.

"She confirmed the allegation against her father was untrue, she said she was depressed at the time. She told her boyfriend her father had raped her, he called the police and she did not know how to get out of the situation."

Her father confirmed he was "shocked" at being arrested and his family home searched and was left "tired and confused" by the ordeal.

"Social services told his other daughter not to leave him alone with her children," added Miss Cottee. "He was terrified about losing his job and career."

Seventy-six hours of police time involving thirty-three officers was wasted and the forensic bill was £1,850.

"You are responsible for your actions," Judge Stewart told Marrill. "You had many occasions to correct what you had done, but for six months you persisted in that lie."

Skint Security Guard Nicked 13 Blackberrys

A security guard at a top City bank – frustrated by a cut in hours – who helped himself to thirteen Blackberry’s worth £2,500 during a secret midnight raid caught on CCTV, has dodged jail.

Michael Murphy, 27, of Valence Wood Road, Dagenham maintained his innocence until shown the damaging images.

He pleaded guilty at City of London Magistrates’ Court to stealing the valuable mobile phones from Deutsche Bank AG, Bishopsgate (pictured) on February 9.

Prosecutor Mrs Alexa Morgan told the court: “Between midnight and 1am he went to a communications office on the seventh floor and located the keys to a locked cupboard.

“The Blackberry’s are stored there before they are issued to staff members and Murphy put them into a black holdall.

“This was all captured on a covert camera, but Murphy initially denied stealing the phones, claiming he was in the building to give in his notice and hand in his security pass.

“He was shown the images and changed his account,” added Mrs Morgan.

“He said the company had reduced his hours, his wife had just given birth, and there was no other way to increase his income.”

Murphy sold the phones for £800 at Romford Market the next day, spending the proceeds on rent, bills and baby supplies for his six-month old son Callum.

The court was told the first-time offender was a “desperate man” who had suffered a huge cut in his fifty-six hour work week.

His lawyer said: “He made the biggest mistake of his life by stealing these mobile phones. It was a desperate moment.”

Murphy was sentenced to perform 100 hours community service – the recognised alternative to imprisonment – pay £800 compensation to Deutsche Bank AG and £85 costs.

Murderer Fled To Spain After Slashing Mum-Of-Three's Neck, Jury Told

A fugitive on the run from a "brutal and frenzied" attack on a mum-of-three, who was stabbed to death in her flat, tricked cops into believing he was his brother before fleeing to the Costa del Sol, a court heard yesterday.

David Baxendale, 40,(pictured) aroused suspicion when shaving his head in a Portsmouth shopping centre toilet the day after 38 year-old Sarah Thomas (pictured) was killed in her Nutfield, Surrey flat.

He initially gave another bogus name to police before convincing them he was his brother, Richard - producing a passport in that name - and hopped on a ferry to St. Malo, France.

Baxendale, of Chequers Lane, Walton-on-the-Hill, Surrey was arrested in Fuengirola, near Malaga on June 21, last year and has pleaded not guilty at Guildford Crown Court to murder.

"She was subjected to a brutal and frenzied attack and was stabbed and struck repeatedly," prosecutor Mr. Richard Jory told the court. "The fatal wound was to the neck, severing the carotid artery.

"The prosecution say it was this defendant, who had just met her that same day, who inflicted these injuries and caused her death."

Miss Thomas had returned to her flat in The Spinning Wheel, High Street in a taxi with Baxendale after they had met through friends.

Her worried "on-off" boyfriend found her bloodstained body in the flat at 5:30pm and raised the alarm.

Meanwhile, Baxendale had fled the scene on foot, dumping the murder weapon, which contained traces of his and the victim's blood at the foot of a tree, the jury were told.

He also dashed across the busy M23 motorway in his desperation to escape. "He was narrowly missed by a number of vehicles," said Mr. Jory.

Baxendale also dumped his jacket, stained with his and the victim's blood, in woods and dumped more clothing, including bloodstained trainers near his mother's home.

He was circulated as wanted by Crimestoppers and identified in a nightclub and arrested at 3am.

The trial is expected to last three weeks.

Car Criminal Grassed-Up By Cheated Husband

A rogue car trader, who registered vehicles in a dead man’s name, was shopped by his neighbour in revenge for bedding his one-time pal’s wife.

Stephen Conway, 58, of St. Hilda’s, Crescent, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk concealed his criminal past and duped a variety of insurance companies into covering the vehicles.

He pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to six counts of fraud by false representation to the DVLA, AA and Zurich Insurance in relation to a Ford Puma, Ford Diablo and a Mercedes Sprinter van.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing an article in the use of fraud, namely a driving licence in the name of the deceased Reg Varney.

“You are an old lag. You have been in trouble thirty-two times for ninety-five offences,” Judge John Tanzer told Conway (pictured). “It is time you grew up, you are nearly, sixty, it is pathetic.

The court heard a couple identified only as the Dennison’s lived opposite Conway at his former home in Orpington, Kent and the husband began keeping a diary log of the defendant’s movements after discovering the affair.

“Between August, 2009 and August, last year the defendant was running a business, buying and selling cars on the Internet,” prosecutor Miss Shahnaz Ahmed told the court.

“The neighbour recorded Conway driving the vehicles in a diary and he also found mail addressed to the defendant’s home, including a speeding ticket, in another man’s name.”

Police raided Conway’s council house on June 20, last year and found tell-tale documents proving the defendant registered the vehicles in Mr. Varney’s name – thereby concealing his own shocking driving record.

“He had been driving these vehicles and even made a claim on one insurance policy after an accident and was sent a cheque for one thousand three hundred and forty pounds,” added Miss Ahmed.

“He has an appalling driving record and he could not have run such a business in his own name.”

Conway was later cleared of an attempted arson attack on the couple’s home, but was convicted of causing criminal damage and head butting Mr. Dennison.

The defendant had been a one-time friend of the couple’s, even helping them with building work at their Hasting holiday home.

After Conway’s wife died in the early 90’s he found it difficult forming relationships with women and eventually had an affair with Mrs Dennison.

The tension between the three of them escalated and Conway successfully made a council transfer to Great Yarmouth last year.

The court heard he has convictions for supplying drugs, fraud, theft, deception, perjury, taking and driving away, drink-driving, handling stolen goods, harassment and battery.

“Your lifetime has been a catalogue of going up and down the British Isles committing offences,” Judge Tanzer told Conway, currently on Disability Living Allowance.

“It is tragic that you are back before a court yet again, but at least you have moved away from the rather interesting threesome you created.”

Conway was sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, placed on a two-year supervision order and disqualified from driving for three years.

Jewellery Shop Sledgehammer Gang Smashed

Four young smash-and-grab robbers armed with sledgehammers, who snatched £155,000 worth of Rolex and Longines watches from a jewellery shop, have been locked-up.

Have-a-go-heroes detained a member of the gang as shocked shoppers filmed events on their mobile phones during the daring daylight raid in exclusive High Street, Kensington.

All four pleaded guilty at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court to robbing Ernest Jones Jewellers on October 14, last year.

They are: Alfie Atherton, 18, (pic.l.) of Saxon Lea Court, Saxon Road, Bow, East London, who received four years.

Charles Knight, 20, (pic.2^nd l.) of Crowland Road, South Tottenham, North London, who received eight years.

Dominic Charles, 22, (pic.3^rd l.) of Girdlestone Walk, Upper Holloway, North London, who received seven-and-a-half years.

Emilio Aristides, 21, (pic.r.) of Camden Road, Camden, North London, who received seven-and-a-half years.

They were members of a six-strong gang clad in dark clothing and full-visor crash helmets who pulled-up outside the busy store on three high-powered sports motorbikes at 10:40am.

Two pillion passengers got off the bikes with their weapons and started smashing through glass display cabinets.

They stole twenty-six watches and stuffed them into holdalls.

Meanwhile, the three riders circled their bikes outside the shop, revving their engines in order to intimidate the public and stop traffic.

Charles stayed outside the shop, waving his sledgehammer around to threaten and intimidate passers-by into staying back, but was forced to drop the weapon by a member of the public.

As the robbers tried to flee Aristides was pulled off his bike and detained by passers-by until arrested by police.

The remaining defendants were caught in nearby Holland Park and two unknown accomplices successfully escaped.

Detective Superintendent John O'Leary, of the Metropolitan Police’s Flying Squad, said: “I would like to express my gratitude for the bravery of the members of the public who intervened.

“Their actions and those of local officers from Kensington & Chelsea have led directly to this active, criminal gang being convicted today.

“Whilst we would always urge people not to put themselves in danger, I can only applaud the actions of those who intervened whether directly or by filming events.”

Detective Inspector Jason Prins, in charge of the investigation said: “This was a violent robbery in broad daylight in one of London's busiest shopping streets and the events must have been terrifying for the employees and members of the public who witnessed it.

“I would like to pay tribute to the onlookers who intervened - in particular those who pulled Emilio Aristides off his motorbike and detained him until the arrival of police officers.

“We also give thanks to those who filmed the incident on their mobile phones.

“This video footage became crucial evidence and contributed greatly to guilty pleas from all four defendants.

“Today’s sentences send out a strong message that this type of criminal behaviour will not be tolerated and that the public and the police can work together against criminals.

“There are two suspects who are outstanding and we continue to appeal to anyone with any information to contact Barnes Flying Squad on 020 8247 4804 or if you wish to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Atherton was sentenced to an additional four years imprisonment for robbing a security van at Muswell Hill Broadway, North London on August 5, last year.

All 26 watches were covered in good condition.

Drug Den Man Dodges Prison

A man who allowed his flat to be used as a base for cocaine dealers to prepare drugs to be sold on the streets of Mitcham - collecting £300 for his co-operation - dodged prison with a suspended sentence yesterday.

Window fitter Daniel Waters, 28, received twelve months' imprisonment, suspended for twelve months, was ordered to complete 150 hours community service, attend a Thinking Skills programme and pay £320 costs.

Judge Daniel Flahive told Waters at Croydon Crown Court (pictured): "You played an important role in the supply of drugs to the streets of Mitcham. They would use your premises to plot up their drugs into packages.

"You were clearly motivated by money and you were profiting from money made by drug dealers."

Bogus Sports Entrepreneur Spun Olympic-Sized Lies

Five top British athletes were conned by an ex-jailbird - seeking to cash in on the London Olympics - believing his bogus company had sponsorship deals totalling £35m lined up, a court heard.

Global Sponsorship Group Ltd. promised lucrative sponsorship deals with FTSE 100 companies including Audi, Virgin and Vodafone in return for a £500 membership fee.

In reality the company was penniless and set-up by convicted fraudster Mark Cas, 47, of West Brook Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon - formerly of Botley Road, North Baddesley, Hampshire - who collected approximately £11,000-£12,000 in fees.

The five athletes are: Darlaston, Walsall-born Olympic and Commonwealth gold medalist sprinter Mark Lewis-Francis, 29, (pictured) who agreed a £144,000 three-year contract.

Nottingham-born Reigning European and Commonwealth 110m hurdles champion Andy Turner, 30, from Hucknall, who agreed a £132,000 three-year contract

Heptathlete and TV Gladiator star Lucy Boggis, 20, who agreed an eight-year deal worth over £456,000

Sprinter Abi Oyepitan, 31, a Commonwealth bronze medalist, who agreed an £86,000 three-year deal.

Former national long jump champion Gary Wilson, 25, who agreed a £72,000 three-year deal.

Cas has pleaded not guilty at Croydon Crown Court to falsely representing to each athlete Global Sponsorship Group Ltd. would pay those sponsorship contracts and in some cases cover medical bills and provide an Audi car.

"He was formulating a bogus scam whereby athletes would be conned into parting with their money," prosecutor Mr. Mark Paltenghi told the jurors. "The scam was brought about by him trying to climb on the London Olympics bandwagon.

"The defendant identified there was money to be made in the corporate world of sponsorship amongst British athletes because there was a lot of them that needed support.

"He devised a half-way house, in his own words, a match-making service for a fee," added Mr. Paltenghi.

"His business purported to provide a lifeline for athletes who needed funding and for a fee provide companies that were willing to provide it.

"It all looked very attractive, very profitable. The answer to the prayers of many athletes.

"This scheme was never intended to be genuine, it was utterly bogus and dishonest from the outset, dreamt up as a plausible enterprise.

"The defendant did not have a £35m portfolio. There were no corporate sponsors. He did not have a single penny of funding available at all."

The court was told Cas used the five "Ambassador" athletes to woo younger promising athletes, with their parents often paying the membership fee to secure lucrative sponsorship.

Cas - previously convicted under his birth name Castley - has already pleaded guilty to seven specimen fraud counts in relation to those victims.

Trial continues...........

Postmaster Who Helped Himself To ATM Cash Dodges Jail

A postmaster, who raided his branch’s ATM and covered the £25,000 shortfall by entering bogus figures in an accounts log, has dodged prison with a suspended sentence.

Father-of-three Parvar Singh, 42, of Rectory Road, Grays, Essex, was the boss of the Tile Farm Road sub-Post Office in Bromley, South-East London.

“People involved in this sort of breach of trust would normally be sent down straight away,” the Recorder of Croydon Warwick McKinnon told the first-time offender.

“It was an unauthorised loan and he has paid the money back. He always intended to pay the money back.

“You were a man of good character and you have lost that good character through your utter stupidity by helping yourself to a substantial sum of money,” added the Judge.

“It was utterly dishonest and a serious breach of trust.”

Singh pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court that between September 1 and October 31, 2009 he falsified a Balance Trading Statement, falsifying an inflated cash balance of £25,000.

Prosecutor Mr. Lawrence Henderson told the court Singh took over the sub-Post Office in April, 2009 and an audit in May, last year revealed the shortfall.

When quizzed Singh immediately wrote two post-dates cheques for £20,000 and £18,000 to cover all potential losses, including errors and omissions.

“The postmaster is required to keep a note of the cash available and this count is reflective of Singh’s taking of twenty-five thousand pounds and altering a daily cash balance sheet,” said Mr. Henderson.

“He fully admitted his role at the outset. He said he had borrowed some money to take this business on and was repaying.

“Pressure was brought to bear and he succumbed to this pressure.

“It was taken in a carrier bag to a family friend who he owed the money,” added Mr. Henderson.

Singh was sentenced to eight weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years, ordered to perform 150 hours community service and pay £1,448 costs.

Shakey Drug Smuggler Caught With Cannabis-Stuffed Suitcase

A drug-smuggler, who trembled with nerves when stopped by Customs men walking through Gatwick Airport with £50,000 worth of cannabis in his suitcase, has been jailed for fifteen months.

Jobless block paver Daniel Girdler, 44, of Monks Way, Staines, Middlesex pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown court to importing 17.2 kilos of the drug on September 8, last year.

He left behind the suitcase he boarded with in Kingston, Jamaica, on the luggage carousel, instead collecting the drugs-filled luggage, then claimed he made an honest mistake.

Prosecutor Mr. Gavin Pattinger told the court Girdler was stopped in the ‘nothing to declare’ green channel as he walked through with a large suitcase.

“As they began checking the suitcase his hands began to shake and the Customs officers had to use bolt-cutters to open it.

“He claimed he picked up the wrong bag and made a mistake,” added Mr. Pattinger.

Girdler did not convince the Customs officials because the rogue cannabis-filled suitcase weighed 25 kilos and his only weighed 9 kilos.

Girdler, who lives on incapacity benefit and income support following quadruple by-pass surgery in 2008, eventually admitted travelling to the Caribbean with the intention of smuggling drugs.

Property Man Charged With £60m Drug Plot

A Birmingham lettings boss, accused of playing a key role in a £60m a year cannabis production plot, has appeared for the first time at City of London Magistrates’ Court.

Operation Opaque – led by the Middle Market Drug Partnership – which is made up of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police have charged twenty-two other defendants.

Andre Davies, 43, of Hathaway Road, Shirley, Solihull is charged with conspiring to produce cannabis on or before November 17, last year.

Police have identified fifty to sixty cannabis ‘farms’ capable of producing £1m on the drug annually, alleging some were let by Davies.

He was sent in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on March 18.