Free Night Out Comes At A Price

Two cheapskates are paying the price for trying to get away with a free night out in which a restaurant was left with a £226 bill and a smoker had his remaining cigs snatched out of his hand.

Jobless Gavin Trendell, 34, pleaded guilty to making off without paying his restaurant bill at Zizzi’s (pictured) in Widmore Road, Bromley, South East London on November 10, last year.

Jobless James Woodbridge, 23, pleaded guilty to stealing a pack of Marlboro’s containing five cigarettes from a 42 year-old Dutchman in nearby Queen’s Road after the prosecution dropped a robbery charge.

Croydon Crown Court heard three men ran up the bill in the popular Italian restaurant and Trendell rowed with staff after his bankcard was refused and fled with his two pals.

One of them was Woodbridge, who in a nearby street asked a passing man for a cigarette and shouted: “Bash him over the head,” before snatching the packet.

The court heard Trendell has a history of dishonesty and a previous conviction for bilking a taxi fare.

“Your offences are nuisance offences and they clog up the crown courts,” Judge Ruth Downing told the pair.

Both defendants were conditionally discharged for twelve months and Trendell ordered to pay £120 costs and Woodbridge £200.

Trendall was also ordered to pay £180 compensation to the restaurant.

“The people who run Zizzi’s are entitled not to have people run up huge bills for pizza and other food and then run off without paying,” the Judge told him.

Brixton Knife Murder: Man Charged As Local MP Issues Warning

A hotel worker has appeared in court charged with the murder of a father-of-two – stabbed to death in South London – resulting in the local MP calling for more details on how the government is tackling knife and gun crime.

Soloman Sarfo, 34, (pictured) suffered fatal stab wounds in Tilson Gardens, Brixton Hill on February 27 and hotel worker Jamie Rickerby, 25, of Balham High Road has been charged with his murder.

Police were called at 11:35pm to reports of a man stabbed near the junction with Forster Road and Mr. Sarfo was pronounced dead at the scene.

Streatham MP Chukka Umunna made the information request in the House of Commons after raising concerns about cuts to voluntary organisations working to prevent gun and knife crime.

The MP said: “Knife and gun crime continue to blight inner-city communities such as mine.

"The trial is ongoing of those accused of murdering fifteen year-old Zac Olumegbon in July last year, and now in my constituency, Solomon Sarfo was stabbed and murdered.

“Will the Home Secretary come to the House to give us an update on what the Government are doing to prevent that needless loss of life in our communities?

"I ask because I am particularly concerned that many of the third-sector organisations working to prevent such crimes are seeing their funding withdrawn.”

Sir George Young, Leader of the House, replied: “I very much regret the loss of life to which the hon. Gentleman refers, and I understand the deep feeling in his constituency.

“The coalition agreement makes it clear that we want to take a robust approach to those who carry knives, with appropriate penalties to deal with knife crime.”

Afterwards, Mr Umunna said: “Sadly, as the tragic murder of Solomon Sarfo demonstrates, knife crime continues to be a significant problem on our streets.

“I hope that the government adopts a strong, properly-funded strategy on knife crime.

"I believe it is only right that communities are updated on the action which central government is taking and that their MPs have the opportunity to debate this issue fully on their behalves.”

Justice Catches Up With Rapist 26 Years On

A balaclava-clad sex beast – who dodged justice for twenty-six years following a terrifying armed attack on a couple in their South London home – has finally been caged for sixteen years.

Robert Clarke, 43, (pictured) was a teenager when he broke into the Upper Norwood property and threatened the occupants with a knife and iron bar, raping the woman twice and indecently assaulting the man.

A telltale palm print left at the scene by Clarke underwent a new forensic review – identifying him as the mystery assailant.

He was convicted of two counts of rape and indecent assault, aggravated burglary, false imprisonment and incitement to commit indecent assault on August 20, 1984.

The victims were also tied up with cables, flexes and chain, before Clarke fled through a window, making off with jewellery, a watch and cash.

Detective Constable Claire Watts, pf the Metropolitan Police’s Cold Case Sapphire team said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for both victims and after all of this time, Clarke thought he got away with it.

Today's outcome shows victims of sexual assault that the Metropolitan Police Service will pursue their attackers and bring them to prosecution, no matter how much time has passed.”

Businessman Denies Knowing Imported Pills Were Chinese Fakes

A businessman accused of a multi-million pound counterfeit-medicines plot - Europe's biggest ever - told a he did not know the drugs were Chinese-manufactured fakes.

Richard Kemp, 61, of School Lane, Y Waen, Flint Mountain, Clwyd, the ex-boss of Kemco Pharmaceutical Ltd. is accused with four others of being motivated by "pure greed" when selling three types of life-saving medicines.

Medicine watchdogs ordered a Class One recall of all suspected drugs - taken by heart and cancer patients and the mentally ill - resulting in shelves cleared in pharmacies all over the country.

Charges were brought following a two-year investigation by the Medicines and Health Care products Regulatory Agency, part of the Department of Health into Consolidated Medical Supplies Ltd. (CMS).

The company, of Unit 14, Sherrington Way, Lister Road, Industrial Estate, Basingstoke, had its Wholesale Dealers Licence revoked by the MHRA on January 8, 2008.

The other defendants are: Peter Gillespie, 64, of Carey Close, Windsor, Berkshire; Peter's brother Ian Gillespie, 58, of The Green, Marsh Baldon, Oxford; Ian Harding, 58, of Lower Westwood, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire and James Quinn, 69, of Gillespie House, Holloway Drive, Virginia Water, Surrey.

Kemp pumped £186,000 into CMS, but when asked if he knew the company's supplies of drugs originated in Singapore he told the Croydon Crown Court jury: "Definitely not."

He also insisted he did not know the good name of his company was being used as the consignee for shipments of drugs, that Kemco's wholesale dealers licence was being used or that his name was being forged on documents.

Kemco was founded in 1982 and originally run from the defendant's home, which had a purpose-built concrete warehouse with steel doors to store the large amounts of prescription drugs he traded in.

He expanded into Ireland and imported medicines for the U.K. market, enjoying a £4-5m annual turnover and a £360,000-£450,000 a year salary.

A clearly emotional Kemp told the jury: "No business exists anymore. In two weeks in 2007 they closed them down in the U.K. and Ireland.

When asked if he was an honest businessman he insisted: "Definitely, yes."

CMS emerged from the ashes of Staines-based Discpharm, which went bust, leaving Peter Gillespie bankrupt and banned from running a business.

"I believed CMS was Peter trying to resurrect the French side of Discpharm," Kemp told the jury, giving evidence for the first time since the trial began three months ago.

"Peter wanted to talk to me about getting involved in CMS financially.

"The old French customers would not deal with him because the bank had put the poison in.

"I had always worked on my own, but Peter did a good selling job on me and I was persuaded to put some money in."

Kemp had meetings at the Basingstoke HQ where he claims he believed legal French prescription medicines would be imported and repackaged for the retail market.

"Peter was saying this business was successful before and it could be successful again and we had to get over the negativity of the French wholesalers."

The charges relate to 'Casodex', used to treat advanced prostate cancer, 'Plavix', a drug prescribed to prevent blood clots and prevent heart attacks for angina patients and 'Zyprexa' a anti-psychotic drug prescribed to schizophrenic and bipolar patients.

All five have pleaded not guilty that between January 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007, they conspired together and with others to defraud pharmaceutical wholesalers, pharmacists, the public and holders of Intellectual Property Rights in pharmaceuticals by dishonestly distributing for gain counterfeit medicines.

They also deny two counts each of selling or supplying the three drugs without authorisation and selling or supplying counterfeit goods, namely the three medicines, between January 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007.

Peter Gillespie alone denies one count of breaching a company director disqualification order between July, 2005 and June, 2007, following his bankruptcy.

The drugs were manufactured by the notorious Chinese pharmaceutical counterfeiter Lu Xu aka Kevin Xu, currently serving a prison sentence for a similar scam in the United States.

His bogus drugs were imported via Singapore and Belgium before being ferried and driven into the U.K and distributed by the five defendants, allege the prosecution.

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

Sports Entrepreneur Jailed For Olympic-Sized Lies

A notorious con man - who told a gold medalist Olympic-sized lies - was jailed for three years today for cashing in on the 2012 dreams of young athletes and their parents.

Fraudster Mark Cas, 47, signed-up sprinter Mark Lewis-Francis, 29, - who clinched gold in the 4x100m relay at the 2004 Athens games - with outlandish promises of sponsorship deals totalling £35m lined up.

Using the athlete's name, plus Heptathlete and TV Gladiator star Lucy Boggis, 20, who he also signed to Global sponsorship Group Ltd. Cas pocketed £13,000 in membership fees.

"You decided you needed big names to reel in smaller fish," Judge Nicholas Ainley told Cas (pictured) at Croydon Crown Court. "This was a very nasty fraud.

"You decided this business was not going to make enough money for your greedy purposes so you swindled people. You are addicted to swindling people, you have been doing it all your adult life."

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 Cas, who lived in a bail hostel in West Brook Road, Thornton Heath, shortly after his prison release for another fraud.

Lewis-Francis agreed a £144,000 three-year contract, but dumped Cas when his first two cheques bounced and Boggis agreed an eight-year deal worth over £456,000.

Nottingham-born Reigning European and Commonwealth 110m hurdles champion Andy Turner, 30, from Hucknall, agreed a £132,000 three-year contract; Sprinter Abi Oyepitan, 31, a Commonwealth bronze medalist, agreed a £86,000 three-year deal and former national long jump champion Gary Wilson, 25, penned a £72,000 three-year agreement.

Cas was convicted of falsely representing to Lewis-Francis and Boggis that Global Sponsorship Group Ltd. would pay those sponsorship contracts, cover medical bills and provide an Audi car.

He was cleared of a similar charge in relation to Turner, Oyepitan and Wilson.

"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 thirty-five million pound 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.

He pleaded guilty to seven specimen fraud counts in relation to those victims.

Cas - who has a string of convictions under his old name Castley - has previously served five separate prison sentences for deception.

He was jailed for three years and eight months for duping the people of Tewkesbury and Stevenage in a "get-rich-quick" scam and used fake cheques to fund his lavish wedding at 500 year-old Thornbury Castle, Gloucestershire and finance helicopter rides to Ascot racecourse.

He previously received four-and-a-half years for a Hampshire scam, which netted him hundreds of thousands of pounds, after victims - including a top barrister - invested in a bogus surveillance equipment deal.

Cas even posed as a multi-millionaire on internet dating site sugardaddie.com, bedding film director Michael Winner's PA, the night before they viewed a £3.4m Essex mansion he was 'buying'.

DNA Nails Sex Beast 15 Years On

DNA evidence has finally caught up with a sex offender – jailed for three years – for attacking a female hospital worker in a strore room fifteen years ago.

Homeless Daniel Dolen, 31, pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to indecently assaulting the woman – then in her 40’s – at an unnamed South London hospital on January 30, 1996.

During her shift the woman was followed into the store room by the defendant, who closed the door behind him, put his hand over the victim’s mouth, ordering her to keep quiet, and indecently assaulted her.

Dolen was disturbed mid-attack by two suspicious doctors who banged on the door when they noticed a strange man entering the room and he calmly walked straight past them and escaped.

He was identified via DNA left at the scene – with a one in one billion match – and was arrested by the Metropolitan Police’s Sapphire Cold Case Investigation Team.

Detective Constable Claire Watts said: “The victim went through a terrifying ordeal at her place of work where she should have felt safe and at ease.



“This sexual attack happened fifteen years ago before modern advances in DNA.

“If it had not have been for the two doctors' quick thinking at the time of the attack, then we may not have been able to retain evidence at the scene and find a DNA match years later.



“The result today shows our determination not to give up and find justice for victims and their families.

“We hope today's conviction will bring some closure for the victim, after living with this terrifying ordeal for fifteen years.”

Police Hunt For Jack White's Signed Guitar

Burglars snatched a White Stripes guitar – autographed by Jack and Meg – when they broke into an East London recording studio.

Police are hunting the rare instrument (pictured) and the culprits, who broke into the premises in Sara Lane Court, Hackney overnight between January 23 and 24.

The rock duo recorded hit album ‘Elephant’ in Hackney and the signed guitar is believed to be a gift from those sessions.

The raiders also snatched a 32” television, a computer, drills and projection equipment.

Detective Constable Suzanne Raftery of Hackney police's Burglary Unit, said: “I am appealing for anyone who may have witnessed this burglary.

“I am also appealing to members of the public to come forward if anybody has tried to sell them this rare autographed Jack White guitar.”



Anyone with any information is asked to call Hackney police's Burglary Unit on 020 7275 3253 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Predator Receives Eleven Years For Raping Senile Pensioner

A rapist who preyed on a vulnerable 71 year-old pensioner with severe senile dementia – ripping off her clothes in a storage room and attacking her – has been caged for 11 years.

Michael Ramnel Williams, 55, of Quex Road, Kilburn, North-West London accosted the woman – who remembers nothing of the attack – after she went missing from her Willesden care home.

Williams (pictured) was convicted at Harrow Crown Court of rape and sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder, impeding choice and was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Detective Constable Stuart Coutin, of the Metropolitan Police’s Sapphire unit, said: “I am very grateful that the court has recognised the guilt of the defendant. 



“This has been a particularly difficult case to investigate because the victim gets confused and has no memory of the incident.

“The forensic evidence in this investigation was crucial in identifying Williams, in confirming an offence had taken place and in confirming the location of the offence.”

The victim was reported missing at 9:am on August 11, last year and was next seen at 9:30pm half-naked in Willesden High Street.

She was very confused, with some of her clothing missing and had some bruising on her body.



She was taken to hospital and then to a Haven clinic where an intimate examination proved she had been the victim of rape.

DNA identified Williams as a suspect and he was arrested in the early morning of September 14.

Williams admitted meeting the victim and taking her to a small storage room in between the blocks in Angel Court, Willesden High Road.

When police searched the area they discovered the victim's missing items of clothing and her slippers.



DC Coutin added: “This has been a very distressing time for the family of the victim, and we cannot know how much it has impacted on the victim herself.



“It was thanks to the tenacious attitude of everyone involved we were able to prove a crime had been committed and to ensure Williams was brought before the courts.

“Sapphire officers are specially trained to deal with the victims of sexual offences and offer support to the victims, and in this case her family.

“We hope they are now able to enjoy their time with their mother knowing her attacker is behind bars.”

Bus Stop Rapist Banged Up

A violent rapist, who attacked a teenager as she made her way home after a Saturday night out – leaving his number on her mobile phone – has been caged for six years.

Security guard Babashola Ogunnaike, 38, (pictured) approached the 19 year-old at a bus stop in Fulham Broadway, West London in the early hours of October 17, last year and began chatting.

He insisted on sitting next to her on the bus journey, even tapping his telltale number into her phone, and followed her off at Fulham Cross.

As they turned into Lurgan Avenue Ogunnaike grabbed the terrified victim and punched her in the face, continuing to deliver blows after she fell to the pavement.

He put his hands around her throat, throttling her, then raped the victim.

Ogunnaike pleaded guilty to rape at Isleworth Crown Court and afterwards Detective Inspector James Harman from Fulham Sapphire Team said: “The victim was understandably left traumatised by this experience but was fully supported by our specially trained officers.

“By working closely with her we were quickly able to track down the person responsible and gather excellent evidence to place before the court, resulting in Ogunnaike pleading guilty.

“I would encourage anyone who has been a victim of rape or sexual assault to come forward and speak to police. You will be treated in the strictest confidence and with sensitivity whilst we carry out a thorough investigation.”

After the violent rape the defendant ran away and the victim continued home and called her boyfriend who phoned police.

Police investigated the number left on the victim's phone by the suspect and quickly discovered Ogunnaike's name and address.

Officers visited his home found clothing identical to the suspect captured on CCTV and described by the victim.

Ogunnaike was traced to his work place and arrested later that morning.

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.”