Murder Detective Determined To Crack Cold-Case Prostitute Killing

Police are still trying to solve the murder of a North-East London prostitute – severely beaten and strangled in her home sixteen years ago.

Christine McGovern, 47, was found naked at 53a Hamilton Road, Walthamstow at noon on June 22, 1995.


She had been asphyxiated and beaten so badly her spine and nose were broken and her body was covered in severe bruises.


Officers hope that as the years have passed allegiances may have changed or someone too scared to come forward at the time now feels able.



Detective Inspector Ken Hughes, of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said: “We are appealing for anyone who didn't originally come forward to contact us.



“Circumstances change over the years and it may be someone now feels they can approach us in confidence and anonymously if they wish.



“Even if you just have a hunch or had suspicions about someone at the time we would like to hear from you - we can quickly eliminate people from the enquiry from the evidence we have recovered from the scene but a piece of information you may think is useless could be crucial.”



She was found by a friend in the flat she occupied alone with her Rottweiler dog.

Christine was last seen alive at about 6:30pm on June 21 1995 in the street outside her home.

A number of people reported that at around 11:00pm they heard a dog barking - possibly the victim’s.



There had been no forced entry to her home, but it had been ransacked and there were items missing, including a video recorder, a satellite decoder, four gold rings and a gold necklace with a St Christopher’s pendant.

Detectives believe she was murdered by someone she knew.



Anyone who can help is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8345 3734. If you wish to remain anonymous please call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.

Schoolboy Error Costs Gunman 6-Year Term

Suspiciously walking through school grounds as police watched – then dumping a gun wrapped in a towel – cost this criminal his freedom after a search of his home found another firearm and 462 bullets.

Operation Trident officers – who investigate violent black-on-black crime in the capital – are celebrating taking two more lethal weapons off the streets and locking-up this gunman.

Anthony Laretive, 20, of Sunset Gardens, Croydon, received six years imprisonment at the town’s crown court after pleading guilty to the charges.

On January 18 Laretive was seen by police walking through the grounds of a Croydon primary school carrying a bag.

He was stopped by officers after he exited the school grounds by climbing over a fence, no longer with the bag.

The bag was found following a search of the grounds by a police dog and inside was a firearm wrapped in a towel.



Laretive was arrested for possession of a firearm and taken to South Norwood Police Station.

His home address was searched and in his bedroom another firearm was recovered along with 462 rounds of assorted ammunition.



Detective Constable Peter Wood said: “I am pleased with the result of our investigation.

“We will not tolerate people walking through the streets of London with guns and will thoroughly investigate anyone who is suspected to be in possession of illegally held firearms.



“Every time we recover a gun, we potentially save a life.



“I hope the sentence received by Laretive sends a strong message out to those thinking that they are above the law.”

University Experts Help Police Solve Death Riddle

Do you know this unknown suspected vagrant found dead on Mitcham Common, South-West London at the start of the year?

Detectives have released this 3D image compiled by a craniofacial identification expert at the centre of Anatomy & Human Identification at Dundee University.

The partially decomposed body of the man, who is believed to be at least 50 years old, was found by a member of the public on January 17.

Extensive enquiries and previous appeals have been unsuccessful to identify the man – prompting a fresh bid with the help of this image.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Dunne, said: “I would appeal to the public to take a good look at the image and contact the police if they think it resembles anyone who perhaps they haven't seen recently.”



Forensic tests indicate the man probably died in September/October 2010.

A post-mortem examination could not determine a cause of death.



The man is described as white, between 5'7 - 5'9 tall with short dark hair.

He had poor dental health and a number of his teeth were missing.



Detectives believe he may have been a homeless person in the south London area.



Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8721 4906 or to remain anonymous, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Illegal African Immigrant Wanted For Rape

Police are hunting this suspect after a 22 year-old woman was raped in a South London house a year ago.

Kohwam Dayoh Adio Agnide, 23, who overstayed his business visa after travelling to the UK from Benin, was a fellow lodger in the property.

The victim claims he raped her when the pair were alone at the house in Upland Road, Dulwich at 8:00pm on July 11, last year.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Sapphire Unit believe Agnide may still be in the area – possibly working under a false name.

Detective Constable James Gerrard said: “This man has multiple identities and we believe he may be living and working in the Elephant and Castle area.

“We would like to urge this man to contact us immediately so that we can we can speak to him about this allegation.

“If you think you recognise his photograph or know who and where this man is, we would like to hear from you.”



Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Constable Gerrard or Detective Sergeant May Carpenter on 020 7232 6182 or call crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Forest Hill Murder: Woman Charged

A woman has appeared in court charged with murdering a man in South London.

Lancashire native Shaun Corey, 42, (pictured) died at a house in Stanstead Road, Forest Hill on June 15.

His family said: “Shaun will be remembered as a hard-working, loving son, brother, dad, grandad and friend.

“He was so easy-going, thoughtful and gentle. He is sadly missed.”

An incident room was opened under Detective Chief Inspector Damian Allain of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command.

Karen Otmani, 40, of 251a Stanstead Road appeared at Greenwich Magistrates' Court on June 17 charged with murder.

Nightclub Doorman Execution: Four Charged

Four men have appeared in court charged with the murder of the head doorman of a top West End club – executed by a motorcycle gunman when returning home in the early hours.

Bogdan ‘Tony’ Paduret, 29, (pictured) of Tillingbourne Gardens, Finchley Central, North London was shot in the head while sitting in the passenger seat at 6:00am on November 27.

The Romanian-born keep-fit enthusiast was driven home by a friend from the Mayfair Club, Dover Street in a silver Vauxhall Corsa after finishing work at 5:30am.

When the car carrying Mr. Paduret arrived at his home a pillion passenger got off a motorbike that had pulled up minutes earlier.

The suspect produced a handgun and shot through the passenger window four times, killing Mr. Paduret, who died at the scene.

The four are: Errol Jeffrey, 28, of Cressall House, Tiller Road; Troy Shaw, 19, of Wharfside Point North, Poplar High Street and Christopher N'Jie, 19, of Elderfield House, Pennyfields, Poplar, East London and
John Otugade, 19, of Stanford Road, Friern Barnet.

They appeared in custody at Waltham Forest Magistrates’ Court.

Three other men arrested on June 15 have been bailed pending further enquiries and will return in late July.

The victim's mother, Mariana Paduret, flew into London from her home in Romania to formally identify her son.

She said: “To me Tony meant everything. He had such tremendous love for people, he would call his friends and relatives brothers and sisters.

“He was incredibly generous and forgiving and at the same time very modest about it.

“He had an acute sense of justice and he took pride in everything he did.

“I have this great sense of loss. Words cannot express how dearly he is going to be missed by all of us.”

Killer Hit And Run Driver Jailed For Eight Months

A speeding hit-and-run driver who killed student Lizzie Beach-MacGeagh was sentenced to eight months imprisonment today by a judge who described the victim as: "A truly extraordinary young woman."

Bristol University history student Lizzie, 20, was "catapulted into the air" and suffered a fatal brain injury while crossing Netherlands Road, East Barnet, North London at 8:08pm on June 16, last year.

Privately-educated Kensington-born Lizzie spent the early part of her life in Claygate, Surrey before her family moved to Marlbrough, Wiltshire.

Lizzie had only arrived in London two days earlier for work experience with Italian fashion house Moschino.

"Cases of this kind are truly tragic and nothing this court does will mitigate the pain and anguish suffered by Elizabeth's family," said Wood Green Crown Court Judge Simon Carr.

"It is obvious from everything I have read that Elizabeth Beach-MacGeagh was a truly extraordinary young woman, who was only twenty years-old and in her second year at Bristol University.

"She was London for an internship and was out jogging on a beautiful sunset night as part of her normal routine.

"I did read on the internet after the trial many references by many people to Miss Beach-MacGeagh and her obviously promising future."

Driver Aryeris Angelis, 26, of Tewkesbury Terrace, New Southgate, North London, an amateur bodybuilder employed in his family's catering business denied, but was convicted of causing death by careless driving.

He also admitted failing to stop at the scene of an accident, but the jury failed to reach a verdict on one count of perverting the course of justice in relation to him repairing his blue BMW and the CPS will not seek a retrial.

The first-time offender was also disqualified from driving for two years and will have to pass an extended driving test before receiving his licence back.

Detective Sergeant Cheryl Frost of the Road Death Investigation Unit said: "Angelis has demonstrated a complete lack of morals, running a young woman over and just driving off.

"By working with the media and the public we were able to ensure that Angelis was identified, the evidence was available to put before the courts and Angelis has been held to account."

Judge Carr added: "This is a true blind bend, it turns at almost ninety degrees. It is impossible to see around that corner and the road signs indicate that.

"Having approached that turning too fast he did not brake, but accelerated and was travelling in excess of the speed limit.

"He failed to see her even when she was in the road, but for a prudent driver she was there to be seen.

"He must have been aware he suffered a significant impact, but I accept he did not know it was a person and then he drove off."

The Judge also criticised the defendant's decision to fight the charge. "The family of Elizabeth Beach-MacGeagh were put through another year of not knowing the conclusion and being unable to have closure.

"I find the argument that he had sunlight in his eyes nothing to do with the accident. I think it is something Mr. Angelis has latched onto to explain the inexplicable."

Angelis' lawyer Mr. Pavlos Panayi urged the court not to imprison his client explaining: "He has overwhelming shock and sadness at what he has done. His remorse is genuine and real and the victim herself would not want retribution.

"This is quite obviously a most tragic case that involved sad and dreadful circumstances.

"Had he seen her the smallest deviation could have resulted in avoiding her, only a foot or two would have avoided an accident."

Mobile phone records prove Angelis was in the area after the collision and had driven past witness appeal signs confirming the fatality.

He eventually surrendered himself to police after promptings from his father and the vehicle body-shop that repaired his badly-damaged car also raised the alarm.

Road Rage Death: Man Charged With Killing

A man has appeared in court charged with the manslaughter of a motorist fatally injured during a late-night hit-and-run last year.

Anthony Young, 40, (pictured) of West Norwood, South London was hit by a car at around 11.40pm on Friday, October 22, at the junction of Trinity Road and Magdalen Road, Wandsworth.

Jesse Nixon, 26, of Hitchin, Hertfordshire appeared on bail at South Western Magistrates’ Court on June 17. He was charged on June 8.

Police and ambulance services were called to the scene and Mr Young was rushed to St. George's Hospital, Tooting - but was pronounced dead at 1.53am the following morning.

The post-mortem gave his cause of death as a head injury.

Mr. Young was driving a gold Nissan Micra and was involved in an altercation with the driver of a blue Ford Fiesta, before the car hit him.

B-O-B Squad Seize Guns During Raid

Operation Trident police officers – who investigate violent black-on-black crime in the capital – have charged a woman after raiding a South London flat and seizing illegal guns and ammo.

A search warrant was executed at 8:00pm at High Trees, Tulse Hill (pictured) on June 10 and officers seized a loaded pistol, sawn-off shotgun and ammunition.

Saschia Clarke, 21, was remanded in custody at Camberwell Magistrates’ Court on June 13 to appear at Inner London Crown Court on August 15 for a plea and case management hearing.

She faces two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to enable another to endanger life
and two counts of possession of ammunition with intent to enable another to endanger life.

Clarke is also charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon and possession of ammunition.

Family Try To Solve 10 Year Mystery

The family of a father-of-four who mysteriously disappeared a decade ago have marched near where he was last seen in North-West London to publicize a £20,000 reward offered to solve the riddle.

Plasterer Raymond Scott, was 47 and lived in Hanselin Close, Stanmore when he went missing on November 16, 2001 after working on a house in Wealdstone.

He drove away from the house in an old white Ford Transit van, registration D346 DPR, which had a roof rack on top. 



He was reported missing to police on Friday November 23 by family members who had become increasingly concerned when they had not seen or heard from him.



His van was later found on November 30 in a service road behind shops in Field End Road, Eastcote - detectives believe it may have been there since November 16.

Ray may have been doing, or been scheduled to do, a garden clearing job at the time of his disappearance and we would particularly like to speak to anybody in the surrounding areas of Harrow and Hillingdon who may have employed him to carry out some form of clearing or hedge-trimming work.



He is described as 5ft 7ins tall, of slim build, with dark, brushed-back, collar-length hair and a thin moustache.

He was wearing square-looking glasses and has a tattoo on his left hand saying 'Ray'.

When he was last seen, he was wearing trousers and a t-shirt covered in plaster.



There does not appear to be any apparent reason for Raymond to have gone missing. It was extremely out of character and he has never done this before. He is married and has four children who are now in their 20s.



Detective Inspector Andy Manning of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: “The investigation into the disappearance of Ray continues and his family and friends remain desperate, 10 years on, to know what has happened to him. 


“Despite all our enquiries and extensive searches taking place, we have found no trace of Ray and we want to hear from anyone who has information about his disappearance or anyone who knew him around the time that he went missing.

“Any information, however small, would be relevant to the enquiry and may be the key to giving his family the answers they want.”

If anyone has information regarding Raymond they are asked to contact the incident room on 020 8358 0300.

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



On January 17, 2002 a 43-year old man was arrested at an address in Harrow in connection with the inquiry. He was released with no further action.

Cheat Paid Mortgage With Housing Benefit Handouts

A housing benefit cheat, who paid the mortgage on the family home he inherited from his parents with over £67,000 he swindled during a seven-year scam, was jailed for ten months on Wednesday.

Father-of-two Jason White, 37, of Roslyn Road, Tottenham, North London claimed he was under pressure to split the house’s equity amongst his siblings – leaving him with a property (pictured) he could not afford.

The first-time offender pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court to four counts under the Social Security Administration Act.

“For a large number of years you were living a dishonest life, living in a house you could not afford,” Judge Peter Ader told the trainee electrician.

“You were only making ends meet by stealing money from the public.”

Prosecutor Mr. Archie Maddan told the court White received £67,251.65 between October 2003 and October last year.

Ironically the London Borough of Haringey only became aware of the fraud two months after White ended his claim, which also included council tax benefit.

“The whole claim was fraudulent and should not have been made,” Mr. Maddan told the court. “It was a deliberately contrived fraud over a considerable period of time.”

White has repaid £1200 and the council will pursue the balance through the civil courts.

The defendant remained living in the family home following the death of his cancer-victim parents and looked after his younger sister until she moved out.

He also has eleven year-old twin sons.

“You were the part-owner of your own home that you inherited from your parents and had equity in the property,” Judge Ader told White. “You could not afford to live there and devised this scheme to pay the mortgage for seven years.

“Every time you received benefits you were reminded of the fact you were committing fraud.”

White was also ordered to pay £1500 costs.

BMW Driver Convicted Of Hit-And-Run Jogger Death

A speeding hit-and-run driver who killed a 20 year-old student jogger "catapulted into the air" was convicted of causing death by careless driving today and told prison was "inevitable."

Bristol University history student Lizzie Beach-MacGeagh(pictured) suffered a fatal brain injury while crossing Netherlands Road, East Barnet, North London at 8:08pm on June 16, last year.

Lizzie, from Marlborough, Wiltshire had only arrived in London two days earlier for work experience with Italian fashion house Moschino.

She was originally from Claremont Road, Claygate, Surrey and attended the private Rowan Preparatory School.

Driver Aryeris Angelis, 26,(pictured) of Tewkesbury Terrace, New Southgate, North London, an amateur bodybuilder employed in his family's catering business denied, but was convicted unanimously by the Wood Green Crown Court jury of the charge.

Judge Simon Carr bailed the first-time offender to a sentencing date to be fixed and announced: "The remorse normally engendered by a guilty plea is absent. A sentence of imprisonment seems inevitable.

"His not guilty plea was a complete denial of reality. If he had pleaded guilty he would have saved the family the misery of the last months. He gave evidence that was palpably untrue.

"He knew perfectly well he had a collision and within a week knew he had killed somebody, but still chose to deny liability."

The jury failed to reach a verdict on a second count that Angelis did an act intending and with intent to pervert the course of justice between June 15 and 25, namely taking steps to have damage to his BMW repaired.

The prosecution will not seek a retrial on the charge.

Lizzie's father, company director William MacGeagh, 64, from West Sussex said after the verdict: "I am sure I speak for my ex-wife as well when I say this has been the worst experience a parent can go through with the loss of a much-loved daughter who was always so very full of life, positive energy and kindness for all.

"It is a particularly poignant time being the one year anniversary of Elizabeth's death and again so close to Father's Day. I miss her beyond words.

"I don't bear any anger towards the driver. It won't bring Elizabeth back yet he will have to live with the results of his actions and mistakes for the rest of his life."

Prosecutor Mr. Timothy Devlin told the court an eye-wtiness estimated Angelis's speed at 45mph - the limit in the area was 30mph - and a woman described him as driving "too fast."

Lizzie had been jogging in a nearby park with university pal Joshua Alford, who she was staying with in The Hook, Oakleigh Park, when they split because he was going to a local gym.

"She crossed the road at the logical place to do so, having broke off from him," explained Mr. Devlin. "She was wearing headphones, but whether she was listening to music we do not know."

Motorists are warned by the words 'Slow' painted in the road the the prosecution say local man Angelis must have known there would be pedestrians around due to a parade of shops and a tube station.

"As she crossed the road she was struck on the right side by Mr. Angelis's blue BMW," explained Mr. Devlin. "She was thrown into the air and landed on the pavement, striking her head. Sadly she died.

"The car was seen to slow down further up the road and then drive off."

Despite witness appeals in the area local man Angelis did not come forward and drove his damaged BMW across London to a Auto Prestige, Brockley, who later tipped off police.

When quizzed by police the defendant mostly answered "no comment", but offered a short explanation. "He said to police he did not realise he had hit anyone, he thought he clipped a wing mirror."

Judge Carr told the defendant: "It is all but inevitable you will go to prison. The position would be different if you had the courage to plead guilty several months ago.

"You will face the consequences of your actions."

Big-Mouth Speaker's Wife Rubbishes Nation's Greats.

Speaker's wife Sally Bercow has insulted the memory of this country's greatest historical figures by branding English Heritage's blue plaque scheme as including: "Obscure bit-part players who lived hundreds of years ago."

Speaking on ITV about her wish to see a Parliament Square memorial to late anti-war protestor Brian Haw, 62, she said: "I think it is important there is a tribute to Brian.

"He was there for ten years despite the best efforts of the stuffy establishment to boot him out. I think there should be a memorial or a stone or something.

"You have blue plaques all over London for all sorts of bit-part players who lived hundreds of years ago," added Sally, wife of the House of Commons Speaker John Bercow.

A spokesperson for English heritage, which manages the scheme founded in 1866 and the oldest of its kind in the world said: "We don't want to get into a slanging match with Sally Bercow, she is entitled to her opinion, but obviously we do not agree with it."

The first blue plaque was unveiled in 1867 by the Royal Society of Arts, who launched the scheme, to mark the birthplace of Lord Byron in Holles Street, near Cavendish Square.

There are now 850 blue plaques marking notable buildings connected to inventors, composers, industrialists, politicians, war heroes, artists, writers, scientists, architects, explorers and other significant individuals.

Included are Sir Winston Churchill, two-time PM between 1940-45 and 1951-55, the only Prime Minister to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature and the first person to be made an honorary citizen of the USA.

His plaque is sited at 28 Hyde Park Gate, Kensington Gore.

Naturalist Charles Darwin, author of On The Origin of Species, has a blue plaque at the Biological Sciences Building, University College, Gower Street.

Author Charles Dickens is celebrated at a former home in Tavistock Square and physicist and mathematician Isaac Newton who developed the theory of gravity and the three laws of motion is commemorated at 87 Jermyn Street.

The English Heritage spokesperson explained: "The intrinsic aim of the English Heritage Blue Plaque scheme is to mark and celebrate the link between people and the buildings in which they lived and worked.

"The scheme also requires individuals to have been dead for 20 years (or passed the centenary of their birth, whichever is the earlier).

"There also needs to be a surviving residence.

"This is not to say that Brian Haw should not be commemorated in some way, and we understand why there would be enthusiasm to do so."