Violent Kidnappers Jailed For Abduction Ordeal

Two kidnapers who subjected a terrified young man to a two-hour ordeal – beating and robbing him as he was driven around in the back of a van – have both been caged.

Taariq Fagan, 20, (pic.top) received ten years and his cousin Michael Fergus, 26, (pic.bottom) received six years.

On Friday September 10, last year the 23 year-old victim was sitting in his car in Brampton Road, Forest Hill, South-East London when he was approached by a gang who snatched his keys from the ignition. 



The man got out of his car, but was attacked by the group who forced him into a van.

He was driven around as the gang made calls to his friends demanding money. 



They robbed their victim of personal belongings and cash and continued to beat him.

The man finally escaped when the van stopped near Brenchley Gardens Park and he called the police. 



On Friday November 26 a 52 year-old man was delivering cigarettes to a store in Marble Arch, Marylebone when he was robbed.

He was pushed and threatened and the cigarettes loaded into the same blue van used in the Forest Hill kidnapping – later linked to Fagan, who was arrested on December 21 by Southwark’s Priority Crime Unit.

Evidence linking him to the crimes included a congestion charge receipt found at his home relating to the day of the kidnapping and the van, which was used in both offences.



His cousin Michael Fergus was arrested four weeks later on January 10. 2



Detective Constable Mark Hughes said: “This result means that two men, who have used fear and violence, have been removed from the streets.

“This was a challenging investigation which demonstrates the determination of the Metropolitan Police Service to bring such offenders to justice, and I hope it shows others like Fagan and Fergus who will use threats and violence to commit crime that they won't be tolerated.”

Cheeky Burglar Had Designs On Exclusive Gear

This is the moment CCTV at a West London designer store captured a wannabe burglar casually walking a trolley into the premises – intent on loading-up with high-value stock.

Police are still trying to identify the suspect who was filmed at ‘Mulberry’, Beaufort Gardens, Chelsea at 9:15am on July 21.

The 35 year-old store manager was unloading handbags from a delivery van when he spotted the suspect walking towards the store pushing a trolley

After returning to the van to collect a second load he saw the suspect exiting the shop with the trolley. 



The manager shouted at him to get away and the suspect walked off westbound towards Beauchamp Place.

The suspect is a white male, approximately mid 30s to early 40s.

He was wearing blue denim jeans, a black Polo shirt which had a Virgin Media insignia on it and is about 5feet 9inches.



Any information please contact Detective Constable Lee Cook at Notting Hill Police Station on 020 8246 0132 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Woman Pistol-Whipped: Police Hunt Suspect

Police are hunting this violent suspect – accused of attacking and pistol-whipping a woman.

Jermaine Lewis, 32, of Oakhurst Grove, East Dulwich, South-East London is suspected of injuring the woman in June and is wanted by Lewisham police.

He is described as a black male, 6 foot 1 inches in height and of medium build.

He has a gold tooth, scaring on his face and left hand and has a disfigured left ear.

Lewis is known to use a number of aliases such as Leroy Lewis and Miller Lewis.

He is known to be violent and is not to be approached and officers ask that members the public dial 999 immediately if he is sighted.



Anyone who has knowledge of his current whereabouts should call Detective Constable Dave Baker on 020 8284 8459 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Jilted Death-Wish Boyfriend's Car Crash Murder Bid

A suicidal internet boyfriend downed a litre of anti-freeze before trying to wipe out his ex and her three children by crashing his speeding car into their living-room, a court heard today (Monday).

The terrified single-mum and her two daughters aged thirteen and six, her son, aged ten and his friend, a boy aged eleven were all at the house when the vehicle demolished the terraced house's exterior.

Beauty salon owner Edmund Bruton, 42, of Harrow Road, Wembley, met Tara Lavery on dating site 'Plentyoffish', but when their relationship turned sour vowed to do something "dramatic."

The jealous twice-divorced defendant spied on his ex the night before and convinced himself she was seeing another man, Inner London Crown Court was told.

"The defendant started dropping hints that he was going to do something dramatic that would make him famous, or the prosecution suggest infamous," prosecutor Mr. Charles Ward-Jackson told the jury.

"The defendant drove his own motor car at speed deliberately into the house that was occupied at the time by a mother and four children.

"He crashed into the front room of the house, partially demolishing the front wall. The car went into the front room and a great deal of rubble went into the front room.

"Three children were in the front room, the fourth was half-way upstairs and the mother was upstairs."

"Such was the velocity of the car it went through the garden wall, straight across the front garden and straight through the bay window.

"The front of the car collided, ploughed into the hallway wall before it came to a halt," explained Mr. Ward-Jackson.

Bruton has pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder the occupants of 131 South View Avenue, Caversham, Reading on February 26.

He has also denied damaging property, with intent to endanger life, and an alternative lesser charge of damaging property, reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Bruton also pleads not guilty to dangerous driving in South View Avenue.

He had dated a string of women, including many he picked-up at his salon Amo, in Sheen Lane, Turnham Green before meeting Tara online in January, 2010 and continuing the relationship after the met face-to-face in May.

However, by February Bruton was increasingly depressed as the long-distance romance cooled-off, with Tara resisting his efforts to have counselling.

"The relationship appeared to be on it's last legs. It was all, but over," added Mr. Ward-Jackson.

"He said: 'Big things are going to happen over the weekend.'

"By Saturday morning he had made up his mind that he was going to kill himself. Did he want to die alone or take out as many people as possible?"

The children suffered no more than "scratches and bumps and bruises" and the house suffered £66,000 worth of damage.

When quizzed at the scene the defendant confirmed he had tried to kill himself and also found was the handle of a garden fork, which Bruton rigged on the dashboard of his Peugeot 206 to stab himself in the neck.

He was successfully treated in hospital for two puncture wound to the neck, plus the ingestion of anti-freeze.

Trial continues.

Cemetery Pouncer Hunted After Teen Attacked

Police are hunting a cemetery predator who dragged a teenage girl into a wooded area and ordered her to strip – fleeing when she screamed in a bid to alert passers-by.

On September 4 the 16 year-old girl took a short cut through Abney Park, Cemetery, Stoke Newington, North London (pictured) at 2:00pm when the assailant began following her.

The suspect grabbed her from behind and tried to drag her towards a secluded area.

He told her to remove some items of her clothing but when the victim heard voices nearby she screamed, causing the suspect to run off.

He is described as a “chubby” black man, approximately 30 years old and between 5ft 9” and 5ft10” tall.

He had black stubble on his face and spoke with a deep voice in a local accent.

He was wearing black gloves with a Nike tick and a navy hooded top, which he wore up.



Witnesses or anyone who may have information are asked to call Hackney CID on 020 7275 3640 or to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Croydon Shooting: Man Charged With Murder

Police have arrested and charged their number one suspect with the murder of a 20 year-old man shot in the head at a Croydon address last month.

Daniel Tefsay, 25, has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of Lewisham man Jonathan Barnes at an address in Morland Road (pictured) on August 23.

He was also charged with possession of a firearm, with intent to endanger life.

Police were called at 8:54pm on Tuesday August 23 to reports of a gun incident at a residential address.

On arrival officers found Jonathan suffering a gunshot wound to the head and he was rushed to hospital, but died at 1.30am on Thursday August 25 from his injury.

A post-mortem examination on Friday August 26 gave the cause of death as gun shot wounds to the head.



An incident room was opened under Detective Chief Inspector Dave Manning from the Homicide & Serious Crime Command.



Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information are asked to call police on 101 or the incident room on 020 8721 4054. If you wish to remain anonymous please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Rapist Jailed For Italian Tourist's Ordeal

A multiple rapist who held an Italian tourist for two weeks at a suburban house – forcing her to have sex with a string of mystery visitors – has been jailed for sixteen years.

Stefan Cardei, 37, (pic.top) of Kings Drive, Edgware, North London was renting the property and told the victim she had to provide sex in exchange for staying at the accommodation.

He fled after police were tipped-off by the woman’s worried family and a second suspect, 25 year-old Florentin Nechita (pic.bottom) is still on the run.

Cardei was convicted at Harrow Crown Court on five counts of rape and one of false imprisonment, committed in November, 2007.

Police received a call from a member of the victim’s family in Italy on November 27, 2007 reporting concerns for her welfare.



Officers attended the address and spoke to the victim, who was on holiday from Italy, through an interpreter.



She said that she had gone to stay at the property with her boyfriend and had then been held against her will, beaten and raped on numerous occasions over a two-week period.

Other men also attended the address and raped her.

Cardei was arrested on the same day in connection with the investigation and later bailed pending a charging decision from the Crown Prosecution Service.

He failed to attend the police station on his bail date and fled to Italy, returning to the UK and arrested again on February 13, this year.

Detective Constable Anthony Stanton of Sapphire said: “I am pleased that today’s sentence goes someway to getting justice for the victim who was held against her will and subjected to nightly attacks by Cardei as ‘payment’ for him giving her somewhere to live.



“The Metropolitan Police Service is committed to solving rape cases and is appealing for information about the whereabouts of Florentin Nechita who we are also keen to speak to as part of this investigation.” 



Anyone with information on Nechita’s whereabouts is asked to call Sapphire on 020 8733 3718 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Glamour Girl's Gas Gun Shame

An actress and model caught with a loaded gun when police suddenly raided the suburban home she shares with her fiancé dodged prison today, but sobbed as her drug-dealing partner was sent down.

Blonde Suzy Deakin, 33, who has an online portfolio of glamorous shots and appeared in Brit horror flick The Stone, had a lethal Russian-made tear gas gun converted to fire live rounds.

She pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to unlawfully possessing the firearm, plus five rounds of live ammunition, and was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Deakin, of Cheam Close, Tadworth, Surrey was arrested on May 13, 2009 with 40 year-old Graeme Dean, who received five years.

He was convicted of possessing the firearm with intent; possessing 2.6 gms of cocaine and 89.7 gms of GHB, with intent to supply; possessing cannabis and veterinary drug ketamine - dubbed by users as Special-K.

Police armed with a search warrant found the firearm stuffed inside a sock, which was wrapped in a black bin liner and inside a computer bag placed at the bottom of a spare bedroom cupboard.

Deakin tried to convince a jury her fiancé - a partner in bar/club Indigo, Seaside Road, Eastbourne at the time of the arrests - knew nothing about the gun, but this was rejected.

"A loaded gun is worse than an unloaded gun," Judge Tim Stow QC told the defendants, both first-time offenders.

"Possession of a loaded firearm is regarded extremely seriously by parliament and the courts. It gives the potential for serious injury and death.

"This was potentially a very serious weapon. It would not have taken that long to get hold of if someone wanted to use it."

The judge told Dean: "It is a possibility you supplied the odd customer at the club."

Deakin also pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and received a one month concurrent sentence and no further penalty for admitting possessing a small amount of cannabis.

"I Hope You Die Of Cancer" Dodgy 'Vet' Tells DEFRA Investigators

A notorious fake vet who continued illegally dealing in illicit animal medicines after his release from prison for an identical scam has been jailed for twelve months.

Leonard 'Ginger' French, 73, of Tall Trees, Station Road, Langworth, Lincolnshire - who has changed his name by deed poll to Lee Wilson - unlawfully distributed at least £50,000 worth of the smuggled drugs.

"You are such a persistent breaker of the law I have no option, but to impose an immediate custodial sentence," Croydon Crown Court Judge Nicholas Ainley told him.

French pleaded guilty to six charges of unlawfully importing unauthorised veterinary medicines; six counts of supplying them and four counts of possessing them on various dates between July 16 2008 and February 22 this year.

He was prosecuted by the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) after he was linked to a French-based £6m veterinary medicine scam - Europe's biggest-ever.

That was run by disgraced Ronald Meddes, 73, and Regine Lansley, 62, who French acted as a UK agent for - collecting a 10% commission - as well as selling black market veterinary medicines he bought from them in his own right.

"You were an important cog in the Meddes machine, an important and persistent agent," Judge Ainley told him.

"The fact you were sent to prison does not appear to have stopped you pursuing this illegal trade as soon as you left, knowing the Meddes empire was criminal."

Four years ago French was jailed after a BBC undercover reporter proved he was illegally treating pets and administering illegal drugs - pocketing £170,000 from dog owners, companies and hunts.

He continued illegally supplying while on bail for those offences and after his release from a twelve month sentence - describing the drugs as 'sweets' in e-mails with Meddes.

French sold to farms, stables, kennels, hunts, shoots and veterinary practices and the medicines supplied included anti-inflammatories, anabolic steroids, tranquillisers, antibiotics, sedatives, painkillers and other miscellaneous products administered to horses, household pets and farm animals.

He was also well-known for selling out of the boot of his car at horse fairs around the country.

He was arrested for possessing illegal medicines in May, 2009 and February, this year - when he kicked the arresting police officer in the groin.

French's lawyer Mr. Ravi Dogra told the court: "He continues to see little wrong in his behaviour despite the convictions. He says he has given his life to animals and will never stop doing that.

"There does not appear to be any evidence of harm, but there is a risk in the unregulated way he was selling these products.

"They were not counterfeit, but manufactured by companies with a positive reputation."

French, who staggered around the dock on a pair of crutches throughout the fifty-minute hearing told DEFRA investigators after he was sentenced: "You bastards. I hope you die of cancer."

B.O.B Squad Nick Trio In Murder Hunt

Police investigating the fatal shooting of a man in South-East London – gunned down in his car – arrested and quizzed three suspects today.

Operation Trident – which investigates black-on-black crime in the capital – took the men aged 28, 34 and 27 into custody and bailed them until November pending further enquiries.

Genson Courtney, 23, (pictured) was shot in Banning Street, Greenwich at 10:50pm on July 3 as he sat in a black VW Golf.

He was rushed by ambulance to hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3:43am.

A post-mortem examination at Greenwich Mortuary on Monday, July 4 gave the cause of death as a gunshot wounds to the head.

An incident room was opened under Detective Chief Inspector Mark Gower from Trident.

DCI Gower said: “I am appealing to anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious to contact the police.

“I would like to reassure anyone concerned about contacting the police that Trident has great expertise in protecting witnesses and there are a huge variety of measures that can be put in place to protect you.”

Anyone with any information should call the incident room on 020 8733 4211 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Busy B.O.B. Squad Probe Another Shooting

Operation Trident police are still appealing for witnesses to come forward to help solve the violent murder of a South London teenager – shot dead on a notorious estate.

Nana Darko-Frempong, 18, (pictured) was shot outside Purser House, Tulse Hill just after 11:00pm on June 6.

He was pronounced dead at the scene and a post mortem examination gave the cause of death as two gunshot wounds.



Witnesses have told police they heard several gunshots and a vehicle leaving the scene. 



Detective Inspector Matt Gosling said: “This was a brutal murder of an innocent young man who had a bright future.

“Arrests have been made and our enquiries are progressing.

“However, I believe there are people within the local community who may hold vital information and I would urge them to come forward to help us achieve justice for Nana’s family.

“We understand the fear of witnesses in contacting police but Trident has extensive experience in witness protection and anonymity and have used these measures successfully on many occasions.”

Operation Trident investigates violent black-on-black crime in the capital.

Any witnesses or anyone with information should call the incident room on 020 8247 4554 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

On August 25 a 26 year-old man and a woman aged 22 were arrested on suspicion of murder and bailed to return in mid November, pending further inquiries.

Twelve Years For Teenager Who Stabbed Cop

A teen who stabbed a plain-clothes policeman during a seemingly routine stop-and-search in Croydon has been locked-up for at least 12 years.

Alastair Gregson, 18 of Whitefield Avenue, Purley pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent, on Constable Nigel Albuery, 34, in Bute Road, Waddon on May 19.

He was sentenced to an indeterminate sentence for public protection of ten years – plus two years for assaulting an 18 year-old girl five days earlier.

At 9:45pm officers from Broad Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team stopped a group of teens and one of them – Gregson – stabbed the officer four times and fled.

He was arrested the next day. No charges were brought against the three youths with him.

Croydon Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Adrian Roberts said: “This was a completely unprovoked and savage attack on an officer conducting routine stop and search.

“Gregson clearly had no regard for PC Albuery’s life when he made the decision to stab him, not once but four times.

“The sentence Gregson received today will see him locked up behind bars for a long time which is where he belongs.”

PC Nigel Albuery said: “My life was turned upside down by the un-provoked actions of Mr Gregson when he tried to end my life.



“I joined the police service in 2004 and started to learn my job. My confidence grew and I became a competent, reliable and good officer.

“I enjoyed my job and looked forward to coming to work. I made plans for my future career and also plans with my family.

“At approximately 21:45 hours that night it all changed. 



“I was stabbed four times and it has destroyed my confidence and upset all those plans.

“Due to the injuries received I had to spend several nights in hospital many miles away from my family in incredible pain and I also had to have nine weeks off work to recover.

“The time in hospital for me was quite stressful and very upsetting for my family.

“On my time off I was unable to do simple tasks like housework or washing up as I could not stand up for too long.

“Still now I suffer pain in my back if I am standing for long periods of time.

“The prognosis is a haematoma in the back which will take several months to disperse and will cause me pain.

“I have also suffered scars that will be a constant reminder to me and my family of what happened that night.”