Successful Kosovon Asylum Seeker Jailed For Dealing Cocaine

A successful Kosovon asylum seeker was caught dealing £13,000 worth of cocaine in the East End just three months after being granted British citizenship.

Labourer Fatbardh Gashi, 34, arrived in the UK in 1999 and in February this year finally obtained full citizenship.

However, City of London police observed him dealing drugs from a parked Mercedes in Middlesex Street, Aldgate on May 27 and found 24 gms of cocaine hidden behind the gear-stick.

Officers searched his home and found another 240 gms of cocaine along with £15,000 cash.

Gashi, of Hackney Road, Bethnal Green pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey (pictured) to two counts of possessing cocaine, with intent to supply, and was jailed for twenty-seven months.

The court heard police watched as a customer leaned into Gashi's car and appeared to buy drugs - later confirming to officers he paid £100 for two wraps of cocaine.

When the car was pulled over officers found several small bags of cocaine behind the gear-stick.

At his flat more cocaine was found divided into bags for supply along with £15,000 cash in three separate bundles.

The Recorder of London Peter Beaumont told first-time offender Gashi: "Your involvement in drug-dealing can only be put down to greed for which you must now pay a severe price."

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the drugs, cash and Mercedes.

No deportation order can be made because Gashi is a UK citizen.

KGB 'Intelligence Officer' Caught With Fake Licence

A bogus KGB defector, who tricked the Home Office and BBC's Newsnight into believing he was a genuine agent, has been exposed after he was caught using a clumsily forged driving licence.

Jobless Ikrom Yakubov, 30, successfully applied for asylum in the UK until 2014 after arriving on a six-month visa and was portrayed on a Newsnight feature as the first Uzbekistan KGB agent to defect.

However, his elaborate story of obtaining the Portuguese licence legitimately during a top-secret mission to the country was dismissed by a Kingston Crown Court jury, who convicted him.

Police checks with MI5 and MI6 via the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism unit failed to add credence to Yakubov's story and he has been served with deportation papers.

Yesterday he was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment, suspended for a year, and ordered to perform 160 hours community service for possessing a false identity document, with intent, in Old Kent Road, Southwark on November 8, last year.

Yakubov, of St. Paul's Road, Tottenham - who claimed his grandfather founded the Uzbekistan KGB - told Newsnight in August 2009 that the Russian TSB trained him to kill with his bare hands and he had witnessed torture and false confessions.

He said his life was in danger after criticising President Islam Karimov - resulting in his own torture which involved his fingers being broken and beatings, left him with intestinal injuries.

Yakubov arrived in the UK on September 1, 2008 and claimed asylum three days later, telling the Home Office he spent a decade in Uzbekistan's national security agency the SNB (formerly the KGB).

"I was an intelligence officer and worked directly under the president of Uzbekistan," he told the jury. "In 2005 there was an uprising against the dictatorship and the head of state ordered the killing of more than one thousand eight hundred people.

"After the massacre EU countries, including the UK suspended relations with Uzbekistan and the President ordered intelligence officers to countries, including Portugal, to see if it was sustainable to bring Uzbekistan gold and money to them.

"I attended driving lessons in Lisbon in 2005 and I received this driving licence. I believe this is a genuine driving licence."

However, when police pulled L-driver Yakubov over they immediately saw the hologram was incorrect, the typeface was not straight and the licence was purportedly issued before he even took the test.

Despite this Yakubov stuck to his story telling the officers: "I was a former KGB officer and the Uzbekistan government paid for this licence."

He pleaded with the jury: "This is a matter of life and death for me. I want to live in this country under a clear name.

"I came to this country as a defector and was accepted as an ex-intelligence officer whose life was at risk and I was granted political asylum," he told the court.

"I have been sentenced to twenty-five years for treason in Uzbekistan and I want to give thanks to this nation for giving me a chance and for the medical treatment I received after I was tortured."

Yakubov also convinced the Home Office he was a member of the Uzbekistan president's National Security Council, the press and information agency and the institute for strategic and regional studies.

The court made no deportation order, but the Home Office will take the conviction into consideration when deciding whether to extend Yakubov's leave to remain.

Law Firm Thief's Suicide Bid

A trusted legal executive, who tried to kill himself by slashing his throat and wrists in a hotel bathroom after stealing £645,000 from a top corporate solicitor's firm - blowing it all gambling online - was jailed for fifteen months yesterday.

Property investments administrator Alan Michael Clarke, 47, of Delamere Road, Ealing was employed by City firm MacFarlanes for twenty-four years and was in charge of their clients' commercial property portfolio.

He pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to four counts of theft by an employee relating to sums of £13,906; £6,000; £16,382 and £18,488 on various dates between March 1, 2002 and July 10, 2006.

Clarke also pleaded guilty to six further counts of fraud by abuse of position in relation to £37,846; £61,207; £204,848; £200,290; £66,757 and £19,475 on various dates between January 15, 2007 and February 10, this year.

During a nine-year scam he forged multiple invoices for non-existent work on the properties - often asbestos removal - and diverted clients payments straight to his credit card, which was linked to a Paddy Power account.

However, after being caught and suspended by the partners on February 10 the married father-of-two wandered the streets of West London looking for a hotel room where he could kill himself.

"He lost over one million pounds to the bookmakers and the gambling was a secret from his wife and the credit card he used was set up at his parents address so she would not know," said Mr. Hugh Forgan, defending.

"The money was to feed his addiction and increased year on year, peaking at the time of his arrest at two hundred thousand a year."

Clarke removed his mobile's sim card so he could not be contacted, bought a knife and booked a room above a pub, where his unconscious blood-soaked body was found the next morning in the bathroom, jammed shut with a chair.

He had deep lacerations to his neck, both wrists and abdominal wall and spent a week in two different hospitals.

"He had severe damage to his tendons, arteries and the nerves in his wrists," added Mr. Forgan. "He has made a good recovery and on the mental health side a remarkably good recovery."

Prosecutor Mr. Philip McGhee told the court: "The defendant was a non-qualified legal executive on a salary of fifty-five thousand pounds a year.

"One feature of his duties was overseeing the expenditure in relation to these properties and he was also the company secretary to many of these corporate clients.

"What the defendant did was create false invoices for non-existent works on the properties, which purported to come from legitimate companies.

"The monies found their way into an account controlled by the defendant and he reserved the process of such invoices to himself, preventing other employees processing them.

"Some of the invoices also purported to be from an non-existent firm of chartered accountants called CJ Clarke, which the defendant controlled."

A total of £645,202 was stolen by Clarke, who has repaid the firm £477,304, by re-mortgaging his share of the marital home for £150,000; selling his Renault for £15,000; giving-up his £172,000 pension and raising further money when his parents re-mortgaged their home for £125,000.

The remainder was made up with his unclaimed wages, shares and savings, leaving him broke and claiming Jobseekers Allowance while living with his mum and dad.

"It came to light following suspicions aroused by some invoices, which triggered an internal investigation," explained Mr. McGhee.

His wife attended court, but now shares the matrimonial home with the couple's daughters aged 16 and 17, who are studying A levels.

The Recorder of London Peter Beaumont, impressed by Clarke re-qualifying as an electrician told him: "Your dishonesty was prolonged, it was in breach of trust and obtained by you to gamble huge sums of money.

"You have sorted yourself out physically and mentally and equipped yourself for a future. You have lost everything and done your best to find it again."

MacFarlanes, of Cursitor Street, Chancery Lane reportedly achieved total revenues of £92.4m last year and has been described as forming part of an elite London-based group of firms called the 'Silver Circle.'

Burglar Posed As City Worker In Audacious Raids

A prolific burglar, who donned a suit and carried a laptop bag as he raided offices all over the Square Mile, has been jailed for three years.

Londoner Delroy Martin, 44, (pictured) admitted a total of 31 burglaries and 5 thefts at twenty-nine offices in the City of London – targeting employees laptops and other personal belongings worth thousands of pounds.

He was a master of tricking his way into offices and passing himself off as just another employee.

Detective Constable Sukina Turner said: “Martin was a career burglar who stole laptops and office workers’ personal belongings to fund his drug habit.

“He now faces three years behind bars, which should send out a clear message to burglars of the fate that awaits them.

“Martin’s crimes should also serve as a reminder to office security managers and workers not to presume that because someone is in a suit they have a right to be in your workplace and to check people have appropriate identity documents.”

Martin pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to nine burglaries and one theft and asked for another twenty-two burglaries and four thefts to be taken into consideration.

Fatal Stabbing Probe: Do You Know These Suspects?

Police have released these CCTV images of two young suspects they wish to quiz concerning the fatal stabbing of a teenager at an East London party.

Kelvin Chibueze, 17, was attending a private party near Fitness First gym, Ilford High Road, Ilford on August 15 and was fatally wounded at around 4.00am.

The first suspect was filmed inside a nearby Costcutters store and is described as black, around 20 years old, between 5ft8in and 5ft10in in height, of heavy build, with short dark hair.

He was smartly dressed in a blue jacket, tan-coloured trousers, blue jumper with white stripes and dark-coloured trainers with white edging.



The second man was captured outside the same Costcutter store and is described as black, aged in his early 20s, between 5ft8in and 5ft10in tall, of slim build with short dark hair.

He wore a grey hooded top with light-coloured trousers and trainers.



Kelvin was found collapsed at the scene having suffered stab wounds and was rushed to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, but died from his injuries later that day at 1:00pm.



A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as a stab wound to the chest.



Officers would now urge anyone who can identify the two men in the CCTV images to contact the Incident Room on 020 8345 3985.

Summer Riots: Arson Suspects Hunted By Police

Police are hunting these two arson suspects – wanted for questioning about a fire during last summer’s riots that destroyed a West London shop and the four residential flats above.

The CCTV images have been released in the hope the alleged rioters can be identified.

A store called The Ealing Green Local, The Green, Ealing was broken into and deliberately set ablaze at 11.00pm on August 8.

The building suffered severe fire damage along with the flats above and neighbouring properties also sustained significant water damage as the fire brigade tried to bring the flames under control.

The first man is described as white, wearing a distinctive hooded top with the letters GSRD across the front. 



The second man is described as black, wearing a black jacket with a grey hooded top underneath.



Detective Sergeant Ewan Robertson said: “This mindless act has ruined people’s livelihoods and homes, but it could easily have resulted in the loss of their lives.

“I would ask anyone who recognises the men in these CCTV images to speak to police or contact Crimestoppers in the strictest of confidence.”



Anyone with information is asked to call police on 020 8785 8580 or ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Ex Scout Paedophile Jailed For Old Sex Abuse

An ex-Scout volunteer, whose sex attacks on young boys remained a secret for up to forty years, has been jailed after three victims eventually exposed his seedy past.

Keith David Cutler, 57, (pictured) of Knowles Close, West Drayton, Middlesex received four years at Harrow Crown Court and was placed on the sex offenders register for life.

He pleaded guilty to ten counts of indecent assault committed between 1971 and 1980 and two counts of possessing indecent photos of children, relating to stashes of 238 and 45 images.

Detective Constable David Gill of the Metropolitan Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Command said: “This is a historic case going back thirty years.

“For a period of nine years, Keith Cutler used his position of trust to abuse vulnerable boys during their childhood and adolescence.



“The victims in this case have suffered unimaginably for many years. I would like to pay tribute to their immense courage in coming forward, and their overwhelming bravery throughout this investigation. 



“We take all allegations of rape and sexual assault extremely seriously regardless of the circumstances and how long ago the offences took place.

“I would also like take this opportunity to appeal to any further victims of Keith Cutler or any rape and sexual assault, to contact police.

“All calls will be treated confidentially. We will ensure that victims receive the maximum support possible and be treated with the utmost respect and dignity.”


On March 19, last year police were contacted by a man in his 40’s to report he had been sexually assaulted as a boy for five years by Cutler.

On one occasion, the victim had been sexually assaulted by Cutler whilst away on a Scouts camping trip.



The defendant was arrested on May 15 and interviewed by police, who also searched his home and found 238 child sex images.

The second victim came forward, resulting in Cutler’s arrest again and another search found 45 images.

He was charged and media publicity prompted the third victim to report Cutler’s abuse.

Cheeky Liar's $10,000 Lost Cash Claim

A fraudster has admitted trying to convince police over $10,000 cash found by a train cleaner was his.

Phillip Cragg, 30, of Kittiwake House, High Street, Slough was tipped-off to the potential claim by a First Great Western Railway employee, but his inconsistent account quickly alerted police.

He pleaded guilty to attempting to commit fraud by false representation, namely claiming the $10,300 cash was his at Paddington Station on June 16 and was bailed until November 14 for probation reports.

City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard a cleaner handed in the lost money, found on a stationary train, to a police community support officer at Paddington Station (pictured) on June 9.

British Transport Police (BTP) deposited the cash in a Barclays Bank lost property account.

On June 16 the defendant telephoned BTP in Birmingham, claiming he had left the cash behind on a Maidenhead to Paddington train.

“The operator advised him that he should contact Paddington Station lost property office and was told he would have to provide proof of ownership,” said prosecutor Miss Rav Chodha.

“The defendant then called back later, saying he had negative feedback from lost property, and arrangements were made to discuss matters with BTP at Paddington.

“The defendant attended to claim the money, but due to the large amount involved and inconsistencies in his account it was decided he should return the following day with proof of ownership.”

Cragg failed to attend the second meeting and was arrested during a dawn raid at his home on June 23.

“The defendant fully admitted the offence, saying he received a call from a friend who worked for First Great Western that ten thousand dollars had been found at Paddington Station,” added Miss Chodha.

“He admitted the conspired to unlawfully claim the lost money, which they planned to split fifty fifty.

“The defendant said he had to do it because his friend was a member of the railway staff.”

Bogus Marriage Mum-Of-Three Jailed

A Ghanaian student, jailed for a bogus marriage scam, will almost certainly be allowed to remain in the UK under the Human Rights Act after having three children with at least two different men.

Lawrencia Mintah, 32, of Dovehouse Mead, Barking, supported her fraudulent application with forged British Gas bills and wage slips, purporting to show she lived with her new husband.

She was jailed for nine months at Croydon Crown Court (pictured) on yesterday along with jobless security guard Joseph Brown, 30, of Powis Square, Notting Hill, who received the same sentence.

"She became desperate to stay in this country and she accepts this was a sham marriage," her lawyer Miss Tanya Murshed told the court.

"She did not know she has a good chance, based on her daughter being a British citizen, of regularising her stay and obtaining leave to remain.

"She has found the whole thing extremely traumatic and regrets her actions."

No deportation order has been served on Mintah, who was facing the prospect of a seven-year sentence. Brown could have received fourteen years.

Mintah pleaded guilty to obtaining leave to remain in the UK by deception and perjury, namely falsely naming her new husband as the father of her second child so the one year-old could get British citizenship.

Brown pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration.

Prosecutor Miss Joanna Burdett said Mintah entered the UK on October 12, 2004 to study for a nursing diploma and successfully extended her visa in 2005 and 2007.

It was due to expire in May, 2008 and the defendants married on February 12 that year, with Mintah applying for leave to permanently remain based on her marriage to a British citizen.

Meanwhile, she was living with a fellow Ghanaian illegal immigrant and Brown with his girlfriend of ten years and their four year-old son.

On May 19, last year Mintah submitted five forged British Gas bills in support of her application, which falsely showed the couple living at the same address coupled with bogus wage slips from Brown's employer.

The UK Border Agency also discovered Mintah, on September 27, last year falsely named Brown as the father of her second child at Islington Registry Office.

She also had a six year-old daughter and five week-old son.

"Brown said he did it as a favour for Mintah and said there was no financial gain," explained Miss Burdett.

"Mintah claimed she fell in love with Brown and lied that he was the father so her daughter could have British citizenship."

Brown's lawyer Mr. James Murray-Smith said: "He was asked to do this, knowing her for six months, feeling he was being helpful to someone who needed assistance.

"There was no financial gain and after turning up and getting married he returned to his family. At the time he did not think he was doing anything wrong."

Judge Ruth Downing told the pair: "You have sought to undermine, subvert and avoid legitimate controls in this country. To enter into a sham marriage is a most serious offence.

"You, Brown, willingly went to the registry office and pretended to be entering into a legitimate marriage.

"You, Mintah, obtained false documentation to show you lived with Brown and maintained that fictitious account when interviewed."

Ex Slapped During Violent Domestic

A violent ex, who slapped the mother of his ten year-old son while the boy was in the flat, will learn his fate on November 14 after magistrates bailed him for probation reports.

Roger Robinson, 31, of Tortington House, Friary Estate, Peckham pleaded guilty to assaulting Tizita Getachew at her home in Fermoy Road, Maida Vale (pictured) on September 27.

Prosecutor Miss Rav Chodha told City of Westminster Magistrates' Court Robinson had just collected the boy from his school, but refused to leave his ex-girlfriend's flat after dropping him off.

The row escalated and was so loud a neighbour started shouting through the front door they would call the police and the victim also tried to call 999 on her mobile.

"With his open palm he struck Miss Getachew on the cheek and she later described it as feeling as if her face was burning and was in great pain," explained Miss Chodha.

Robinson, who was shouting and swearing throughout the attack, eventually fled after learning the police were coming and his ex noticed two of her mobile phones were missing.

The couple had only stayed together for a month after the birth of their son.

The defendant admits he lost his temper, claiming he was struck on the back first.

Jewellery Thief's Wife Tried To Flush Away Valuables

A thieving courier driver's wife tried to flush valuable jewellery he stole down the toilet during a surprise police raid.

Driver Yousef Tanout, 38, of Rattray Road, Brixton helped himself to the jewellery when returning it to the supplier from a magazine.

He pleaded guilty at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court to stealing £1,245 worth of jewellery from Pandora on June 21.

Prosecutor Miss Rav Chodha told the court City Sprint courier Tanout found the offices of Pandora were closed at 6.10pm when delivering the jewellery from National Magazine.

The valuables were stored overnight in a supervisor's desk at the magazine, but when checked the following day it was clear jewellery had been stolen.

On October 14 police raided the defendant's home and caught his wife in the bathroom trying to flush jewellery down the toilet.

A stolen necklace and two rings were found in the bedroom.

Tanout was bailed until November 3 for probation reports.

Child Pervert's Sick Internet Hoard

A convicted child sex offender, who was caught driving an under-age boy home from a skate park in the middle of the night, had up to 1.5 million indecent images on his computer when police searched his home.

Paedophile Paul Pelletier, 64, of Stanhope Road, Beckenham breached his Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by having unsupervised contact with the youngster and was jailed for nine months.

At Croydon Crown Court (pictured) last Friday Pelletier, since freed from that sentence, was given a twelve-month community order after pleading guilty to twelve counts of possessing indecent images.

The court heard police seized a computer tower and separate hard drive from his address and after identifying 46,772 child sex images decided not to investigate the remaining files.

“The hard drive had significantly more images on it and the total number of files was one –and-a-half million, but only some were examined,” said prosecutor Mr. Frederick Ferguson.

The twelve sample counts Pelletier admitted included boys under ten years old engaging in oral and anal sex, plus mutual masturbation.

One scene involved a five year-old boy with an adult male and other images included boys aged approximately fourteen to seventeen engaged in a variety of sexual activity.

A total of fifty moving images were found and the remainder were still images, with 355 of them at Level Four – the second highest category of obscenity.

In February 2005 Pelletier was sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment for similar offences and made subject to the SOPO, which he breached when driving the young boy to the skate park and back home again to his mother.

Judge Ruth Downing told the online music memorabilia trader: “You pleaded guilty to looking at indecent images of young boys participating in sexual activity amongst themselves and to some extent with adults.

“I would hesitate to venture an opinion as to whether that means you wish to have sex with young boys or by looking at photos you somehow deal with that desire.

“There is not a shred of evidence you have approached young boys for sex, but that does not mean I do not understand the genuine fears there are that people can worm their way into other peoples families.

“You did take a young lad off to a skateboard park in the middle of the night and that was a foolish thing to do, but there is no evidence of any sexual motivation at that time.”

As a condition of his community order Pelletier was ordered to attend a community sex offenders group work programme and he must sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years.

A new five-year SOPO was made prohibiting the defendant from communicating with a child aged under sixteen via the internet or telephone; ordering him to notify the police of his vehicle’s registration and only use the internet for lawful recreation.

Cancer Patient's Cannabis Conviction

A Slough cancer survivor who claims his cannabis smoking is beneficial to his health and “doesn’t hurt anyone” was fined £50, with £100 costs yesterday.

Terry Anthony Munt, 26, of Wavell Gardens, who currently lives with his parents and receives £105 per week incapacity benefit, was arrested during a night out in London’s West End.

He pleaded guilty at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court to possessing a small quantity of herbal cannabis in Edgware Road (pictured) on October 14.

The court heard it was 9:15pm when officers stopped a Peugeot car and searched Munt, who was a front-seat passenger.

Nothing was found on him, but under his seat officers found a small black wrap of herbal cannabis on a small tray, which the defendant admitted buying for £10 for his personal use.

“I take it for my health. I do it now and again,” Munt told the court. “It doesn’t hurt anyone.

“I had testicular cancer and now I am in remission.”