Vile Paedophile Predator Caged Again

A notorious paedophile – caged after being identified via his freckled hand abusing Asian girls on video – has received ten years after more victims reported him to police.

Dean Hardy, 52, (pictured) was convicted at Isleworth Crown Court of three charges of indecent assault on a boy aged under 16 and gross indecency with a boy aged under 14.

The sickening attacks occurred between 1984 and 1991.

Hardy was jailed for six years in 2009 after admitting abusing young girls in Thailand and Cambodia.

In a highly-publicised prosecution forensic anthropology proved distinctive freckles on the fingers of a hand seen in abuse images were the same as Hardy’s.

Four more victims contacted police and three provided statements. 



The sentencing judge told Hardy he is a man who is a danger to the public and a man who needs to be kept away from children.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh of the Paedophile Unit said: “I would like to thank the media for their coverage of this case which encouraged UK victims of Hardy to come forward.

“The case demonstrates that we are constantly looking at new and innovative techniques to capture and imprison paedophiles.

“The message is clear to paedophiles; we will be relentless in bringing you to justice, the passage of time - even if it is decades - is no guarantee that your crimes will not be solved. 



“Most of all I would like to say thank you to our very brave victims, without your patience and support Hardy would not have been convicted.

“We appreciate how difficult it was to go through two trials. 



“We have reason to believe Hardy may have committed offences against young male and female victims.

“We would urge anyone who believes they may have been a victim to have the confidence to report the incident to police.

“We are here to support and protect you.”


The investigation team can be contacted direct on 020 71612811.



Alternatively call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111; ChildLine on 0800 1111 or report the matter to your local police station; or inform a teacher or trusted individual.

Selfridges Smash-And-Grab Sledgehammer Suspect Sent-Down

A smash-and-grab sledgehammer robber, whose gang snatched £300,000 worth of watches from landmark West End store Selfridges, has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Michael Sharpe, 40, (pictured) of Roe Stock Gardens, Holloway, North London was only caught after his tell-tale DNA was found at another similar raid in Northampton over four years later.

He pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to burgling Selfridges on December 29, 2006 and the sentence will be added to the six-and-a-half years he received for the Northampton raid.

Three high-powered motorbikes pulled up outside the department store at 2:30am and three pillion passengers smashed a side door window and entered, snatching the watches.

DNA was found on the sledgehammer the gang left behind, which was later matched to Sharpe’s DNA when he was arrested for the Northampton offence, which took place on February 7, last year.

Detective Inspector Bob Currie of Westminster Crime Squad said: “This conviction, even five years after the offence, shows that police will continue to pursue offenders until they are caught and brought to justice. 



“Thanks to the hard work and support of our colleagues in Northamptonshire Police we were able to link the suspect to the scene of the crime in Oxford Street and put him before the courts.”

Masked Raiders Admit Brutal Knifepoint £10K Pizza Robbery

Two masked knife-wielding robbers, who stabbed a have-a-go pizza takeaway boss while snatching £10,000 takings, were told today they will be locked-up for the “very serious” crime.

Shop worker Ahmed Yasin, 20, of Prince Rupert Road, Eltham and jobless Norbert Facuna, 20, of Ampleforth Road, Abbey Wood were remanded in custody until February 9 for sentencing.

Both pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court to robbing the manager of Domino’s Pizza, Upper Wickham Lane, Welling (pictured) on November 7 of a quantity of cash.

The 30 year-old victim was stabbed a total of eight times – receiving seven puncture wounds to his arms and one to his back – during the morning raid.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to wounding, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and possessing offensive weapons and the prosecution will not proceed on those counts.

Prosecutor Miss Shamini Jayanathan told the court: “The store manager was adding up the takings of approximately ten thousand pounds when both defendants burst into his office wearing masks and with two twelve inch kitchen knives.

“One pulled the CCTV system out of the wall and the other snatched the money.

“The store manager tried to stop them and was stabbed several times and then gave chase, but lost them.”

Fortunately, a suspicious member of the public, alerted by the duo’s behaviour called the police and they were arrested outside Facuna’s house with the stolen money, which they tried to dump.

The store manager was rushed to hospital and treated for his injuries and one of the knives was recovered near the scene of the robbery.

Judge A Lees told the defendants: “Obviously you will receive custodial sentences. It seems this was a very serious matter and the issue of your dangerousness will need to be assessed.”

Police Celebrate £1M-Plus Drug Seizure In Underground Car Park

Police smashed a huge cannabis-supply enterprise when seizing over £1 million worth of the drugs from a North London underground car park.

Last Monday a suspicious member of the public raised the alarm and officers confiscated 270 kilos of the drug in Crondall Street, Islington.

A 31 year-old man was arrested on suspicion of supplying drugs and taken to Hackney Police Station.

Police in Hackney borough have seized 270 kilos of cannabis with a street value of more than one million pounds.

The drugs were found in a lock-up, which contained herbal cannabis and cannabis resin wrapped in cling film in five large laundry holders, two holdalls and several shopping bags.

Police also seized a set of scales, a heat wrap machine an extra quantity of cling film and another block of resin in a nearby vehicle.

Detective Inspective Rhys Willis of Operation Bantam, said: “These drugs were clearly being stored to be divided up and sold on and this is a good seizure for Hackney police that has taken a substantial quantity of illegal substances off the streets.”

Sweeney Hunt Empty-Handed Bank Robbers

Flying Squad detectives are hunting two bungling wannabe robbers, who snatched an empty cash box from security guards outside a South-West London bank.

Police were called to HSBC bank (pictured) in London Road, Twickenham at noon on January 5 after a guard was attacked and the box ripped from his grasp.

Two suspects, who disguised their identities with scarves wrapped around their faces, were involved and one pounced as a guard walked from his van to the bank.

They fled on foot and turned into nearby Holly Road, where a black getaway car was waiting.

The guard was treated by the ambulance service at the scene but was not taken to hospital.

The suspects are described as male, approximately 5’6” tall and of either mixed race or Asian appearance.

The driver of the getaway car was a white male.

Detective Constable Mick O'Mahony said: “We are appealing to anyone who was in or around the area of London Road at midday on Thursday January 5.

“Maybe you saw the incident or the moments before the incident? Maybe you saw the car make its getaway? If you think you did, then please call us. Your information could assist the investigation.”

Any witnesses or anyone with any information should call the Flying Squad on 020 8247 7931 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Million-Image Paedo Dodges Jail

A paedophile, caught with over one million sickening images of children – the largest-ever haul seized by the Metropolitan Police – has dodged jail with a suspended sentence today.

Robert James Barrow, 57, from Plaistow, East London was investigated by the Paedophile Unit, who raided his home.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh said: “The seizure of images from Barrow is the largest ever seen by my unit in relation to one individual.

“His activities were on an industrial scale. To put his collection in perspective, it would take three hundred and forty seven days to view the entire collection - allowing 30 seconds per image with no breaks.



“Possession of indecent images of children is not a victimless crime as each image possessed or distributed represents a child that has been sexually abused in order that the image can exist.

“The circulation of those images around the internet magnifies that abuse.”



The photographs found in Barrow’s possession included some deemed to be of the most serious nature; those categorised as being Level 5.



He is understood to have amassed the collection from a range of sources over a period of 15 years.

Detectives believe he used the pictures for his own gratification as well as sharing them with other like-minded individuals.



He was arrested after admitting to officers that he had images stored on his PC before they had even looked at his machine. 



Barrow pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court (pictured) to making indecent photographs on or before August 13, 2010, namely 245,513 stills and 84 movies.

He also admitted possessing to show or distribute indecent photos, namely 160,000 stills.

Barrow was sentenced to twelve months, suspended for two years, ordered to sign the sex offenders register for ten years, made subject to a Sexual Offenders Prevention Order and a three-month curfew.

Police Hunt BMW Hit-And-Run

Police have released this CCTV image of silver BMW involved in a serious hit-and-run incident a few hours into the New Year, which left a pedestrian fighting for his life.

The victim, 30, sustained a life-threatening head injury at 6.45am on January 1 in Kennington Lane, Kennington, South London when struck by the vehicle.

The unknown male driver of the BMW failed to stop.

Many potential witnesses celebrating the New Year were in the area and police are appealing for them to come forward.

They are also urging the driver of the vehicle to give himself up and asking for anyone who knows of a similar vehicle sustaining windscreen damage around this time to come forward.

Detective Sergeant Stephen Pidgeon said: “It is highly likely, given the enquiries made so far, that the driver is aware of the collision occurring. 



“I am confident that both he and the vehicle will be identified. It is clearly in the driver’s interests to contact us rather than waiting for us to locate him.”



Anyone with information is asked to contact either the witness line at Hampton Traffic garage on 020 8941 9011 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Armed Robber Behind Bars After Globe-Trotting Freedom Bid

An armed robber, who raided a North London off-licence with an accomplice who later murdered PC Sharon Beshenivsky, has been caged for 8 years after he was extradited from the U.S.

Mohamed Hassan, 24, (pictured) pleaded guilty to robbing Wineways, Holmstall Parade, Burnt Oak on April 22, 2005 with two accomplices.

He also admitted possessing a firearm, with intent to commit robbery and in a separate offence possessing crack cocaine, with intent to supply, on June 7, 2006 in Deansbrook Road, Edgware.

Muzzaker Shah, 30, was also charged with robbing the off-licence, but this was dropped after he was convicted of murdering the police officer, who was shot dead responding to an armed robbery.

Detective Constable Siân Newell of Finchley Flying Squad said: “Mohamed Hassan was involved in a particularly harrowing robbery.

“Two shots were fired by an accomplice and it was only luck that prevented anyone from being hurt.”

Three robbers entered the off-licence – one armed with a gun – and while one watched the door a third began empting the till of cash and the shelves of champagne.

A female employee came from the storeroom of the shop and pushed the robber away from the champagne, resulting in the gunman firing a round.

As the gang left the shop, the gunman pointed the firearm at the owner and fired a second shot, and again fortunately no one was injured.

Hassan was identified via fingerprints, but had fled to Egypt, which has no extradition treaty with the U.K.

Last year he was tracked to the USA and arrested in July and extradited to the U.K. in November.

The third suspect has never been brought to justice.

African Child Asylum-Seeker Grows Into Teen Rapist

A Congolese child asylum-seeker, who grew up to be a teenage rapist, was locked-up for four years today for attacking a 15 year-old girl at their school.

The 16 year-old A-level student, who cannot be identified, tricked the girl into a locked music room at their Catford school in South-East London and raped her after she rejected his persistent pleas for a date.

"He had persisted in trying to contact her for a sexual liaison," prosecutor Mr. Richard Milne told Croydon Crown Court (pictured). "She said: 'no' which made him angry and he continued texting to contrive a meeting.

"By the ruse of removing her folder from the dining area and then told she could collect it from the music room the victim ended up alone with the defendant.

"He had obtained security keys to the room and the door was shut behind the victim and he locked the door.

"He grabbed her around the hips and tried to put his hand under her skirt," explained the prosecutor. "She told him to stop, but he would not listen.

"He pulled down her knickers, she screamed and was telling him to stop, but he continued."

No racially-aggravated charges were brought in relation to the offence against the white victim.

The defendant denied, but was convicted by a jury of raping the girl, who was in court for the sentencing, during Easter term in 2010.

He was only five months old when his family fled Congo and were granted asylum after claiming the boy's father was involved in the country's civil war.

Outside court the defendant's mother, who has seven children complained: "He is black and the girl is white. That is why he was found guilty."

Judge Simon Pratt announced: "He got her up to the music room behind the locked door, where she was isolated and vulnerable.

"An aggravating feature is the amount of manipulation in persuading her upstairs into a room behind a locked door.

"The emotional legacy of what you did to her will be long-lasting."

The defendant was sentenced to four years detention and will have to sign the sex offender's register for a period to be decided.

'Carer' Punches Dementia Resident At OAP Home

A residential care home employee, who viciously punched an 86 year-old dementia sufferer – cutting and blackening the man’s eye – dodged prison with a suspended sentence today.

Shashikant Valand, 52, of Meadowbank Road, Kingsbury lost his temper and struck the victim in front of fellow-employees, who reported him to police.

The first-time offender pleaded guilty to assaulting Albert Drinkwater, causing actual bodily harm, at Woodland Hall, Clamp Hill, Stanmore (pictured) on June 15, last year.

Harrow Crown Court Recorder Gordon Reed told Valand: “You were working in a care home and the victim was an eighty-six year-old resident with dementia.

“He was removing his clothes, he was being difficult and it required more than one member of staff to deal with him.

“That is a sad consequence of people suffering with this condition and he did offer some physical violence to you.

“You then lost your cool and hit him and he suffered a cut and bruising around the eye. I have seen the photographs taken three days later and it is a nasty black eye.

“I accept you are a hard working family man and what you did that day was out of character,” added Recorder Reed. “The prospect of you re-offending is unlikely.

“However, the victim was particularly vulnerable due to his personal circumstances and he was someone dependent on others, including you, and that increases the seriousness of the case significantly.

“He would have suffered pain and distress as a result of your actions and you may consider yourself fortunate that I suspended the sentence. It was not an easy decision.”

Valand has been suspended on full pay of £772 per month and it is expected his employment will be terminated.

He has a background in engineering, but after losing his job in 2009 began working at the care home, where his wife was already employed.

Valand was sentenced to twenty-six weeks imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months, and ordered to complete 120 hours community service.

He was also ordered to pay £250 compensation to Mr. Drinkwater and £350 costs and has already paid legal costs of £4,000.

Muslim Shoots Sikhs Dead In Mosque Parking Row

A mosque worshipper, attending traditional Friday prayers, has been caged for life for his involvement in machine-gunning two respected hoteliers to death during a parking row at the rear of their business.

Mohammed Ayub Khan, 28, (pic. top) blocked the rear alleyway in East London while worshipping at a local mosque and returned with a Mach 10 machine pistol and two accomplices after the victims complained.

Hotel owners and local property developers Amarjit Singh, 52, (pic. middle) and his nephew Rajinder Singh, 35, (pic. bottom) were brutally shot dead in Atherton Mews, Forest Gate on August 29, 2003.

They had blocked in Khan’s car with their van behind Forest View Hotel, Romford Road and all three had a heated argument when the defendant returned.

Later that day Khan returned with two unknown accomplices and began vandalising the van.

When the victims dashed out to confront them they were sprayed with machine gun fire and left for dead in front of Amarjit’s 26 year-old daughter.

Police later discovered ten shots had been fired.

Khan fled to Pakistan and then Bangladesh, where he was eventually arrested on August 5, 2010 and extradited to the U.K. on October 24.

He was convicted of both murders at Woolwich Crown Court and sentenced to life imprisonment – with a twenty-sex year minimum.

Detective Inspector Andrew Yeats of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: “Amarjit and Rajinder and their families were highly respected members of the community.

“They were hard working hoteliers and property developers who had been pro-active in trying to improve community life in Forest Gate by working with the local authority and community groups.



“They were callously murdered in the most appalling way with the use of extreme violence beyond any comprehension. 



“I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to their families for the dignified way in which they have handled such an incredibly difficult situation.

“They waited eight years for justice whilst Ayub Khan attempted to evade the authorities.



“This case clearly shows the MPS work tirelessly to pursue violent and dangerous criminals and we will bring them to justice no matter where they seek to hide in the world.”



Speaking outside court D I Yeats appealed for anyone with information on the two outstanding suspects or the murder weapon to come forward.

He said: “We are still seeking two casually dressed Asian men wearing hooded tops in their late teens or early twenties.

“They ran away from the scene during the busy period after Friday prayers and turned right into Norwich Road, crossed Romford Road and continued south in Margery Park Road where they may have got into a parked vehicle.



“The Mach ten machine pistol is yet to be recovered. I would appeal for anyone with any information on the two outstanding suspects or the murder weapon to come forward and assist my team with the on-going investigation.” 


Anyone who can assist should call the incident room on 0208 345 1570 or if you wish to remain anonymous you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.



Bogus Hollywood Producer Cashed In On Wannabe Filmakers' Dream

A notorious conman, who again posed as a successful Hollywood film maker in a £121,000 swindle on two rookie screen writers, was jailed for three-and-a-half years today.

Richard Maskery, 42, (pictured) claimed he was a protege of legendary director Stanley Kubrick and was involved in producing Tom Cruise movies 'Mission Impossible' and 'Eyes Wide Shut'.

He convinced the couple he was negotiating with stars including Jonathan Rees-Myers and leading Hollywood directors and extracted nearly £55,000 of their savings to finance the project.

Friends of the Battersea couple invested nearly £54,000, which was never seen again and another £12,000 cash was lost in a book publishing deal associated with the 'Shadows of Blood' film.

Maskery, of The Hawthorns, Westhorpe Road, Finningham, Stowmarket, Suffolk pleaded guilty that between August 1 2009 and February 28 last year he dishonestly, with intent to make a gain, falsely represented he was involved in the production of the film 'Shadows of Blood'.

"Your offence was extremely unpleasant. This was an elaborate and sophisticated fraud," Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court Judge Paul Dodgson told Maskery.

"The intent was to defraud the victims for as much as possible and you were the architect of the edifice that backed-up this fraud.

"You supplied the pretence that genuine actors were involved and you played an important part in persuading these victims that it was real."

In September 2006 Maskery received 18 months imprisonment for a string of frauds during which he posed as a successful Hollywood movie producer.

Prosecutor Mr. Rory Keane told the court an accomplice of Maskery, who is currently on the run, befriended the couple at a party and told them he had the contacts to turn their script into a film.

Maskery posed as the managing director of 'To Die For Films' and over the next eighteen months kept the pretence alive 'Shadows of Blood' was on the brink of production.

"This was completely bogus throughout and all the sums of money were wasted and frittered away on a fantasy-type lifestyle and running-up large bills," said Mr. Keane.

"Maskery was the draughtsman of the fraud and suggested various actors, but kept coming up with problems with the studio to delay production and continued encouraging the victims to reach deep into their pockets."

He also convinced investors his production company had made lavish television commercials for Porsche and Nike and he was deep in negotiations with Warner and Paramount Pictures.

By chance, the accomplice was snapped by paparazzi outside a Soho club walking behind Clint Eastwood, lending credibility to the swindle.

The con was only exposed when the Australian girlfriend of Maskery's accomplice complained her boyfriend was abusing her credit card while living it up in the West End at the five-star Sanderson Hotel.

Maskery's lawyer Miss Maria Dineen told the court her client was "determined to rehabilitate himself" after being released from prison in February 2007.

"Finding employment proved harder than anticipated and he was sacked from a marketing management job after a matter of weeks when the managing director discovered his background.

"From then Mr. Maskery spiralled downwards and he and his partner incurred significant debts and he felt he was letting her down emotionally and financially.

"It was while in this frame of mind he was approached by his co-defendant, who he had met in prison, and desperate for work and money foolishly lent himself to the enterprise."

Second Intruder Now Caged For Heartless Killing

The killers of a terrified 83 year-old pensioner, who was left to die a slow and painful death on the floor of her North London home, have now both been caged.

Jewish spinster Eveline Kelmenson, (pic.top) of Leweston Place, Stamford Hill was bound, gagged and left for dead after her grandmother’s wedding ring was ripped from her finger and gold necklace and pendant ripped from her neck.

Polish-born Kuba Dlugosz, 33, (pic.middle) had already been convicted of manslaughter and burglary by an Old Bailey jury and received an indeterminate sentence – with a seven-year minimum.

The serial burglar – wanted on a European arrest warrant – also ransacked the large five-bedroom house, looking for more valuables.

The victim – known as Lina – who had lived in the house all her life struggled to free herself, but eventually died of hypothermia and lay undiscovered for five weeks.

Now the second intruder – 26 year-old Pole Szymon Wyrostek (pic.bottom) – has also been convicted after a retrial of manslaughter and robbery and sentenced to nine years imprisonment.

Dlugosz was trapped by DNA he left on a chisel handle during the break-in on November 27, 2008. Lena was not discovered until New Year’s Day, 2009.

Detective Chief Inspector Stewart Hill said: “Miss Kelmenson was a defenceless and vulnerable woman who had lived at the address in Stamford Hill her entire life.

“She must have been absolutely terrified the night Dlugosz entered her home and restrained her on the floor.

“As he left her property, carrying her valued possessions, he didn't spare one single thought for her welfare. She had no means to escape, could not raise the alarm and died a slow death on a freezing floor.

“My officers worked tirelessly on this case and conducted some of the most extensive and detailed searches I have ever seen.

“Over 4,000 items were removed from the property to be examined by our forensic specialists.

“The determination and tenacity of all those involved in the investigation has helped to secure the conviction of a ruthless and wicked individual.

“I can only hope that this result today brings some solace to Eveline's family.”

Pensioner Stabbing: Killer Caged For Life

A murderer who stabbed a pensioner to death in his West London home has been jailed for life – with a thirty-three minimum.

Ealing man Mohammed Khaleel, 38, (pictured) was convicted at the Old Bailey of murdering 67 year-old Michael Zubrot in Buckingham Avenue, Perivale.

The victim, a retired classical music retailer, was found on September 9, 2010 with stab wounds to his neck.

Relatives concerned for Mr. Zubrot’s wellbeing after not hearing from him for several days alerted police, who discovered the body.

The victim had not been seen or heard from since August 30 and he had been dead for many days.

There were no signs of a forced entry at the address.

CCTV captured in Ealing town centre showed Khaleel with Mr. Zubrot on August 30 and they both boarded a 297 bus to Perivale.

When quizzed by police Khaleel admitted he and Mr. Zubrot were “associates” and the deceased had previously offered him DVD’s for sale, which he refused to buy.

Khaleel was arrested the day after Mr. Zubrot’s body was found and charged with murder on September 12.