Who'd Be a Bus Driver, Eh?

Police hunting two late-night bus passengers, who dragged the driver from his cab and repeatedly punched and kicked him to the head and body, have released these CCTV images of the suspects.

Officers from the joint Metropolitan Police Service and Transport for London Safer Transport Command Workplace Violence Unit are appealing for anybody who recognises them to come forward.

The brutal assault occurred at half-past-midnight on November 20, last year on a route 121 bus travelling along Windmill Hill, Enfield, North London.

The male bus driver was dragged from his cab by the two suspects and subjected to a sustained attack of kicking and punching to the head and body. 



He was taken by ambulance to Chase Farm Hospital where he was treated and later discharged. 



Suspect 1 is described as a white man, with brown hair wearing a light coloured hooded top with a green body warmer. 


Suspect 2 is described as a white man with short fair hair wearing a light coloured hooded top with a dark jacket.



Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Constable Paul Brown leading the investigation for the Workplace Violence Unit on 020 3054 5400 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Bus Robbery: Do You Know These Scumbags?

Two cocky bus muggers, who robbed a fellow-passenger on the top deck of a packed bus in Aldgate last summer, are being hunted by City of London Police.

This CCTV image of the pair boarding the number 25 bus on July 16 has been released in the hope they will be identified and brought to justice.

The sleeping victim, who was sitting in front of the suspects, woke as his pockets were been rifled at 5:40am as the bus travelled along St. Botolph Street and was repeatedly punched when he woke up.

No other passengers assisted and the robbers sat grinning in their seat after snatching the victim’s wallet.

They are described as black, in their twenties and wearing distinctive brightly-coloured clothing at the time of the robbery.

One man was wearing a blue and green jacket and the other, a red and white baseball style jacket and matching cap.

Following the robbery, the two men got off the bus on St. Botolph Street and items from the victim’s wallet were later found at Stratford train station.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact City of London Police CID on 020 7601 2670 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Passenger Wanted For Violent Bus Stop Row

A vicious bus passenger, who punched the driver when not left off at his stop, is being hunted by police who have released this CCTV image of the suspect.

On September 12 last year a number 78 bus was travelling along St. Mary’s Road, Peckham, South London at 5pm when a passenger became abusive after discovering his stop was out of service.

He got off at the next stop, but rounded the bus to the driver’s side and punched him in the face and fled.

The driver received a cut to his nose and was treated at the scene by an ambulance crew.

The suspect is being hunted by police officers from the joint Metropolitan Police Service and Transport for London Safer Transport Command Workplace Violence Unit.

The suspect is described as black, with short dark hair, wearing a dark T-shirt and holding a light coloured jumper. 



Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Constable Andy Barnard leading the investigation for the Workplace Violence Unit on 020 3054 5406 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Neighbours-From-Hell Sentenced

Three residents involved in a boozy brawl on a Beckenham council estate, which saw a knifeman battered to the ground and kicked in the head, have all dodged jail.

Police were met with a chaotic scene involving a huge mob "shouting, swearing, crying and screaming" at Clifford House, Southend Road, Croydon Crown Court was told.

Alvin Smith, 27, pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour on March 13 and was fined £500, with £250 costs.

Chloe Hodgson, 21, admitted the same charge and was given a twelve-month community order and must complete 100 hours community service.

Her boyfriend, jobless 22 year-old Andre Thomas pleaded guilty to assaulting Smith and was fined £90.

The court heard most of the participants in the disturbance had been drinking all day and tempers flared over a camera somebody had lost.

Smith emerged from a flat armed with a knife, inflicting minor injuries on the couple.

Hodgson then went to a flat on another floor and returned with an object, which she bashed Smith over the head with, inflicting a wound requiring five staples.

Thomas then jumped in and kicked and punched Thomas as he lay in a pool of blood.

Judge Simon Pratt told the defendants: "This was a nasty little incident and what went on reflects badly on all of you."

HIV-Positive Caribbean Cocaine Smuggler Jailed

A HIV-positive mother-of-three, caught at Gatwick Airport with nearly £100,000 worth of cocaine after stepping off a flight from the Caribbean, has been jailed for five years.

Trinidad-born Dona Latchman, 34, had 1,000 gms of 66% pure cocaine and $630 U.S. on her when arrested.

She has been in custody since her arrest almost three months ago and deportation papers have been served.

Her lawyer told Croydon Crown Court last week: "She got into financial difficulties when her husband died eight years ago of a HIV-related illness.

"When she discovered she was HIV-positive she lost her job at a restaurant and drifted into prostitution."

An ex-boyfriend asked Latchman to smuggle the cocaine.

She also has malaria, suspected womb cancer and her sixteen year-old daughter is pregnant.

Judge Nicholas Ainley told the defendant: "I accept it was financial desperation that drove you to do what you did."

"Isolated" Paedophile Downloaded Child Porn While Caring For Mum

A paedophile, caught with over 10,000 sickening child porn images on his computer when police raided his Wallington flat, has dodged prison with a suspended sentence.

Kelly Ware, 39, of Marlesford Court, Rectory Lane was tracked online via a Luxembourg-based internet server, which hosted chats between paedophiles.

He pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court (pictured) to seven counts of possessing a total of 10,214 indecent images and yesterday was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Prosecutor Miss Shahnaz Ahmed told the court police began investigating potential users of the Luxembourg server in April 2009 and executed a search warrant at Ware’s flat on June 21, last year.

“He admitted immediately he had been viewing indecent images of children on his computer,” said the prosecutor and when arrested Ware simply replied: “I understand.”

On his computer hard drive officers found indecent pictures and movies of children engaged in sexual activity.

He was bailed and later charged at Sutton police station on September 21.

The court heard Ware – the sole carer of his elderly mother – felt “isolated socially and geographically” and his adult porn viewing “degenerated” into watching underage pornography.

Recorder Alexander Milne QC told Ware: “This will be the only chance you will be given. The one opportunity you will have to get a grip on your life.”

Ware was also placed under two years supervision, made subject to a Sexual Offenders Prevention Order and all seized computer equipment will be destroyed.

Gardening Van Joyrider Hosed By Judge

A joyrider, who jumped into a gardening crew’s van as they tended a roundabout and mounted the kerb and jumped red lights as he tried to evade police, was jailed for six months today and banned from the roads.

Gavin Stewart, 28, of Holmesdale Road, Selhurst pleaded guilty to taking and driving away the Iveco van on May 18, last year and driving dangerously in Shirley Road (pictured) and Elmers End Road.

Prosecutor Mr. Julius Capon told the Croydon Crown Court it was 9:20am when Stewart suddenly jumped into the vehicle as the gardening crew worked on the Shirley Road roundabout.

“The police were called and a few minutes later approached the van, but the defendant drove off and there was a slow-speed pursuit.

“The van mounted the kerb and then went on the wrong side of the road and on the right side of a keep-left bollard,” explained Mr. Capon. “The van also went through red lights before the police eventually stopped Stewart.

“He accepted he was caught red-handed in the van and said it was a spur of the moment act of stupidity.”

Stewart was charged, but jumped bail and spent Christmas in custody after magistrates jailed him for fourteen days.

Judge Simon Pratt sentenced him to six months for dangerous driving, plus two months concurrent for taking and driving away.

Stewart was fined £500 with the alternative of five days served for driving without insurance and was disqualified from driving for twelve months.

“There was clearly danger caused to the public and it remains good fortune nobody was injured or that there was no damage to property,” the Judge told him.

Pop Star In Police Raid Suicide Dealt Cocaine, Jury Told

Deceased eighties pop star 'Smiley Culture' masterminded a £400,000 cocaine supply plot from his gated Surrey mansion, the trial of his alleged conspirators was told this week.

The singer, 48 (pictured) - whose real name was David Emanuel - was charged and on bail when he stabbed himself through the heart on March 15, last year during a separate 7am police drugs raid at the property.

Lloyd McCalla, 51, of Temple Avenue, Dagenham and 27 year-old Carlene Wilson, of no fixed abode, have both pleaded not guilty to conspiring with Mr. Emanuel and Lloyd's son Ryan, 30, to supply cocaine between June 30 and July 2, 2010.

Prosecutor Mr. Tom Little told Croydon Crown Court: "This involves a well organised drugs conspiracy to supply a kilo of cocaine, involving at least four individuals.

"David Emanuel was the main organiser of the conspiracy and needed these drugs distributed and that is where the McCalla family come in."

However, the jury were told they would not need to consider a verdict in relation to Mr. Emanuel.

"Police attended his home again on March fifteen last year in relation to a different drugs conspiracy and Mr. Emanuel stabbed himself and died. He committed suicide."

On July 2, 2010 undercover police were staking out Mr. Emanuel's home in Hillbury Road, Warlingham when Lloyd and Ryan, who has pleaded guilty to the charge, arrived at 7.45pm.

"It must have been at this point the drugs were handed over by Mr. Emanuel to the McCalla's and taken out by Ryan," Mr. Little told the jury.

"Ryan walked with a bag containing the cocaine to a taxi, where Wilson was waiting and she was given the drugs and the taxi drove off.

"The McCalla's followed behind and the taxi was stopped by police and the drugs were found in the bag between the feet of Wilson."

When analysed the drugs were found to be 77% pure cocaine.

The trial is expected to last two weeks...........

Hug Snub Wife Jailed For Trying To Kill Forgiving Hubby

An angry wife, who tried to smother her sleeping husband to death with a pillow after he refused to give her a hug, has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Linda McQuade, 53, told police: "I wanted to get rid of him. I had enough of him. I was not going to stop."

The first-time offender pleaded guilty to attempting to murder Steve McQuade, 54, at the one-bedroom flat they shared above their shop in Clarence Road, Grays, Essex on March 20, last year.

Remarkably, the couple have patched things up and Mr. McQuade has made regular weekly visits to Holloway Prison, where his wife has been held on remand since she tried to kill him.

Prosecutor Mr. Julius Capon told Croydon Crown Court (pictured) Mr. McQuade snubbed his wife's request to lie down with her and give her a hug and she told him: "You don't love me anymore."

Instead he napped alone and the defendant pounced.

"He woke up gasping for air and his wife was standing next to him with a pillow in her hand," explained Mr. Capon. "She said: 'I will fucking kill you'."

Mr. McQuade tried to dial 999, but his wife completed the call for him and allowed the police in.

"She told the officers she had tried to murder her husband," added the prosecutor.

Mr. McQuade told the police: "I still feel a bit shocked and shaken, but I think it was out of character for Linda and I want her to get help."

Mr. Capon added: "He withdrew his statement and has not supported this prosecution.

"His view is that Linda is still his wife and it is his wish she returns to be with him."

Her lawyer Mr. Andrew Hope said: "She has a long history of depression and she taken overdoses in the past.

"She has also taken herself off for a few weeks at a time to sort herself out, get well, and return.

"Another way she has dealt with depression is to drink alcohol and to drink heavily, two to three bottles of wine a day plus vodka.

"He was spending a lot of time in the pub and she was left feeling lonely and isolated.

"She wanted a hug and on that particular day he did not reciprocate and the defendant struggles to recall what happened during the rest of the day," explained Mr. Hope.

"This is an offence committed on the spur of the moment and she is deeply remorseful and regretful."

Judge Christopher Mitchell told McQuade: "You were under the influence of alcohol when you came to smother your husband and everything was a blur.

"His attitude has been one of utmost support and he did not want you prosecuted.

"It was a spontaneous attempt to kill."

Drug Money Launderers Caught With Cash In Bumper

Two money launderers, caught trying to smuggle drug cash totalling almost £300,000 in the bumper of their car, have dodged prison with suspended sentences.

They were watched by undercover investigators collecting the vehicle from two notorious Essex dealers – currently on the run from twenty-year prison sentences.

Carpet layer Anthony Leigh, 28, of Elmdon Road, South Ockendon and trainee electrician Louis Crawford, 22, of Southend Road, Rainham pleaded guilty to attempting to remove criminal property, namely £293,670 cash on August 2, 2010.

Prosecutor Mr Stuart Biggs told Croydon Crown Court (pictured): “This was drugs money and these two defendants were recruited to carry out the journey to Spain.”

The Seat Cordoba was observed leaving the home of one of the dealer’s in Werrington Road, Rainham and Leigh and Crawford were stopped en route to the Eurotunnel.

The vehicle was searched and the cash was discovered within a secret compartment hidden inside the bumper.

Both defendants denied knowledge of the money and waived all claims to it, but were observed the next day explaining what happened to the two dealers.

“That was probably the post mortem,” added Mr. Biggs. “The explanation to the two seniors as to what happened.”

Leigh and Crawford later claimed they believed the money only amounted to £10,000 and was for building work in Spain and the prosecution accepted this explanation.

“They were, however, taking an enormous risk it was more and they never looked inside the concealment,” added the prosecutor.

Driver Crawford also claimed he was offered the car for a discount if he completed the Spain run and Leigh had arranged insurance and purchased the Eurotunnel tickets.

Judge Simon Pratt told the defendants: “You have both come perilously close to starting sentences of imprisonment.

“What saves you is the prosecution accepting your basis of plea, where they accept you thought you were only taking out ten thousand pounds and neither of you had any idea it was drugs money.

“Those who ferry about criminal property must know they will be dealt with severely.”

Leigh and Crawford were both sentenced to ten months imprisonment, suspended for two years, ordered to complete 150 hours community service and pay £500 costs each.

The drug dealers, a 62 year-old Rainham man and a 58 year-old Waverley man skipped bail during their trial and were sentenced in their absence.

They are still wanted and warrants have been issued for their arrest.

Spiritual Healer-To-The-Stars Jailed For Fondling Migraine Client

A spiritual healer-to-the-stars has been jailed for 15 months for subjecting a female client - seeking treatment for agonising migraines - to three sordid sex ordeals in which he ordered her to strip naked and fondled her.

Ex-Croydon councillor Graham Dare, 57, who proclaims himself the U.K.'s number one clairvoyant boasts a celebrity client list, which includes actress Joely Richardson; Eastenders star Tamzin Outhwaite; tv presenter's Melinda Messenger, Kate Thornton and Michaela Strachan; Emmerdale star Adele silva and Sky's Lisa Aziz.

Dare, (pictured) of Taymount Rise, Forest Hill, boss of Sensitives Clinic, 31 Hatton Garden, Farringdon denied, but was convicted on three counts of sexual assault.

"This was a wholesale abuse of your position as a healer," Blackfriars Crown Court Judge Aidan Marron QC told the defendant.

"The young Japanese student sought your professional assistance because of persistent migraines.

"You treated her at least initially and secured her trust, but thereafter you abused your position, touching her, massaging the intimate parts of her body for long periods, ultimately using your mouth all over her body for sexual gratification.

"You convinced this young woman, who I consider to be enormously naive, that a proper therapy was for her to massage you.

"Your behaviour was a gross breach of trust designed exclusively for your sexual gratification.

"I accept you have done much good work, but I am afraid your exploitation of this young woman was nothing less than disgraceful.

"You have demonstrated not a morsel of remourse and your victim was forced to give evidence and relive her awful experiences."

The court heard how he 'groomed' the 31 year-old Japanese student during the first three genuine appointments and waived his usual £95 per hour fee until her migraines disappeared.

"The defendant abused his position, he was building up this young lady's confidence and trust in him," prosecutor Miss Heather Stangoe told the jury, explaining the abuse began during a fourth appointment on September 14, last year.

"He asked her to take off all of her clothes and although thinking this was unusual she thought it must have been part of the treatment.

"He said the clothes were getting in the way of spiritual healing and she agreed to take hers off, including her underwear, and lied down covered in a towel.

"The defendant's hands moved towards her crotch and he touched her pubic bone and the outer lips of her vagina, which he told her was necessary to connect with energy levels flowing from her spine.

"She was wriggling in discomfort," added Miss Stangoe, but believing the treatment was genuine booked another appointment for September 16.

"The defendant told her to remove her clothes and began to touch her and this time was more focussed on her crotch and while pressing her pubic bone with one hand touched her left nipple with the other.

"This was no genuine treatment, this defendant was sexually assaulting a vulnerable woman while continuing to claim he was a genuine practitioner."

The victim returned on September 20, but insisted keeping her knickers on.

"He said she would have to take her bra off because it was interfering with her spine and said he would have to use his mouth on her," explained Miss Stangoe.

"He said the mouth was a sensitive organ and ten times more effective in treatment and began to put his lips on her hands, arms, legs and abdomen while making a funny noise the complainant thought was all part of the healing process.

"This lasted thirty minutes and by now she was extremely anxious to put her clothes back on, but the defendant told her it was her turn to perform healing on him.

"The defendant took all his clothes off, wrapped a towel around his hips, and asked this young lady to touch him on the body and she placed her hands on his arms and abdomen.

"She began to notice his abdomen area was heaving, but remained convinced the treatment, although unusual, was genuine.

"However, she saw something on his inner thigh that she believed was semen and became terrified and wanted to get out of that clinic as soon as possible."

The complainant made an appointment for the next day, which she later cancelled and after obtaining advice from another spiritualist who dismissed Dare's methods called the police.

When questioned by officers Dare, who has been a spiritualist for over a decade and charges £375 for home visits and £1,256 for one-week residential healing treatments, insisted there was no abuse.

"He denied touching her genitals or nipple or touching her body with his mouth," said Miss Stangoe. "He said she requested to learn the techniques and he allowed her to perform the treatment on him and denied being aroused or ejaculating.

"The Crown say the defendant chose this Japanese lady because she had poor English and was vulnerable and went on to assault her."

The complainant told the jury Dare performed full body massages on her for thirty to sixty minutes, after telling her to strip naked. "He explained to me this was the way to connect the energy flow.

"I did not like what he was doing to me, but because he was serious about his treatments I wanted to tell him nicely.

"I did not want to offend him because he was not going to charge me until my migraines had gone. Looking back the whole thing sounds very strange

On his website, which is how the complainant discovered him, Dare claims heat permanently radiates from his hands and his healing energy has cured patients, where conventional medical therapy has failed.

He says he has communicated with the spirit of the Princess of Wales and also offers contact with the deceased and tarot and palm readings and hires himself out for stag and hen nights as well as other parties and promotions.

Dare claims to help current artists with advice from dead legends such as Picasso and Van Gough, which he can also claims he can extend to other professions such as fashion and design.

He was healing group leader at Battersea Spiritualist Church from 2000 to 2003, where he was also president in 2000, was a school governor, a Croydon councillor and a youth offending community panel chairman.

The Miss England pageant organiser also stood as the English Democrats Lewisham mayoral candidate last year.

Twenty-Two Year Hunt For 'Southwark Rapist' Is Over

A serial violent sexual predator dubbed the ‘Southwark Rapist’ will spend the rest of his life behind bars for a series of notorious attacks on elderly women in their homes.

Michael John Roberts, 45, (pictured) of St. James Road, Southwark, received the whole life sentence for a series of crimes in the late 80’s and early 90’s against women aged between 57 and 83.

He was convicted of three rapes; two indecent assaults; one buggery; two counts of grievous bodily harm and four burglaries.

He was arrested as the result of a cold case review conducted by detectives from the Metropolitan Police Service’s Specialist Crime Review Group.



Between December 1988 and June 1990 Roberts committed a series of violent burglaries, raping, beating and indecently assaulting lone women in their homes.



Each of the victims lived less than a mile from his home address and a former address in nearby Gaywood Street – some much closer.

He inflicted extreme violence on all of his victims, including a 57 year-old woman on Boxing Day 1988, who he raped and left with a broken jaw and fractured eye socket.

No suspect was successfully identified until a DNA match with Roberts was made in 2005.

At the time he was serving a life sentence for the brutal robbery and assault of an elderly man in his home in Lee, Lewisham.



Detective Inspector Nathan Eason of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: “Michael Roberts had no regard for the lives of others, and picked on those least able to defend themselves.

“In the late Eighties he went even further by committing vile sexual attacks which are beyond most peoples comprehension.”



Outside Southwark Crown Court, DI Eason read a statement on behalf of the victims families, which red: “Roberts is a sexual predator who preyed on the elderly in Southwark during the late Eighties and early Nineties. 



“Unfortunately none of his victims lived to see him brought to justice today.



“The families have expressed a deep satisfaction with the sentence handed down today and they have asked that thanks be given to officers from the Specialist Crime Review Group and recognize that the work of ex Detective Chief Inspector Brian Bowden-Brown was significant in bringing Roberts to justice. 



“They would also like to thank the Forensic Science Service, the police investigation team, the prosecution counsel and the jury.



“They take great satisfaction in knowing that Roberts will never be able to devastate another life.”