Boastful Gangster Jailed For £250K Jewellery Heist

A notorious South London gangster - who boasted about his life of crime in his autobiography - is starting a two year and three month sentence after he was jailed for duping a businesswoman out of  £250,000 worth of jewellery.

Jimmy Tippett, 41, author of 'Born Gangster' initially claimed he was forced into the heist by violent thugs, but abandoned this defence after learning the prosecution planned to read extracts of his book to the jury.

He convinced the jewellery dealer to meet him at a hotel and arrived with a fellow-crook, who posed as a wealthy Saudi businessman's buyer.

During the meeting at the Bromley Court Hotel with Anita Cotton, Tippett distracted her and walked off with the uninsured jewellery, which has never been recovered.

This left the shocked victim with a £99,600 wholesale bill to the Hatton Garden jewellers, who had supplied her with the stock.

Tippett, of Chancery Lane, Beckenham and Mark Spink, 52, of Calverley Close, Beckenham, who received twenty-two months, both pleaded guilty to stealing the jewellery from Mrs Cotton at the Coniston Road hotel on August 29, last year.

A separate charge against Tippett of stealing £48,000 worth of jewellery from a woman in Brighton while on the run was dropped by the prosecution.

In his autobiography Tippett says he was born into a criminal aristocracy, with his father bare-knuckle fighter Jimmy Tippett snr. known as the 'Guv'nor of Lewisham.'

His first arrest was at the age of twelve, he was carrying a gun at the age of sixteen and visiting Reggie Kray in prison.

Ironically, his boasts were used against him at Croydon Crown Court where prosecutor Mr. Julius Capon said: "Mr. Tippett is an author and in a synopsis of his book 'Born Gangster' he says he was involved in drug deals, robberies, bloody fights and dodgy scams.

"He says he has no regrets about his life and makes no apologies for his crimes. He says he has never done an honest day's work in his life and was not forced into criminal activity, but was a path he chose."

Tippett's criminal career has taken him to the Costa del Crime, Britain's toughest prisons and associations with London's underworld.

"Mrs Cotton runs a small company that sells jewellery and many of her sales were made via the internet and she had been in contact with Tippett on the internet and via telephone and text messages," explained Mr. Capon.

A proposed meeting at the Dorchester hotel fell through so Tippett agreed to meet Mrs Cotton in Bromley.

"He claimed he would be with a man called 'Bruce', who was the representative of a Saudi businessman.

"The story was that the Saudi businessman wanted to buy jewellery for his prostitutes and Mrs Cotton was asked to bring some jewellery with her.

"They met in the lounge of the hotel, with Spink posing as 'Bruce' and all three sat around a table and the defendants continued with the scam, asking questions and examining the jewellery.

"Tippett distracted Mrs Cotton when asking her questions about the prices of certain pieces and he got up and walked out with the jewellery.

"Spink remained, but after a short while tried to leave for the toilets and kept trying to escape.

"The victim's husband, who had some concerns about the meeting, was nearby and when he saw Spink he called the police and the defendant was arrested as he tried to leave in a cab."

When quizzed by police Spink claimed he thought it was just an innocent social get-together, saying: "I was just looking at the pretty lady."

Tippett went on the run and was circulated as wanted and was eventually arrested at a Ramsgate Travelodge hotel.

Both defendants have lengthy criminal histories for offences of theft and burglary and Tippett has additional convictions for violence and public order.

Jailing the pair Judge Stephen Waller said: "This was a scam. A confidence trick."

Locksmith Locked-Up For Lock-Up Cocaine

A locksmith, who kept £8.6m worth of cocaine in three safes cemented into the walls and floor of a suburban storage unit, has been jailed for thirteen years.

Charles Court, 27, (pictured) of Friern Close, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire was arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police's SCO7 Central Task Force East.

He pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court to two counts of possessing class A drugs, with intent to supply.

Court was stopped in Goffs Lane, Cheshunt on August 28, last year and brown taped packages containing drugs were found in his car.

Police also seized keys, which opened a lock-up at an industrial unit in St. James Road, Goffs Oak.

Inside they discovered a false wall secured with screws and a locked door behind.



Officers found three safes concreted into the wall and floor and a locksmith helped open the safes.

Inside were twenty-eight packages containing 27 kilos of cocaine.

Acting Detective Inspector Tim Grinsted said: "Tenacious detective work prevented a massive amount of cocaine reaching London's streets and causing the inevitable misery that Class A drugs bring.”



Would-Be Rapist Flees On 'Boris Bike'

A late-night wannabe rapist – who escaped his East London attack on a lone woman on a 'Boris Bike' – is being hunted by police.

Officers with Shoreditch's Sapphire Unit have released this CCTV image of the suspect, who struck in Hackney Road at 2.45am on November 20, last year.

The image shows the white man, riding on a Barclays Cycle Hire Bike shortly before the incident.

He is described as aged between 25-35 years, at least 6 feet tall and of muscular build. 



The 28-year-old woman was walking along Goldsmith Row, about 40 metres from the junction with Hackney Road, when she was approached by the man.

He robbed her before trying to rape her and was disturbed by passers-by and rode off towards Broadway Market.

Officers have traced the passers-by who disturbed the attacker, but are keen to speak to anyone else who was in the area at the time of the incident, or anyone who may recognise the man pictured on the bicycle.


Anyone who saw a man on a Barclays Cycle Hire bike hanging around the area of Hackney Road and Goldsmith Row around this time should contact the Sapphire Unit on 020 7275 3489. To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Irishman Sectioned After Alleged West End Hold Up

A County Galway man, accused of using a fake gun during an armed robbery bid in London's busy West End, was sectioned under the Mental Health Act when he appeared at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court today.

David Joseph Coleman, 35, of Williams Town Road, Heston, Lee will be held at the Hammersmith and Fulham Mental Health Unit.

He is charged with attempting to rob Gordon Okoye of cash at 550 Oxford Street on February 12 and possessing an imitation firearm, with intent to commit an indictable offence, namely a handgun.

Bearded Coleman, wearing a grey sweatshirt, appeared in custody and his case was immediately transferred to Southwark Crown Court for a prelimianry hearing on February 22.

The court (pictured) was told mental health workers assesed Coleman as having “dilussions and mania” and confuses fact with fiction.

Rasta Says 20 Kilos Of Cannabis Was For Bathtime And Brekkie

A cannabis smuggler, caught with 20 kilos of the drug worth £58,000, has been jailed for two years and three months after a court rejected his claim it was for medicinal and religious use.

Mechanic Aldwin Renardo Gooden, 44, of Gilbert Grove, Huddersfield was caught at Gatwick Airport after stepping off a flight from Kingston, Jamaica.

He pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to importing two packages of herbal cannabis on October 4, last year, but insisted it was not a commercial operation.

Gooden (pictured) told the court he is of the Rastafarian religion and was given the cannabis for free by an “elder” during a trip to his native Jamaica.

He insisted he needed large quantities of the drug to cook with his meals, put in his porridge, bathe in, smoke and mix with Jamaican white rub to apply to his painful joints.

“In my work I lie on a cold floor during the winter, the garage is really cold and is bad for my joints,” explained Gooden.

“I don't take tablets for the pain because they are drugs,” he added, estimating his daily smoking habit at six ounces of cannabis.

Rejecting Gooden's argument Recorder Peter Susman QC said: “I find his evidence inconsistent and unbelievable.

“He says his motivation for importing cannabis is that he cannot afford to buy it, but he also tells me he had no knowledge of it's street value.

“I was also puzzled by the fact he did not go to a doctor for treatment for joint pain.

“If he got that pain from lying on a cold garage floor why doesn't he put a blanket underneath himself?”

The court also heard Gooden was convicted of growing cannabis in 2005.

“It is a very large quantity. He was a drugs courier importing this amount, knowing what he was doing in order to make money from it,” added Recorder Susman.

“I have no reason to doubt the defendant is a fine man in every other respect.”

Old Marlburian Vandalised Scooter And Car After Drinking Session

A posh ex-Marlborough College old boy went on a late-night wrecking spree after drinking with two pals, causing over £3,000 worth of damage to a Piaggio scooter and Audi car.

Landscape designer Ruaraidh Sebastian Neville-Clarke, 27, (pictured) was warned to curb his alcohol intake, which fuels his "over the top" behaviour.

He was raised on a large estate in Shermanbury, Horsham, West Sussex, has a previous conviction for drink-driving and like the Duchess of Cambridge is an Old Marlburian, having attended the £30,000 a year Wiltshire public school.

Neville-Clarke - known as Rory to friends - of St. Stephen's Mews, Bayswater pleaded guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court to causing £546 worth of criminal damage to the scooter and £2,493 to the Audi S5, belonging to James Lumsden, in Epple Road, Fulham on November 26, last year.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing two wraps of cocaine at his address when police eventually tracked him down and arrested him on January 18.

Neville-Clarke was placed on a twelve-month community order, which includes 120 hours of unpaid work, and was ordered to pay £100 compensation to the victim, £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor Miss Rav Chodha told the court: "Mr. Lumsden and his wife were at home and they heard a loud banging outside and saw three males.

"One of them had picked-up Mr. Lumsden's Piaggio scooter, which had been knocked over, and pushed it over a second time."

Mr. Lumsden shouted out of his window and went outside, where the other two men, Christopher and Oliver Maitland-Walker, identified themselves along with the defendant and left the scene.

"He noticed that as well as damage to the scooter there was damage to his black Audi, where the scooter had fallen against it," explained Miss Chodha.

Mr. Lumsden called the police, who drove him around the neighbourhood in an attempt to identify and catch the culprits, and they spoke to the defendant's friend Christopher when they returned to the victim's house.

"He said that Mr. Neville-Clarke was responsible and when officers visited the defendant's address they found the two wraps of cocaine that he said was for his own use."

He told the court: "I do not disagree with what has been said. It was not out of malice, it was all idiotic behaviour that went wrong.

"We were behaving badly and mucking about. I had been drinking."

Bench Chairwoman Deborah Tully told Neville-Clarke: "You seem to go OTT when you have had a few, although you do not have a drink or drug problem. 

"Stay away from too much drink in the future."

Prolific Mugger Caged: London's Streets Now Safer

A violent mugger, who targeted lone women in West London in a series of terrifying late-night attacks shortly after his release from prison, has been jailed for ten years.

Mohamoud Ibrahim, 24, of Central Avenue, Hayes left all five victims with psychological trauma and injuries after they were repeatedly punched and pushed to the ground.

On the 6 April at 1:32am a 34-year-old female was robbed of her cash in East Avenue, Hayes.

During the robbery, she was pushed to the floor and assaulted and suffered minor facial injuries. 


On 17 April at 4:30am a lone 29-year-old female was physically assaulted at a bus stop in Uxbridge Road, Hayes.

She was punched to the face and pushed to the ground. Her attacker demanded her handbag but fled empty handed and she suffered minor facial injuries.



On 28 April at 5:30am a lone 43-year-old female was violently attacked in St Christopher's Drive, Hayes.

She was grabbed from behind and punched several times to the face and upper body. She was forced to the ground and he tried to take her handbag, but fled empty handed.

She suffered moderate facial injuries, including a broken tooth.



On 31 May at 1:30am a lone 20-year-old female was violently attacked in East Avenue, Hayes.

She was grabbed from behind, punched and forced to the ground. Her attacker demanded her handbag and ran off empty handed and she suffered facial injuries.



On 1 June at 1:30am a lone 38-year-old female was violently attacked in Coldharbour Lane, Hayes.

She was attacked from behind, punched and forced to the ground. Her attacker demanded her handbag and ran off empty handed.



Police mounted an undercover operation which entailed working during the night hours in tracking down Ibrahim.

On the 6 June police were successful in their hunt when on patrol in Station Road, Hayes.

They stopped Ibrahim as he fitted the description of the serial attacker.

At the time Ibrahim was on license after being released from prison on 27 March for a similar offence.

Judge Martin Edmunds said he was satisfied that an extremely dangerous man has been taken off the streets.

He added; "I have no doubt that he (Ibrahim) poses a significant risk of causing harm. He will commit further offences including attacks on women, which I must do my best to prevent."



Detective Inspector Scott Hartley said: "Mohamoud Ibrahim waged a campaign of robberies against lone females at night.

“The first was committed no less than two weeks following his release from custody for a similar offence.

“His offences demonstrate a pattern of behaviour; each offence was pre-meditated and excessively violent.

“There is evidence that he stalked his victims and in most cases, attacked them from behind.

“This made identification particularly difficult.



"Ibrahim is an extremely dangerous offender who poses significant risk to the public, particularly females.

“I believe London will be a safer place now that he is serving a lengthy custodial sentence.

“I would like to thank the victims in this case for their courage and co-operation.

“Without the assistance of the public, successful prosecutions are not possible and such dangerous offenders cannot be brought to justice."

Gambler's Murder: Have You Seen His Rucksack?

Police investigating the murder of a debt-ridden Lithuanian builder, who was beaten to death and dumped in an East London stream, hope tracing his rucksack will solve the mystery.

The body of gambler Evaldas Svolkinas, 34, of Dorking Rise, Romford was found locally in Carter's Brook, near Wincanton Road on December 16, last year.

A post-mortem examination at Queens Hospital the next day gave the cause of death as severe head injuries.


An incident room has opened at the Homicide and Serious Crime Command under Detective Chief Inspector Chris Jones, who have discovered Mr. Svolkinas owed large amounts of money to different people.


Mr. Svolkinas is believed to have left his home address at approximately 6.00am on Thursday December 13.

He didn't attend work and was reported missing to police the following day.

He was wearing grey combat style trousers, a dark blue coat and blue trainers.



Police made extensive enquiries as his disappearance was totally out of character.



DCI Jones said: “We believe the victim was in possession of a rucksack identical to that displayed in the attached photo at time of his death. 



"This has not been located to date and we would appeal to any person who may have seen or have information as to its current whereabouts to contact the investigation team.



"The rucksack has three small silver images of 'power tools' at the top of the bag and the word 'Festool' embossed in the black section toward it's base. 



"Evaldas was a well known member of the Lithuanian community in East London.

He worked within the construction industry and employed members from his community to work on projects in the South East. 



"Investigations have established that Evaldas was a frequent gambler which led to him experiencing significant financial troubles owing monies to numerous persons.

“This is a line of enquiry we are exploring and I would appeal to any person, specifically members of the Lithuanian community who may have information on what happened to Evaldas or his lifestyle to contact the investigation team."



Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8345 3734 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. 

Driver Caught After Cocktail Of Booze

A civil engineer, who has a “memory blank” concerning the night he downed a cocktail of wine, gin and vodka shots and jumped behind the wheel of his car, was banned from the roads yesterday.

Jan Lech Marchlewski, 25, was stopped by police at 4.45am while three times the drink-drive limit after drinking all evening at a restaurant and then a nightclub.

He pleaded guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court (pictured) to driving his Alfa Romeo with excess alcohol in his breath in Rigault Road, Fulham on January 20.

Prosecutor Miss Rav Choda told the court police turned and followed Marchlewski when they saw him speeding around a corner and when they pulled him over noticed one of his tyres was flat.

His breath smelled of alcohol and he failed a roadside breath-test.

The court heard Marchlewski enjoyed wine and two or three gins with dinner then another four to five gins at a club, plus vodka shots.

He was driving to McDonald's when stopped by the police.
Marchlewski was fined £627, with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £62 victim surcharge. He was also disqualified from driving for eighteen months.

Strangers Slashed In Horrific Knife Attacks

Two men were left permanently scarred by a drink and drug-fuelled knifeman, who slashed them across the face - using a blade his friend hid in her bra for the second "utterly horrific" attack.

CCTV captured 27 year-old Dean Hughes "dancing about gleefully" as he celebrated the first Stanley knife slashing of a stranger, sparked by Lauren McTaggart, 23, (pic.top) shouting: "Fucking Romanians," at the victim and his friend.

Two hours later an innocent shop worker suffered a deep cut from his forehead to mouth after McTaggert produced the same blade from her cleavage and handed it to Hughes, (pic.bottom) who two days earlier had been bailed by magistrates on charges of assaulting and obstructing police.

Hughes, of Greenwood Street, Kilburn and McTaggart, of Hillside Avenue, Borehamwood both pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent, on store employee Mohamidi Aziz, 31, in Kilburn High Road in the early hours of April 12, last year.

Hughes alone pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent, on Albanian-born Elton Citric, 24, at 11.30pm on April 11 in Kilburn High Road and possessing the knife as an offensive weapon.

Sentencing him to twelve years imprisonment, Blackfriars Crown Court Judge Ian Karsten QC told Hughes: "You had been drinking too much and taken cocaine and were with McTaggart and another man and woman.

"Two innocent, decent people were walking towards you, making their way to the bus stop after finishing work at a restaurant.

"You slashed Mr. Citric with a Stanley knife for no reason at all and it left a nasty scar and he is going to have that for the rest of his life."

The victim suffered a 10cm-long wound to his right cheek and Hughes celebrated as he made his way to a bar across the street, where he swapped clothes with his friend and gave the knife to McTaggart.

"You can be seen dancing about gleefully, gloating about what you had done, showing with your hand how you slashed this man."

Two hours later the group walked into a twenty-four hour convenience store and quickly began making a nuisance of themselves.

"There was some kind of disturbance and the CCTV shows an utterly horrific series of events in which you ask McTaggart for the Stanley knife and she passes it to you from her bra and you slash Mr. Aziz, who was walking away from you at the time.

"You slashed him across his face even more extensively than you slashed Mr. Citric. You cut both eyelids of his left eye and he was extremely lucky he did not have his eye damaged.

"This was wanton, wicked and quite unforgivable and you caused huge damage to two individuals."

Jailing McTaggart for three-and-a-half years Judge Karsten told her: "You contributed to changing Mr. Aziz's life forever. You are fully responsible for joining the event that caused that very serious injury.

"You knew what he had done with that knife a couple of hours previously. It is a shocking thing that you did."

Her family had encouraged the first-time offender to emigrate to Australia alone because she had fallen in with a "bed crowd" but those plans are now in tatters due to the conviction and sentence.

Mr. Aziz told police: "I had my back to him and he smashed me on the side of the face. I panicked and tried to get some tissues, but the bleeding wouldn't stop.

"There was so much blood and I was scared and my eye hurt so much, but the doctor now tells me I should be able to see.

"They gave me a mirror to see my face and it made me feel sick. I am damaged forever, I am so sad I look like this."

The knife was found dumped in a bin behind a local shop, still stained with the victims's blood, and with traces of Hughes' DNA and some of McTaggart's hair on it.

A third defendant, Nicola Kutsaringus, 27, of Lemsford Court, Borehamwood pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour and was sentenced to four months imprisonment. No charges were brought against a 31 year-old man who was also arrested.

Abusive Neighbour Jailed Over Garden Hedge Dispute

A neighbour-from-hell, who shouted and swore at a long-suffering fellow-resident on a South-East London close during a garden hedge dispute, has been jailed for three-and-a-half months.

Mary Honour-Bridget Supple, 58, breached a court-imposed restraining order when she banged on her neighbour's door shouting: “You fucking bastard. Telling me what I can and cannot do.”

Bromley Magistrates' Court heard Supple had lived in Ratcliffe Close, Lee (pictured) for thirteen years and a two-year restraining order was imposed on July 16, last year after she was convicted of two counts of harrassing her neighbours.

However, Supple, who has moved to St. Donatts Road, Brockley was convicted of breaching the order just three weeks after it was made on July 16.

There had been a long-standing dispute over a hedge in the garden, which Supple wanted removed and eventually she did it herself.

She continues to deny the offence, which also put her in breach of a suspended sentence, and was eventually evicted from her home – ending eight years of disputes – and now lives in assisted accomodation.

District Judge Roger Ede told Supple: “Within three weeks you breached the order by using abusive words, which you were prohibited from using against these people.

“It would be a nonsense if I did not activate the suspended sentence because you did exactly the same thing again.”

Dinner Money Gobbled By School Employee

A junior school administrator, who swiped over £4,000 in children’s' dinner money during a nine-month fraud to pay debts and fund her cannabis use, escaped prison with a suspended sentence yesterday.

Single-mum Samantha Winn, 41, was a trusted employee of six years at Torridon Junior School, Lewisham (pictured) until she was caught, sacked and then returned to her native Bristol.

Winn, of Rookery Way, pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position between May 6, 2011 and February 10, last year while employed as an administrative assistant.

Prosecutor Miss Jackie Walker told Bromley Magistrates' Court: “A referral was made to the council by the head of the school, who was told of discrepancies by the school's business manager in regard to dinner money going back a year.

“The thefts were carried out by making incorrect entries on the balance sheet to show less money was being collected.

“The shortfall was not immediately picked up because the summary sheet, completed by Mrs Winn, matched the amounts in cash that were passed on.”

Records showed Winn stole money when she was not under the direct supervision of her manager and a total of £4,478 was taken.

She was arrested on March 13, last year.

“She admitted taking the money and manipulating the summary sheet to cover the shortfall,” explained Miss Walker.

Her lawyer Mr. Derek Connor told the court: “Financial hardship was the motivation and she was eventually evicted from her home because she owed rent.”

The court also heard depressed Winn, who has a sixteen year-old son, was spending £20-
£30 per week on cannabis.

“The money literally went up in smoke with the amount off cannabis you were smoking,” District Judge roger Ede told the first-time offender.

“You were a trusted employee and were trusted to collect and account for the dinner money.

“No one would have guessed you were keeping it for yourself, because you had been there for so long.

“You obtained quite a significant sum of money and you breached the trust of your employer.”

Winn was sentenced to twelve weeks imprisonment, suspended for twelve months, ordered to complete 100 hours community service and attend a compulsory fifteen-day women’s programme.

Jobless Winn was also ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to the London Borough of Lewisham at the rate of £5 per week.

Show Me The Money: Drug Dealer's Asset's Stripped

A drug dealer, caught in an East End nightclub, has had his car confiscated along wth £19,485 cash and £14,509 seized from his bank account while continuing to serve a sentence of four years and eight months imprisonment.

Antony Hariades, 39, (pictured) of Bramshaw Road, Homerton was arrested at the Catch 22 nightclub in Bethnal Green on March 26, last year with cocaine, cannabis and a quantity of pills.

Police searched his home and founder larger, more varied, amounts of drugs including cocaine, cannabis, ketamine, MDMA, amphetamine and diazepam.

His assets were seized by Hackney Borough's Bantam and Payback Unit under the Proceeds of Crime Act and included all available money and his £4,225 Audi A3.

Detective Constable Nerys Lloyd George of the unit said: "This investigation has removed a substantial amount of drugs destined for the streets of London and the profits made from drug dealing.


"The case highlights the work that payback units do, working alongside operational teams, ensuring criminals to do not benefit from their activities.

“Whatever your lifestyle, the police will pursue you through the courts and take money earned through criminal activity away." 

St. Ormond Street Hospital 'Cancer' Swindler Jailed

A "despicable" conwoman, who posed as a cancer-stricken St. Ormond Street Hospital nurse and duped at least 54 victims into sponsoring her non-existent  charity walk, was jailed for six months today.

Mother-of-three Rosemary Cotter, 40, also claimed she was raising funds for St. Thomas's Hospital during the two-month door-to-door scam.

"One can hardly think of a more emotive line than: 'I'm collecting for children with cancer at St. Ormond Street.' It's despicable," said Woolwich Crown Court Judge Michael Topolski QC.

"What you did fifty-four times is particularly reprehensible," he told Cotter. "You knocked on the doors of members of the public and pretended to be collecting money for charity."

Street cleaner Cotter, of Woolwich pleaded guilty to defrauding a 72 year-old Bexleyheath pensioner of £10 by falsely representing she was a charity collector and asked for fifty-three similar offences between November 1, 2012 and January 4, this year to be taken into consideration.

'The charity you chose was Great Ormond Street Hospital. You lied to her about that, you lied to her that you were a nurse and that you were a charity collector for cancer research.

"You chose quite deliberately and cynically a well-known and well-loved institution," added the judge.

Prosecutor Mr. Gregor McKinley told the court (pictured) Cotter tricked her way into the 72 year-old victim's home. "Mrs Cotter said she herself was suffering with cancer and sat on the sofa and asked if she could smoke a cigarette."

She convinced the pensioner she was participating in a charity walk from Woolwich to Great Ormond Street, using a Woman's Own magazine cancer article to back up her story, and received £10 sponsorship.

The victim discovered £400 cash was missing from an ornament after the defendant had left, but a burglary charge was not pursued against Cotter.

The defendant was arrested in Sidcup and police found completed sponsorship forms for the 53 other victims during a search of her home.

"Maybe she was going to do it again with the same people who had given generously once already and ask them to double the money," commented Judge Topolski.

"It makes the charity giver more suspicious the next time someone genuinely asks them for money for charity, but of course you did not care about that. You just wanted to make some money."

None of the other 53 victims realised they had been conned at the time and Cotter's gain is estimated at approximately £550.

She was also ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge.

Burglar Caught Minutes After Late-Night Break-In

A burglar, caught by police who spotted him walking along the street with a laptop and a connected lead trailing behind him, has been jailed for four years.

Jobless Colin James Reid, 34, (pictured) of Weir Hall Avenue, Upper Edmonton also had a break-in kit of gloves, screwdriver and torch.

He was convicted of burgling a ground floor flat in Boundary Road, Wood Green and going equipped for theft on August 24, last year.

Wood Green Crown Court heard Reid was seen at 1.00am by officers from Haringey's Proactive Crime Team as he walked along Westbury Avenue.

He fled, but was caught in nearby Grainger Road and was linked to a burglary minutes earlier in which he jumped through an open window, waking the occupants as he landed on the floor.

He snatched the laptop and escaped via the front door.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Wendy Mason, of Haringey CID Aquisitive Crime Unit, said: "The officers that spotted Reid carrying the laptop and stopped and searched him before the burglary was even reported did a fantastic job.

“Without their instinct and professionalism this successful prosecution wouldn't have been possible."



Dying Man Dragged Down Stairs Into Street

A man who fatally injured his drinking-buddy of ten years with a flurry of punches after being spat in the face – then dragged his friend down flights of stairs and along the street – has been jailed for three years.

A crowd gathered in the East London street where the body of Zahir Bouchia, 43, (pic.top) had been dragged eighty metres by his long-time friend.

Nadeem Yasin, 43, (pic.bottom) of Shaw House, Claremont Street, North Woolwich pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to the manslaughter of Mr. Bouchia on May 21, last year.

Police were called to Woodman Parade, Woodman Street at 8.20pm, where the victim was lying and he was rushed to the Royal London Hospital in critical condition.

He died two weeks later on June 7 of head and chest injuries.

The Algerians had fallen out after Yasin moved in as a lodger with Mr. Bouchia's girlfriend.

During an argument Mr. Bouchia spat in Yasin's face and the defendant responded by punching him to the head three times.

The victim fell unconscious to the floor and Yasin dragged him down seven short flights of stairs and onto the street where he called for an ambulance.

He told the crowd who gathered that he had assaulted the victim.

Where They Belong: Burglars Behind Bars

Two burglars, arrested after they were spotted breaking into a North London basement flat, have been caged.

Two crowbars and a screwdriver, used for forcing entry into residential addresses, were seized by police and their nearby getaway car was full of stolen loot.

Jobless John Pitkin, 48, (pic.top) of Fairbourne Road, Tottenham received thirty months imprisonment and jobless Richard Campbell, 48, (pic.bottom) of Green Lanes, Hornsey received thirty-six months.

Pitkin pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court to burgling and attempting to burgle two flats in Oakfield Road, Finsbury Park on August 16, last year and going equipped for burglary.

Campbell pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial to burgling the same flat Pitkin admitted breaking into.

Police were called at 2.00pm by a member of the public reporting two men trying to break in through the window of a basement flat.

Officers from Haringey's Priority Crime Team arrived at the scene within minutes and searched the area for the suspects.

Nearby, in the driveway of an address in Albany Road, officers spotted two men, Pitkin and Campbell, matching the descriptions provided and stopped and searched them. 



Pitkin was found in possession of two crowbars, a screwdriver and a car key.

The car was found parked nearby and searched where police found property including electrical goods (mobile phone, photographic equipment, laptop), tobacco, clothing and toiletries.

This was identified as having been stolen in a burglary at a flat just moments before.



Campbell was found in possession of foreign currency and two mobile smart phones, also identified as having been stolen in the burglary at the flat.

Forensic officers found footwear marks at the scene of the burglary matching the trainers worn by both men.

Tool marks at the point of entry resembled that of a crowbar and a flat headed screwdriver, as found on Pitkin, and glove marks were found around the edge of the victim's television where somebody had attempted to move it.

Both suspects were in possession of woolly gloves at the time of arrest.



Detective Chief Superintendent Sandra Looby, Borough commander for Haringey, said: "Two burglars have been taken off our streets as the result of a 999 call from an alert member of the public and the subsequent police response. 



"Police officers responding to the call stopped the right men and obtained good early evidence.

“This, together with the findings of our forensic officers, and the work of our detectives to prepare a solid case against them, led both men to realise they had no option but to plead guilty. 



"Ultimately we are grateful to the member of the public who made that call to police and enabled us to provide a response that resulted in these convictions and contributed to making their neighbourhood safer."



Investigating officer, Detective Constable Warren Ingrey, said: "These convictions show the continued pressure police in Haringey are putting on those who commit burglary and should reassure residents of our total commitment to bringing offenders to justice."

Woman Caged For Mugging Pensioner

A heartless bag-snatcher, who dragged an 83 year-old pensioner to the ground in East London, has been jailed for four years.

Samantha Murray, 34, (pictured) of Genas Close, Ilford attacked the victim from behind, leaving her sprawled on the ground with back and hand injuries.

She was convicted of robbing the woman in Longwood Gardens, Barkingside on June 8, last year.

The victim vainly tried to hang onto her bag, but it was violently wrenched away by Murray.

A passer-by found her on the ground and flagged down a passing police car.

Officers drove the victim around the local area and she identified Murray at a bus stop in Cranbrook Road – still in possession of the woman's property.

Sergeant Matt Taylor from Redbridge Borough, said: “This was a violent robbery on an elderly lady going about her business.

“She has found the whole incident distressing and it has had a profound effect on her and the way she lives. It has saddened all involved in this case.

“Whilst I do not want this type of crime to happen, I want the public to know we will robustly investigate any robbery and see that those responsible are bought to justice.”