Care Assistant Gets Ten Months For Cruelty To Mentally Ill OAP's

An abusive care assistant, who sparked a mass cover-up at a home for the mentally-ill after a shocked "whistleblower" - who witnessed systematic cruelty - reported him to social services, was jailed for ten months yesterday.

Police found potentially incriminating documents and official paperwork had been shredded at Bromley's Lauriston House, a seventy-bed residential home for mainly elderly residents suffering dementia, brain damage and other serious disabilities.

Care assistant Marc Harwood, 44, (pic.top) of Howard Way, Bromley denied ill-treating a 92 year-old one-legged female dementia sufferer and two other elderly residents at the home in Bickley Park Road, Bickley.

"The position at the care home was not a happy one and you will hear from care assistant Niluka Ralalage, (pic.bottom) who became shocked at some of the practices going on," prosecutor Mr. Matthew Farmer told the Croydon Crown Court jury.

"She was shocked at the rough treatment and abuse Mr. Harwood meted out to the patients and it is sad to say the management ignored what she told them.

"You could call her a whistleblower and she went to Bromley social services and the subsequent enquiry found the home's management were uncooperative and a lot of documents had been destroyed and shredded.

"Thirteen members of staff were suspended and dismissed, including the manager and assistant manager, and some of the nursing staff were reported to their disciplinary body.

"The culture that was prevalent at the home was one of abuse and neglect."

The court heard 92 year-old Molly Gravenell, who has had one of her legs amputated and is immobile, was being moved from her bed to a wheelchair by Harwood.

"She was being hoisted from her bed and Mr. Harwood was getting angry with her for not bending her remaining leg. It was rigid and fixed, which did happen sometimes.

"He began shouting in Molly's face: 'Bend your bloody leg' and when Niluka intervened told her: 'You're new, you don't know these people, she's a drama queen.'

"His face was twisted and Molly had tears in her eyes as he shouted at her: 'You just eat and sleep. You're a pain in the backside."

On another occasion Molly had a mysterious black eye after Harwood brought her breakfast. 

"He must have seen it and should have reported it so she could get care and attention," explained Mr. Farmer.

Another elderly resident, Cathleen Hill, who had suffered a brain tumour, a stroke and was paralysed down one side and was blind in one eye was being cleaned in her room by Harwood after soiling herself.

"Niluka saw that Mrs Hill was completely naked and Mr. Harwood was extremely angry, shouting: 'Look at this fucking woman. Look at what she's fucking done.'

"He told the resident: 'You're a pain in the backside, kill yourself, cut your throat.

"He said: 'I'm going to fuck you,' and had his thumb extended in front of her, moving it back and forth, simulating sex."

Brain-damaged resident Frank Lord, who was another stroke victim and paralysed down one side, had also soiled himself and was being cleaned by Harwood.

"He was handling him really roughly and flung his arm with a lot of force," explained Mr. Farmer. "Frank was screaming and seemed to be in a lot of pain.

"Mr. Harwood said: 'He's an idiot just a nuisance. He's paralysed, how can he feel pain? He's a drama queen.'

"The screaming continued with Mr. Harwood shouting: 'Don't fuck me or I'll fuck you back' and he slapped Frank really hard on the stomach."

Harwood also pretended he had fed patients when he had not and lied that he had taken them to the toilet and changed their incontinence pads, the jury heard.

Sri Lankan buddhist Miss Ralalage, who still works at the home, told the jury: "I treat the residents like my own parents or grandparents. I have become very close and attached to them."

Harwood was convicted of three counts of ill-treating each patient, wilfully neglecting Mrs Gravenell, assaulting Mr. Lord and wilfully neglecting other unnamed residents between February 1 and August 12, last year.

UK Border Agency Worker In "Lucrative" Immigration Plot

A part-time UK Border Agency student visa case worker, who plotted with two accomplices to by-pass immigration rules on "a vast scale", dumped incriminating files over his back garden fence when his bosses raided his home, a court heard yesterday.

Civil servant Waseem Majid, 35, of Chestnut Rise, Woolwich had more immigration files stashed in his garden shed, Mercedes car and bedroom and was offering an illegal cash service to break the visa rules, Croydon Crown Court was told.

"These three defendants were at various times agreeing to circumvent immigration law," prosecutor Mr. Tony Badenoch told the jury. "Majid was at the head of it and had access to information and the opportunity to take that material away from work for criminal purposes."

Majid has pleaded not guilty along with Muhammed Qadiri, 53, of Regent Gardens, Ilford and Sanam Mia, 43, of Ancona Road, Woolwich to conspiring to facilitate a breach of UK immigration law on or before January 5, last year.

Majid, who was employed at Croydon's Lunar House, has also pleaded not guilty to misconduct in public office on or before August 28, 2011 - the day his home was raided by the UK Border Agency.

"He did things way, way, way outside his remit, things that were criminal and Majid was doing this on a vast scale," explained Mr. Badenoch. "He was not just taking home his own files, but everyone else's.

"When his home was visited a brown Mercedes was parked outside and when officers entered they noticed his wife looked nervous and kept glancing toward the back garden.

"Located in a garden next-door was a mass of confidential UK Border Agency documentation in bags and there were more in the shed, his bedroom and the Mercedes.

"He had taken the documentation home for criminal purposes, we say, and texts from Qadiri and Mia found on a phone also dumped in the bag contained biographical details of people for criminal purposes."

Qadiri's home was raided five months later. 

"He was defensive and said if his children were woken he would report it to his MP," said Mr. Badenoch. "Officers found a man hiding in the loft and confiscated a passport, mobile phone and immigration papers."

Texts Mia sent Majid contained the details of eighteen visa applicants.

"They knew what Majid was all about, that is why they kept going to him. They knew going to Majid was the best way to sort out the visas, there was a service being provided that was criminal."

Investigators discovered Majid had written amounts of money , such as £500 and £1,000 next to the names of applicants he was dealing with. 

"It was not done for fun, it was lucrative," said Mr. Badenoch.

Trial continues…………

Businessman Billed Taxpayer For 60,000 Miles In Taxis During £176,000 Four-Year Scam

A partially-sighted escort agency boss illegally pocketed almost £176,000 in benefits, including a massive claim for approximately 60,000 miles in non-existent taxi rides under a government disability scheme.

Businessman Andrew Pishides, 39, billed the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for daily 100 mile round-trip £180 fares for four years - supporting the claims with forged receipts.

"You must have lived very well for those four years," Harrow Crown Court Judge Jeremy Donne QC told Pishides, who ran 'Escort Emporium', 'Escort Solutions' and a letting agency for parking spaces called 'Park Let'.

"These offences reflect a moderately sophisticated and extremely persistent fraud that garnered you just shy of one hundred and eighty thousand pounds.

"The benefits represented an income of over forty thousand a year and in addition you had legitimate sources of twenty thousand a year, which would have been equivalent to a six-figure salary before tax."

Pishides, of Alexander House, Broadfields Way, Neasden was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for two years, placed on a twelve month supervision order with a three-month electronically-tagged evening curfew.

"Is it right that you should go to prison for four-and-a-half months? I confess I find this difficult," announced the judge. "I have a clear public duty to deal with people who commit offences like these, but on balance i am persuaded a prison sentence can be suspended."

Pishides pleaded guilty to three counts of obtaining money transfers by deception, namely £106,000 in access to work payments; £37,328 in housing benefit; £28, 637 in income support and evading a liability by deception, namely £3,874 in council tax.

DWP investigators mounted a surveillance operation, which confirmed their suspicions that Pishides did not travel from his home in north-west London to Wrotham in rural Kent three times a week to work as a software salesman.

The access to work scheme offers financial assistance with travel costs to those with disabilities.

He also failed to declare all of his bank accounts, his business income and part-ownership of a mortgage-free Lewisham flat.

Investigators discovered hundreds of pounds a week were being paid into Pishides' bank account from a large number of women who had signed-up to be his escorts.

The DWP are pursuing compensation under the Proceeds of Crime Act and are currently deducting £100 per month from Pishides' disability living allowance payments.

Pishides' lawyer Mr. James Maloney told the court: "The risk of re-conviction is low, the public is not at risk from the defendant. 

"His disability would make imprisonment more stressful and difficult than able-bodied defendants and he would be vulnerable to those in the system with more know-how than him."

Pishides suffers from a genetic eye condition, which restricts his field of vision to only 10% and he needs times four magnification in his right eye - his best - to see normally.

"He lost a lot of his life skills, his confidence, his self-esteem and did fall into some form of depression," added Mr. Maloney. "He is genuinely resourceful about this."

Judge Donne added: "He was pretty well off compared to a lot of people and it must have been apparent to him that what he was doing was quite egregious.

"What is the court to do with someone who commits offences on this scale for this period of time?

"However, it is a simple fact prison would be more difficult for someone with his difficulties and I have wrestled in my mind as to the correct sentence in this case."

Troubled Sixties Movie Star In Court Again

Fallen sixties movie star Iain Quarrier, who is banned from unsupervised contact with children after trying to abduct a screaming five year-old girl in a busy supermarket, called his neighbour a "bitch" after the woman reported him for approaching youngsters in the street.

The 71 year-old former 'It Boy' - a protege of legendary movie director Roman Polanski - found himself locked-up again after his neighbour tipped-off police and later gave evidence against him, resulting in a six-month prison sentence.

Pensioner Quarrier, of Chesterton Road, North Kensington, West London pleaded guilty yesterday to using threatening, abusive or insulting words outside his home, with intent to cause Joanne Reddan harassment, alarm or distress.

Alcohol and illness wrecked his promising career and he went from the glamour of the sixties movie world to being locked-up in Bethlem Mental Hospital in 1972.

Prosecutor Mr. Paul Mitchell told Hammersmith Magistrates' Court the pair had been neighbours for twelve years and Miss Reddan, who was leaving her home with her teenage child at around 3pm, had the confrontation with the defendant outside.

"I saw Iain Quarrier standing in the street and as I walked past with my child he said: 'Bitch'," she told police in a statement. "I was distressed and decided to ignore him."

She returned home two hours later and saw Quarrier again when she took out her rubbish. "Iain pointed at me and said: 'I'm going to kill her.'

"I went back inside and called the police," explained Miss Reddan. "After I gave evidence against him in January I did not think I would have to see him again."

The prosecution are also seeking a restraining order against Quarrier, who is facing eviction from the council property, which has been home since the 1980's.

He denies threatening to kill Miss Reddan and claims he is the victim of her malicious accusations.

Quarrier was bailed until May 9 for sentencing.

In 1996 he was cautioned by police for indecently assaulting two girls and in 2010 pleaded guilty to attempted abduction in Sainsbury's, Ladbroke Grove and was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and was made subject to a Prohibitive Activity Order, banning him from unsupervised contact with children under sixteen years-old.

Two weeks before the Sainsbury's offence Quarrier approached a nine year-old girl in the same supermarket and while holding out a twenty pound note said: "I'd like to buy you."

The attempted abduction involved a drunken Quarrier holding the five year-old girl tightly by the shoulder and dragging her towards the exit. 

He was directed by Polanski in 1967's 'Dance of the Vampires' and 'Cul-de-sac' (1968) following his big-screen debut in 1964's 'The Fledglings'.

Quarrier also appeared in the George Harrison-inspired psychedelic fantasy 'Wonderwall' in 1968 as well as Brit-flick 'Separation' in the same year.

Internet Perv Confesses To Over 10,000 Sick Pics

A paedophile today admitted having over 10,000 sick images of children at his suburban home and was effectively banned from the internet until he is sentenced.

First-time offender Barry Charles Smith, 63, of Anglesey Gardens, Carshalton also had hard-core pornography depicting people engaged in sexual acts with animals.

He pleaded guilty at his first appearance before Croydon Magistrates' Court to possessing 10,347 indecent images of children ranging from level one to level five – the most serious – on or before July 26, last year.

He also pleaded guilty to possesion of an extreme pornographic images that were either grossly offensive, disgusting or of an obscene character.

The court heard police discovered seven images involving animals and that Smith is currently undergoing counseling for his problem.

He was commited for sentencing to Croydon Crown Court on a date to be fixed.

Smith was bailed on the conditions he resides at his home address and does not own an internet device or delete the internet history of that device without police permission.

Suspected Rogue Traders Cleared Of OAP Charges

Two suspected rogue traders – accused of pressurising an OAP into having expensive building work carried out to the roof of his suburban home – have been cleared of criminal charges.

Father and son contractor Maurice Cole, 46, and Sean Cole, 20, both of Pennyhill Park, Minley Road, Blackwater, Surrey were prosecuted by Croydon Council's trading standards team.

A Croydon Crown Court jury found them and MC & Sons Development Ltd not guilty of offences allegedly committed while working at the home of 90 year-old Royston Harvey in Caterham Drive, Coulsdon.

They were both originally charged that between May 29 and June 1, 2011 they were in breach of Unfair Trading Regulations in relation to the roof, gables and chimney at the address.

They were also both charged with fraud in that on May 31, 2011 failed to disclose information to make a gain for themselves, namely dihonestly failed to disclose to Mr. Harvey that he had the right to cancel the works contract at his address.  

Carer Accused Of "Abuse And Neglect" At Mental Health Home

An abusive care assistant sparked a mass cover-up at a home for the mentally-ill after a shocked "whistleblower" - who witnessed systematic cruelty - reported him to social services, prompting a police investigation, a court heard yesterday.

Police found potentially incriminating documents and official paperwork had been shredded at Bromley's Lauriston House, a seventy-bed residential home for mainly elderly residents suffering dementia, brain damage and other serious disabilities.

Care assistant Marc Harwood, 44, (pic.top) of Howard Way, Bromley denies ill-treating a 92 year-old one-legged female dementia sufferer and two other elderly residents at the home in Bickley Park Road, Bickley.

"The position at the care home was not a happy one and you will hear from care assistant Niluka Ralalage, (pic.bottom) who became shocked at some of the practices going on," prosecutor Mr. Matthew Farmer told the Croydon Crown Court jury.

"She was shocked at the rough treatment and abuse Mr. Harwood meted out to the patients and it is sad to say the management ignored what she told them.

"You could call her a whistleblower and she went to Bromley social services and the subsequent enquiry found the home's management were uncooperative and a lot of documents had been destroyed and shredded.

"Thirteen members of staff were suspended and dismissed, including the manager and assistant manager, and some of the nursing staff were reported to their disciplinary body.

"The culture that was prevalent at the home was one of abuse and neglect."

The court heard 92 year-old Molly Gravenell, who has had one of her legs amputated and is immobile, was being moved from her bed to a wheelchair by Harwood.

"She was being hoisted from her bed and Mr. Harwood was getting angry with her for not bending her remaining leg. It was rigid and fixed, which did happen sometimes.

"He began shouting in Molly's face: 'Bend your bloody leg' and when Niluka intervened told her: 'You're new, you don't know these people, she's a drama queen.'

"His face was twisted and Molly had tears in her eyes as he shouted at her: 'You just eat and sleep. You're a pain in the backside."

On another occasion Molly had a mysterious black eye after Harwood brought her breakfast. 

"He must have seen it and should have reported it so she could get care and attention," explained Mr. Farmer.

Another elderly resident, Cathleen Hill, who had suffered a brain tumour, a stroke and was paralysed down one side and was blind in one eye was being cleaned in her room by Harwood after soiling herself.

"Niluka saw that Mrs Hill was completely naked and Mr. Harwood was extremely angry, shouting: 'Look at this fucking woman. Look at what she's fucking done.'

"He told the resident: 'You're a pain in the backside, kill yourself, cut your throat.

"He said: 'I'm going to fuck you,' and had his thumb extended in front of her, moving it back and forth, simulating sex."

Brain-damaged resident Frank Lord, who was another stroke victim and paralysed down one side, had also soiled himself and was being cleaned by Harwood.

"He was handling him really roughly and flung his arm with a lot of force," explained Mr. Farmer. "Frank was screaming and seemed to be in a lot of pain.

"Mr. Harwood said: 'He's an idiot just a nuisance. He's paralysed, how can he feel pain? He's a drama queen.'

"The screaming continued with Mr. Harwood shouting: 'Don't fuck me or I'll fuck you back' and he slapped Frank really hard on the stomach."

Harwood also pretended he had fed patients when he had not and lied that he had taken them to the toilet and changed their incontinence pads, the jury heard.

Sri Lankan buddhist Miss Ralalage, who still works at the home, told the jury: "I treat the residents like my own parents or grandparents. I have become very close and attached to them."

Harwood denies three counts of ill-treating each patient, wilfully neglecting Mrs Gravenell, assaulting Mr. Lord and wilfully neglecting other unnamed residents between February 1 and August 12, last year.

Trial continues………..  

Rogue Developer Flouts Planning Laws To Cash In

A millionaire property developer, who illegally ripped up the sprung wooden floor of a grade two listed cinema, making a £625,000 profit when it was sold for residential conversion, has been fined.

Franco Lumba, 45, of St. Margaret's Road, Twickenham is laughing all the way to the bank after deliberately ignoring repeated warnings from Kingston-upon-Thames council to cease work on the landmark town centre building.

The original Regal Cinema building became a Gala bingo hall and removal of the sloped amphitheatre floor made the property far more attractive for lucrative residential development.

Lumba pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to executing works on a listed building, without permission, between August 24 and October 26, 2010 and was fined £45,000 with £29,278 costs.

Prosecutor Mr. Richard Heller told the court the defendant's company - FL Trading - purchased the building for £1.975m on June 11 2010 and on July 14 the council received a formal complaint concerning works at the site.

A planning officer visited and the builders refused to identify the owner and refused entry to the building on subsequent occasions - even working on weekends in the knowledge council officers were not available to attend. 

"This case is about the removal of the sloped floor from the back of the auditorium to the front of the stage," explained. "The auditorium floor had been excavated and reduced to rubble."

Lumba applied for a nightclub licence for the building, but was refused.

He recently sold it for £2.6m to developers who wish to convert it into flats.

The court heard Lumba has a £5.7m property portfolio, which includes properties in Knightsbridge and Wentworth, has companies registered in Spain and the Cayman Islands and a motor yacht worth over £1m.

Despite being guilty of ignoring planning laws Lumba tried to get half of his legal bills back because charges against FL Trading were dropped.

"You are asking for costs when I find the company was complicit because it was run by the defendant," said the Recorder of Croydon Warwick McKinnon. "It is almost impertinent for the company to be awarded costs. I reject that.

"He has taken the law into his own hands brazenly and defiantly. The defendant knew it was a listed building.

"There has been a significant profit made and he flagrantly went ahead, disregarding the warnings. This is a bed case of its type."

Lumba will have to pay the fine and costs in full within eight months or go to prison for eighteen months.

Sleazy Salon Boss's Shampoo And Sex

The sleazy boss of a popular beauty salon, who groped a "shocked" 17 year-old trainee's breasts while conditioning her hair, is now back at work after avoiding jail with a suspended sentence.

Hairdresser Shimon Alcobi, 44, the owner of SHD Beauty, The Broadway, Northwood Hills massaged the unsuspecting teen's head before running his hands down underneath her top and bra.

He denied, but was convicted by an Isleworth Crown Court jury of sexually assaulting the victim on a day between May 30 and June 30, 2011 and received six months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months.

The father-of-two of Holders Hill Avenue, Hendon later sacked the teenager after falsely accusing her of forming a relationship with a male member of staff and she reported him to the police.

"She was seventeen years-old, she worked at your salon in one of her first jobs, one of the first times she has experienced getting out in the real world and working with people," Judge Paul Dugdale told the father-of-two.

"You were her boss and it is one of the most unpleasant features of this case that you abused that position while pretending to carry out conditioning treatment on her.

"You took advantage and put your hands under her top and touched her breasts.

"What makes this such a disgraceful case is that you were trusted with this seventeen year-old.

"She trusted you and wanted to learn from you and you treated her as if you could do whatever you liked to her. That was a disgrace, your behaviour was disgusting."

Prosecutor Miss Pamela Reiss told the jury: "He offered to do her hair and conditioned it while giving her a head massage.

"Then he started rubbing the top of her neck and the front of her chest and put both his hands under her top and under her bra and touched her breasts.

"She was shocked, but continued to work there until August when she was fired for purportedly being in a relationship with another member of staff.

"This was not true, but they ended up forming a relationship later."

When police investigated the complaint two other young girls, an 19 year-old former member of staff and her friend, also gave statements against Alcobi alleging sexual assault.

He was also charged in relation to them, but was acquitted by the jury.

The former employee said Alcobi quizzed her about her sex life while shampooing and conditioning her hair and touched her chest, just above her breasts.

The defendant was conditioning her friend's hair on another occasion when the young woman insists he touched her chest and encouraged the girls to kiss each other.

Alcobi's lawyer Mr. Christopher Drew told the court: "He regards it as a shameful offence, but he does not accept he is guilty.

"The impact on Mr. Alcobi and his family has been a complete disruption of his and their lives and it will have a tremendous effect on his professional life.

"It is hardly a recommendation, this conviction, in his line of work.

"He is the lynchpin of the business and if he is not available to run it, it will close."

Before the scandal the salon enjoyed a £60,000 a year turnover.

"You have worked in the hairdressing industry all your life and before this had no conviction of any kind," Judge Dugdale told Alcobi, ordering him to sign the sex offenders register for seven years.

A Sexual Offenders Prevention Order was also made prohibiting the defendant working with staff aged under eighteen years-old and he will also have to complete 200 hours community service work and pay £2,500 compensation to the victim.

"Are You Going To Let Him Get Away With That?" Teen Asks Boyfriend After OAP's Car Lights Warning

A teenage couple, who battered a 78 year-old man at a bus stop after he pointed out their vehicle's lights were not switched on, were locked-up yesterday.

Thugs Christopher Graney, 19,(pic.bottom) and his girlfriend Samantha Fenton, 19,(pic.mid.) pushed lone Andrew Connan to the ground and repeatedly punched and kicked him during the sustained midnight attack.

Landscape gardener Graney, of Mayfair Close, Beckenham and Fenton, of Homefield Road, Bromley were both convicted by a Croydon Crown Court jury of causing actual bodily harm to Mr. Connan in Widmore Road, Bromley on October 15, last year.

Mr. Connan (pic.top) was waiting for a bus home after enjoying a night out when he waved towards a car erratically driven by Graney because it was dark and the vehicle's lights were not switched on.

Fenton asked her boyfriend, who had been drinking that night: "Are you going to let him get away with that?"

They were each sentenced to thirty months youth custody at Croydon Crown Court by Judge Stephen Waller who said: "You Graney drove past in a car in an erratic and dangerous manner and your rear seat passenger was frightened and you had no lights on.

"The victim made some sort of gesture to you to turn on your headlights and you Fenton instigated what happened.

"You stopped the car and attacked the victim. You knocked him to the ground and he was obviously a defenceless, elderly man and you repeatedly kicked and punched him and you Fenton got out of the car and joined in.

"You kicked him and hit him so hard with your fist it caused an injury to your right hand and you were seen to step back as if to take a flying kick and changed your mind.

"I have seen the photos of the victim's injuries and at the time they seemed very serious. An attack on an elderly man could have led to very serious injury.

"There were no permanent serious injuries and he was discharged the following day and made a good physical recovery."

However, after reading Mr. Connan's victim impact statement the judge announced: "His life will never be the same again.

"There was a vulnerable victim and it was a sustained assault and neither of you showed the slightest degree of remorse for this shocking attack.

'Only a custodial sentence is justified and one that reflects the court's and public's abhorrence at such an attack on an elderly man."

Graney will serve an additional extra six months custody for smashing lone pedestrian Jayden McKenzie over the head with a metal drain cover and beating him with two accomplices.

He attacked the 28 year-old in the forecourt of a Total petrol station in the early hours of August 27, 2011 in Croydon Road, Beckenham, leaving the victim needing hospital treatment for a head wound, which required three stitches.

His lawyer Mr. Brian Kennedy said: "There are infrequent occasions when he drinks to excess and that changes his character to an aggressive individual.

"An excessive amount of alcohol was taken by the defendant. He is disgusted with himself."

The prosecution dropped charges of drink-driving, no insurance and no licence against Graney.

Fenton's lawyer Mr. Clive Smith told the court: "She says she felt physically sick when looking at the photos."

He said of first-time offender Fenton, who is employed as her mother's full-time carer: "She is otherwise a caring and loving individual. That is her nature when not in drink.

"Her actions that night have scared her into not drinking since October….That is not the person she is or wants to be."

Wannabe Murderer Stabbed Bus Stop Commuter When Refused a Cig and Fiver

An early-morning knifeman, who tried to kill his bus stop victim when the middle-aged man refused to first hand over a cigarette and then a fiver, has been caged for eighteen years.

Luke Freeman-Roach, 22, of Weighton Road, Penge was caught on CCTV prowling the streets and approaching victim Ted Stevens, 53, who was waiting to catch a bus to work at 4.35am.

"What a dreadful case this is," announced the Recorder of Croydon Warwick McKinnon. "On a quiet morning last July Mr. Stevens made off for work at 4.18 am and was waiting for a bus outside Anerley Town Hall.

"He was having a quiet cigarette and it must have seemed like an ordinary start to the day, but this was no ordinary day and but for the prompt attention of paramedics he would have died.

"The victim was out and about looking for a victim to rob and had a large carving knife on him, which we can see on the CCTV.

"He confronted the victim at the bus stop and Mr. Stevens resisted and ended up being stabbed three times to the torso.

"The defendant swore at and verbally abused Mr. Stevens that he would kill him and he had one last chance to hand over money.

"He later gave a false story to police that he had been the victim of an attack by Mr. Stevens."

Freeman-Roach was convicted by a Croydon Crown Court jury of attempted murder and Judge McKinnon ordered he must serve at least twelve years of the sentence before he is considered for parole and remain on licence for an additional five years.

He was previously convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm on a train passenger he robbed, breaking their nose during the attack.

The court heard Mr. Stevens continues to suffer post-traumatic stress and Judge McKinnon announced: "It is a bad case of its kind. He was lucky to escape with his knife.

"Freeman-Roach poses a serious risk of dangerous harm to members of the public and I have to take into account the mental and physical suffering of the victim."

"Naive" Teen Locked-Up For Smuggling Cocaine

A teenager, who smuggled £324,000 worth of cocaine through Gatwick Airport, while on bail for sneaking cannabis into a prison, has been locked-up for four and a half years.

Suzi Bansenga, 19, of Brooklime Close, Swindon, Wiltshire was returning from the Caribbean when she was stopped with 1.69 kilos of 72% pure cocaine in her luggage.

The first-time offender pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to importing the drug on December 4, last year and conveying an article, namely cannabis, into HMP The Mount, Bovingdon, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire on September 7.

Prosecutor Miss Shazi Ahmed told the court Bansenga was initially arrested and bailed during a scheduled visit to The Mount.

“A dog handler at the entrance asked her if she had any illegal drugs on her after the dog indicated a positive response and Bansenga said she was with some smokers earlier and when the officer smelt cannabis she said it was on her clothing.

“A large package weighing 31.95 gms was in her leggings and a smaller package weighing 7.63 gms was in her bra.”

Bansenga was scheduled to visit prisoner Tyrone White, who she said repeatedly asked her to smuggle cannabis in, promising her £200 in return.

She was arrested again after flying in from Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, where she told UK Border Agency officers she had spent two weeks visiting her aunt and had no drugs on her.

Officers x-rayed a heavy rucksack, which was inside the defendant's suitcase, and discovered the cocaine.

Bansenga's lawyer Mr. Brian Aldred told the court: “It was a normal family trip until the last day when her aunt was visited by a male and when they started arguing in the bedroom the defendant left.

“When she returned her aunt was packing her case for her and was in tears, explaining that she would have to take something back with her or there would be trouble.

“Her aunt said it was drugs and Miss Bansenga refused, but her aunt was very upset and she gave in.

“She was not going to be reimbursed for doing it and she presents herself as a naïve and pliable lady who obviously has some growing up to do.”

Recorder HJ Mallins CBE told Bansenga: “The first offence was something you did for money and greed and after that while on bail you committed a much more serious crime.

“You smuggled cocaine into this country, a dreadfully serious offence, and doing so while on bail for another offence is even worse.

“The second offence was perhaps borne out of greed, you were not forced to do it, it was disgraceful.”

Bansenga was sentenced to four-and-a-half years custody for smuggling cocaine and six months to run concurrently for the cannabis offence.