Boss Of "Blagging" Private Eye Firm Must Hand Over £69,000 Or Go To Prison

Hungry For Info: Spencer

The boss of a private investigation company, which illegally 'blagged' sensitive, personal information from GP surgeries, utility companies, banks and other institutions on 1,900 occasions, was yesterday fined and ordered to hand over his illicit profits.

While tracing individuals who owed unpaid bills, community charges and other debts staff lied and posed as other people during phone calls to extract information on behalf of ICU Investigations Ltd and their 330 clients.

ICU's named clients included Leeds Building Society; Allianz Insurance; Dee Valley Water; Brighton and Hove City Council and Mint Credit.

The identities of other institutions and companies are shielded behind the many solicitor's firms who instructed ICU on their behalf.

Yesterday the company's director and sole shareholder, Barry Spencer, 41, of Hook Common, Hook, Hampshire was fined £12,000 with £8,000 costs and must hand over £69,327.32 or go to prison for twenty months.

He was also disqualified from being a company director for eight years.

The firm's former company secretary Adrian Stanton, 40, of Vicarage Road, Sunbury-on-Thames was previously fined £7,500, with £6,107 costs.

Both men were found guilty by an Isleworth Crown Court jury of conspiring to illegally obtain data, without consent, between April 1, 2009 and May 13, 2010.

They claim the company profited by no more than £29,000 from making illegal traces.

Five ex-employees pleaded guilty to the same charge and were all fined and ordered to pay costs.

They are: Robert Sparling, 38, fined £4,000, with £3,000 costs; Joel Jones, 43, fined £3,000, with £2,500 costs; Michael Sparling, 41, fined £2,000, with £2,000 costs; Neil Sturton, 43, fined £1,000, with £1,000 costs and Lee Humphreys, who was fined £1,000, with £1,000 costs.

The company, of Legacy Centre, Hanworth Trading Estate, Hampton Road West, Feltham was also convicted on the same summons brought under the Data Protection Act and fined a nominal sum of £100.

Even though MP's have voted for a two-year maximum sentence for the offence it has not been enacted and the only penalty available to Judge Phillip Matthews was an unlimited fine.

He told Stanton and the five employees at a previous hearing: "You made blagging phone calls to data controllers with the TV licensing authority, utility companies and health providers, such as doctors surgeries.

"Blagging means misrepresenting your identity and the real purpose of your call, which was to seek confirmation of an address, say with TV licensing and that person's method of payment, date of last payment, the expiry date of the licence and sometimes people's telephone numbers.

"Another favourite was to call a hospital local to the target, obtain some information and then call the target's surgery and blah information, pretending you were from the local hospital.

"Utility companies were frequently used because they had huge databases.

"There was no legitimate reason for you to ring TV licensing, utility companies or doctor's surgeries. You were seeking personal information, which in your guise you were not entitled to, misrepresenting who you were."

The staff were known as "tracers" and the company operated a highly-incentivised 'no trace, no fee' policy, offering such prizes as George Foreman grills when targets were met.

Prosecutor Mr. Ben Summers told the court: "This case is unique in that it is the first time conspiracy has been charged.

"They would trick the people they were calling at utility companies and the television licensing authority etc into disclosing information that involved personal data.

"That information would be used to complete reports on people they were trying to trace and then sent to ICU's clients.

"This case is about blagging, getting information about people by deceiving others and both Spencer and Stanton and ICU were involved in this practise.

"All three agreed to systematically commit offences under the Data Protection Act as part of the business they provided as a tracing agent."

Companies contacted for information include Vision Express; npower; E.ON; British Gas as well as GP surgeries.

"During the period somewhere in the order of nineteen hundred separate offences were committed with blagging phone calls being made," explained Mr. Summer.

"Personal details were blagged out of the people who were contacted."

A favourite method employed was to call an organisation, posing as the person they were trying to trace, and confirm details such as addresses and contact numbers.

"The defendants were involved in agreeing these calls should be made and through them the company is also responsible.

"They ran and administered the company and its day to day operation.

"Telephone calls were routinely made that did breach the Data Protection Act because they were blagging information from people by misrepresenting who they were and what they were after.

"It is inconceivable the offences could have been committed without Mr. Spencer and Mr. Stanton knowing what was going on," added Mr. Summers.

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) Head of Enforcement Stephen Eckersley said after Spencer's sentencing hearing: “This fine and confiscation order is not only a justified punishment for Mr. Spencer, but also a powerful deterrent to anyone thinking they can profit from illegally blagging personal data.

“People have the right to have their personal data kept securely.

“The ICO will do everything in its power to bring unscrupulous private investigators, such as ICU Investigations Ltd, to justice, including pursuing confiscation where appropriate to remove the benefit made by offenders from their offending.”

East Anglia Duo Accused Of Returning From Africa With Crystal Meth

Africa Trip: Cattermole

Two drug couriers were caught on consecutive days smuggling 5.89 kilos of crystal methylamphetamine concealed in their luggage after similar trips to west Africa, a jury have been told.

They are: Builder Darren Cattermole, 41, of Meadowcroft, Hollow Lane, Mendham, Harleston, Norfolk and Christopher Thrower, 37, of Station Road, Geldeston, Suffolk.

Both were stopped by Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport's Terminal Four after stepping off flights from Casablanca, Morocco last summer with drugs worth approximately £320,000.

Both have pleaded not guilty at Isleworth Crown Court to importing the drugs between June 7 and 10, last year.

Cattermole was stopped on June 8  and Thrower on June 9 and their passports revealed both had travelled from Gambia to Burkina Faso on June 1 before buying one-way tickets back home.

Cattermole was stopped by officer Sid Chadha and ordered to open his blue suitcase.

"I noticed a very strong chemical smell coming from the bag. As soon as you opened the bag it hit you," he told the court.

"The bag felt unusually heavy when emptied and I felt there was a concealment of some sort in the top and bottom of the suitcase.

"I spiked the bag, which revealed a crystalline-like substance."

Thrower was stopped the next day and a similar chemical smell was detected when his brown suitcase was opened.

An x-ray revealed an "unusually large concealment" and a white crystal substance was discovered when the bag was spiked.

African Gold: Thrower

When officers told Thrower they suspected he had imported drugs, the defendant replied: "What drugs?"

Cattermole was questioned and claimed he was a former musician living out of a van parked somewhere in Suffolk.

He said he was: "shocked, devastated," by the allegation and refused to answer any further questions.

Thrower claimed he was a regular visitor to Gambia, often driving cars there to sell, and continued to receive £60-£70 a week from a local bus service he set-up with a mini-bus he drove over.

He travelled there after his driver crashed the vehicle, he said, and was offered the opportunity to make £500 by travelling to Burkina Faso and transporting gold to the UK.

His contacts provided the brown suitcase to transport the gold, explained Thrower, but the plan was scrapped at the last minute with a promise of £250 compensation when he arrived at Heathrow Airport.

Trial continues………….

U.S. Air Force Officer Smashed Ornament During Epic All-Day Booze Bender

Pub Crawl: Mesnard

A drunken United States Air Force officer - thirteen hours into a 26-bar Circle Line pub crawl - smashed a TV dog trainer's expensive canine topiary garden ornament outside her £1.5m mews house.

First Lt. Christopher Mesnard, 26, based at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, began his epic pub crawl at 11.00am and was arrested just after midnight when he became separated from his group.

He pleaded guilty yesterday to causing £995 worth of criminal damage to the fake ivy-type garden ornament, belonging to Lucy Kennedy at in Victoria Grove Mews, Bayswater on March 30.

Mesnard is the 100 ARW Deputy Chief of Public Affairs, a graduate of the University of Texas and George Washington University, where he obtained a masters degree in strategic public relations.

The incident is a PR own-goal for the US Air Force and "ashamed" Mesnard faces further punishment from his employers.

Miss Kennedy, who starred in Sky's 'A Different Breed' with her dog Ted has also appeared on 'The Apprentice', 'The Wright Stuff' and 'It's Me of the Dog.'

Hammersmith Magistrates Court heard that she was woken by Mesnard in her front garden and went down to investigate.

"I made my way downstairs the front door," she told police. "I saw a male pulling my dog statue. I screamed at him and he fell backwards and broke the tail off."

Prosecutor Mr. Manjit Mahal told the court Miss Kennedy and her partner followed Mesnard and called the police, who arrested him in nearby Ossington Street.

"Mr. Mesnard confirmed he was on a pub crawl with his mates, which started in a champagne bar in Paddington Station.

"He was doing a twenty-six pub crawl along the Circle Line, drinking half a pint in each pub and staying there for thirty to forty-five minutes."

At that rate Mesnard would have consumed up to thirteen pints of lager when he smashed the statue.

"He said other friends joined along the way and he got separated and he was texting friends and was drunk, but not incapable.

"He was on his way to meet friends when stopped by the police.

"He was adamant he did not touch or damage a statue in any way."

Mesnard initially fought the charge, but changed his plea to guilty on the day of the trial and told the court: "I just want to start off with my sincerest apologies for causing so much angst over the damage to the property and to my fellow servicemen and women for representing them so badly.

"A apologise for drinking so much.

"After learning how intoxicated I had become I am embarrassed and feel I cannot fight the case.

Pursuit: Kennedy

"I acted out of the norm. It sickens me that I have caused Miss Kennedy so much distress.

"I am ashamed that as an officer I behaved in this way and as an officer I face further punishment."

He insisted he did not have an alcohol problem, confirmed by the US Air Force, and described the incident as a: "Lapse from my normal behaviour.

"I've learned a great lesson from my actions……I failed everyone and myself this time."

District Judge Samantha Bain told Mesnard: "I take into account that your name has been besmirched, which is a serious thing for yourself."

She fined him £250, with £150 costs and a £25 victim surcharge and ordered him to pay £995 compensation to Miss Kennedy.

Tory PR Man Says He Acted In Self-Defence

Public relations spin doctor Adrian Yalland, 44, has released a statement following the Crown Prosecution Service decision not to charge him.

He was arrested on February 20 after an incident outside the home of Fathers 4 Justice founder Matt O'Connor, 46, in Stockbridge, Hampshire.

Mr. Yalland, of Maritime Avenue, Marchwood, Southampton claims he was lawfully serving legal papers at the address.

“The O’Connors have made a number of allegations which deliberately distort accepted facts, and in some cases are pure invention.  

"I was outside their house at all times, and delivering a Letter Before Claim which Mrs O’Connor was refusing to accept via email. 

"The claim I broke into their home and photographed their son is a total fabrication, which I invite anyone to verify by calling Andover CID. 

"I allege Mrs O’Connor sought to use deception to avoid legitimate service of my Letter Before Claim, and have given evidence to support this clam to the Police. 

"I was therefore at her house, alone, under legal advice, staying  outside the home at all times. 

"I took no pictures of their son – as the police can confirm. 

"However, I was assaulted, and acted proportionately, and in self defence, after two attempts were made to steal my phone, and after I was pushed over, punched, held down, and a possible attempt was made to strangle me. 

"That is why the police have confirmed there will be no charges against me"”

Interior Designer Forged Employer's Letter During £10,000 Benefit Scam

An interior designer forged a letter from his employers during a £10,000 benefits scam to cover-up his true earnings.

David Gaunt-Newell, 64, of Ludlow Drive, Thame, Oxfordshire purported to earn just £6.50 per hour, but in reality was pocketing an hourly rate of £16.50 for his freelance services.

He received a total of £8,586.38p in housing benefit payments and £1,600.30p in council tax benefit payments while living at an address in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.

He pleaded guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court to one count of fraud and two counts under the Social Security Administration Act of making false representations to the council.

Gaunt-Newell, who was ruled unsuitable for community service work due to prolapsed discs in his spine, was sentenced to a daily three month electronically-tagged curfew between 7pm and 7am and ordered to pay £1,405 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.


Prosecutor Miss Champa Gurnani told the court today that the defendant handed-in a letter to the town hall to support his claim, but the details regarding his length of freelance employment and hourly rate with the company were incorrect.

The council were suspicious of the claim and contacted the company, who confirmed Gaunt-Newell earned more and had worked for them from July, 2007 until May 2010.

“There was a false date in the letter, which stated his employment finished at an earlier date than that,” added Miss Gurnani. “They said the letter was not prepared by them to be shown to anyone.

“It was purportedly signed by the owner, but that person confirmed that is was not her signature.

“The defendant had obtained that letterhead and committed fraud by using that letterhead for the purpose of obtaining benefits.”

Gaunt-Newell was questioned under caution. “He said he could not remember providing the letter and gave no explanation.

“It was pre-meditated from the outset. He knew what he was dong and it was to gain benefits from the local authority.”

The court heard Gaunt-Newell is making regular payments to compensate the council and agreed to repay the court costs at £100 per week.

Police Hunting Street Mugger Who Targeted Celeb's Sister And Mother

CCTV: Suspect

Police have released this CCTV still of a suspect they are hunting after the sister and mother of TV presenter Myleene Klass were hurt during a night time bag-snatch attempt.

Officers on Haringey borough say a 33 year-old woman, who was with a 67 year-old companion in Whittington Road, Wood Green on January 7 was targeted by a street mugger.

She was aproached at 9.20pm and the suspect tried to snatch her handbag, dragging her to the ground and along the pavement.

The older woman tried to hold onto the victim, but was also dragged along during the violent struggle.

Eventually the assailant fled the scene empty-handed.

The woman received minor injuries, but did not require hospital treatment and no items were taken.

Both women were very distressed by the incident.

No arrests have been made and enquiries are continuing.

Detective Constable Pat Dunne from the Haringey Acquisitive Crime Unit said: “This was a terrifying attack on two women on a main road.

Myleene Klass

“I’m confident someone will be able to identify the suspect pictured in the images released today.

“I would urge any witnesses and people with information to contact police on the incident police hotline: 0203 2763070 or crime stoppers on 0800 555 111

Myleene Klass, sister of the victim, has said "I am horrified by what happened to my mum and sister as anyone would be if this were a member of their own family and I urge any person that knows anything or can help in anyway to please come forward."

Conservative Party PR Man Will Not Face Criminal Charges And Responds To Allegations

Adrian Yalland

A Tory PR man, arrested near the home of the founder of Fathers For Justice, will not face any criminal charges, the Crown Prosecution Service have ruled.

Adrian Yalland, 44, says he was acting in self-defence during a confrontation outside the home of Matt O'Connor, 46, in Stockbridge, Hampshire.

Yalland, of Maritime Avenue, Marchwood, Southampton was detained by police on February 20 in Stockbridge High Street after attempting to serve legal papers.

He told Square Mile News today: “The police accepted I was acting in self-defence, and have pressed no charges.

"I did not ‘break into their home'. Indeed, Hampshire Police will confirm that at the time they were interviewed, neither Mr or Mrs O’Connor ever alleged I did.

“The allegation that I ‘broke in’, which they have repeated widely, is an allegation which they have made subsequent to their interview with the police solely for the purposes of damaging my reputation.

“It is however entirely false and I intend to take action against them, calling, if needs be, Hampshire Constabulary as a witness in this respect.

“The police accept I did not ‘launch a roadside assault', but that in fact I was attacked by Mr. O’Connor and then Mr. O’Connor’s landlord, on whose wife I had just served legal papers regarding her libel of me, based on the article which Square Mile News published about me in October, which also contained false allegations and is also actionable.

“The police, who seized my phone at the scene, have confirmed there are no photographs of their son, or the inside of their home, but there is, as I claimed there would be, a picture of the outside of the house, which I took, under legal advice, to demonstrate to the court that service of legal papers had happened in accordance with Civil Practice guidance, pertaining to an order for costs.

“Mr. O’Connor’s own video shows I was not ‘removed from the premises’.

“Furthermore, I was never in the premises, but was at all times either on a public highway, or on their driveway, with implied consent, lawfully delivering letters.

Video: Yalland

“In fact, an attempt to prevent me from leaving the driveway was made by Mr O’Connor, who also assaulted me both as he sought to prevent me leaving, and prior to it.

“He then assaulted me a third time after grabbing my phone.

“You carry the claim: 'The video clearly shows Mr. Yalland punching one man in the side of the head and knocking him to the ground outside my home.'

“This is a claim widely made by Mrs O’Connor, and is demonstrably false.

“The video, in fact shows me repeatedly walking away from Mr. O’Connor, who is being aggressive and using foul language, and who, at the moment I am alleged to have punched him, can be scene grabbing my phone from my outstretched hands.

“Mrs O’Connor is therefore claiming that I punched Mr. O’Connor, a man who must weigh in excess of 16 stone, ‘in the side of the head’ with sufficient force to knock him to the ground, with him, as the video shows, falling to my right, indicating he would have to have been punched by my left hand on the left side of his head.

“Yet, to the contrary, the video actually shows Mr. O’Connor claiming he had been punched ‘in the face’, not the side of the head as Mrs O’Connor later claimed, whilst both my arms were outstretched and holding a mobile phone and taking a picture.  

“I invite you to view the video yourself in order for you to ascertain the veracity of the claims made by the O’Connors, and to ask if it is possible that I, with an already outstretched arm, could have punched a man weighing in excess of 16 stone with sufficient force ‘in the face’ to knock him over to his right.

“Mr. O’Connor has supplied or published no medical evidence, or photographs of bruising or reddening, to evidence his false claim that he was punched.

“Furthermore, the police have confirmed that both at the scene and later in custody, my knuckles showed no signs of having been employed in a punch, which due to the necessary force required to knock Mr. O’Connor over, would have certainly shown some evidence had I punched Mr. O’Connor as he falsely claims.  

“Mr. O’Connor further claims I bit him, even producing photographic evidence of the ‘bite’. Yet he makes no mention of the ‘bite’ in his video.

“I am informed the bite looks like it was not inflicted by teeth, but with a knife. I was not found to be carrying a knife.

“You carry the claim: 'A second man attempted to restrain Mr. Yalland from continuing his assault and was severely bitten by Mr. Yalland.'

“Yet the Police have accepted it was I who was being assaulted, that I was acting in self-defence, that there is therefore no evidence to support this allegation.

“The Police have confirmed an injury to the back of my head consistent with a punch.

“Furthermore, the injuries the landlord received were, to quote police press release, ‘minor’, and not ‘severe’.

“I invite you to examine Hampshire Constabularies comments to confirm this for yourself.

“Mrs O’Connor states: 'If Mr. Yalland were serving legal papers there is a protocol for doing so. He did not follow this protocol.'

“Yet my solicitor has given a witness statement to Hampshire Police stating I was indeed following Civil Practice guidance pertaining to an order for costs, and was indeed, as Mrs O’Connor says. ‘following protocol’, not least of all Mrs O’Connor was using deception to avoid service of the Letter Before Claim, the evidence I have and have given to the police.

“Elsewhere, Mrs O’Connor has claimed I was not delivering legal papers, but at her house to confront her, and that there is no legal dispute between us.

“Yet Hampshire Police were, at the scene, handed copies of the Letter Before Claim by the O’Connors, which I had just served.

“Ipso facto, there is, inter alia, a legal dispute and I was delivering legal papers.

“I will leave it to you to decide if you believe the O’Connors have acted honestly in this regard, but I hereby inform you I have handed Police a 46 page bundle of evidence which details their year-long ‘war’ (as they describe it) against me, which includes defamatory comments and false allegations which pre-date SQM’s article of October, which was the final source of my original Letter Before Claim, a letter Mrs O’Connor claims does not exist, even though she handed copies of it to the police.

“You will know that publishing the false allegations of others, or repeating false allegations made elsewhere, is not a defence in defamation proceedings.

“Furthermore, I draw your attention to the fact that you made no effort to ascertain the validity of the claims you have made/repeated.

“I there hope you will agree to remove the article in its entirety.

“If not, please consider this a Letter Before Claim. I reserve my rights accordingly.

Paedo Cop Caught By Police With Kiddie Porn

A paedophile policeman was snared in a covert operation conducted by his colleagues with sexually-explicit images of children.

Dominick Akinlade, 37, immediately resigned from his job as a Police Constable in Merton borough after he was arrested.

He pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court (pictured) to five counts of making indecent images of children and will continue to be remanded in custody until he is sentenced on May 19.

Akinlade was arrested on October 1, last year by officers from the Metropolitan Police's Paedophile Unit.

He was found to be in possession of a number of indecent images of children – which he had downloaded from the internet - onto his home computer.

He did not come into contact with any of the children shown in the imagesand none of them were on police computers.


Christmas Cat Burglar Runs Out Of Lives

A cat thief, who stole a ten-month old pet from his mother's neighbour because he had not bothered to buy her a Christmas present, has been locked-up for fifteen weeks.

James Boyce, 31, snatched 'Mercy' (pictured) from the flat in Bovingdon Lane, Colindale on Christmas Day, last year.

He pleaded guilty to burglary and threatening behaviour and was sentenced at West London Magistrates' Court.

Boyce gave his mother the smokey grey-coloured cat for Christmas, claiming he had bought the cat at a Harrow pet shop.

Later that day his mother's neighbour reported the burglary and theft of her pet.

Officers from Barnet entered the flat belonging to Boyce's mother and found the defendant in his bed asleep with 'Mercy' beside him.



Mercy was returned to her rightful owner and Boyce was arrested for residential burglary and threatening behaviour to which he made no reply.



Detective Constable Yogini Patel said "Fortunately 'Mercy' has not been harmed during her festive ordeal and has been returned to her owner unscathed.

“We take all reports of burglary very seriously were able to act quickly to identify the culprit in this case.

“Mercy the cat has made a full recovery and is now helping to control smaller local pests in his happy home."

Woman-On-Woman Mugging: Police Hunting This Suspect

Police are hunting this would-be robber, who followed another woman off a packed bus and stamped on her face as she tried to snatch her mobile phone.

Officers have released this CCTV image of the female suspect – standing in the middle of the bus – in the hope of capturing the assailant responsible for leaving the victim with a fractured cheekbone.

The 25 year-old victim caught the 136 bus outside Lewisham Railway Station at 7.30pm on February 10.

When she sat down on the bus she was joined by the suspect who seated herself beside her.



The victim took out her mobile phone before getting off the bus at Bromley Road, Catford at approx 8.00pm.



As she departed the bus, she was followed by the suspect along Whitefoot Lane.



The suspect approached and asked for the time, and the victim gave her the time on her watch.

She was told to provide the time on her mobile phone, but refused
and began to walk quickly before the suspect caught up with her - pushing her to the ground and stamping on her face.



The victim sustained a fractured cheekbone along with various bumps and bruises. 


The suspect fled the scene, getting on a bus nearby.



Detective Constable Andy Trevett, from the Serious Acquisitive Crime Unit, said: "This was a very nasty assault that occurred at night whilst the victim was on her way home.

“We are very keen to trace this woman and try and prevent another person from being subjected to such a violent attack."



Anyone with information should contact the Serious Acquisitive Crime Unit at Lewisham Police Station on 0208 284 8472/8413.

Alternatively please contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Murderer Gets Life For Fatal Stabbing

Murderer: Kris Guler

A murderer, who stabbed a man to death in a north London street soon after the victim arrived at an address to meet an associate, has been jailed for life.

Kristofer Guler, 31, (pictured) plunged the blade into the buttock of 44 year-old Rodney Adams in St. Ann's Road, South Tottenham on September 11, 2013.

He was convicted at Southwark Crown Court and must serve a minimum of twenty-three years.

His alleged accomplice, Jamie Nicholson, 32, was found not guilty of murder by the same jury.

Police were called to the North Middlesex Hospital where Mr. Adams was being treated for serious stab injuries, having been driven there in a private vehicle.

He was transferred to the Royal London Hospital where he was pronounced dead later that evening. 



A post-mortem examination held at Haringey Mortuary gave the cause of death as a stab wound.



An investigation was launched by detectives from the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command.



Detectives discovered that Mr. Adams had been driven to the vicinity of St Ann's Road at the junction with Green Lanes in order to meet with an associate. 



CCTV evidence captured Mr. Adams being confronted a short time later by Guler, who stabbed him in the buttock.



Three days later, Guler was traced to Birmingham, where he was arrested on suspicion of murder.



Giving evidence at the trial, Guler claimed that Mr. Adams had threatened Jamie Nicholson with a handgun at the door of his home.

He only followed the deceased, he claimed, out of public spiritedness with the sole intention of alerting the police.

Guler denied responsibility for the stabbing, maintaining that an unknown man had intercepted Mr. Adams as he ran towards the safety of a waiting car. 



No gun was ever recovered, nor was there any forensic trace evidence to suggest Mr. Adams had handled a firearm.



Detective Chief Inspector Tim Duffield, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "It remains unclear why Guler chose to act in the way he did, taking Rodney's life on a busy street in broad daylight.

"Hopefully today's verdict sends out a clear message that the Met Police and law abiding Londoners simply will not tolerate the carrying and use of knives within our communities."



Gunman Blasts Guest At 10 Year-Old Girl's Birthday BBQ

Alfie's Got A Gun: Gannon

A gunman, who returned to blast a fellow-guest at a child's tenth birthday party when a row broke out during an impromptu martial arts demonstration, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years yesterday.

Alfie Gannon, 21, was thrown out of the family barbecue, but over five hours later shot 22 year-old Danny Walker through both legs with one bullet as his seven year-old stepson Frankie stood next to him.

Gannon, of White Willow Close, Ashford, Kent pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent, and possessing a firearm, with intent to commit grievous bodily harm.

A charge of attempted murder was dropped against the defendant, who spent six months on the run after the shooting and successfully disposed of the firearm, believed to be a 9mm self-loading handgun.

"I bear in mind this was a children's birthday party, which and will remain very shocking for those children," Judge Stephen Waller told Gannon. "There was a significant degree of pre-meditation."

The Metropolitan Police's Trident Gang Crime Command investigated and Detective Chief Inspector Lee Watling said: "I am pleased that Gannon will be now serving a substantial custodial sentence for what was a shocking incident at a child's birthday party. Understandably both the children and guests at the party were extremely traumatised by the senseless actions of Gannon."

Scene Of Shooting: Ravenscar Road

Gannon had been invited via his girlfriend Zoe to Ravenscar Road, Bromley on May 18, last year for Daisy Walker's tenth birthday party and at around 4.00pm he was chatting with Danny's brother Dean, 21.

"At some point there was a disagreement between the defendant and Dean Walker," said prosecutor Mr. Tom Nicholson. "It appears it was related to some martial arts moves Mr. Walker was showing the defendant.

"It involved pressure points and the defendant reacted badly to that and was asked to leave.

"He returned with a black handgun and there was a commotion outside as he arrived and Danny Walker came out.

"Mr. Walker heard a loud bang and saw blood running down his leg. At the time his son Frankie was beside him.

"He had been shot through both legs, which had entrance and exit wounds just above the knees and began to bleed copiously from the injury."

Gannon escaped and armed police rushed to the scene where they found Mr. Walker sitting on a sofa with his trousers around his ankles, bleeding heavily.

"Children had witnessed the shooting and the prolonged period Mr. Walker was bleeding heavily," added Mr. Nicholson. "The Walker family were upset and angry and it took a sustained period to be calmed down by police, who were forced to restrain at least one."

Gannon, who has convictions for violence and possessing a knife, was traced to Ashford, Kent, where he was arrested after being tackled to the ground outside his address by police on November 19.

Mr. Walker discharged himself from Kings College Hospital, Denmark Hill, against medical advice after just two hours of treatment.

"He says he can't believe someone he was talking to at a family barbecue would come back and shoot him," added the prosecutor.   

Gannon's lawyer Mr. Nicholas Goss said: "He asks me to apologise to the victim and children on his behalf."

Cocaine Courier Caught With Drugs In His Stomach

A convicted drug dealer, who was caught smuggling £23,000 worth of cocaine he swallowed before boarding a flight from Peru, was told today he would be returning to prison.

Lloyd Iain Powell, 36, of  Greenfields, Sellindge, Ashford, Kent pleaded guilty to smuggling 303gms of the drug at Gatwick Airport (pictured) on February 14.

Croydon Crown Court heard the cocaine had a purity of between 62% and 76% and a street value of £23,616.

He had flown in from Peru via Spain and x-rays taken by suspicious Border Force officers revealed suspicious contents within his stomach.

While detained at HMP High Down Powell developed deep vein thrombosis in his leg and is awaiting an operation.

He also remains on the prison's 'danger of self-harm programme'.

Powell's lawyer Mr. Nicholas Hamblin asked the court to pass a more lenient sentence, stating the defendant was not an organiser.

“It is a lesser role. There is an element of pressure involved,” he said.

Recorder John Bate-Williams remanded Powell in custody until May 6 for a medical report, telling him: “This is inevitably going to be a custodial sentence.

“Any time you are serving now will be credited against the eventual sentence.”

Father Fatally Stabbed Son Through Neck

A man has been convicted of murdering his own son, who was stabbed to death when he intervened in a row between his father and mother over rent money.

George Joseph, 77, (pictured) of Kendal House, Collier Street, King's Cross armed himself with a kitchen knife and stabbed his son Paul Joseph, 43, in the neck.

He was convicted by an Old Bailey jury of murdering Paul at the address on October 7, last year and will be sentenced at a later date.

Police had been called at approximately 10.00pm and Paul was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination took place within twelve hours on at Whittington Hospital and the Icause of death was confirmed as an incise wound to the neck.

The defendant was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and subsequently charged.

The court heard Paul Joseph intervened in an argument between his mother and father regarding rent.

His father then argued and a fight escalated and ended with George Joseph stabbing his son in the neck with a kitchen knife.