Council Tax Case Against Lord Brockett Dropped

Court action against Lord Charles Brockett for unpaid council tax on his Fulham flat was withdrawn by his local authority yesterday during a short hearing at Hammersmith Magistrates Court.

The peer, 62, of The Piper Building, Peterborough Road, Fulham, (pictured) had faced a complaint for a council tax liability order for non-payment of council tax and costs of £1,367.52 brought by the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham.

The demand related to his address at the landmark west London building, where a penthouse flat is currently on the market with an asking price of £2.65m.

His full name is Charles Ronald George Nall-Cain, Third Baron Brocket.

Eton-educated Lord Brockett was sentenced to five years imprisonment in 1996 for £4.3m insurance fraud involving four of his vintage cars.

He served as a Lieutenant in the 14th/20th King's Hussars and the former playboy pal of Prince Charles once owned 42 Ferraris amongst his classic car collection.

In 2004 he appeared in 'I'm A Celebrity…….Get Me Out Of Here!' and went on to present several other television programmes.

He inherited eighteenth century Brocket Hall, near Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, which he converted into a hotel and conference venue and leases to a German consortium - Brocket Hall International

The father-of-four was last month stopped by police taking possession of £2m worth of art and antiques, which he claimed belonged to the trustees of the estate.

Eight police cars chased three removal vans along the A1M.

Ex-Fiance Of Billionaire's Daughter Tamara Ecclestone Denies Stealing £28,000 Of Her Jewellery

The former fiancé of model and socialite Tamara Ecclestone appeared in court for the first time today charged with stealing £28,000 worth of jewellery from his ex.

Amre Al-Khyami, 40, of Caroline House, Bayswater Road, Bayswater, the son of a wealthy Syrian businessman, arrived at Hammersmith Magistrates Court in a chauffeur-driven silver Rolls Royce.

He pleaded not guilty that between January 1, 2010 and July 31, 2012 at Old Church Street, Chelsea he stole two necklaces belonging to Tamara Ecclestone, 30, and he was bailed unconditionally to appear at Isleworth Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on August 5.

Prosecutor Mr. Vijay Khuttan told the court: "He's stolen from his ex-partner, but he says he was handed these items after the break-up. He says he had permission."

The prosecutor described the offence as a "breach of trust" and said the magistrates court had insufficient powers to order full compensation in the event of a conviction.

Tamara is the daughter of billionaire Formula One ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone, 83, and has starred in her own reality TV series 'Billion Dollar Girl.'

Tamara and her sister Petra, 25, are familiar faces on the party circuit and she knew her boyfriend of two-and-a-half years as 'Omar Khyami' after meeting him at Mayfair celebrity haunt restaurant 'Cipriani'

She once described him as her "soulmate" and had name tattooed on her hip - since replaced by pink ribbon

He attended private school Emmanuel College, Clapham.

The couple split two years ago after a sex-tape revealed Al-Khyami cheating on her while wearing two £30,000 Cartier love bangles she'd bought him. 

Tamara, who now lives in a 55-room £45m Kensington mansion, said of her then-boyfriend in 2012: "I know Omar's the right person because I have never been so happy. I trust him completely. Deep down you know when someone loves you for who you are and not what you have.

"I think I'm a good judge of character. Omar and I definitely want to get married. I think in the next few years hopefully we will tie the knot."

in June, last year she married Jay Rutland and gave birth on March 17, this year to Sophia Ecclestone-Rutland.

Teen Caged For Terrifying Knife-Point Mugging

A knife-wielding teenager mugger, who held a blade to his victim's throat while forcing the man to withdraw cash from an ATM, has been locked-up for three years.

Deureece Reid, 18, of Hoe Lane, Enfield demanded £250 cash – the maximum allowed – from his 33 year-old victim.

He was convicted of robbery in Queen Anne's Place, Bush Hill Park, Enfield on December 12, last year after a two-day trial at Wood Green Crown Court.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Rob Delaney, from Enfield’s Proactive Crime Unit, said: “This was a terrifying attack, causing the victim to fear for his life.

“This sentence will take this attacker off of our streets for a number of years.”

"Every Parent's Nightmare" Caged For Grooming And Trying To Rape 14 Year-Old Girl

A shopkeeper, who 'groomed' a 14 year-old customer for sex and gave her a glass of orange juice, after which she passed out, has been jailed for trying to rape the youngster.

Gerard Morgan, 46, of Sandhurst Road, Catford sold baseball caps at a local store and after befriending the “vulnerable” teen gave her gifts, including an iPad Mini.

He was convicted at Woolwich Crown Court of attempted rape; grooming a child and sexual assault and received a total of five years imprisonment.

Morgan befriended the girl in the autumn of 2012 after she came into the shop to look at some of the caps.

Following further encounters at the shop, Morgan then began to offer her lifts in his car.



It was during these lifts that Morgan began to sexually abuse his victim.


In January last year Morgan took the victim to an address in Blackheath where he offered her a drink of orange juice.

After taking the drink, the victim passed out and only awoke hours later with her clothes dishevelled.

She told someone about the incident and police were alerted.



Morgan was arrested on February 25 and denied the allegations.

However, analysis of his phones showed that he had made contact with the victim on hundreds of occasions in the short time they had known each other.



Detective Constable Ken Tran of the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command (SOECA) led the investigation. 



He said: "Gerard Morgan is a dangerous offender who exploited a very vulnerable child for his own sexual needs.

“The victim has shown courage in reporting Morgan, who has now been convicted and will go to prison for a long time, safeguarding other children.

On release he will be monitored as a registered sex offender."



Detective Chief Inspector Pete Thomas, also of SOECA, said: "Gerard Morgan is every parent's nightmare, a sex offender who targets children and tries to beguile them with presents and compliments. 



"I believe there will be other victims and I urge them to tell us about what has happened.

“I would also encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual exploitation or grooming, or someone who may have information about offenders targeting children, to call us, so we can protect other children."



Anyone with information about Gerard Morgan is asked to contact SOECA via 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. 

Bicycle-Riding Mugger Gets Life For Murdering Pregnant Prostitute

A knife-wielding midnight mugger, who murdered a pregnant prostitute he stabbed twice in the chest as he cycled around east London looking for victims, has been caged for life.

Farooq Shah, 21, of Station Road, Forest Gate had robbed a vulnerable victim less than an hour earlier then targeted 24 year-old Romanian Mariana Popa – the mother of a six year-old child who had only been in the UK a few weeks.

He must serve twenty-nine years before he can be considered for parole and received a six-year concurrent term for the first mugging.

He was convicted at Woolwich Crown Court of murdering Mariana in Ilford Lane, Redbridge, shortly before midnight on October 28, last year.

He was also found guilty of a knife-point mugging in nearby Upton Park the same night, when he robbed a partially-sighted man in his fifties.

Detective Inspector Darren Richards said: "This was a cold-blooded, senseless murder by a man who went out that night, armed with a knife, intent on using it to commit serious injury to someone.



"He had already threatened and robbed a vulnerable man with a knife earlier that night, and he was hanging around the Ilford Lane area, looking for another victim.

“He killed Mariana because she was there, because he thought he could get away with it.

“In doing so, he has deprived a young daughter of her mother. Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of Mariana."



The murder investigation was launched by officers from the Homicide and Major Crime Command after police were called by the London Ambulance Service at approx 00:15am on Tuesday, October 29, to reports of a woman injured in Ilford Lane, near the junction with Loxford Lane.



Officers attended and she was treated for a stab injury and she was taken to an east London hospital where she died at 01:53am.

The post-mortem examination ascertained that she died from shock and haemorrhage and stab wounds to the chest.



Mariana, who has a six year-old daughter, had been spoken to by police three times that night and she had been issued with a caution for soliciting.



CCTV footage proved critical in this case, and approximately 400 hours was reviewed over the course of the investigation.

Police recovered the footage from a number of cameras along the road, one of which had actually caught the murder taking place.

It shows Mariana walking along with a man on a bicycle, when he is seen to take a knife from his back pocket and stab her twice in the chest.

He then makes off towards Loxford Lane on his bike, while Mariana manages to make her way to a nearby shop where she collapsed.



Through the footage, detectives were able to trace the attacker to an area around St. Francis Way.

During door-to-door enquiries on November 6, officers discovered a bicycle matching the description of that seen in the CCTV footage.

Shah was inside the flat and, finding he fitted the description of the murderer, he was immediately arrested. 



At the address, police found a bag belonging to Shah that matched one worn by the murderer in the footage; they also recovered a Samsung Galaxy phone which Shah had given to his friend, who was present at the flat. 



Enquiries revealed that the phone had been taken during a knife-point robbery in Harold Road, Upton Park, at approx 11.00pm on the night of October 28.

CCTV footage had already shown that the murderer had been travelling from that direction to Ilford Lane.

That victim was partially sighted, but crucially was able to describe his assailant's distinctive thick beard.


Sex Offender Who Inflicted "Immense Pain" Caged

A sex offender – who targeted three girls when he was a young teen himself – is starting a two-and-a-half year sentence after the victims broke two decades of silence.

Damien Walters, 32, of St. Asaph Road, Brockley sexually abused the children between 1995 and 200.

One of the victims was only six or seven years-old when the sex attacks began and Walters was thirteen years-old.

He was convicted at Woolwich Crown Court of four counts of indecent assault.

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police's Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command (SOECA) were contacted by the trio, who stated Walters had assaulted them in the Deptford area of south-east London.

Detective Constable Gary Castle of the Met's SOECA said: "I commend the victims for coming forward.

“All three victims were children at the time and have found it challenging to come forward, to relive the events of their attack from many years ago.

“Walters relied on the fact that these victims were young when he assaulted them and that they would not be believed. He was clearly mistaken."



Detective Inspector Faye Churchyard said: "The offences perpetrated on the victims affected their lives considerably.

“Walters caused immense pain and the victims have now seen justice.

“This case shows that no matter how long ago the abuse took place, victims can obtain justice.

“I urge any other victims of sexual abuse to come forward and tell the police what has happened, we can support you and help you through this process."

Violent Assault: Suspect Identified

Police have released this photo of a suspect they are hunting for a violent assault.

Officers from Barking and Dagenham Police in east London are keen to know the whereabouts of 51 year-old Adam Nichols.

He is wanted in connection with an incident that took place at Thatches Grove, The Marks Gate Estate, Dagenham on Wednesday January 22.



He is described as white, 6ft 2ins tall and speaks with a London accent. 



It is believed he may be in the Great Yarmouth area of Norfolk.



Anyone who has information concerning the whereabouts of this man is urged to contact Detective Constable Malcolm Young of Barking and Dagenham CID.

The phone number is 020 3276 1109 or Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference number 5101184/14.


Bullet Lodged In Gun Victim's Head: Police Continue Hunt

Police continue to hunt a mystery would-be killer - whose victim has been left with a bullet lodged in his head after a south London shooting as he walked home from work last year.

A reward of up to £20,000 has been offered for information that will identify who shot the 28 year-old Chinese national just after midnight on a Tulse Hill council estate.

The victim was shot at close range outside Fairview House, Roupel Estate on September 1 by a lone gunman, clad head to foot in black with his face obscured by a zipped hoodded top.

After being shot in the back of the head the victim managed to make his way home where the alarm was raised and he was rushed to Kings College Hospital.

He was treated and discharged three days later and the bullet remains in his head.

Despite numerous inquiries officers have been unable to identify the suspect for the attempted murder which is believed to have been a completely unprovoked attack.

Nothing was stolen from the victim so officers do not believe robbery to be a motive.


The £20,000 reward is offered for information which would lead to the identification, arrest and prosecution of the person responsible.



The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 5’ 7” tall, in his late teens or early twenties, wearing a black hooded top - zipped up to the nose - and black jeans.



Detective Chief Inspector Jason Prins of Trident Gang Crime Command, said: "This was a shocking incident whereby a young man walking home from work in the early hours of the morning was shot at close range.

“Understandably he and his family are very distressed by this apparently motiveless and senseless attack.

“The gun used in the attack was some form of self-loading pistol which was shot at very close range. 



"I would like to reassure any potential witnesses who may be worried about making contact with police that Trident has extensive expertise in protecting witnesses and there are a range of measures that can be taken to protect you."



Members of the public with any information can contact the Trident South investigation team on 020 8247 4877 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

NOT GUILTY: Anglican Priest Cleared Of Child Abuse Charges

An anglican priest at a landmark South Kensington church has finally been cleared after two trials of sexually abusing two young alter boy brothers in the vicarage during weekend sleepovers.

Father Kenneth Hewitt, 84, was accused of bathing the boys - who visited separately - and getting into bed with them and molesting them at St. Augustine's Church, Queen's Gate.

He was also said to have plied one of the youngsters with sherry and port during the 'grooming' process the respective juries were told at Isleworth Crown Court.

The brothers attended St. James Independent Boys School across the road from the church and the elder said he was abused between the ages of nine and ten years-old and the younger sibling said he was aged seven to fourteen years-old.

They are now aged 42 and 38 respectively and the youngest claimed he was molested thirty to forty times by Father Hewitt, who took him to museums, restaurants and shops and treated him to alcohol and ice cream at the vicarage, where he also showed him Victorian books featuring naked children.

Prosecutor Mr. Subhankar Banerjee told the first trial pupils were encouraged to become alter boys at the church -  a favourite of late Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman - and the defendant himself was particularly popular.

"He was someone people could trust and respect and was considered nicer than a lot of the teachers."

Father Hewitt was friendly with the boys' mother, who allowed her sons to sleepover at the vicarage, believing the defendant to be a good "mentor" for her sons.

The older boy only stayed twice, once after a church service and once after school.

"He says he had to have a bath and Father Hewitt walked in and then placed the boy's pyjamas on his bed and said that's where he would be sleeping"

Father Hewitt allegedly described the youngster as his "special boy" and made "grunting noises" as he molested him.

Three weeks later the scenario was repeated with the defendant washing the boy between his legs and inserting his finger into the complainant's bottom, the jury were told.

The defendant "lingered" around the boys's bottom when towelling him off, explained Mr. Banerjee, and again molested him in the bed.

On another occasion the boy was changing into alter clothing for a church service when Father Hewitt approached, said the prosecutor.

"He said he would smooth out his clothes and rubbed his penis over the gown and said: 'There you are. You look special'."

The younger brother stayed overnight every two to three weeks for several years and says Father Hewitt bathed him, lingering between his legs.

The priest also asked the boy to wash him and took him to bed, where he was abused, the jury were told.

"These activities took place thirty to forty times," said Mr. Banerjee. "The same thing happened four or five times when the defendant took him to a bungalow in Norfolk."

The defendant was questioned by police in April, last year. "He denied anything of a sexual nature ever happened."

Father Hewitt, of Bromley College, London Road, Bromley was found not guilty to five counts of indecently assaulting the older brother between June 15, 1980 and June 16, 1982.

He was also cleared of two counts of repeatedly indecently assaulting the younger brother between May 13, 1982 and May 14, 1989, plus one count of indecency with a child in relation to the same complainant.

Men Linked To Church And Undertakers Firm Deny Sexually Abusing Choirboys

Phillip Tuffill

A group of six paedophiles, linked to a notorious church organist and choirmaster, were involved in sexually abusing four young boys who were "groomed" with alcohol, pornography and other treats, a jury were told today.

The families of the boys were unaware the youngsters, all aged from six to fourteen years-old, were being preyed upon, Croydon Crown Court heard, until decades later and one by one they reported the abuse of the defendants.

They are: IT company director and former funeral director Phillip Tuffill, 55, of Mill Lane, Merstham, Redhill.

Gerald Heather, 65, of Nolan Close, Swindon.

Timothy Fuller, 53, of Herd Street, Stoke-on-Trent.

Robert Lawty, 55, of Adams Croft, Brookwood, Woking.

Ian Coulthart, 62, of Kingswood Flats, Kingswood Street, Brighton.

Mark Jales, 51, of High Beech Farmhouse, Lower Godney, Wells.

"This concerns serious allegations of sexual abuse by these adult men on teenage and young boys in the seventies and eighties," prosecutor Miss Rosina Cottage QC told the jury.

Gerald Heather

The boys attended St. Bartholemew's Primary School, Sydenham and sang in the St. Bartholemew's Church choir, which was run by convicted pedophile Tony Brockhurst, a funeral director who killed himself approximately five years ago, aged 80.

Tuffill, who shared a house with Fuller in Gowland Place, Beckenham, was an employee of the same undertakers - H Copeland & Sons - and Jales was one of the drivers.

Tuffill, Heather and Coulthart were all members of the choir.

One former choirboy was abused by all of the defendants, the jury were told, having been initially groomed by Brockhurst when aged only eleven years-old.

"He was a lonely little boy looking for warmth and attention and was groomed, including being given alcohol, and abused for three years," explained Miss Cottage.

"Tuffill began to abuse him a year after he joined the choir," she added, informing the jury the defendant had sex with the boy after inviting him to his home where he was given alcohol and treated to a chinese meal.

"The boy thought it was his purpose and the way of his relationships with these men.

Timothy Fuller

"They were men trusted by the parents, they were connected to the church and the choir and there was no question about their integrity.

"They learned how to choose their victims and groom them so they would not say: 'no'."

Heather picked up and hugged the same boy - who felt the defendant was aroused - during the choir's camping trip to Wales and he also took the youngster bowling before eventually taking him to the bedroom of his Streatham home and having sex.

"The abuse became such a way of life he thought nothing of it and did not tell anyone."

Fuller was convicted in 1987 of gross indecency with a boy and in 1985 of indecently assaulting brothers, aged eleven and twelve years-old, the jury were told.

"He is a man sexually attracted to children," said Miss Cottage. "He has a history of abusing boys and sexually assaulted the first complainant in this case as well."

The jury were told Tuffill asked Fuller: "Why don't you try him out?" and soon afterwards the boy was plied with alcohol by the defendant, who then had sex with him.

"It happened several times over the next few months."

Robert Lawty

The same boy was introduced at a party to married cook Lawty, a friend of Tuffill's. "He was plied with alcohol, red wine, and Lawty also drank."

The court heard Lawty had sex with the youngster and told him: "Once you're in the ring, we've got you."

Miss Cottage added: "Lawty also asked him if he would have sex with his wife."

Coulthart also had sex with the boy, who complained it "hurt" and recalled one occasion when the defendant and Brockhurst had their way with him at a cottage near Royal Tunbridge Wells.

"He knew what was going to happen, but did not complain because he was use'd to it by this time. Each man took it in turns with the boy on the carpet in front of the fire."

The boy was also taken by Jales to his then flat opposite the funeral directors, where he had sex with him and stayed the night. "He describes him as smelling of b.o.

"He felt numb and used. There had been no treats and he did not return to Jales and thought him weird and dirty."

Ian Coulthart

The second victim, another chorister, was groomed by Tuffill, who showed him pornography from Amsterdam and abused him in his own home when he was just eleven years-old, the court heard.

The boy remembers Heather as the driver of a mini-bus when the choristers were taken swimming or ten-pin bowling and as someone who would treat them to a chinese meal.

"He remembers Heather as profoundly religious with the church," said the prosecutor, adding the defendant put his hand under the boy's duvet and abused him while he was lying in his own bed.

Churchgoer Jales - described by the boy as a "hanger-on" - had laid out pornography on the bed before undressing the youngster and abusing him. "It was furtive and it was squalid," recalled the complainant.

Mark Jales

His younger brother fell into the clutches of Tuffill aged just six years-old. "He groomed and abused him," said Miss Cottage.

"Tuffill started touching him before he even joined the choir. He would pull down the child's pyjama bottoms."

The complainant recalls being abused on both days of a trip to Cheddar Gorge when he stayed at a bed and breakfast with Tuffill.

A fourth complainant came forward and reported he had also been abused by Tuffill.

Tuffill has pleaded not guilty to two sample counts of buggery in relation to the first boy; three counts of indecent assault in relation to the second boy; six counts of indecent assault in relation to the third boy and two counts of indecent assault in relation to the fourth boy.

Heather denies one count of buggery in relation to the first boy and two counts of indecent assault in relation to the second boy.

Fuller, Lawty, Coulthart and Jales deny two counts of buggery in relation to the first boy and Jales alone denies an additional charge of indecently assaulting the second boy.

All the counts span from January 14, 1977 to October 27, 1986.

Trial continues…………… 

Radical Muslim Sent Terror Literature To Prisoner

Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court

A supporter of convicted terrorists all over the world helped radicalise a serving prisoner by sending extreme jihadi literature - which encouraged global violence - to a muslim-convert, a jury has heard.

Usman Choudhary, 33, of Terry Street, Dudley and Christopher Weston, 26, of Bretton, Peterborough communicated while the latter was serving a sentence at HMP Swaleside, Kent.

Choudhary has pleaded not guilty to two counts of distributing terrorist literature, with intent to encourage acts of terrorism, and Weston has pleaded not guilty to one count of encouraging or assisting the offence.

Prosecutor Miss Alison Morgan told Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court: "From at least 2011 to the time of his arrest Choudhary appears to have taken a keen interest in providing support, both in words and deeds, to many individuals convicted of terrorist offences in this country and abroad.

"He has engaged in prolific correspondence with numerous prisoners who fall into that category. He has sent them money and has offered to and sent them books, CD's, DVD's and literature."

The jury were told Weston told the prison authorities on November 18, 2011 that he was changing his religion from Roman Catholic and on August 19, last year applied for Choudhary's telephone number to be added to his allocated account.

On October 1, last year a parcel containing the book 'Join the Caravan' plus 9 DVD's arrived via recorded delivery at HMP Swaleside addressed to Weston - showing Choudhary as the sender.

Staff had concerns about the book's content and it was collected by the Police Prison Liaison Officer who handed it over to the West Midlands Police Counter-Terrorism Unit.

Police raided Chaudhary's home at 7am on December 12 and he was arrested.

"A search was then carried out and a number of books, other literature and correspondence with prisoners were recovered," explained Miss Morgan. "A computer and mobile telephone were also recovered during the course of the search."

The jury were told "extreme ideology" was found on the desktop computer, in particular a text called: 'Thirty-nine Ways to Serve and Participate in Jihad' which gives instructions about physical training with a view to fighting.

Chaudhary's mobile phone also contained an image of a man holding up a decapitated head and he routinely scribbled out the image of the Queen on stamped correspondence he received.

Police also seized a DVD, which included footage of a suicide bomber preparing to carry out an attack, added Miss Morgan. "There is a section encouraging martyrdom in Palestine.

"In short, it glorifies suicide bombing, contains anti-Western sentiment and seeks to encourage people to become martyrs."

Weston's cell was searched on the same day and it was discovered another prisoner passed his details to a group supporting jailed terrorists and suspects in Germany.

In a seized letter the defendant supported the views of notorious radical muslims Abu Hamza and Anjem Choudhary and regarding the killing of soldier Lee Rigby, wrote: "I ask you to consider how much innocent blood did he have on his hands?

"Does it make me an extremist to call the people who killed Lee Rigby my brothers?"

Weston was arrested on January 16 and like his co-defendant answered: "no comment" to all questions.

Regarding 'Join the Caravan' Miss Morgan said: "The prosecution allege that it can be described as a terrorist publication."

It was written by Sheikh Abdullah Azzam and the prosecution say was used to recruit fighters for the Afghan conflict of the late seventies and early eighties.

"The author encouraged unrestricted jihad in the book…..It is an instruction to 'Join the Caravan' of mujahideen and martyrs.

"It introduces the theme of total commitment to violent struggle and the eschewing of peaceful resistance, negotiation or protest.

"It is alleged that it emphatically encourages, from the outset, out and out violence with no scope for peaceful resolution.

"Our law defines terrorism as serious violence, or the threat of violence, pursued for a political, religious, racial or ideological cause.

"Violence used to perpetuate a global jihad would fall into this description."

Trial continues…………