Frame-Up Woman Jailed For Sending Death-Threat Emails To Herself

Bogus Emails: Rumbelow

A young mum, who tried to a frame a fellow student she once accused of molesting her by sending herself abusive and threatening emails with his username during a: "sustained, extended campaign," was jailed for eleven months today.

A police helicopter was even scrambled and on two occasions police dog units searched the area around 26 year-old mother-of-four Leighanne Rumbelow's home in the hunt for the non-existent stalker.

The victim, Leonard Smith, 21, - a student at Bromley College - was arrested three times, had his family home searched, electronic equipment seized and spent a total of thirty-five hours in police custody.

Rumbelow, of Foxborough Gardens, Brockley,  who initially blamed her sister for sending the emails, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice between April 4 and June 2, last year.

Woolwich Crown Court heard Rumbelow, using Mr. Smith's gaming username 'Striker', sent herself emails which read: "You'll have to watch your back. I know where your daughters are.

"Your life is over and so are your kids. I know you are home. I'll get you, your husband won't mind, you're a slut.

"Your husband is next. We'll get him when he's walking home.

"I can see you shutting your curtains. Goodnight, sleep well."

Prosecutor Mr. Neil Ross told the court: "There was a persistent and deliberate series of false allegations against Mr. Smith that led to his arrest, the seizure of property and considerable use of his time and resources.

Jailed: Woolwich Crown Court

In 2011 Rumbelow accused Mr. Smith of touching her sexually, but the police did not pursue her complaint and early last year he tried to contact her via Facebook to: "clear the air."

"As a result she went to the police and said she was being harassed and Mr. Smith was given a warning," explained Mr. Ross

Rumbelow persisted and began writing herself abusive and threatening emails from 'Striker,' and told police she wanted Mr. Smith arrested.

On April 6 Mr. Smith was arrested in the early hours and later released, but found himself in police custody again on April 7 - this time for twenty hours - when officers again attended his address in the middle of the night.

On April 10, 14 and 22 Rumbelow repeated her lies, telling officers from the Crofton Park Safer Neighbourhoods Team that she spotted Smith in her garden, from where he emailed further threats.

"This time a police helicopter and dog unit were used to search the estate while Mr. Smith was at home with his parents."

On May 31 Rumbelow told police she received another email from Mr. Smith which read: "I see you are cheating on me again. I'm going to slit your throat you dirty little slag."

"Phone the police and I swear you'll get it," read another email, resulting in Mr. White spending another five hours in police custody.

Police eventually became suspicious and the IP address of the 'Striker' emails was traced to the home Rumbelow shared with her mother and sister, who herself has a conviction for sending harassing emails.

"The defendant blamed her sister and that was repeated in her defence case statement to the court."

Rumbelow gave birth to her fourth child three month ago and her three older children are all guardians of her ex-partner's parents.

Mr. Smith said in a statement: "The whole ordeal was very distressing."

Emma Stuart Smith, defending, told the court: "She's vulnerable due to her emotional and mental health condition. She realises she was selfish in her actions."

Judge Alan Saggerson announced: "This is an offence of great severity and gravity. The offence brought with it a high level of harm.

"The public confidence in the entire criminal justice system in undermined when allegations are fabricated against innocent people and resources are wasted making enquiries, using helicopters and dog units and wasting police man hours.

"Not only was an innocent man arrested three times during your extended sequence of lies, spending thirty-five hours in custody, but you also caused suspicion to fall on other innocent people, including his mother and sister and their property was searched.

"Suspicion also fell on your own mother and sister, particularly your sister, who you continued to blame.

"This was not a single, isolated allegation, but a sustained, extended campaign in creating these false emails.

"They were repeated messages that you fabricated to to sustain your fictitious claims and must have involved significant thought and planning on your part."

Fatal Doorstep Shooting: Two Charged With Murder

Shot: Charlie Wright

Two men have appeared in court charged with the 2010 murder of a teenager, who was shot dead as he answered the front door in the early hours of the morning.

Carpentry student Charlie Wright, 17, who attended Lewisham College was blasted in the face on the doorstep of the property in Park Mews, Calvert Road, Greenwich just after 2am on April 23, 2010.

Police had offered a £20,000 reward during their invesigation into the killing.

Hassan Hassan, 32, of Vesta Road, Brockley and Colin Anderson, 48, of no fixed abode appeared in custody at Bromley Magistrates' Court charged with the murder of Mr. Wright.

Overnight Guest Cleared Of Rape

Singh: Not Guilty

An overnight guest has been cleared of raping his host – his pal's girlfriend – in the early hours, after being invited to share her single bed.

Robin Singh, 25, of Station Road, Cromer, Norfolk claims the pair had consensual sex after the woman's boyfriend decided to go back to his own home because he was suffering a headache.

“Never. That is a blatant lie,” she shouted via a videolink at Isleworth Crown Court. “No I didn't, ever.”

Singh was found not guilty by the jury of raping the woman, aged in her thirties, at her Hayes, Middlesex flat on July 4, 2011.

However, the court did impose a twelve-month restraining order on Singh.

They heard the woman's boyfriend invited himself over to her flat and brought Singh along as well.

She later told police: “This guy really creeped me out. He made me feel really uncomfortable.”

Her boyfriend left the flat to buy a pizza for all of them, but called to say he would continue on his way home because he had a headache.

This left the complainant and defendant alone in the flat watching a dvd until the woman invited Singh to sleep in her room.

She told the court her sofa bed was too messy and too difficult to pull out and it was more convenient for Singh to sleep back to back with her.

“All I remember is hitting his hand away,” she told the court, denying she instigated or encouraged any “kissing” or “hugging” between the pair.

The woman insisted Singh then raped her and kissed her goodbye at 8am in the morning, leaving her: “Disgusted and frightened for my life.”

The defendant also gave her his phone number, which she said left her: “Terrified, sick and paranoid.”

She said her boyfriend then bombarded her with threats over the next couple of days. “He was threatening my life basically.

“I was so upset, I was in tears and going through a nervous breakdown and feared for my life.

“I have changed my number and moved since then. I was terrified of even sleeping in that flat.”

She confided with her neighbours and they called the police two days later in the early hours of July 6.

Friend Stabbed Pal To Death In Row Over £10

Stabbed: Aghabra

A quarrel between two friends over borrowing another tenner ended in bloodshed when one was stabbed to death by his needy pal.

Yusef Al-Jaaf, 19, of Churchill Gardens, Pimlico repeatedly plunged a knife into 19 year-old Basel Aghabra and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a twelve-and-a-half year minimum.

He pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey of murdering Basel on February 3 at an address in Lilestone Street, St. John's Wood.

The defendant had been lent £20 earlier that day for breakfast, but when he asked to borrow another £10 a row developed between the pair, ending with Al-Jaaf stabbing his friend six times.

Knife: Al-Jaaf

The victim, of Blandford Street, Marylebone suffered fatal wounds to his torso and was pronounced dead at the scene after 1.00pm.

Al-Jaaf later confessed to officers he was at the address during the murder which occurred after a heated argument with Basel over money.

Detective Inspector Jamie Stevenson said: “This was a brutal murder with multiple stab wounds inflicted following what was a trivial dispute over a small amount of money.

“A heated argument has quickly escalated with tragic consequences.

“The only consolation to the family is that Al-Jaaf has done the decent thing and pleaded guilty, sparing the family the ordeal of a long and painful court case.”

Nigerian Lied To Get UK Citizenship For Two Mystery Babies

A Nigerian woman, who lied in an attempt to bring two mystery babies into the UK by pretending she was their biological mother, has received a suspended prison sentence.

Ijeoma Udechukwu, 51, of Dante Road, Elephant and Castle, is resident in this country and tried to trick the British High Commission in Lagos into granting two passports for the infants.

She received six months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and was ordered to peform 180 hours community service work.

Udechukwa was convicted at Isleworth Crown Court of facilitating unlawful immigration.

She applied in Nigeria for passports for the babies – falsely claiming they were hers – and was unable to produce any genuine ante natal or delivery notes.

A DNA test revealed she was not the biological mother of either infant and the applications were refused.

Udechukwu returned to the UK leaving the babies in the care of family and friends. 



On September 4, 2012 officers from Operation Paladin attended Udechukwa's address where false Nigerian adoption papers were discovered stating the children had been found abandoned in the street.



She refused to answer any questions about her lies to staff at the British High Commission and also refused to confirm how she came into possession of the babies or where their biological mother was. 



Detective Constable Tony Foran, from the Metropolitan Police's Sexual Exploitation Team, said: "This is just one example of the commitment of officers to investigate offences involving children and the risk facing them from people willing to deceive authorities and break the law. 



"Adoption laws and procedures are in place in every country to protect the welfare and lives of vulnerable children and young people.

“The conviction of Udechukwu underpins the value of joint working and the commitment of all those agencies involved to safeguard children." 

Drug Offender: Police Hunt Teen

Police in north-west London have released this image of a local teen they are seeking in connection with serious drug offences.

Raheem Bourne, 19, is being hunted by Brent's Wanted Offenders Unit.

Police would like to hear from anyone who may know of his whereabouts.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the Wanted Offenders Unit on 020 8733 3082.

Alternatively callers can contact the police anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Prostitute Strangled And Raped: CCTV Of Suspect Released

CCTV: Rape Suspect

Police investigating the rape of a prostitute two years ago have released this CCTV image of the suspect, who strangled his victim until she passed out.

The woman – aged in her 40's – approached the man between 2am and 3am in Green Lanes, Hornsey on September 9, 2012.

He suggested a more secluded spot and they walked to Chestnuts Park, off St Ann’s Road, South Tottenham, where he forced her to the floor and strangled her until she passed out.

When she regained consciousness, he threatened to stab her and she set off her rape alarm.

The suspect dragged her along by her hair for a short distance, then took the rape alarm from her, either burying or disabling it.

He sexually assaulted and raped her then walked off in an unknown direction.

The man is described as black, about 5ft 9in tall, of medium build, with short afro hair and a London accent.

He is also described as having hamster-like cheeks, with a round face, prominent cheek bones and elongated front teeth, and looking aged in his 20s.

It is believed that he was wearing jeans at the time of the incident.

CCTV from outside a shop on Green Lanes, which shows a man with the victim moments before she was attacked, has been released by detectives from the Metropolitan Police Sservice's Homicide and Serious Crime Command.

Anyone with information is urged to call the MPS Homicide and Serious Crime Command on 020 8345 3819 or email them at mit23.mir@met.pnn.police.uk.

Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Karl Dines said: “The victim was utterly traumatised by this nasty attack and continues to receive support from specialists.

“We want to speak to this man in connection with the incident, so I urge anyone who recognises him or thinks they may know who he is to contact us or Crimestoppers now.”

Production Boss At Universal Music Stole Over £600K From Company

A former head of production at record label giant Universal Music had admitted stealing over £600,000 from the company.

Duncan Schwier, 52, of Clifden Road, Twickenham left behind a paper trail when promoted, which revealed multiple invoice payments to non-existent companies.

The American-based French-owned multinational is the largest music corporation in the world and its artists include Eminem, 50 Cent and Jennifer Lopez.

He pleaded guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates Court yesterday to one count of stealing £643,697.35 between December 31, 2001 and December 31, last year from his Kensington-based employers.

The court heard Schwier had been employed by the company since 1984 and the member of staff who took over his role noticed something strange about his predecessor's transactions.

He was bailed to appear at Isleworth Crown Court for sentencing on September 30 and a probation report was ordered by the magistrates.

Woman Appears In Court On £73K Bogus Accountant Charges

A Somerset woman, accused of posing as a qualified accountant during a four-year £73,000 fraud on a corporate consultancy firm, appeared for the first time at Hammersmith Magistrates Court today.

Vicky Payne, 41, of Station Road, Charlton Mackrell, Somerton gave no indication as to her pleas and was bailed until September 16 for a preliminary hearing at Isleworth Crown Court.

The charges relate to Hammersmith-based M-PR Consulting of Oxford Gate, Brook Green and its managing director Marc Prema-Ratner and account director Michael Mervyn-Jones.

She is charged with two counts of fraud by false representation between January 1, 2010 and May 6, this year in that she presented herself as a qualified accountant, intending to make a gain, namely £28,124.90 and £5,096.

Payne is also charged with fraud by abuse of position between January 1, 2010 and May 6, this year, namely that while occupying the position of accountant and expected to not act against the financial interests of Mr. Prema-Ratner she dishonestly abused that position to make a gain, namely £33,898.91.

She is similarly charged that between September 1, 2011 and May 6, this year she dishonestly abused her position in relation to Mr. Mervyn-Jones to make a gain, namely £6,083.12.

Woman's Face Smashed: E-Fit Of Suspect Released

Police have released this E-Fit of a suspect after a woman received a broken nose and broken eye socket during an unprovoked attack in east London.

At 1.50pm on May 21 the 36 year-old victim was attacked at the junction of Green Way and Balaam Street, Plaistow.

Newham Borough detectives are leading the hunt.

The suspect is described as a black male, 5ft 8ins tall, of medium build, with short black hair.

He was wearing a dark blue coat/hoodie, black tracksuit bottoms and was carrying a shoulder bag.



Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Constable Dave Pearce, from Newham’s Violent Crime Unit on 020 8217 5890.

Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting reference 5314178/14.

Prolific Bus Sex Pest's One-Way Ticket To Prison

A bus sex pest, who groped eight females – the youngest a twelve year-old girl – in just three days roaming on the network has been locked-up for two years.

Dean Forte, 33, was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court after being found guilty of eight sexual assaults.



He was placed on the sex offenders register for ten years and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order was made to prevent him from having contact with children under sixteen years-old.



Forte committed five sexual assaults on buses in Wandsworth on December 11, 2013, all within an hour of one another.

Three days later on December 14 he committed a further three sexual assaults on buses in Waltham Forest. 



Forte travelled on buses, sitting next to the victims before touching their thighs.

The youngest victim targeted by Forte was only twelve years-old. 



The suspect was identified after victims offered identical suspect descriptions following the first assaults - a black male wearing a 'puffa' style jacket, black beanie hat, carrying a white carrier bag, and wearing white earphones.

On December 14 police were called to reports of a sexual assault on a bus in Chingford, where the description given of the suspect matched earlier offences.

Police attended and arrested Forte on suspicion of sexual assault.

The sentence follows successful partnership work involving British Transport Police, Metropolitan Police Service, City of London Police and Transport for London.


Superintendent Rob Revill, from the Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: "This sentence highlights our commitment to tackling sexual offences on London's buses.

“We take all reports of sexual offences on buses seriously and are commited to bringing offenders to justice. 



"If someone has made you feel uncomfortable on your bus journey - however minor it may seem to you - reporting it to police can help us target the perpetrator and prevent it happening to another passenger."



Graham Daly, Head of Community Safety and Policing Partnerships at Transport for London, said: "Unwanted sexual behaviour of this kind will not be tolerated on our transport network and so I'm pleased this repeated sex offender has been jailed and put on the Sex Offenders Register for his predatory and disgusting crimes."



“It is never ok to be threatened or distressed by another persons behaviour. If someone has made you feel uncomfortable, for example touched you in an inappropriate manner, we strongly encourage you to tell the police.

“They can then not only target the perpetrator but also help to prevent it happening to someone else. 



"Over ten million passengers use our public transport services each day with very few ever experiencing or witnessing crime - and we are working hard with London's policing agencies to ensure our transport network remains a safe, low crime environment." 

Choirboys Paedophile Ring Caged For Decades-Old Sex Abuse

Tuffill: 14 Years

A paedophile ring - linked to a notorious church organist and choirmaster - were jailed yesterday for sexually abusing four young boy choristers who were "groomed" with alcohol, pornography and other treats.

The families of the boys were unaware the youngsters, all aged from seven to fourteen years-old, were being preyed upon until decades later when one by one they reported the abuse of the five defendants.

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

Timothy Fuller, 53, of Herd Street, Stoke-on-Trent, who received six years.

Robert Lawty, 55, of Adams Croft, Brookwood, Woking, who received five years in his absence after being rushed to hospital with a suspected overdose when convicted the day before.

Fuller: 6 Years

Ian Coulthart, 62, of Kingswood Flats, Kingswood Street, Brighton, who received three-and-a-half years.

Mark Jales, 51, of The Annex, High Beech Farmhouse, Lower Godney, Wells, who received twelve months.

A sixth defendant, Gerald Heather, 65, of Nolan Close, Swindon was cleared of three counts involving two of the boys.

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.

Croydon Crown Court Judge Jeremy Gold QC told them: "I don't know if you know or care of the damage you have done, but it's been long-lasting. This was a gross and cynical abuse of power."

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.

Lawty: 5 Years

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 Rosina Cottage QC.

"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.

"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'."

Fuller was jailed for six months in 1987 of gross indecency with a boy and in 2005 received eighteen months for indecently assaulting a boy aged under fourteen, 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."

Coulthart: 3-amd-a-half years

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."

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.

Jales: 12 Months

"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 second victim, another chorister, claimed he was groomed by Tuffill, saying the defendant showed him pornography from Amsterdam and abused him in his own home when he was just eleven years-old, but the jury did not convict on these counts.

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.

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.

Heather: Not Guilty

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 was convicted of two sample counts of buggery in relation to the first boy; five counts of indecent assault in relation to the third boy and two counts of indecent assault in relation to the fourth boy.

Fuller and Lawty were each convicted of two counts of buggery in relation to the first victim.

Coulthart was found guilty of one count of buggery in relation to the first victim and Jales of indecently assaulting the second victim.

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

"Noxious" Fluid Attacker Jailed For Dousing Clubbers

"Tough Guy": Jonathan Lynn

A drunken thug, who splashed a mystery noxious fluid over six strangers during an early hours attack outside a gay nightclub - leaving some of the victims, including a male model, fearing they were blinded and disfigured for life -  was jailed for two years and four months yesterday.

Roofer Jonathan William Lynn, 31, of Dorking Close, Worcester Park emptied the contents of an Evian bottle over a group of young gay friends, who thought their faces were "burning and melting", just after 4am in Vauxhall.

However, Recorder David Etherington QC ruled it was not a hate-crime, but told Lynn: "This takes nothing away from the fact this is a vicious, vile, cowardly and disgraceful attack by you."

He pleaded guilty at Inner London Crown Court to assaulting the four, causing three of them actual bodily harm, outside the Lightbox nightclub on June 7 and possessing an offensive weapon, namely a noxious fluid.

He also admitted assaulting a woman passer-by, twenty-something Melissa Thompson, who was also splashed in the eyes and twenty minutes later, Ashgar Jafi, also in his 20's, who was sprayed with the liquid after the defendant stepped on his foot as he waited in the nightclub queue.

On CCTV: Jonathan Lynn

"You wrecked a number of people's lives," Recorder Etherington told heavily-built shaven-headed Lynn. "You decided to go out armed with a plastic bottle containing an unpleasant and potentially dangerous liquid.

"I think you took it out in case anyone got in your face…….You look quite a touch guy so anyone meeting you in the street and not knowing what you are going to do, then reaching for a bottle and throwing something in their face is going to scar someone mentally for life."

Model Parish Frith, 23, was involved in a verbal exchange with Lynn at 4.27am after the victim approached two girls outside the club and was challenged by the defendant, who said: "This is my bird."

They were, in fact, strangers, who did not know Lynn and Mr. Frith says one girl told him: "We don't really get on with gays. F*** off."

Both young women deny saying anything homophobic and explained to police Lynn said: "I don't care," when Mr. Frith, who they described as: "cocky and displaying an attitude", revealed his sexuality. 

He was splashed with the contents of the bottle along with his friends, Benjamin Moore, 21, and pals Yousef Khan and Ryan Cleary, also aged in their early twenties.

Prosecutor Mr. James Keeley classed the offences as homophobic and explained: "The defendant called Mr. Frith back and as he approached he was at arm's length distance when the defendant produced a bottle and splashed the contents in Mr. Frith's face, which went into his eyes, nose, mouth and throat," explained Mr. Keeley.

Ladies Man: Jonathan Lynn

"He said it tasted disgusting, he was inhaling fumes, couldn't breath and felt his face was burning and melting. He did not know if he was going to die or end up with no face."

Mr. Frith suffered painful ulcers to his tongue and to the back of his throat and a month later had no sense of taste and difficulty eating and continues to take anti-depressants to deal with his loss of self-worth.

His friend Mr. Moore also suffered injuries. "The liquid hit Mr. Moore full in the face, it went into his eyes, he panicked, his eyes were streaming and his face felt like it was on fire.

"He describes it as the worst moment of his life," said Mr. Keeley, adding the young man was left with an ulcer in the cornea of his left eye and continues to receive treatment at Moorfields Eye Hospital for blurred vision and burns in his cornea.

"The liquid went into Mr. Khan's face and eyes. It was burning the right side of his face. Mr. Khan believes this was a homophobic attack on him and his friends."

The asthmatic victim did not seek medical treatment as he tried unsuccessfully to keep his sexuality a secret from his family, who he now feels have "disowned him."

The fourth friend was the subject of the less serious charge of common assault. "A small amount of fluid hit Mr. Cleary's eye. It stung Mr. Cleary's eye.

"The defendant is described as vicious in his actions in that he wanted to hurt both men and then walked away with no remorse."

Passer-by Miss Thompson was leaving the club at the time. "She felt a splash in her right eye and felt pain in the back of her left eye. She was panicking and thought she was going blind."

Mr. Jafi had a verbal exchange with Lynn after the defendant stepped on his foot twenty minutes later. "The defendant sprayed him in the face with the contents of what looked like a Sprite bottle."

Ex-jailbird Lynn, who has served time for robbery and was on licence from prison at the time after receiving seven years in December, 2009 for possessing 1.5 kilos of cocaine and £30,000 in criminal property, was arrested in a pub four days later.

"The act was completely unjustified and unwarranted," Recorder Etherington told Lynn. "It was an unlawful and cowardly act. If this was homophobic the sentence would be doubled.

"You were spoiling for trouble that night with any people that crossed your path in any way you did not like. I've looked at the pictures, I've seen the skin taken off Mr. Frith's tongue.

"He was a model at the time and he didn't know if he was going to end up dead or with no face and he has lost his job."

Remarkably Lynn did not flee the scene, but joined the nightclub queue, where he splashed Mr. Jafi with the fluid. "This is really outrageous in view of what you had already done and you saw the consequences of it."

Lynn's lawyer Mr. Piers Mostyn told the court: "He had previously been a victim of an attack in the area and took it with him for self-defence, a friend having left it at his address. He did not go out intending to use it.

"The defendant vehemently denies having any homophobic views and expressing those views. He was very drunk and remembers very little of what happened."

Mr. Frith told Evening Standard shortly after the attack: "As we walked away I heard a man shout: 'Oi! Come here.' At first I thought it was the doorman saying he'd changed his mind and we could go in.

"Then I saw this white guy with a beard and his hand coming up with a water bottle and he squirted really hard into my face. It went straight into my eyes and it sprayed into my friend's mouth.

"My face was burning so much, I thought it was acid. I thought I would never see again and my face was melting.

"He poured every last drop onto us and then turned around and walked away, like it was mission accomplished.

"The chemical burnt the cornea in my left eye and the vision hasn't cleared since. The doctors said it should hopefully return, but there is no guarantee.

"My friend's tongue was swollen and it looked like someone had scratched part of it away. It was horrible."

Knifeman Locked-Up For Double Murder Attempt

A crazed knifeman, who tried to stab two women to death during seperate horrifying attacks, has been locked up in a top-security mental hospital.

Archibald Reverent Foster, 48, of Tredown Road, Sydenham can only be released from his indefinite hospital order by the Home Secretary.

He was convicted at Woolwich Crown Court of attempting to murder a 26 year-old woman in Bromley Road, Catford on August 22, last year and a 31 year-old in Plumstead Common on September 5.

Police were called at 9:05am on August 22 to reports of a woman stabbed in the street.


She was taken by ambulance to hospital suffering from injuries to her hand, arm and leg.

A knife was recovered from the scene by officers.



The victim was only saved from more serious injuries by her handbag, which she used to shield her stomach as Foster continually stabbed at her, and by the intervention of a 69-year-old passer-by - John Wayre - who grabbed Foster and pulled him off the victim.


Police were called two weeks later at approximately 9:50am on September 5 after the second stabbing.



Foster had approached the victim from behind as she walked across Plumstead Common and slashed her across the throat before stabbing her.

He then continued to attack her as she lay on the ground, before walking off.



She was taken by air ambulance to hospital suffering from five serious stab wounds to her legs.

She also suffered further injuries to her hands, fingers and neck. 



Foster was arrested shortly afterwards on a bus in Plumstead and the knife was found in his bag.



Judge Michael Topolski commended Mr. Wayre's bravery and said it was “breathtaking, helping an innocent person without regard to himself.”

He issued Mr. Wayre with a Judge's commendation for bravery and £750 from the public purse. 



Investigating officer Acting Detective Sergeant Stephanie Chance, said: “I would like to thank the two victims for their courage and the support they’ve given to the investigation throughout.

“This was a horrific, unprovoked attack on them both and I wish them the very best for the future. 



"I would also like to commend the bravery of each of the witnesses who went to the aid of both victims.

“Without their courage and intervention these attacks could well have been fatal. 



"I am very pleased with the sentence, a very dangerous man is now off the streets and is receiving the care and treatment that he requires.”