Thursday, 23 April 2015

Groom Cleared Of Harassing Designer During Wedding Dress Row

Not Guilty: Pedro Makufi
A desperate groom told his bride's dress designer on the day of the wedding: "The next time we meet one of us will die and that will be you," during a bitter dispute over the £2,455 gown.

Designer Samantha Benveniste - a protege of Bruce Oldfield OBE - graduated with a degree from the London College of Fashion and opened her own Kensington studio, creating bespoke garments for private clients.

She created a wedding dress for Elisa Makufi, but her husband Pedro Makufi, 43, was arrested after a series of distressing texts and voicemails, which he claims he deliberately made to bring the conflict to a head and achieve justice.

Police even visited his home at his request on the day of the wedding, which later proceeded with Mrs Makufi wearing a substitute dress.

On Tuesday the CPS announced they would not seek a re-trial against Makufi, of Hobart Road, Hayes on one count of harassment, which between March 1 and April 5, last year put Miss Benveniste in fear of violence.

"Threatened": Samantha Benveniste
The first Isleworth Crown Court trial, which ended in a hung jury, heard Makufi left a series of voicemails, including: "You've destroyed me, you've ruined my happiness. You really pissed me off, you really insult me, you ruin my happiness and wedding day."

"I promise that it will cost you a lot. I want to spend all I can to take you to court and do justice by my own hand."

"The next time we meet one of us will die and that will be you."

He told the jury: "When I sent that text it was a few hours before my wedding. I was completely lost, I did not know what my wife was going to wear. I wanted the police to be involved."

Makufi admits he sent other messages, which included: "I'm ready to do anything for what you've done to me."

"The only way you can avoid it is to kill me. First I swear to Allah. You can pass this message to the police."

Miss Benveniste told the jury she had completed the dress and the Makufi's were at fault. "They cancelled the day before the wedding. The dress was done, I had done the work."

However, the couple insist the gown was not completed in time and they should have had a full refund. Mrs Makufi told the designer: "You're always messing me up. You're always changing the price."

Miss Benveniste told the court Makufi demanded a meeting outside Notting Hill Underground Station the day before the wedding, where he expected a full refund - plus interest.

"He asked me to come with the dress and the money on my own, I'm ninety per cent sure. This was quite a traumatic experience for me. I was shaken by the whole thing."

She said she found the voicemails "disturbing", adding: "It put me in shock. I didn't see it coming. I felt extremely threatened."

Bride: Elisa Makufi
"The tone of the voice message was so fierce."

The Makufi's decided it was too expensive for the designer to make the husband a new suit, but he gave her his favourite one, which was to be matched with the bridal gown for a £1,000 charge. This was never paid. 

"They were taking the mickey," added Miss Benveniste.

Makufi claims the designer was frightened of the prospect of adverse publicity and huge court costs in fighting a civil claim against him and he sent messages to force police involvement on his wedding day to get justice.

He told the jury: "We had a very good relationship until 5.51pm on April 4. I sent a text not to frighten her, but make her realise: 'I've broken all my promises to Pedro'

"I think reading the texts she's gonna feel: 'Pedro is desperate for his suit and dress so let me do something.' I felt I'd done business with the wrong person."

The ceremony proceeded the next day, April 5, with his wife wearing an alternative dress and Makufi found a replacement suit.

He said he waited with wife until 10pm outside the tube station, adding: "If she did not give me the dress and the money I would take her to court.


"When I told her I was ready to do anything it meant doing all I can to take her to court to get back what belongs to me. It was not for her to take it as violence."

Wednesday, 22 April 2015

Bogus Accountant Swindled £64,000 Destined For The Taxman

Vicky: A Payne To Her Employers
A bogus accountant, who fooled her PR firm employers into believing she was fully qualified while paying the company's £64,000 tax bill into her own account during a five-year fraud, received a suspended prison sentence yesterday.

Mother-of-two Vicky Payne, 40, of The Lodge, Station Road, Charlton Mackrell, Somerton claims a disastrous relationship “financially crippled” her.

The charges relate to Hammersmith-based M-PR Consulting of 13 Oxford Gate, Brook Green and its managing director Marc Prema-Ratner and account director Michael Mervyn-Jones.

Payne pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation between August 31, 2009 and May 7, last year in that she lied to both bosses she had paid the company's tax liability and said she was a fully-qualified accountant and member of the Association of Accounting Technicians.

Prosecutor Mr. Don rogers told Isleworth Crown Court the total loss was £64,512.26p, of which Payne has repaid £2,000.

An investigation by the Specialist Economic Crime Unit confirms she has no assets apart from a very old VW vehicle and there will be no Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings.

It was a double fraud because she was posing as a trained accountant and while in that position diverted money that was due to HMRC.

It caused great concern and the hiring of other accountants to speak on their behalf. It caused a lot of difficulty apart from the financial loss.

'The very person trusted to keep the company's tax affairs in order turned around and destroyed it.”

After the sentencing Mr. Mervyn-Jones said: “I am surprised that someone can get away with the theft of sixty-four thousand pounds.”

Payne's lawyer Miss Emma Fenn said: 'Mrs Payne knows what she has done is wrong and is incredibly remorseful. She attended the police station voluntarily and made admissions and said she wanted to put things right.”

The court heard Payne has an 18 year-old son and a 16 year-old daughter, who has hyper-mobility disorder, an eating disorder and self-harms. She also supports her mother and her current “vulnerable” partner.

She herself suffers from a number of medical conditions and she is clearly not going to be allowed to work in the accounting industry again,” added Miss Fenn. “She says she was stuck in a vortex after a relationship financially crippled her.

She wants to repay the money, however long it takes.”

Judge Andrew McDowall sentenced Payne to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered her to perform 250 hours community service work and a £100 victim surcharge.

The judge made no financial order for compensation or confiscation, announcing: “I don't want her to be put in a position where she is juggling debt or going to Wonga.

This is a serious type of offending, a breach of trust and putting people in a position of owing money to HMRC and they only have prospects of small amount dribbling back over a period of time.

If it was just you, you would be heading off to Holloway,” Judge McDowall told the first-time offender. “Because others in your family would be effected it will be suspended.

It is regrettable you got yourself into the mess you did and have only just avoided a custodial sentence. Your employment prospects are hampered for ever and day.”

Tuesday, 21 April 2015

KFC Customer Thumped When He Tried To Break-Up Late-Night Row

KFC Earl's Court
A peacemaker, who tried to split-up a late-night drunken row in Kentucky Fried Chicken by two men in the queue, was thumped in the head himself when he became the target for anger.

Christopher Frearson, 26, of Beswick Avenue, Bournemouth pleaded guilty to assaulting Anthony McCormack at KFC in Earl's Court Road, Earl's Court on April 4 and being drunk and disorderly on the same occasion.

Prosecutor Mr. Tom Gill told Hammersmith Magistrates Court yesterday it was 11.40pm when Mr. McCormack entered the fast-food restaurant and joined the queue behind the two men.

They started shouting at each other and the complainant tried to calm them down and this defendant punched him in the head.

Police were called and Frearson started making comments like: 'So what?' and “I wouldn't punch him for no reason.'

I started drinking all-day at midday and have just stopped.”

No ambulance was called, but Mr. McCormack did complain of a pain to the back of his head.

Frearson told the court: “It was just a lapse of concentration. I'm not a huge drinker, it was a birthday and I consumed too much and got into an altercation.

I didn't intend to cause anyone harm and apologise for my actions.

I can only remember little bits of that night.”

Frearson was fined £265 for the assault, plus £135 for being drunk and disorderly and was ordered to pay £75 compensation to Mr. Frearson.

He must also pay £85 costs and pay a £26.50 victim surcharge.

Monday, 20 April 2015

Caretaker At Luxury Belgravia Apartment Block Assaulted Local Doctor Kept Awake By Late-Night Party

Jose Pires
The residential caretaker of a landmark Belgravia apartment block was caught on his own CCTV pushing a doctor, who lives in a £2m flat across the road, down the steps of his building after he complained about late-night noise coming from the top floor.

Jose Pires, 40, who lives and works at Wilbraham Mansions, 10 Wilbraham Place angrily responded to 66 year-old Dr. Jay Saccone, of 9 Wilbraham Place pressing intercom buttons at 1am as he tried to find the source of the noise keeping him awake.

He was convicted at Hammersmith Magistrates Court today of assaulting the US-born retired physician in the early hours of October 24 and was fined £200, with £650 costs and was ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge.

CCTV captured Pires answering the front door and gesticulating wildly at Dr. Saccone before shoving him away and following him across the road to his building, where he described the residents as “animals” and “pigs.”

Dr. Saccone told the court: “There was loud noise from coming across the street and after an hour I thought I would deal with it. It was quite loud music and voices and earplugs did not help me.
Dr. Jay Saccone

“There had been noise from this building before and I put on some clothes and went across the street and rang the porter's bell and asked the gentleman if he would deal with the noise.

“I rang a second bell because I thought I knew which flat it was from, but I got the wrong bell.

“I told the porter: 'Could you please deal with the noise. I'll come back in ten minutes,' and I went back to my flat, but nothing changed and the noise persisted.

“I rang the porter's bell again and asked him to deal with it and he came up to the front door and that's when he became angry and shouted at me and pushed me.

“His voice was raised and he was quite close to me. He said: 'Do you want me to headbutt you?'

“He pushed me with two hands fairly forcibly in the chest and then pushed me once or twice more.

“He followed me across the street and remonstrated more. He said at quite some volume: 'The people in your building are all animals, all pigs.' He was voluble and angry.”

Dr. Saccone denied he was drunk and “aggressive and abusive” and did not accept telling Pires: “Go f*** yourself.”
10 Wilbraham Place

Pires was questioned by police and denied pushing Dr. Saccone, who he said woke him in the early hours by shouting through the intercom.

He claimed the doctor “smelled of alcohol” was “rude” and “in his face” during the doorstep confrontation.

The caretaker insisted he was merely escorting Dr. Saccone from the premises and never pushed him.

Pires told the court there was a social gathering on the top floor of his building, but insisted it was not noisy and claimed he could not hear anything from his basement flat.

“On the intercom I heard someone with slurred speech say something about noise. It was not in a polite way, it was an abrupt way and he said: 'Go f*** yourself' and left.

“He was off his face, nothing I could say would move him from his vicious constant repeated visits.”

Pires claimed there was tension between the two buildings. “Our building is the more well-balanced building. There is discomfort from across the road because we are more composed, balanced, well mannered.

“The board from across the road has fully supported my case. There is friction between the board and Dr. Saccone.”
Jose Pires at 10 Wilbraham Place

Pires, who has a rent-free grace-and-favour flat, which at the time he was sharing with his partner and their young child, was supported by doctor's wife Suzanne Stacey, who lives in the apartment under where the party was held.

“The intercom started buzzing around 1am. He was pressing all the buttons and waking everyone in the building up,” she told the court.

She looked outside and saw Dr. Saccone in the street. “He was swaying about a bit as if he was drunk.”


Convicting Pires the magistrates announced: “There was more force than an ushering movement.”

The court also heard even though he has no criminal convictions Pires has come to the attention of the police for similar domestic incidents.

Sunday, 19 April 2015

Drug-Crazed Brick Thug Jailed For Murdering Stranger

Malachi Lindo
A drug-crazed killer, who used a brick to cave in a stranger's face during a violent street confrontation, has been caged for life – with a fourteen-year minimum.
Malachi Lindo, 27, of Bowles Green, Enfield was convicted of murdering 51 year-old Phillip Steels of nearby Burncroft Avenue in the early hours of September 4, last year.
The Old Bailey heard Mr. Steels had been drinking at home earlier that evening and had later gone out – still angry about a long dispute he was having with his neighbour.
After leaving a friend's house Mr. Steels was walking along Green Street, Enfield, where he became involved in an altercation with Lindo – a total stranger.
A fight began and when Mr. Steels fell to the ground Lindo sat over him and smashed him about the face with a house brick, causing horrific injuries.
Lindo left Mr. Steels in a pool of blood and crossed the road towards a parked white Audi A3.
He sat down with his back to the vehicle with his legs in the road just yards from Mr. Steels for fifteen minutes, causing several passing cars to swerve round him.
Police arrived at 1.45am and Lindo ran towards Hertford Road with officers in pursuit.
Phillip Steels
Lindo continued to act erratically and babble and said to officers that he had taken a cocktail of drugs, including cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy.
He spat at officers and then asked if he could go home saying: "I promise I won't kill again".


Mr. Steels was pronounced dead at the scene.
The brick was found lying alongside his body as well as the blue baseball cap Lindo had been wearing.
A rucksack found nearby contained a large quantity of drugs and related paraphernalia belonging to Lindo.


A search of his home revealed more drugs paraphernalia and Lindo confirmed that at the time he was actively dealing drugs.

Investigating officer, Acting Detective Sergeant Mike Stubbins, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC), said: "This was a horrendous attack on an innocent member of the public, brought about by a complicated and confused individual being high on a cocktail of drugs.


“Lindo had been taking numerous drugs. He has stated that his mind started playing games and he felt he was in a parallel dimension. 


"This is a tragic case where an innocent member of the public has felt the wrath of a young man whose life had been unraveling and who had turned to experimenting with illegal substances.


"Unfortunately he has let out his frustration on the first person he has seen leading to the death of Philip Steels.


"The investigating team worked tirelessly to bring this defendant to justice and to try and bring some form of relief to the family of Mr. Steels.

I only hope that over time the horrible facts of Mr. Steels death fade in the minds of his family and friends and this result is able to bring an element of closure to this tragic incident."

 

Saturday, 18 April 2015

Not Guilty: Architect 100% Innocent Of 'Rape' That Never Was

100% Not Guilty: Adam Leheup
An architect "addicted to first dates" - who was wooing thirty-five woman online and having sex with six of them - was cleared on Friday of raping and sexually assaulting a blind date hours after they met.

University of Greenwich graduate Adam Leheup, 34, a technical co-ordinator on the £500m Nine Elms Point Development was accused of insisting on having sex with the 25 year-old despite her shouting: "No, no," Blackfriars Crown Court was told.

She told the jury during the week-long trial Leheup said afterwards: "In my experience girls say no, but they don't mean it".

Leheup, of In View Court, Mayfield Road, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey was found not guilty to raping the woman and sexually assaulting her at her flat in Delancey Street, Camden in the early hours of July 10, 2013.

He spent nearly a year on police bail before eventually being charged and appeared emotional, emitting a slight gasp, as he was cleared.

He says they enjoyed an night-long date, which included wine and cocktails, with the young woman responding to his physical advances and allowing him to remove her bra in her bedroom so he could massage her back with oil.

Leheup revealed he was communicating with thirty-five woman at the time and regularly having sex with six of them, but stopped short with the complainant. "She said: 'Stop' once and I turned to my side and started to go to sleep," he told the jury.

"When girls have said nothing is going to happen, I've ended up having sex with them," he added. "My penis did touch her genital area. At no time did any part of my penis go into her vagina."

However, one of the complainant's flatmates told the court Leheup said: "I put it in for a second and that was it," and when they threatened to dial 999 he lied: "I used to work for the police."

He was called a "creep" by one of the complainant's friends, who also tried to grab him by the hair and slapped his hands during the 4am confrontation.

"I told him nothing was going to happen, but he started to kiss me and I could tell he was naked," the complainant told police. "He took my clothes off and was on top of me and penetrated me and I was shouting: 'No' a lot, but he was not listening.

"I was saying: 'No', but he thought it was a joke or something. Then maybe he realised I was serious and he calmed down.

"He said: 'Girl's say: 'No', but they don't mean it.' I just wanted him out. My flatmate said she was going to call the police, but he laughed at her and said it would just be a domestic."

Prosecutor Mr. Ish Sheikh told the court the couple met on dating app 'Let's Date' - which connects users who mutually find each other attractive - and had two bottles of wine at Gordons Wine Bar, Embankment after meeting and walking across Waterloo Bridge.

It was so late Leheup had missed his last train and his date agreed to put him up for the night. "She made it clear nothing would happen and they went to a second bar, 'Joe's', in Camden where they had mojito's.

"He started kissing my neck and it made me a bit uncomfortable, but it wasn't vicious or nasty and later I did kiss him back. We were getting on well," the woman told police in a video interview. 

"The kissing had got a bit more aggressive, stuff I did not like, his hand on my throat, which makes me vulnerable.

"I said: 'Nothing is going to happen.' I'm not that kind of girl."

Mr. Sheikh added: "The defendant was also a bit funny towards her when she was talking to other men at the bar."

They returned to the complainant's flat in the early hours. "She shares it with two others and when they got into the bedroom she changed into jogging bottoms and a top and got into bed, where the defendant joined her without any clothes on at all.

"He started kissing her and got on top of her and she was shouting: 'No, no,' and to stop, but he did not take any heed of these cries and touched her with his fingers."

Partial intercourse occurred for a very short time and the young woman managed to get away and told Leheup: "Why did you do that when I said no?"

Mr. Sheikh explained: "One of the flatmates was woken because of the shouting and told Mr. Leheup to leave, but he wouldn't because he said he had work the next day and wanted to wait until the trains started running

The flatmate threatened to call the police and Leheup clambered down scaffolding outside the balcony door, but was arrested on the way to the underground station.

When questioned by police the defendant said his date did not object to being touched intimately by him. "He said he was fondling her breasts and there was no talk of sex one way or the other.

"When they arrived at the bedroom he said she said words to the effect of: 'Welcome to my crack den.'

"He said he took her bra off because she wanted a back massage with some oil and they began kissing.

"He said he got on top of her her and she then freaked out and as soon as she did he got off her," explained Mr. Sheikh. "He said he climbed down the scaffolding to avoid a confrontation.

"When she was shouting: 'No' he should have known she was not consenting. He was not going to take no for an answer that night."


The young woman admits she was under the influence of alcohol. " I was probably more drunk than I should have been. I was feeling a bit giddy, a bit tipsy, but I was not falling over."

Friday, 17 April 2015

Army Compo Winner Swindled Thousands Of Pounds In Benefits

Bus Selfie: Debique
An ex-British Army soldier, who won a £17,000 landmark pay-out from the armed forces after winning a sex and race discrimination case, went on to immediately swindle thousands in benefits while receiving student grants and loans.

Single-mum Tilern Debique, 33, was overpaid £9,309.94 in income support, jobseeker's allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit and her punishment will be to stay indoors every night for the next three months - something she does anyway.

Prosecutor Miss Mary Lawrenson told Wimbledon Magistrates Court: "She was claiming income support as the parent of one dependant child, a daughter, and this meant she was also entitled to housing and council tax benefit.

"An investigation identified her as being in full-time education at the London Metropolitan University and in receipt of a student loan."

Former Corporal Debique, who was a systems engineer in the British Army between 2001 and 2008 with 10 Signal Regiment and now works in IT, graduated with a degree in Business Information Technology and Business Law in 2013.

"She said she was studying, but it was part-time and thought she did not have to declare it. She failed to notify a change of circumstances."

Debique, originally from the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, took the Army to an Employment Tribunal after an incident when she failed to appear on parade one day because she had to look after her daughter.

Camera Shy: Bus Stop The Press
Her commanding officer told her the Army was a: "war-fighting machine" and: "unsuitable for a single mother, who couldn't sort out her childcare arrangements."

She won the case, plus a race discrimination claim because she was not allowed to bring over her half-sister to look after her child, but received far less than she wanted.

Debique originally claimed £473,535 for loss of earnings; £325,160 for loss of Army benefits; £315,562 for loss of pension rights; £10,000 in aggravated damages, plus £18,000 for "hurt feelings."

District Judge James Henderson said: "This was initially a genuine claim and I do not think it crosses the custody threshold."

Debique has repaid approximately £1,000 so far and Mr. Henderson added: "I don't think a fine is appropriate because she is using a lot of money to pay this back and is likely to lose her job.

"You are not suitable for unpaid work because you have a daughter to look after," he told her. 

"I give you full credit for pleading guilty to these offences and I am quite satisfied it was because you were in  difficult financial situation and the time and not high living."

Debique was sentenced to a three-month community order with a daily electronically-tagged evening curfew between 9pm and 6am and was ordered to pay £85 costs, plus a £60 victim surcharge.

She told the court there was no need for her to go out in the evenings and that once she collects her daughter from school she stays in for the rest of the night.

Debique swindled £6,581.87 in income support and jobseeker's allowance from the Department of Work & Pensions and £2,728.07 from Wandsworth Borough Council in housing and council tax benefit.

"You have a payment plan in place so I am not going to order compensation," added Mr. Henderson. "I don't think it is appropriate to send you to prison, but if you breach the order that may become a possibility."


Debique, of Delia Street, Earlsfield pleaded guilty to four counts of dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances between September 7, 2010 and July 7, 2013 and dishonestly making a false statement on June 7, 2012.

Thursday, 16 April 2015

Not Guilty: Xmas Shopper Cleared Of Killing Fellow-Customer In 'Trolley Rage' Tragedy

A Marks & Spencer Christmas customer, accused of killing a frail fellow-shopper by ramming him with her trolley, has been cleared of manslaughter.

Widower Michael Buckley, 60, suffered a broken wrist and thighbone when knocked to the floor of the store in The Glades shopping centre, Bromley, but never recovered and died three months later.

Melanie Serita Buck, 33, of Chelford Road, Bromley was found not guilty of the charge, plus an alternative count of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

She was with her mother at 1pm and pushing a trolley when she clashed with Mr. Buckley, who was carrying a basket inside the busy store on December 22, 2012.

"Mr. Buckley was browsing the food aisle when he came into contact with the defendant," prosecutor Mr. David Howker QC told Croydon Crown Court.

"There was something of a gridlock in the aisle and the defendant could not get past him. 

"There may have been a clash between his basket and her trolley and a few words exchanged and the upshot was Miss Buck deliberately rammed Mr. Buckley with her trolley and the result was to knock him to the floor."

The first words out of the injured man's mouth as Buck fled toward the exit were: "She rammed me."

Mr. Buckley was only eight stone and 5 foot five inches tall and described as "frail" by Mr. Howker, who added: "A fractured kneecap he had a few years earlier slowed him down.

"Miss Buck assaulted Mr. Buckley. causing him to fall to the floor and injure himself and cause the chain of events that led to his death. She is responsible for that death."

Buck was arrested on Boxing Day. "She said she was being bumped in the legs by Mr. Buckley's basket and was trying to get past him and hit him accidentally with her trolley."

Mr. Buckley, of Whatman Road, Forest Hill died on March 5, 2013 at Princess Royal University Hospital, Farnborough, Kent after three months in intensive care following complications relating to his injuries.

Mr. Buckley, had lost his wife Irene two years before his death, also had severe hearing problems and had retired from an office job at Camberwell New Green Cemetery.


"He could have had a heart attack at any time and Miss Buck would not have known that when she rammed the trolley into him."

Wednesday, 15 April 2015

Suspended Sentence For Street Thug Who Attacked Strangers

A engineer, who suddenly attacked two strangers in the street – racially abusing one of them – and battled with police until he was sprayed with CS gas received a suspended prison sentence today.

Neil Saunders, 33, of Richmond Road, Worthing had spent the evening with friends in south-west London and was apparently in good spirits when he left them, but soon afterwards was out of control, getting into one violent confrontation after another.

He pleaded guilty at Wimbledon Magistrates Court to the racially aggravated assault of Luis Ramirez in Putney High Street on September 27, last year.

He also pleaded guilty to assaulting black bus driver Joseph Lewis and resisting a police officer in the execution of his duty and was sentenced to twelve weeks imprisonment, suspended for twelve months.

Saunders was also ordered to perform 80 hours community service work and pay £200 compensation to Mr. Lewis; £50 to Mr. Ramirez and £85 costs.

Prosecutor Miss Mary Atere told the court Mr. Ramirez had just got off a bus with his son near Putney Bridge after 10pm on the Saturday evening when confronted by the defendant.

Mr. Saunders swung his arm and hit Mr. Ramirez in the chest and was shouting and swearing. With his right hand he punched Mr. Ramirez in the face, then swung for a third time, connecting with the victim's face.

He was heard shouting: 'What are you going to do? This is my country. Go back to your own f***ing country.'

Bus driver Mr. Lewis was on a break and sitting on a bench outside TK Maxx when Mr. Saunders came to his attention because he seemed to be arguing with people in the road.

The defendant sat next to Mr. Lewis, who was on his mobile phone, and he punched Mr. Lewis in the face, on the nose and the victim thought it may have been broken.

Police were called and by now Mr. Saunders was standing in the middle of the road waving his arms around and when approached he resisted arrest and struggled violently with the officers.

He had to be CS sprayed because he was so volatile, pushing and kicking out.”

When questioned by police Saunders claimed to have no memory of the incident.

His lawyer Miss Sophie Smith told the court there is the possibility a drink he was having with pals may have been spiked. “He left them in a happy mood and cannot remember what happened.”

Saunders claims he suffered a “blackout” - perhaps as a result of his Temazepam prescription for insomnia, which he received during a difficult period when his baby daughter was only twelve-months old and his wife was suffering post-natal stress.

The police officer who questioned him said Saunders was “very remorseful” and “crying and sobbing” throughout the interview.

Tuesday, 14 April 2015

HIV Pub Landlord Sexually Abused Drunken Male Customer

A HIV positive pub landlord, who sexually preyed on a drunken male customer half his age - repeatedly abusing the victim over a two-and-a-half hour period - was caged for nine years yesterday.

John Michael Coyne, 56, boss of the Prince of Wales pub, Harrow Road, Maida Vale bought the 25 year-old stranger a drink, who was so drunk he passed out in the bar and was helpless to defend himself from the repeated attacks.

Ironically, it was the pub's own CCTV that helped convict Coyne at Blackfriars Crown Court, where the jury viewed images of the early hours abuse.

He was unanimously found guilty of oral rape and engaging in sexual activity without consent at the pub on October 13, last year and will automatically be added to the sex offenders register for an indefinite period.

The heterosexual victim had been enjoying a night out with friends, which he decided to end with a few drinks at the Prince of Wales pub.

Recorder Dafydd Enoch QC told Coyne, who fought the case: "You told us you prided yourself on your responsibility to take care of your clientele, but not so this young man, who had already drunk too much when he came into your pub.

"You spotted him and you had a sexual intention on him from very early on and the CCTV demonstrated this interest. You took complete advantage of him and the situation.

"The evidence was overwhelming, you targeted him and you groomed him and you lured him into a false sense of security.

"You allowed him to get drunk and used alcohol to facilitate your offending.

"You lit his cigarette for him and you encouraged him to lie down and go to sleep and treated him like an object.

"While he was sleeping you abused him, you took advantage of a sleeping individual and you raped him, knowing you were HIV positive.

"You took an interest in his groin area and anus and you gave him oral sex on several occasions.

"This was a gross breach of trust."

The victim was tested afterwards and is fortunately not HIV-positive, but said in a victim impact statement he had been deeply effected by the abuse.

"He was extremely angry with you and you tried to turn the tables that he was consenting and interested in having sex with you.

"You showed no remorse and fought this case to the bitter end," added Recorder Enoch.

"There was a prolonged and sustained nature to the sexual offending, over two-and-a-half hours, a very long drawn out affair and anyone watching the CCTV would feel it went on forever."

The victim eventually awoke at around 3am to find Coyne abusing him and the defendant ran away, but was arrested and charged by police the next day.

Detective Constable Neil Hume said: "Coyne abused his position as a landlord of a pub to take advantage of an unconscious customer and showed no remorse. I would applaud the victim's bravery attending court and hope that the sentence sends out a clear message."


Detective Inspector Neil Smithson said: "Coyne preyed on an unconscious customer whilst in his own pub and I would encourage anyone who believes they may have been a victim at the hands of Coyne to come forward."

Monday, 13 April 2015

Architect Denies Raping Blind Date He Told: "Girls Say No, But They Don't Mean It"

Leheup Arriving At Court Today
An architect who romantically arranged to meet his blind date under Waterloo Station's famous clock raped her hours later, telling the young woman: "Girls say no, but they don't mean it," a court heard today.

University of Greenwich graduate Adam Leheup, 34, a technical co-ordinator on the £500m Nine Elms Point Development insisted on having sex with the 25 year-old despite her shouting: "No, no," the Blackfriars Crown Court jury were told.

Leheup, of In View Court, Mayfield Road, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey has pleaded not guilty to raping the woman and sexually assaulting her at her flat in Delancey Street, Camden in the early hours of July 10, 2013.

He says they enjoyed an night-long date, which included wine and cocktails, with the young woman responding to his physical advances and allowing him to remove her bra in her bedroom so he could massage her back with oil.

"I told him nothing was going to happen, but he started to kiss me and I could tell he was naked," the complainant told police. "He took my clothes off and was on top of me and penetrated me and I was shouting: 'No' a lot, but he was not listening.

"I was saying: 'No', but he thought it was a joke or something. Then maybe he realised I was serious and he calmed down.

"He said: 'Girl's say: 'No', but they don't mean it.' I just wanted him out. My flatmate said she was going to call the police, but he laughed at her and said it would just be a domestic."

Prosecutor Mr. Ish Sheikh told the court the couple met on dating app 'Let's Date' - which connects users who mutually find each other attractive - and had two bottles of wine at Gordons Wine Bar, Embankment after meeting and walking across Waterloo Bridge.

It was so late Leheup had missed his last train and his date agreed to put him up for the night. "She made it clear nothing would happen and they went to a second bar, 'Joe's', in Camden where they had mojito's.

"He started kissing my neck and it made me a bit uncomfortable, but it wasn't vicious or nasty and later I did kiss him back. We were getting on well," the woman told police in a video interview. 

"The kissing had got a bit more aggressive, stuff I did not like, his hand on my throat, which makes me vulnerable.

"I said: 'Nothing is going to happen.' I'm not that kind of girl."

Mr. Sheikh added: "The defendant was also a bit funny towards her when she was talking to other men at the bar."

They returned to the complainant's flat in the early hours. "She shares it with two others and when they got into the bedroom she changed into jogging bottoms and a top and got into bed, where the defendant joined her without any clothes on at all.

"He started kissing her and got on top of her and she was shouting: 'No, no,' and to stop, but he did not take any heed of these cries and touched her with his fingers."

Partial intercourse occurred for a very short time and the young woman managed to get away and told Leheup: "Why did you do that when I said no?"

Mr. Sheikh explained: "One of the flatmates was woken because of the shouting and told Mr. Leheup to leave, but he wouldn't because he said he had work the next day and wanted to wait until the trains started running

The flatmate threatened to call the police and Leheup clambered down scaffolding outside the balcony door, but was arrested on the way to the underground station.

When questioned by police the defendant said his date did not object to being touched intimately by him. "He said he was fondling her breasts and there was no talk of sex one way or the other.

"When they arrived at the bedroom he said she said words to the effect of: 'Welcome to my crack den.'

"He said he took her bra off because she wanted a back massage with some oil and they began kissing.

"He said he got on top of her her and she then freaked out and as soon as she did he got off her," explained Mr. Sheikh. "He said he climbed down the scaffolding to avoid a confrontation.

"When she was shouting: 'No' he should have known she was not consenting. He was not going to take no for an answer that night."

The young woman admits she was under the influence of alcohol. " I was probably more drunk than I should have been. I was feeling a bit giddy, a bit tipsy, but I was not falling over."



Trial continues…………..

Sunday, 12 April 2015

Bus Motorcyclist Tragedy: Witnesses Sought

Police are appealing for witnesses after this motorcyclist was killed in a collision with a bus in west London.
Darren Churchill, 21, of Ashford, Middlesex was pronounced dead at the scene on the A30 in Hounslow on February 27.
Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at around 9.20pm on Friday, February 27 to reports of a collision between a route 423 bus and a motorcyclist.
Officers and ambulances attended and the rider of the motorcycle, a 21-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.


A post-mortem examination was held on Tuesday, March 3, at Fulham Mortuary. 


Next of kin are aware. 


The bus stopped at the scene - the driver was not arrested.


Officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) are carrying out enquiries into the circumstances of the incident.


Detective Constable Nicola Linton, who leads the investigation said: "There would have been many witnesses on the scene at the time of the collision as this was a very busy road.
“I would appeal for members of the public with any information to come forward as soon as possible."



Witnesses and anyone with information is asked to called the SCIU on 0208 543 5157 or the police non-emergency line on 101.