Kids Illustrator Jailed For Sexually Abusing Two Young Girls Four Decades Ago

A disgraced children's books illustrator, who sexually abused two young girls four decades ago – molesting one when he took her out for ice-cream and groping the other as she lay in bed – has been jailed for three years and nine months.

Artist Henry Christopher Mendes, 64, of Park an Pyth, Pendeen, Penzance initially denied forcing the first girl, who was approximately eight years-old, to perform a sex act on him and running his hand up the body of the second girl, also aged around eight.

However, after hearing the two victims give evidence at Blackfriars Crown Court Mendes unexpectedly changed his plea to guilty .

Prosecutor Mr. Shaun Esprit told the jury the offences occurred in north London's Kentish Town in the late 1970's and only came to the police's attention when the first complainant reported Mendes in 2013, encouraged by her friend revealing she was also molested.

“The defendant went out to go to the off-licence and he asked the first complainant if she fancied coming with him to get an ice-cream,” he told the court. “He stopped off at a pub and left her outside while he popped in.

“She was left outside on her own and after what seemed to her an eternity the defendant returned and as they walked back he took her through an elevated area, which was higher up and had a swing and concrete blocks.”

This was later identified as the Lismore Circus children's play area.

“The defendant made her sit down on one and she noticed he was mumbling to himself and fiddling with the zip on his trousers and she did not know what was going on.”

The girl then performed a sex act on Mendes, said Mr. Esprit. “Afterwards he seemed relieved and satisfied.”

The girl remained silent until 1989. “She blurted out what happened to her mother. It was an emotional outburst.”

The complainant later emailed Mendes. “She brought up what happened and expressed a lot of anger and was extremely emotional.”

The second complainant also told police she was targeted by the defendant, added Mr. Esprit.

“She was asleep in bed and awoke and was aware of someone next to her, a man, and could hear ponderous breathing.

“She did not open her eyes, but recognised the voice of the defendant saying: 'You're so beautiful' and she felt a hand under the duvet, which bit by bit moved up.

“It stopped short of between her legs when a man's voice outside her bedroom door said: 'Chris, let's go to the off-licence.'

“The defendant was known by his second name, Chris,” the prosecutor told the court.

Mendes was arrested and questioned by police. “He denied the assaults.”

However, during the investigation police discovered his computer contained nearly 400 sick indecent images of children, proving despite the four decades that had passed Mendes was still an active paedophile.

Detective Constable Jo Dell of the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command said: “I would like to thank both victims for their bravery in reporting these incidents to police and their ongoing support throughout the investigation.

“They have shown resilience, which enabled the case to proceed to this successful conclusion. Mendes is a serial offender who has abused the trust of his friends and targeted vulnerable young girls.”

Police suspect the artist has abused more youngsters and Detective Inspector Neil Smithson said: “I would appeal to any other victims of Mendes to come forward. The Metropolitan Police will fully support you and seek to bring offenders to justice, no matter when the offences were committed.”

One of the victims said: “One of the things I would like to add is how well treated I have been by the Met Police. It has taken a long time to feel brave enough to come to the police with this, not only confronting what happened within myself, but also having to tell a total stranger.

“I would have no hesitation in recommending that anyone who has experienced any type of abuse to report it, in fact I would urge them to.

“It might be scary at first, but personally speaking it was a cathartic experience that has really helped me to process what happened to me.”

Mendes pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault in relation to each girl between July 8, 1976 and November 27, 1979.

He also admitted seven counts of making indecent photographs of a child and one count of possessing extreme pornographic images.

Chelsea Pensioner Kicked Out After Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Drunken Woman In His Berth

A Chelsea Pensioner has been kicked out of the prestigious Royal Hospital after flouting strict rules by taking a drunken woman - four decades his junior - to his room, where he sexually assaulted her.

Patrick Noel Teegan, 72, played a key role in last year's closing ceremony of the Chelsea Flower Show and was wearing his trademark ceremonial scarlet uniform when he met the 29 year-old fund-raising executive in the hospital's club.

She had already consumed two glasses of champagne that day and says she blacked-out after Teegan bought her a couple of glasses of white wine.

The decorated former Warrant Officer, who joined the Army in Belfast in 1962 and served all over the world, was convicted yesterday of sexually assaulting the woman in the early hours of May 24, last year.

Isleworth Crown Court heard the next thing she remembers is waking up naked in Irishman Teegan's bed with the stripped defendant grinding against her.

"I felt very drunk and being in the club is my last memory," she explained.

"He had his arm around my waist and he was naked as well lying behind me," she told police. "I was shocked I didn't know where I was or who I was with."

She told the court semi-aroused Teegan - known as 'Paddy' - was rubbing his groin against her buttocks and invited her to remain until the morning, describing her as: "Wonderful."

"I just thought: 'What the hell is happening?'"

Teegan will be housed by charity Veteran's Aid over the weekend and plans to move in with family - leaving behind the 320 year-old Sir Christopher Wren-designed hospital and his veteran comrades.

"Because of that verdict as of this moment Mr. Teegan is no longer a Chelsea Pensioner and he will not be able to return to Chelsea Hospital," his lawyer Clare McGrath told the court.

"Arrangements have been made for alternative accommodation."

In return for £175 a week residents, who must be Army veterans over 65 years-old, receive a private berth within the seventeenth century Grade 1 listed building, plus three meals a day and enjoy an active ceremonial and social life.

Recorder Jonathan Davies bailed Teegan until August 28 for a pre-sentence report, telling the first-time offender: "You are obviously going to be low and I recognise you will have accommodation difficulties.

"I consider this passes the custodial threshold and the court will consider a custodial sentence."

Hours before the assault Teegan, who was a Ministry of Defence civil servant for a decade after his Army service, took part in the traditional bell-ringing ceremony, which closes the annual flower show.

The father-of-two spent the rest of the evening drinking in the Chelsea Pensioners Club, where he met the woman. 

"She was smiling and I said: 'Hello, would you like a drink?' I could see she was getting merry and her voice did get loud.

"She was not straight, you could tell she'd had a drink," he told the court.

"I took her out of the club because the barmaid suggested it and she said she was tired, needed a rest and did not want to go home.

"She said: 'Can I come to your room and have a rest?' I said: 'Yes, you can come to my berth and have a rest.'

"I knew I was doing wrong by letting her into my berth, that was breaking hospital rules, the no female rule.

"She started taking her clothes off and got into bed and she said: 'Come to bed.' I got into bed, wearing just my underpants. I wanted to have a rest.

"She took my right hand and placed it on her stomach, but I took my hand away. I think she wanted to initiate more, perhaps sex."

Teegan told the court she then threw up over herself. "I told her: 'I think it's time you went.'"

He walked her to the night bus, which she caught after 3am, but was seen by the police six days later.

Describing how it felt to be arrested Teegan said: "I went into shock," adding that it was "horrible" being on trial.

The woman asked her mother to take her to a psychiatric hospital the next day, fearing she would harm herself otherwise.

Billionaire's Wife Cleared Of 'Keying' Neighbour's Bentley In Parking Dispute

Guatam & Stephanie Thapar

 The case against a billionaire's wife, accused of 'keying' a wealthy neighbour's £120,000 Bentley behind her £21m Knightsbridge home during a 'parking rage' incident, has been dropped.

Mother-of-two Stephanie Thapar, 50, of Cadogan Place was charged with causing £4,153.46 worth of criminal damage to the two-door black 4-litre Continental GT Coupe V8 belonging to Michael Connor in Cadogan Lane mews on January 22.

She was due to stand trial yesterday at City of London Magistrates Court, but the Crown Prosecution Service discontinued proceedings the day before.

She is the second wife of Indian-born Gautam Thapar, 54, an engineering and paper entrepreneur, who founded the Avantha Group and has an estimated net worth of £1.0 billion.

German-born Mrs Thapar resides in a five-bedroom, five-bathroom house, which has an integral lift, private two-car mews garage to the rear and has previously been advertised for rent at £56,333 per month.

She pleaded not guilty to the charge when she initially appeared on March 9 at Hammersmith Magistrates Court, denying she touched the vehicle.

Michael Connor's Bentley

Prosecutor Mr. Tom Gill told the court it was 7pm when Mr. Connor looked out of the window of his home after hearing Mrs Thapar sound her horn as she tried to negotiate past his parked Bentley and enter her garage.

"Mr. Connor saw her reversing into her garage and she then got out of her vehicle, exited the garage and placed some rubbish bags adjacent to the complainant's vehicle.

"The defendant went back inside her garage and on this occasion when she exited her garage, walked to the rear of the Bentley and scratched it five or six times with an unknown small object."

When he inspected his vehicle Mr. Connor found "deep scratches in the paintwork" and called police, who ascertained the damage was recent.

"The defendant was arrested an interviewed and completely denied the offence," said Mr. Gill.

In 2008 Mr. Thapar won Earnst & Young's 'Entrepreneur of the Year Award' for manufacturing and in 2013 King's College conferred an Honorary Fellowship in recognition of his "exceptional achievements in the fields of industry and philanthropy.'

Chelsea Pensioner Denies Sexually Assaulting Drunken Woman Four Decades His Junior

A Chelsea Pensioner who flouted the Royal Hospital's strict rules when he allowed a drunken woman - four decades his junior - into his room, took advantage by sexually assaulting her, a court heard today.

Patrick Noel Teegan, 72, played a ceremonial role in last year's closing ceremony of the Chelsea Flower Show and was wearing the trademark ceremonial scarlet uniform when he bought the 29 year-old fund-raising executive a couple of glasses of white wine in the hospital's club.

Isleworth Crown Court heard the decorated former Warrant Officer, who joined the Army in Belfast in 1962 and served all over the world, was asked by the club's barmaid to escort the woman out because of her drunken behaviour.

The complainant had two glasses of champagne earlier in the day and says she remembers nothing until waking up naked in the defendant's bed at 3.40am.

"I felt very drunk and being in the club is my last memory," she explained.

"He had his arm around my waist and he was naked as well lying behind me," she told police. "I was shocked I didn't know where I was or who I was with."

She told the court semi-aroused Teegan was rubbing his groin against her buttocks and invited her to remain until the morning, describing her as: "Wonderful."

"I just thought: 'What the hell is happening?'"

Hours earlier Teegan, who was a Ministry of Defence civil servant for a decade after his Army service, took part in the traditional bell-ringing ceremony, which closes the annual flower show.

The father-of-two spent the rest of the evening in the Chelsea Pensioners Club, where he met the woman. "She was smiling and I said: 'Hello, would you like a drink?' I could see she was getting merry and her voice did get loud.

"She was not straight, you could tell she'd had a drink," he told the court.

"I took her out of the club because the barmaid suggested it and she said she was tired, needed a rest and did not want to go home.

"She said: 'Can I come to your room and have a rest?' I said: 'Yes, you can come to my berth and have a rest.'

"I knew I was doing wrong by letting her into my berth, that was breaking hospital rules, the no female rule.

"She started taking her clothes off and got into bed and she said: 'Come to bed.' I got into bed, wearing just my underpants. I wanted to have a rest.

"She took my right hand and placed it on her stomach, but I took my hand away. I think she wanted to initiate more, perhaps sex."

Teegan told the court she then threw up over herself. "I told her: 'I think it's time you went.'"

He walked her to the night bus, which she caught at 3am, but was seen by the police six days later.

Describing how it felt to be arrested Teegan said: "I went into shock," adding that it was "horrible" being on trial.

The woman asked her mother to take her to a psychiatric hospital the next day, fearing she would harm herself otherwise.

Teegan, of Royal Hospital Chelsea, Royal Hospital Road has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexually assaulting the woman on May 24, last year.

Trial continues…………. 

Parish Councillor Jailed For Molesting Schoolgirl Three Decades Ago

A Lincoln parish councillor, whose Facebook contact with a woman he abused as a child three decades ago backfired when she went to the police, has been jailed for two years.

Engineer David Anthony Swinton, 70, of Bath Road, Bracebridge Heath denied sneaking into the girl's room during the night when she was aged between eight and eleven years-old and touching her between her legs over a four-year period.

He tried to derail a potential prosecution by presenting himself to the woman online as a: “Friendly face from the past,” but this simply triggered her complaint to the police.

He was found guilty at London's Harrow Crown Court of two sample counts of of indecently assaulting the complainant in the 1980's.

Jack Talbot, defending, told the court : "There are concerns about his ability to cope with a custodial environment.

"He is devastated by the verdict – it's the most devastating moment of his life. He is in a traumatic state."

Recorder William Featherby QC told Swinton : "You went to the girl's room, stood by her bed, where she was in the top bunk and reached under her night dress, not more than a hand full of times.

"Now in her late 30s she has suffered considerable distress but she was already an unhappy child.

"These are serious offences, including a breach of trust, by exploiting your dominant position, with a helpless victim, exploiting her silence. She suffered in silence."

Swinton was also made subject to a five year Sexual Harm Prevent Order and he was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years.

The court was told the complainant was reluctant to report Swinton, who lived in Harrow at the time, because his family was so well-respected locally, with his civil servant wife Jane sitting on the local council, and his mother-in-law a former mayor of the borough.

Father-of-three Swinton, who lived at Northumberland Road, Harrow, molested the girl at the address, often telling her to: “Shhh,” and be quiet and assuring her she was a: “Good girl.”

Prosecutor Mr. Toby Fitzgerald told the jury the girl regularly slept overnight at the defendant's house, occupying the top bunk of bunk-beds while her younger sister slept below.

“While the children were in his house he took the opportunity to indecently assault the elder sister, touching her indecently and between her legs in particular.

“The defendant would bath them both and throughout this period the defendant would come into the bedroom, approach the girl, and touch her, both over and under her knickers.

“Sometimes he would come in and pretend to tuck the girls in.

“This happened very regularly and the defendant showed a lack of boundaries, when at breakfast and in front of his family he said of the girl. 'She is a woman now'.

“She remembers thinking the defendant was trying to legitimise what he was doing and normalise his sexual activity with a child.

“The abuse ended when she stopped staying at the Swinton's home in 1988,” added Mr. Fitzgerald, explaining the girl told her mother what had happened approximately a year later.

“Her mother seemed sympathetic, but no complaint was made and the girl felt worried that she would not be believed.”

Some time later the complainant was walking past Swinton's house and he waved at her. “She stuck her finger up at him and he would have known the abuse was not forgotten and she was still angry.”

Out of the blue she received a Facebook message from Swinton on June 9, 2013, asking how she was.

“She looked at his page and the photographs of his grandchildren and was angry and upset that she had been contacted.

“Why did the defendant contact her? What was the motivation?” added Mr. Fitzgerald.

“The last few years have become increasingly uncomfortable for sex offenders and the Crown say this defendant wanted to head off any complaint against himself by presenting himself as a friendly face from the past and run with this change in history.

“He wanted to allay those fears so he could continue to live his life, but that was a miscalculation and it rekindled her upset and distress and she contacted the police.”

Swinton was arrested on December 11, 2013. “He absolutely denied any sexual conduct.”


The defendant sits on the Bracebridge Heath parish council and is the vice-chairman of Planning, Lighting and Roads and Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

Pub GBH: Suspect Hunted

Police have released this photo of a suspect they are hunting after a violent pub attack in west London.

Michael 'Flamur' Shehu, 22, of Hayes, Middlesex is wanted for questioning after the victim suffered serious injuries in a local public house.

Officers from Hillingdon CID have been hunting him since March 8 in connection with an allegation of inflicting grievous bodily harm on March 7.

Shehu is known to frequent the areas of Hayes, West Drayton and Uxbridge.

Detective Constable Anji Dawson said: "We are asking for members of the public to look closely at the photograph of this man in a bid to assist us in finding him.

“He knows that he is wanted by police and we would like to hear from anyone who may know where he is; any information we receive will be treated in the strictest confidence."

If you have any information please phone 020 8246 1732 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Young Woman Beaten To Death: Violent Boyfriend Gets 7 Years

Sannah Javed

A “violent and controlling” boyfriend, who beat his on-off partner to death, is starting a seven year prison sentence.

Hussein Abu, 37, had used violence against 26 year-old Sannah Javed for several years and they were living in separate addresses at the time.

Abu, of Whitechapel Road, Whitechapel pleaded guilty to manslaughter halfway through his Old Bailey murder trial.

The court heard Abu attacked Sannah at her home in Green Lane, Ilford on December 2, last year, but initially tried to lie his way out of it.

Police and an ambulance crew were called to the address at 11.15pm, where they found Abu in an agitated state.

He claimed Sannah suddenly collapsed while sitting on her bed and later gave two different versions in a bid to save himself from going to prison.

Hussein Abu

Following a special post mortem on December 6, it was concluded Sannah had sustained a number of internal and external injuries.

Home Office Pathologist Dr. Ashley Fegan-Earl ruled some of these injuries were in keeping with a third party assault.



Detective Chief Inspector Tim Duffield of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said: "The police investigation exposed Hussein Abu as a violent and controlling man, a person who, after attacking his partner, was prepared to lie in an effort to escape justice.



"Abu had ample opportunity to admit his guilt earlier but chose to put Sannah's family through the further ordeal of a criminal trial.

“I can only hope his conviction helps her family begin to come to terms with their loss."

Burglar Convinced Cops He Was A Builder During £135,000 Rooftop Raid

Blue Mountain Peak

Bungling cops allowed a night time burglar in a high-viz vest to continue his £135,000 safe raid at a large wholesale cash and carry after he convinced them he was up on the roof doing some building work.

Despite it being dark officers accepted the explanation and allowed 34 year-old Roma traveller Levente Gerebenes to continue breaking into Blue Mountain Peak, 4-8 Craven Park Road, Harlesden, north-west London.

When the business owners arrived in the morning they discovered the safe had been broken into and the large amount of cash taken.

Gerebenes, who claims he lived a traveller's lifestyle between Hungary and Romania before arriving in the UK in 2011 in search of casual work pleaded guilty to burgling the warehouse on March 12 and was sentenced to two years imprisonment.

Harrow Crown Court heard two neighbours called the police after spotting the defendant acting suspiciously on the roof of the large building.

"Police officers did arrive and after you claimed you were doing building work up on the roof they left," Recorder William Featherby QC told Gerebenes.

He was quickly identified by CCTV cameras and police traced him to digs the next day.

He had £70,340 cash on him, claiming he had split the haul with an accomplice even though the neighbours insist they only saw one suspect.

"This was a non-residential burglary, but I place it in the highest bracket because it was at night and because of the large value involved," added the recorder.

"You say you are thirty-four and Romanian, but you look a lot younger and have not provided any evidence of your nationality."

Interior Designer Did Runner After Throwing Up In Back Of Taxi And Insulting Driver

An interior designer decorated the inside of a taxi cab with his vomit during a drunken night and did a runner after calling the driver a: "Jewish motherf*****."

Adrian Petrit Jonsson, 23, was so drunk he cannot remember the incident, which he says has caused great shame to himself and his family.

He is a junior interior designer at boutique Holborn company SuperFutures and attended KLC School of Design, Chelsea Harbour.

He pleaded guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates Court to racially aggravated threatening behaviour and making of without paying his £59 fare.

The court heard Jonsson, of Stanhope Apartments, Stanhope Street, Camden became abusive and fled the scene in Cromwell Road, South Kensington on April 18.

"This defendant was, in essence, out drinking and called for a taxi," explained prosecutor Miss Simma Khan. "The defendant was picked-up and vomited in the back of the taxi driver's cab."

The driver then demanded his fare and a clean-up bill. "This resulted in Mr. Jonsson becoming abusive and calling him a: 'Jewish motherf*****.'

"He got out and walked off and was only identified because he left his bank card in the back of the cab."

Jonsson's lawyer Miss Marilyn Vitte told the court: "He is remorseful for his actions and made full admissions.

"He was disgusted with himself, the behaviour and did not deny the allegation although he does not remember being in  the taxi because he was intoxicated.

"He works for an architecture firm, earning fifteen hundred pounds a month and lives in shared accommodation.

"His remorse is genuine and he says he is ashamed of his actions and has let himself and his family down."

District Judge Mr. Michael Snow told the first-time offender: "This is going to be an expensive night for you.

"It is deeply offensive to swear at someone and making reference to their religion is doubly so."

Jonsson was fined £375, with £85 costs and ordered to pay £100 compensation to the driver, plus a £150 court charge and a £37 victim surcharge. 

Cop Kicked During Woman's Wine And Vodka Binge

A lifelong binge drinker kicked a police officer in the leg during a wine and vodka bender, screaming: “You can't arrest me in my f***ing home.”

Officers had been called by 43 year-old Fiona Connolly to her home in North Pole Road, North Kensington because she wanted to report her alcoholic boyfriend for smashing her table.

“The officers arrived and the defendant was drunk and slurring her words,” prosecutor Miss Simma Kham told Hammersmith Magistrates Court. “She became abusive and resisted arrest.”

Connolly, who has previous convictions for racially-aggravated criminal damage, assault, threatening behaviour and being drunk while in charge of a child, shouted at police: “Shut up you f***ing moron. I'll have you struck off.”

Miss Khan added: “She kicked the officer with her right leg, connecting with the officer's knee and causing pain.”

Connolly pleaded guilty to assaulting Police Constable Todd Alsop on May 7 and was bailed until July 21 for a pre-sentence report, which will also include an assessment for an alcohol treatment programme. 

NOT GUILTY: Soldier Cleared Of Race Charge At Chelsea FC Match

A serving soldier in the British Army, accused of being a racist Chelsea FC football yob, has been cleared.

Robert Spence, 31, of Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk always denied the charge and no evidence was offered at his trial.

Hammersmith Magistrates Court heard Spence allegedly directed a "monkey boy" insult towards the black victim at a pre-season friendly.

He was charged with one count of racially-aggravated threatening, abusive words or behaviour  on August 12, last year at Stamford Bridge during Chelsea's pre-season 2-0 victory over Spain's Real Sociedad.

Wellington Barracks is 300 yards from Buckingham Palace and is home to the Foot Guards Battalions - the regular infantry regiments of the Household Division.

The court heard he was identified as participating in chanting and telling the victim to look up youtube if he wanted to know the words and asking him if he was from Africa.

Spence, who has served abroad and is of good character, attend the match with his Colombian fine arts student girlfriend.

Businessmen Cleared Of Robbing Convicted Fraudster They Say Scammed Them In Dodgy Gold Bullion Scheme

Andrew Hughes-Hallett

Two businessmen, accused of robbing a convicted fraudster at a five-star hotel after feeling ripped off by a gold bullion investment scheme, have been cleared.

Andrew Hughes-Hallett, 52, of Arcadia, Loddon Drive, Wargrave, Berkshire and Richard Powell, 54, of Derby Square, Douglas, Isle of Man were due to stand trial this week.

Both were charged with robbing Christian Fallon, 50, of £2,700 cash at the Jumeriah Carlton Tower, Cadogan Place, Knightsbridge on August 5, last year.

Not guilty verdicts were entered in relation to both defendants at Isleworth Crown Court on Monday.

Edinburgh University graduate Hughes-Hallett is the director of Arcadia Consulting Ltd. and lives in a £1.5m property. Powell describes himself as an entrepreneur.

They are among a group of investors, who feel they were swindled out of £1.5 million in a get-rich-quick bullion scam, according to High Court statements.

Richard Powell

Both men are seeking damages against Mr. Fallon, claiming he promised to invest their cash in gold bullion and foreign currency markets, but just pocketed it.

Hughes-Hallett says he invested £425,000 and Powell £225,000 with Newmarket, Suffolk-based Mr. Fallon, who according to the writ claimed to be an expert in trading gold, particularly in relation to the Bank of England.

He also vowed he could obtain gold below the market price so his scheme, run under the name QFX traders, was risk-free.

The court papers say: “The defendant (Fallon) claimed he was investing £4 million of his own money.

“The claimants could expect profits in relation to such trading to be at least four per cent per month.”

Fallon was convicted in 2002 and 2007 of fraud and since 1994 has been banned from acting in the investment business by the Financial Conduct Authority.

The claimants seek the return of their investments, alleging that he had not traded for them at all and just took the money.

The writ claims Fallon changed his name from Christopher to Christian after fraud convictions.

It says: “Under that name he had been convicted in 2002 and 2007 of committing numerous substantial frauds.”

Not Guilty: Care Worker Cleared Of Raping Resident With Learning Difficulties

A care worker, responsible for looking after the occupants of a residential home, has been cleared of raping a woman with learning difficulties, but will still be punished for having sex with her.

Mohammed Azam, 23, always admitted having sex with the 53 year-old woman, but insisted it was consensual and the rape claim was made after he rejected her further advances.

Croydon Crown Court heard he was the only member of staff at the assisted accommodation in South Way, Coulsdon that evening - staying overnight in case of any emergency.

The woman closed her eyes when Azam showed her pornography on his mobile phone moments before forcing himself on her, the jury were told. 

"She says he undressed her and she did not like it and described it as: 'Very rough and horrible,' and she said it was hurting her," explained prosecutor Miss Dianne Chan.

"He said: 'Women are bastards,' and said he wanted to be her boyfriend and that she was sexy."

The woman took a shower afterwards, but Azam jumped in and joined her, explained Miss Chan. "He said it was their secret and he did not like his job anyway.

"After the shower he made her do it again and she was in a lot of pain and was crying and he laughed.

"She went to her room and did not tell anyone. She was scared stiff.

"On another day he asked her to do it again and she said no and when she told the manager the manager said she was a liar."

The house was run by a company called Direct Care and Support Services and Azam was hired by the manger, who had known him for five years, in November, 2012 and sex occurred within four months.

He was hired despite his poor English skills and needs an Urdu interpreter in court.

On March 25, 2013 the defendant was asked about the complaint. "He said sex had taken place in the staff bedroom and he thought she complained because she asked for sex again and he refused."

The defendant moved into a temporary hostel and one night chatted with a witness about the incident. "Mr. Azam said it was not a real rape because he was already having sex when he was asked to stop and carried on," explained Miss Chan.

Azam was found not guilty by the jury of two counts of rape between February 1 and March 25, 2013.

He pleaded guilty to two alternative counts of sexual activity while employed as a care worker with a person with a mental disorder and will be sentenced on July 30.

Parish Councillor Accused Of Molesting Girl Three Decades Ago After Making Fresh Facebook Contact

A Lincoln parish councillor was arrested after making Facebook contact with a woman he abused as a child three decades ago in a failed attempt to pass himself off as a: “Friendly face from the past,” a jury were told today.

Engineer David Anthony Swinton, 70, of Bath Road, Bracebridge Heath denies sneaking into the girl's room during the night when she was aged between eight and eleven years-old and touching her between her legs over a four-year period.

He has pleaded not guilty at London's Harrow Crown Court to eight sample counts of indecently assaulting the complainant between June 20, 1984 and June 21, 1988.

The court was told the complainant was reluctant to report Swinton, who lived in Harrow at the time, because his family was so well-respected locally, with his civil servant wife Jane sitting on the local council, and his mother-in-law a former mayor of the borough.

Father-of-three Swinton, who lived at Northumberland Road, Harrow, is accused of molesting the girl at the address, often telling her to: “Shhh,” and be quiet and assuring her she was a: “Good girl.”

Prosecutor Mr. Toby Fitzgerald told the jury the girl regularly slept overnight at the defendant's house, occupying the top bunk of bunk-beds while her younger sister slept below.

“While the children were in his house he took the opportunity to indecently assault the elder sister, touching her indecently and between her legs in particular.

“The defendant would bath them both and throughout this period the defendant would come into the bedroom, approach the girl, and touch her, both over and under her knickers.

“Sometimes he would come in and pretend to tuck the girls in.

“This happened very regularly and the defendant showed a lack of boundaries, when at breakfast and in front of his family he said of the girl. 'She is a woman now'.

“She remembers thinking the defendant was trying to legitimise what he was doing and normalise his sexual activity with a child.

“The abuse ended when she stopped staying at the Swinton's home in 1988,” added Mr. Fitzgerald, explaining the girl told her mother what had happened approximately a year later.

“Her mother seemed sympathetic, but no complaint was made and the girl felt worried that she would not be believed.”

Some time later the complainant was walking past Swinton's house and he waved at her. “She stuck her finger up at him and he would have known the abuse was not forgotten and she was still angry.”

Out of the blue she received a Facebook message from Swinton on June 9, 2013, asking how she was.

“She looked at his page and the photographs of his grandchildren and was angry and upset that she had been contacted.

“Why did the defendant contact her? What was the motivation?” added Mr. Fitzgerald.

“The last few years have become increasingly uncomfortable for sex offenders and the Crown say this defendant wanted to head off any complaint against himself by presenting himself as a friendly face from the past and run with this change in history.

“He wanted to allay those fears so he could continue to live his life, but that was a miscalculation and it rekindled her upset and distress and she contacted the police.”

Swinton was arrested on December 11, 2013. “He absolutely denied any sexual conduct.”

The defendant sits on the Bracebridge Heath parish council and is the vice-chairman of Planning, Lighting and Roads and Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

The trial continues..........

Midnight Machete Attack: CCTV Released

Police are hunting this suspect after two men were victims of a midnight machete attack in north-west London.

Officers were called at 0.50am on March 22 to reports of a man armed with the large knife involved in violence in Craven Park Road, Wembley.

On arrival, police discovered two men, aged 34 and 47 years-old, had been attacked and had sustained cuts to their faces.

Both men were taken to hospital where they were treated for their injuries.

The suspect is described as a black male, of skinny build and 6ft tall.

He was also wearing blue, swimming style goggles.

Anyone with information should contact Detective Constable Russ Ellis at Brent Police on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Army Instructor Rapist Who Preyed On Young Cadets Is Locked-Up

An Army cadet training instructor, who sexually abused three young part-time female soldiers, is starting a seven-year prison sentence.

Jan Nicholas Ross, 27, targeted the victims – aged between seventeen and twenty-three years-old – during Territorial Army training.

Ross, of Bridle Road, Croydon was convicted of one count of rape; one count of sexual assault and one count of inciting a female to engage in sexual activity.

Croydon Crown Court heard he was responsible for the training and development of cadets within his unit in south London.

The offences took place between November 2013 and January last year in Croydon and Guilford.

Detective Inspector Nicola Arrowsmith of the Sexual Offences, Exploitation, and Child Abuse Command, said: "I would like to commend the victims for the courage and patience they have shown throughout this investigation and subsequent trial.

“Jan Ross held a role that enabled him to target young women he believed would be too scared to report him.

"This case highlights the determination of the Met Police to thoroughly investigate allegations of this nature.

“I would encourage any victim of serious sexual assault to report the matter to police; we have trained specialist officers to deal with your allegations.

"If you wish to remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."