Fraudster Drained Frail Wheelchair-Bound Neighbour's Bank Account

"Appalling Betrayal": Singh

 A veteran fraudster, who drained his wheelchair-bound friend and next-door neighbour's bank account of over £15,000, has dodged jail and been told to only repay the victim in full if he feels like it.

Ex-school bus driver Michael Singh, 72, pretended to assist 79 year-old Arthur Goodwin with his bills and banking, but used his card almost daily - taking £200 a time from cashpoints.

He received a suspended prison sentence and was ordered to repay just £4,800 by Harrow Crown Court Recorder Nigel May, who told him: "It doesn't mean if you really are remorseful you can't continue to pay all of it.

"I hope you continue making payments after the four thousand eight hundred is paid."

The Guyana-born father-of-four, of Minstrel Court, High Street, Wealdstone  pleaded guilty to stealing £15,700 from Mr. Goodwin - who is now bed-bound - between January 12 and April 30, last year.

Singh, who has previously been jailed for fraud, received twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years and must complete 80 hours community service work.

He lied to police throughout the year-long investigation, even claiming it was not him when presented with overwhelming CCTV evidence of withdrawing cash.

His offer to pay £300 per month from his benefits until all the money was repaid was rejected by the court because it would take four-and-a-half years and stretch Singh's finances to the limit.

"This was a systematic course of dishonesty with a high level of breach of trust on a vulnerable individual," explained prosecutor Mr. George Heimler. 

Mr. Goodwin went to police on April 30, last year and told them he was on the brink of losing his home and discovered eighty-two withdrawals had been made from his Lloyds account in four months.

The court heard Lloyds will not pay him any compensation.

"He said his neighbour had been helping him out and went with him to Lloyds when he was unwell with diabetes.

"The bank sent him a new card, which arrived at his home a few days later and that was the last time he had seen it."

Singh was paid £200 cash he demanded from Mr. Goodwin and later 'helped' him pay his electricity bill and received another £1,000 to buy him a television, table and lamp.

He was arrested on May 22 and when shown CCTV of him wearing a distinctive jacket, which police found in his wardrobe, withdrawing cash he claimed to have bought it in a charity shop days earlier and was not the man filmed.

Singh's lawyer Mr. Dhamendra Toor told the court: "He saw the card on the table and took it. The defendant is willing to repay the amount he has taken."

Recorder May said: "It is an appalling betrayal of friendship. He gained the trust of the individual by being friendly and helpful.

"He's taken an awful lot of money of this poor man he befriended and the bank will not repay him.

"These were shameful offences," he told Singh. "You befriended a man older and more vulnerable than you.

"You assisted him getting a bank card then within days stole that card and used it again and again and blew the money on gambling.

"He has lost all that money at this stage of his life."

Jilted Boyfriend Published 'Revenge Porn' Pics Of Ex On Facebook

A jilted boyfriend, who published 'revenge porn' photos of him and his ex having sex on a special Facebook account he created just minutes after their split and invited her friends to view, has received a suspended prison sentence.

Jobless William Nelson, 52, of Montacute Road, Catford, pleaded guilty to disclosing private sexual photographs, with intent to cause distress, and without the consent of his former girlfriend Kitti Forgacs on June 8.

Prosecutor Miss Rosalind Wardell told Croydon Magistrates Court: "The defendant and victim in this case had been in a relationship for a year that ended in June.

"The victim, Kitti Forgacs, told police she spoke to the defendant on the eighth of June at three pm and told him she did not want to see him again.

"At four thirty pm friends in Hungary said a Facebook site had been set up showing naked photos of her.

"There were thirty naked photos of her of a sexual nature and they had been taken by Nelson.

"She messaged him to stop posting them, but he did not reply."

His lawyer Miss Margot Lound conceded: "The profile he created was put up at three pm and taken down at nine am the following day."

Eventually Nelson responded and promised he had deleted all the explicit images, which had been posted on a Facebook profile he named 'Janus Stillman' but when his ex-girlfriend checked online they were still there.

He later claimed it would take seven to fourteen days to remove them.

She reported him to police and Nelson was questioned. "He said they had an argument in June and travelled back to the house in silence," explained Miss Wardell.

"He said when he tried to put his arm around her she walked off."

A kiss-and-make-up cinema date also turned sour. "They arranged to see a film and she said she did not want to pay and wanted to meet someone else.

"He said he wanted her family to know what she was like and invited friends to the page."

Nelson sent out approximately sixty friend requests to attract people who knew his ex to the site, with the message: "Anyone know who Kitti is? She's been having sex with black and Arab men."

Twelve of Miss Forgacs' Facebook friends responded to the invitation to view the explicit pictures, which Nelson had taken with his phone during their relationship.

"He said he wanted to change her behaviour," added Miss Wardell, explaining Nelson also told police he had personal problems and had been unemployed for some time.

Miss Forgacs told police: "This has caused me distress and anxiety. I am fearful he will post more pictures as he has more on his telephone.

"He was jealous of me contacting and meeting other people and would check my phone and even told my employed I lied on my c.v."

Miss Lound added: "Evidently Mr. Nelson needs some form of psychological structure to ensure he does not behave in such an extraordinary way again.

"He is very motivated and willing to engage with the help offered to him. 

"After he spoke to her on Monday morning and heard how upset she was he had a tack of remorse and took them down.

"The photographs were not taken without her knowledge and she had seen the photographs.

"He was in a state of acute anxiety and a very emotional state. He's suffered greatly as a result with stress, anxiety and guilt at what he's put this lady through."

Magistrate Mr. Roger Duckworth told tearful Nelson, dressed in a blue pin-striped suit, pink and mauve-striped shirt and mauve silk tie: "This is a serious offence with serious effects for the victim in this case because of the potential for wide circulation of offensive material.

"There was no immediate removal of these items or admissions that it was your fault, but you have shown considerable remorse."

He was sentenced to two months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months, and must perform 100 hours community service.

Nelson was also ordered to pay £300 compensation to Miss Forgacs; a £180 court charge; an £80 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

The court made an indefinite restraining order, prohibiting Nelson contacting Miss Forgacs or posting any material relating to her on the internet.

Gaming Enthusiast Sexually Groomed 15 Year-Old Schoolgirl Over Net

An "immature young man", who travelled to London three times to meet a fifteen year-old girl he sexually groomed on the internet, has received a suspended prison sentence.

Former Tesco's worker David Wright, 24, of Chiltern Court, Hunt Road, Somerford, Christchurch, Dorset kissed and cuddled the schoolgirl in a south-east London park, but was eventually caught by her suspicious mother.

He pleaded guilty at Inner London Crown Court to one count of meeting a child after sexual grooming between June 1 and September 29, 2013 and received ten months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Wright was also made subject to a two-year supervision order, which includes participation in a sex offenders treatment programme, must comply with a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sign the sex offenders register for ten years.

Prosecutor Mr. Alisdair Smith said: "He befriended this young girl on the internet, via twitter, and as the relationship developed she regarded this defendant as her boyfriend.

"She told him at some point what age she was in Skype and text messages and they shared an interest in fantasy computer games and associated cartoon figures.

"In one text she told him: 'This is the last year I am getting presents from my mum and dad. They refuse to give me presents once I am sixteen.

"The initial contact included a sexual element. Fantasy sex."

The first met face-to-face in a Sidcup park on September 3, 2013, explained Mr. Smith. "She went with her brother and he saw the defendant and his sister kissing and hugging."

Wright returned three weeks later. "Again the brother witnessed some hugging and kissing."

On September 28 Wright travelled to the park again and was kissing and cuddling the girl when her mother, who had followed, stepped-in.

"She confronted Mr. Wright about what he was doing  and he confirmed he knew she was fifteen. He told her he was only eighteen, which was not the case at all."

Despite the intervention online contact continued via a PS3 games console after the girl's iPad and phone were confiscated by her mother.

Wright was arrested at home on February 25, last year and police found pictures of the girl plastered over his bedroom wall.

"His intention was to have a friendship with a girl. He did not know it was illegal," said Miss Jane Rowley, defending.

"There is genuine remorse and he realises what a fool he has been. since his arrest he has left his job and his life has taken a turn for the worse."

Judge Nic Madge told the first-time offender: "You did not think it was illegal to have sexual talk with this girl who was under sixteen years-old or think it was illegal to touch her by hugging or kissing.

"You engaged in sexual talk on the internet and then went on to meet her and all cases of sexual grooming are serious.

"The probation service say you are an immature young man who finds it difficult to develop age-appropriate relationships."

Angry Pedestrian 'Keyed' Noisy Middle-Eastern Mercedes Near Harrods

A infuriated Knightsbridge pedestrian, angered by middle-eastern super cars deliberately revving their powerful engines, 'keyed' the wing of a powerful Mercedes, causing £2,305 worth of damage.

John Hendley MacGowan, 68, of Sudeley Street, Islington told Hammersmith Magistrates Court on Wednesday: "I came onto Sloane Street to be faced by an appalling noise caused by cars gunning in the street.

"Me and my friend found the noise painful as well as annoying and I asked a policeman to stop the first car, but it took no notice of the police.

"I stood in front and out of sheer frustration I just scratched the car."

He pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to a £60,000 white Mercedes C63 AMG owned by Sukh Singh on July 5 and was conditionally discharged for six months and ordered to pay full compensation.

Prosecutor Miss Kate Shilton said: "A series of super cars were racing up and down Sloane Street and causing distress to members of the public by deliberately stopping and revving their engines.

"Members of the public called the police and officers instructed the drivers to stop, but some of them ignored the police and Mr. MacGowan stepped into the street to stop them.

"He scratched the rear left panel of the car with a car key, a scratch thirty-five centimetres long.

"Police spoke to Mr. MacGowan and he admitted scratching the car on purpose and said he scratched it out of anger because Mr. Singh's car was causing annoyance and he did not want him getting away with it scot free."

Mr.Singh hoped MacGowan would also pay £400 a day car hire for a week, but he was not ordered by the court to cover that cost.

First-time offender MacGowan added: "He was looking for four hundred pounds a day, plus VAT.

"He was playing a game of exorbitant car hire on top of the damage, which I'd agreed to.

"I was also accused of racism because he was the only black driver and spitting on his car, but I did not know he was black.

"He was in concert with other cars to make a nuisance to the public.

"I immediately regretted what I did and put my hands up to say I did it."

MacGowan was also ordered to pay a £150 court charge and a £15 victim surcharge.

When approached afterwards MacGowan did not want to discuss the case or the super car noise issue saying: "I'm sure it is an interesting subject to you, but it has already been covered in the press."

Reality TV WAG Dawn Ward Denies Hitting Singer Sinitta During Restaurant Peace Talks

Dawn Ward & lawyer Mark Manley

Reality television WAG Dawn Ward, accused of hitting and throwing a napkin at pop singer Sinitta during clear-the-air talks in a Belgravia sushi restaurant, pleaded not guilty when she appeared in court this week.

Dawn Ward, 42, of Warford Hall, Merryman's Lane, Great Warford, Alderley Edge, Cheshire is a successful interior designer, who runs a company with ex-footballer husband Ashley Ward, 44. 

She is charged with assaulting Sinitta Renay Malone, by beating, in the award winning Salmontini le Resto, a sushi and sashimi restaurant in Pont Street, Belgravia on April 1.

It is believed the pair were involved in an on-going twitter dispute involving a mutual friend's alleged affair.

Ward is the mother-of-four girls, Darby, Taylor, Charlie and Aston and stars in ITVBe reality show The Real Housewives of Cheshire.

Prosecutor Miss Kate Shilton told Hammersmith Magistrates Court: "The complainant and the defendant agreed to meet and met in a nearby restaurant in Chelsea. Miss Malone asked for the meeting to clear the air over some rumours.

"Miss Malone says Ward was aggressive and there was a verbal argument and an alleged assault by striking Miss Malone while sitting down and throwing a napkin at her.

"There is CCTV and there is a description by the police officers who have seen the CCTV and they say it captures Mrs Ward push or shove Miss Malone and then throwing the napkin.

"There are no injuries. there will be four witnesses, including the complaint, and three independent witnesses."

An all-day trial date was set for city of London Magistrates Court on February 2, next year.   

Ward, wearing black trousers, with black suede high-heels and a creme jacket over a black lacy top stood behind the secure glass-panelled dock and only spoke to confirm her name, date of birth, address and utter the words: "Not guilty."

Husband Ashley is a journeyman  former forward, who played for eleven different clubs, including Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers and Bradford City, scoring 110 league goals, sixteen in cup competitions and whose career transfer fees total £8.46m.

They run property and interior design company Bilton Ward Developments Ltd. (BWD), which specialises in the building and renovation of luxury homes.

American-born singer Sinitta, best-known for being a long-term pal of X Factor's Simon Cowell had hits in the 1980's with 'So Macho', 'Toy Boy' and 'Cross My Broken Heart'.

More recently she has appeared in ITV's 'I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here' and channel 4's 'The Jump'.

Three weeks after the incident she tweeted: Q: What kind of woman threatens to "glass you in your f***ing face"? And hits when they are angry? A: a Cheshire House Wife #LegalAction.

The singer also tweeted: I Now have the CCTV footage of the #CheshireHousewife attacking me. So she can stop lying, pretending and twisting her story! #LegalAction.

Multi-millionaire Dawn recently put up for sale her ten-bedroom mansion, complete with cinema, gym, games room, underground bar, hair and nail salon, spray-tan room, therapy rooms, sauna, pool, wine cellar and pink princess-themed bedroom with an asking price of £14.5m.

The former model also has fifteen horses on the twelve-acre estate and employs twenty-five staff at BWD, plus three personal employees at her home.

The Salford-born entrepreneur boasts a celebrity clientele that includes Wayne and Coleen Rooney; Steven and Alex Gerrard and Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy.

Stella McCartney Personal Shopper Admits Cutting Up Ex's Clothes

A personal shopper employed by Stella McCartney has pleaded guilty to cutting up thousands of pounds worth of her ex-banker boyfriend's designer clothing at his Chelsea apartment.

Lucia Hajnikova, 28, who works with the designer's VIP clients admitted taking a pair of scissors to Ege Akcasoy's wardrobe, but disputes his claim £25,000 worth of clothing and other property was destroyed.

Isleworth Crown Court heard there is more to the case than the anger of a jilted ex and she will return on October 12 for a one-hour Newton Hearing, which Mr. Akcasoy is expected to attend to determine the exact amount of damage and surrounding circumstances.

Hajnikova, who gave her address as The Wapping Project - Bankside Limited at 65a Hopton Street, Southwark - where she also works as a gallery assistant - also smashed a window at her ex's £725,000 property.

Wearing a black leather mini-skirt, white blouse and high-heel ankle boots she pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage in that on July 22 at the flat in Bolton Lodge, Gilston Road, she destroyed clothing and other property belonging to Mr. Akcasoy.

Referring to her basis of plea Hajnikova's lawyer Mr. Richard Elliott told the court: "We would say that is the starting factor in this matter and what was going on in her mind rather than the jilted ex-lover scenario.

"There may need to be a Newton Hearing. The prosecution should try and gain receipts for any clothes as soon as possible and let a judge look at that position."

Prosecutor Miss Roxana Nasser presented a list of damaged items, which include a dinner jacket, tuxedo, winter coats, suits and shirts and ties.

"There is a basis of plea and Miss Hajnikova does not accept she criminally damaged all of that list," said Mr. Elliott. "Also the valuation of the items is not accepted and my application will be for a pre-sentence report."

Judge Robert Winstanley announced: "I'll adjourn for a Newton Hearing. I won't order a pre-sentence report because probation's hands are tied until they know the criminality of the matter.

"The complainant is to attend and provide all receipts available.

"I was going to put it off for a couple of weeks for the Crown Prosecution Service to get themselves together and for the complainant to gather his receipts."

Previously Hajnikova jumped bail at Hammersmith Magistrates Court to apparently holiday in Ibiza so she now must obey strict bail conditions of reporting daily to West End Central Police Station, not to contact her ex, surrender her passport and not go to Mr. Akcasoy's address, save for collecting her property.

"She has not yet collected her belongings," said Mr. Elliott.

Hajnikova, who has a Master's Degree in Fine and Studio Arts from Chelsea College of Art and Design, also previously worked as a designer/creative director for fashion label Pandora In Case, as a showroom assistant for designer Gareth Pugh and as a studio assistant for Burberry.

At a previous magistrates court hearing her lawyer Miss Temi Johnson said: "She is said to have cut up a number of suits and a dress. They were designer suits, but they were four to six years old."

Stolen Phone Snaps Incriminating 'Selfie' Of Robbery Suspect

Police hope this selfie taken by a mobile phone's security settings will identify a suspected mugger, who attacked a lone woman in east London.

Officers in the borough of Waltham Forest are appealing for help to identify the man, who they are keen to speak with in connection with the street robbery.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, 5 August, at 2:00pm in Westdown Road, Stratford.

The 25-year-old woman was approached from behind and pushed to the floor.

Her HTC mobile phone was snatched from her hand and the man then made off in an unknown direction.

The victim suffered minor injuries but did not require medical assistance.

Attempts later that day to access the phone were made.

By entering an incorrect password this triggered the phones front facing camera to take a ‘selfie’ photograph which was emailed to the victim.

Anyone with information or who can identify this man is asked to call police at Waltham Forest on 101 quoting reference 4915903/15. Alternatively, to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Paedo Bus Sex Pest Strikes: CCTV Released

Police are hunting this suspect after a 14 year-old schoolgirl was the victim of a sex attack on board a bus in south-east London.

On Tuesday, 30 June at about 5:30pm the teenager a was travelling on a route 422 bus between Bexleyheath and Charlton Road, Blackheath.

The suspect is described as an Asian man aged between 20 to 25 years of age of stocky build with a long beard and dark hair.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service's Roads and Transport Policing Command investigate and have released this CCTV image of the man.

Anyone with information is asked to contact 07771 306858 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting reference 183447.

Teen Labourer Tragedy: Construction Company Guilty.

A loft-conversion company has been fined £325,000 after a teenage labourer plunged to his death from dangerous scaffolding.

Alfie Perrin ,16, from Enfield, north London was working for Rooftop Rooms Ltd when he suffered fatal head injuries in a fall from a rear roof.

The company, also based in Enfield, was convicted of failing to to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employee Alfie at the Camden Road, Leytonstone site on November 14, 2012.

An employee of the company, Andrew Voy, 36, was found not guilty of manslaughter.

The company pleaded guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court and was also ordered to pay two sets of costs, totalling over £19,000.

The London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance helicopter attended and treated Alfie, but he later died in hospital.

The death was investigated by officers from the Metropolitan Police's Homicide and Major Crime Command together with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

It was established Alfie had been instructed to clear rubbish and timber off-cuts from the rear roof area of the two storey house.

He did this by transferring them over the flat roof of the dormer extension and down the pitched roof at the front of the house, from where he was told to throw the material into the skip on the ground.

There was no edge protection around the flat dormer roof and the scaffold platform had a large gap at one end where a ladder should have been fitted or scaffold poles used to reduce the risk of falls.

Neither a ladder nor scaffold poles were in place.

Alfie fell to his death after throwing a bag of rubble from the scaffold platform into the skip.

Harassement Charge Against Former UKIP Researcher Dropped

A former researcher for UKIP MEP Gerard Batten, who was charged with harassing him on Twitter, had the case against her dropped this week.

Divorced mum-of-two Jasna Badzak, 43, of Russell's Wharf Flats, Harrow was due to stand trial at City of London Magistrates Court.

She had been charged with one count of harassment without violence between May 5 and September 4, last year by posting comments on Twitter in relation to Mr. Batten, 60.

The former British Telecom salesman was a founding member of UKIP in September, 1993 and is a London representative, residing in Forest Gate, east London.

Ms Badzak fled war-torn Yugoslavia twenty years ago and her relatives died in Nazi concentration camps.

It is believed her relationship with Mr. Batten deteriorated when asked to work on policy document entitled: 'Dismantling Multiculturalism' in February, 2011.

She was convicted of forgery and fraud and received twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years, in October, 2013

Mr. Batten offered her a second three-month contract, but not a third and was taken to Employment Tribunal, which Badzak lost.

She reported Mr. Batten to the police for fraud, but it was decided there was no evidence to investigate further.

Sex Pest Who Preys On Female Bus Passengers: CCTV Released

Police hunting a bus sex pest, who has targeted three young teenagers and a woman in west London, have released these CCTV images of the suspect.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police's Roads and Transport Policing Command are appealing for information after four sexual assaults in Hounslow and Ealing. 



The first offence occurred on Tuesday, 10 March at about 8:00am when the victim, a 18-year-old girl, was on a route 120 bus between Northolt and Heston College.



The second offence occurred on Saturday, 9 May at about 11:20am when the victim, a 15-year-old girl, was on a Route 116 bus between Bedfont Green and Hounslow. 



The third offence occurred on Saturday, 25 April at about 10:45am when the victim, a 17-year-old girl, was on a Route 607 bus between Bromyard Avenue and Uxbridge.



The fourth offence occurred on Monday, 11 May at about 10:45am when the victim, a 35-year-old woman, was on a Route 192 bus travelling to Hayes.



Officers are treating the incidents as linked and the suspect is described as an Asian man, aged between 40-55 years, between 5'3" and 5'9" in height, with dark brown / black hair and a moustache.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Constable Emma Jones, who is leading the investigation on 0203 054 6181 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

East London Doorstep Attack On Woman: E-Fit Released

Police in east London investigating the violent doorstep attack of a woman have released this e-fit of the suspect.

The 39 year-old victim answered the door to her home in Carter Drive, Romford just after 6.30pm on December 23, last year and was assaulted by a man.

She was rushed to hospital by ambulance for treatment to facial injuries.

Officers on Havering Borough have compiled this e-fit as their hunt continues.


The suspect ran off along Carter Drive towards Collier Row Road before getting into a vehicle.



He is described as Asian, around 5ft 9ins tall with facial stubble.

He is said to have been wearing a plain woolly hat and dark clothing. 



Anyone who can assist police is asked to call officers from Havering CID on 01708 779110 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.



A 53-year-old man has been arrested for conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm.

Woman Falsely Accused Ex Of Rape In £200K Blackmail Bid

A woman accused of a £200,000 blackmail charge against her ex, who she claimed raped her, appeared in court today.

Dilrushi Mendis, 40, of Manstone Road, Cricklewood allegedly made a malicious complaint against her former boyfriend and sent embarrassing photographs of him to her family.

They split-up last year and the ex was arrested when he returned to the UK from abroad.

She is charged with blackmail between March 30 and April 30, last year in that she made an unwarranted demand with menaces for £200,000 in order for sexual assault charges to be dropped.

Mendis is also charged with perverting the course of justice between the same dates by making a malicious allegation of sexual assault.

She was bailed to return to Blackfriars Crown Court on November 6.

'Ponzi' Scam Used London 2012 Olympics To Swindle £40m From Investors

Spencer Steinberg

Three Ponzi fraudsters used fake contracts with the London 2012 Olympics and international hotel chains to swindle £40m out of family, friends and other investors, a court heard today.

A small east London electrical wholesale company was the vehicle used in the scam, which financed the purchase of Rolls Royce, Bentley, Ferrari's and Porsche cars for the organisers, plus yachts and million pound homes.

Chartered accountant Spencer Mitchell Steinberg, 45, of Lodge End, Radlett, Hertfordshire and garment storer Michael Strubel, 53, of Princes Manor, Royal Drive, New Southgate deny the charge in a trial expected to last two months.

Both men have pleaded not guilty to conspiring between January 1, 2006 and May 31, 2010 to defraud investors in Saunders Electrical Wholesalers Ltd; Zac Fashion; Camlet Capital Investments; Camlet Capital and Hole In One.

They are accused of falsely promising Saunders Electrical Wholesalers Ltd (SEWL) had high-value electrical contracts with blue chip hotel chains and with London 2012's Olympic Village. 

Jolan Marc Saunders, 39, of Almonds, Avenue, Buckhurst Hill, Essex has pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge and will be sentenced at the conclusion of the Southwark Crown Court trial.

Michael Strubel

He also pleaded guilty to contravening a company director disqualification order by running Saunders Electrical Wholesalers Ltd. between December 19, 2008 and May 31, 2010.

"Investment deals were around the massive supply of electrical goods to hotel chains and later on those involved in the construction of the Olympic Village in Stratford," said prosecutor Miss Sarah Foreshaw QC. 

"These defendants, using the vehicle of a small electrical company, were saying: 'We've secured the contract for the whole of the athletes village.' The contracts to supply were fictitious."

Investors put money in with the promise they would receive up to 7% interest on contracts to supply the Hilton and Marriott hotel chains with trousers presses, lightbulbs, air conditioning units, television sets and other electrical equipment.

"The vast pool of money was never used to buy electrical goods for hotels," explained the QC. "The defendants skimmed off huge sums of money for themselves.

Ironically some investors joked the scheme, which ran from 2006 until May 2010, was a scam similar to notorious Ponzi fraudster Bernard Madoff, 77, serving 150 years for an $18 billion fraud.

"You will hear the name Madoff in this case. Ironically his sentence in 2008 made the news and some of the investors joked whether this was a similar Ponzi scheme because it all seemed too good to be true.

"They were assured by the defendants that it was not. In their joke they had hit upon the truth.

Jolan Saunders

"This fraud involves persuading people to part with their money on the promise these defendants were going to invest it for them in a very good profitable business, but they effectively pocketed the money for themselves.

"It made them rich. Rich at the expense of their investors.

"You will hear about Bentley's, Ferrari's, Porsche's, Rolls Royce's, yachts and million pound houses. You will hear that these defendants, for a while, lived the life of Riley.

"When it all unravelled and the victims discovered what they had done there were tears and expressions of regret from both these defendants.

"Some of those tears may have been genuine because they knew by then they were in trouble, they had been found out.

"Many of those who lent money were friends, they trusted them. The defendants hoped the fraud would continue for longer so the closest of their friends and family members would cash out when the scheme imploded.

"The tears of regret were as convincing as the lies they told to convince professional people to invest money. They are conmen and they do it well."

   

The trio were arrested in December 2010 by the Serious Fraud Office, assisted by officers from the Serious Organised Crime Agency, Met, Essex and Hertfordshire police raided five residential addresses and one commercial premises during Operation Canon.

"Saunders Electrical Wholesalers Ltd (SEWL) was a one man and van set-up," explained Miss Foreshaw.

"It did sometimes do business with hotels on a small scale and that was useful because it had some genuine purchase orders and invoices from electrical suppliers.

"They provided useful templates to create documents that suggested SEWL was involved in a fantastic multi-million pound contract.

"The basic lie was that SEWL had mega-orders that required large short-term financing. 

"Bank statements and company accounts were falsified and emails doctored.

"Vulnerable victims parted with tens of thousands of pounds and sometimes their life-savings.

"Many were business acquaintances, many were from the Jewish community in north and east London, friends, family, people who trusted them, some knew them from childhood.

"The defendants, caught up in gold fever and with the trappings of wealth ploughed on."

Saunders rented space for SEWL at a warehouse run by Strubel in Hainault Business Park, Fowler Road, Ilford.

Strubel has a background in the garment trade and ran Zac Fashion - a storage company - and his accountant was Steinberg.

Both Steinberg and Strubel handed over cash-stuffed envelopes to investors. "They were, these three, the prosecution say, as thick as thieves.

"They bought properties together and went on holiday together during the fraud," said Miss Foreshaw.

"All grew rich from the fraud and Strubel, in particular, treated himself to luxury cars and a yacht."

Saunders forged genuine hotel purchase orders to impress investors, in one case doctoring a genuine £120 lightbulb order to show a fictitious £90,000 order and on another occasion a £4.71 order became one for £79,000.

Trial continues…………

Carer Thieved Off Mystery Novelist

A carer employed by an award-winning mystery author today admitted stealing from the 86 year-old woman, who has sadly developed dementia.

Vicky Mari Stallon, 27, of Varndell Street, Regent's Park, looked-after US-born novelist Marian Babson, who has penned forty-five books and in 1996 was awarded the prestigious Dagger in the Library award by the Crime Writers Association for her body of work.

She pleaded guilty to one count of theft committed between April 1 and September 30, last year, but disputes the prosecution case she stole £27,000, claiming the true figure is no more than £15,000.

Blackfriars Crown Court heard £13,680 was credited to Stallon's account while she was employed by the author – real name Ruth Stenstreem – at her home in Trinity Court, Gray's Inn Road.

Police have calculated £27,000 vanished from the victim's account, but Stallon's lawyer Mr. Richard Barratt said: “Other carers took the complainant to the bank and cashed large cheques.

“The habit of the complainant was to take large amounts of cash out of her bank account to put in envelopes for bills.”

He described the defendant as “a very vulnerable individual”, he added: “She became an online gambler. That is where the money went and mobile phone credits.

“She was not a carer for the full period. There was also a friendship.”

Judge Daniel Worsley told her: “You have done well to admit your dishonesty, but it's a terrible crime in breach of trust”

She will be sentenced on October 20.

Twelve Year-Old Schoolgirl Approached By Stranger: CCTV Of Suspect Released

Police have released this CCTV image of a suspected paedophile who propositioned a 12 year-old schoolgirl in the middle of the afternoon.

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police's Sexual Offences Exploitation and Child Abuse Command continue to investigate.

The schoolgirl was walking along Euston Road, Camden at 1.45pm on April 26 on her way to meet her mother when she was approached by the stranger.

The girl ran off and told her mother what had happened.

She was not physically injured.

Detective Sergeant Sam Wood, who leads the investigation said: "We are keen to identify and speak to this man as soon as possible.

"From the CCTV he seems to be a light skinned man with long dark hair who wearing a distinctive grey sweatshirt and blue jeans.

"If you can identify this man call police on 020 8733 5999 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."

Bank Cashier Blackmailer Binned For Two Years

A sinister blackmailer, who tried to intimidate a female bank cashier into paying him £15,000 by threatening to report her to the police for stealing from her employer, has been jailed for two years.

Initially posing as a detective and then a bank supervisor 23 year-old Iqbal Miah, of Hamlet Road, Southend-on-Sea called the woman's personal mobile phone while she was working at a branch of Santander.

The jobless father-of-two, who lives on benefits, was found guilty at Harrow Crown Court of blackmailing Melinna Yanni at the Kilburn High Road, Kilburn branch on September 24, last year.

“You made two calls from your mobile phone to her personal mobile phone, posing first as a police officer and then a branch area manager,” Recorder E Cohen told Miah on Friday.

“You told her to co-operate or: 'Your boys would be involved' and that she: 'would go to prison for two years.'

“Your victim was very frightened, she's lost weight and is still seeing a therapist.

“You now say it was a prank, but that is not the impression you gave to your victim and her manager. You had some personal knowledge of her circumstances and blackmail is a nasty offence.”

Prosecutor Mr. David Ryan told the jury the blackmail calls were traced by police to Miah's phone and had been made near his address at the time in nearby Mortimer Crescent.

“Two days before the demand for money Miss Yanni received a call from an unknown number and the caller spoke with an Asian or African accent saying he was a police officer from Holborn Police Station.

“He asked her if she worked in the Kilburn branch of Santander and still lived in Elephant and Castle.

“Two days later, just before 9am, she received another call from this unknown number claiming to be from the bank's regional manager, accusing her and a colleague of stealing fifteen thousand pounds.

“The caller said this is how they were able to buy two new Audi cars,” explained Mr. Ryan. “He was aware Miss Yanni did not have money, but was now in credit.

“She said her mother had transferred twenty thousand pounds into her account in August.”

The mystery caller became angry and the call ended, but later in the day the employee received another call.

“There was a demand that Miss Yanni give him fifteen thousand pounds within forty-eight hours or he would report her to the police and she could go to jail for a couple of years.

“She handed the phone to her manager, who told the caller to contact the fraud team and stop harassing Miss Yanni.”

Miah was arrested in November and replied “no comment” to all police questions.