Police Hunting £9,000 Handbag Thief

Police have released this CCTV image of a suspected thief after a handbag containing £9,000 worth of jewellery was snatched from a parked car.

Detectives from Croydon Borough wish to identify and speak to the man in connection with the incident.

On Monday, February 15 police were called at around 3.45pm to a report of a theft from a motor vehicle in Tudor Close, Coulsdon.

The theft was reported to have occurred at some point between midnight on Friday, February 12 and 10.00am on Sunday February 14.

The handbag was taken out of the boot of the owners' car, which was parked on the road.

Also in the stolen bag were a number of bank cards, which were later used by a man to purchase goods from a store on South Norwood Hill on February 14.

CCTV captured the man in the store.

The man is described as black and wearing a dark baseball cap worn back to front, a dark jacket and a grey hooded top.

Police are keen to hear from anyone who may recognise the man shown on CCTV.

Anyone with any information that could assist is asked to contact police on 101 or 020 8649 1401 ref 3805338/16 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org.

Harrow Man Sentenced For Sex Assault

Harrow Crown Court

A Harrow man convicted of molesting a woman has received a suspended prison sentence.

Andrew Nicholas Passer, 59, of Old Lodge Way has also been placed on the sex offenders register for seven years.

He fought the case, but was convicted by a Harrow Crown Court jury.

Passer was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to complete 150 hours community service work and pay £2,000 towards prosecution costs.

Passer denied, but was found guilty of sexually assaulting the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in Honeypot Lane, Harrow on December 9, 2014.

He was acquitted of driving his MGB GT dangerously at the same time and place.

Woman Denies Facebook Harassment Charge

A grandmother, accused of facebook harrasment, has appeared in court for the first time.

Melissa Watson, 46, of Abbots Gate, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk claims the messages have been doctored by the complainant to incriminate her.

"I've got all the undoctored messages. He's doctored what he wrote before he went to the police," she told Bromley Magistrates Court.

"In effect he's got off scott free and I'm standing here."

She will return to the court for trial on November 30.

Watson pleaded not guilty to one count of harassing Martin Gamby between June 9 and July 19 by also sending emails and instant messages to him, his friends, work colleagues and family.

Neighbour Finally Admits Trying To Frame Local Rival With Fake Facebook Page

Andrew Currie & Joanna Goodwin

A neighbour, who set-up a fake facebook page to frame a man living a few doors down, has been warned he will probably be locked-up.

Scotsman Andrew Currie, 48, created the bogus online account, which was full of offensive comments directed at himself.

Jobless Currie, of Newark Road, South Croydon pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice between April 5 and August 7, 2014 by claiming his neighbour had made the facebook insults.

His partner, Joanna Goodwin, 41, has always denied the same charge and the prosecution offered no evidence against her and a not guilty verdict was entered.

Croydon Crown Court heard that when aged in his twenties Currie was convicted of a similar offence when he tried to blame another person for criminal offences.

His lawyer Thomas Quinn told the court: “This happened in haste. He has been advised custody is almost inevitable.”

Currie is in poor health after suffering three strokes in the last six years.

Judge Daniel Flahive bailed him until October 24 for sentencing, announcing: “This can be nothing, but custody.

“At the moment it calls for an immediate custodial sentence.

“On a no promises basis I'll keep an open mind until I hear the opening of the prosecution.

“At the moment I see no option, but custody so prepare yourself for that.” 

Couple's London Trip Ends In Boozy Hotel Bust-Up

Blows: Smith

A couple's romantic weeklong trip to a luxury Kensington hotel ended in the husband's arrest for hitting his wife during a row in their room.

Musician and touring production manager James Smith, 54, has been forced to swap the four-star acomodation for night's in his lorry's cab after being banned from the matrimonaial home.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting Amaya McKenzie-Smith at the 124 year-old Gore Hotel, which is near London's Royal Albert Hall on March 22.

Hammersmith Magistrates Court heard the couple – who married last year – travelled to the capital from their home in Park Avenue, Elderslie, Johnstone, Scotland.

He was fined £800, with £620 costs and ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor Mr. Robert Chambers told the court there was evidence the couple had been consuming alcohol and had an argument in their room after a night out.

“There was pushing and Mrs McKenzie-Smith was pushed and slapped in the face.

“She left the room, but returned for her belongings and Mr. Smith told her if the police became involved he would tell them she had fallen over.

“She reported what had happened to the hotel staff and they called an ambulance and the police.”

A photograph of Mrs McKenzie-Smith was taken, which showed bruising to her face and she was taken to hospital.

Fortunately there were no serious injuries.

When questioned Smith denied striking his wife, claiming he had to escort her out of their room three times due to her behaviour.

Bruises: McKenzie-Smith

“He said the last time she entered the room she had bruising to her face, which had not been there before and they must have been self-inflicted,” added Mr. Chambers.

Smith claimed his wife had attacked him first and pulled his hair.

The prosecution say there were several blows, but Smith denies this, claiming he only pleaded guilty to prevent his wife enduring the stress of giving evidence.

The court heard the couple are having a “time out” and the defendant was prohibited from contacting his wife or visiting the marital home while on bail.

Smith told the court he is currently living in his lorry and spending most of his time in Portugal.

“We just bought a property in Roehampton and we bought a house in Portugal because that's where we want to live.

“We both have property concerns and I manage the properties.”

Smith says his wife's “violent mood swings” resulted in him often being a victim of her violence, claiming she also abused alcohol and drugs.

“It's a serious assault,” said magistrate Mr. Richard Duncalf. “We don't want to see you in court again.”

No Charge For Tory MP Accused Of Offensive Window Gesture

Hendon MP Matthew Offord has had a charge of threatening behaviour against him dropped at Hendon Magistrates Court last Friday.

The 46 year-old Tory did not appear before the court, which was told the Crown Prosecution Service discontinued the case late the day before.

The court register gave his address as his constituency office at Churchill House, 120 burns Lane, Hendon, where the incident occurred on May 5.

It was alleged he made explicit gestures from his office window at passing Labour campaigners, who were travelling on a decommissioned fire engine.

The Fire Brigades Union vehicle was being used by ex-Labour MP Andrew Dismore and driven by union member Steve James.

Offord was interviewed by police at South Harrow Police Station on June 24 and summoned to court via requisition.

He was due to appear on a charge of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress, contrary to Section 5 of the Public Order Act.

The CPS ruled there was “no realistic prospect of conviction.”

The MP had no representative in court, but his solicitors Hodge Jones & Allen, of North Gower Street, Camden successfully applied for defence costs.

No details of the allegation were given in court.

Magician Denies Champagne Bottle Attack On Girlfriend

A magician and hypnotist, accused of hitting his girlfriend with a champagne bottle, has appeared in court where he claimed self-defence.

Marcus Anthony Lewis, 30, of 67 Kipling Avenue, Worthing is said to have struck the woman on the elbow, causing bruising and swelling.

The prosecution told Hammersmith Magistrates Court there is a suspicion a fracture was caused, but no medical evidence to confirm this.

Lewis pleaded not guilty to assaulting Catherine Mallett, causing her actual bodily harm, on on July 14 and a second count of assaulting her on July 18.

Prosecutor Mr. Nathan Miebai told the court: “The defendant has hit the complainant with a champagne bottle, causing injury to her arm.

“As a result the complainant's arm was fractured,” he added, admitting: “There is no medical evidence.”

The defence say the injury exhibits nothing more than “bruising and swelling” and ocurred as a result of Lewis, who is of good character, defending himself.

He was bailed for a trial at Westminster Magistrates Court on January 13, next year on condition he does not attend Miss Mallett's address in Frithville Gardens, White City, Shepherd's Bush. 

Football Fan Sentenced For "Sparko" Punch That Felled Supporter

A Norwich man left a fellow football supporter “sparko” with a single punch after jostling between two groups leaving a tense Premier League match last season.

Stephen Best, 36, of Bahram Road, Costessey had just watched Chelsea FC's 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur when he lashed out.

He pleaded guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates Court to assaulting Christopher Gray outside Stamford Bridge stadium on May 2.

He was fined £350, with £85 costs and was ordered to pay the victim £200 compensation and a £36 victim surcharge.

The result of the night game finally ended Tottenham Hotspur's title ambitions.

In a statement Mr. Gray said: “We were sitting in the upper block and I left the ground with my son to catch a train home and we made our way towards Fulham Road.

“I was assaulted, but don't remember much about it. I suffered cuts to the left side of my jaw and received an x-ray.

“I had whiplash and my jaw was swollen and I had severe bruising to the side of my mouth. I was off work for three days.”

The victim's son, aged twenty-four, told police they were near the official Chelsea club shop.

“A guy barged into my dad deliberately and punched him in the face when asked: 'What are you doing?'

“My dad seemed to be out of it. He was struggling to breathe, I thought he was sparko.”

When questioned Best said he was with his seven year-old son and father and there was some “pushing and shoving” and he acted out of a sense of defending his group.

Magistrate Mr. Richard Duncalf told the first-time offender: “People at football matches are entitled to go home without being assaulted.

“You've lost your good character. Any more trouble at football matches and you will have a football banning order imposed and a much more serious sentence.”

Blogger Denies Stalking Female Broadcaster In Over 300 Tweets

A blogger accused of stalking writer, broadcaster and social commentator Sonia Poulton has appeared in court for the first time.

Darren Laverty, 49, of Maes Hyfryd, Beaumaris, Anglesey is said to have tweeted to her or about her over 300 times.

He indicated a not guilty plea at Wimbledon Magistrates Court and was sent to Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on October 18 after electing jury trial.

Father-of-three Laverty blogs about Wrexham’s Bryn Estyn children’s home, which is at the centre of an abuse enquiry.

He has been charged with one count of stalking involving serious harm or distress between January 30, 2015 and May 12, this year,  causing Sonia Poulton serious alarm or distress, which had an adverse effect on her day-to-day activities.

She is a regular guest on ITV’s ‘This Morning’, often commenting on issues involving children.

Sonia, 52, has also debated issues concerning young adults and senior citizens, health and crime among others.

She has written many articles, most notably for the Daily Mail and Daily Express.

Prosecutor Miss Amanda McCabe told the court: “The complainant is a journalist and after the Jimmy Savile enquiry she began reporting on it and receiving abuse from people, and the police say one of them is the defendant.

“She feels this is a sustained campaign against her and she’s harassed by the defendant.

“Most of this has taken part via twitter.

“The defendant tweeted either about or to the complainant on approximately three-hundred occasions, causing her to suffer alarm and distress.

“If convicted the defendant is likely to receive a custodial sentence.”

Laverty remains on bail on condition he does not enter London, contact Sonia or mention her in online communication.

Wheelchair-Bound NHS Patient Denies Spying On Young Eastern European Carers With Secret Spy Cameras

A disabled NHS patient, who needs 24-hour care, appeared in court today accused of wasting funds on hiring young Eastern European carers he spied on with secret cameras.

Farina Mian, 31, who suffers muscular dystrophy and needs a specially-adapted wheelchair machine to keep him breathing, claims the cameras were for home security.

Mian, of Banstead Court, White City, Westway, Shepherd’s Bush elected jury trial when he appeared at Hammersmith Magistrates Court and will appear at Isleworth Crown Court on October 20 for a preliminary hearing.

He has indicated a not guilty plea to three charges allegedly committed at his home address between January 17, 2011 and August 16, last year.

He is charged with voyeurism for sexual gratification; installing recording equipment for the purpose of voyeurism and sexual gratification and observing a person doing a private act for sexual gratification.

Prosecutor Mr. Michael Mallon told the court: “The NHS is funding Mr. Mian to employ carers and he has the freedom to choose his own carers.

“He recruits young Eastern European females and they live at his address on rotation.

“He’s installed cameras in their private living quarters by a relative who was duped into it.”

An onboard computer on the defendant’s wheelchair allows him to access the cameras.

“Mr. Mian has been zooming in, seeing what is happening in  those private quarters.”

Police have seized 49 videos and 11 still images.

One video is said to record a carer in  the shower.

“They were recorded in private, there’s significant planning and it is an abuse of trust.

“It’s a waste of NHS money for this purpose.”

Miss Sadaf Etemadi, defending, told the court: “The cameras were set up for security reasons, Mr. Mian being a victim of crime previously.

“That was the only intention for installing the cameras.”

District Judge Tim King announced: “On the facts opened to me it is very unpleasant. There is breach of trust and planning.”

Industrial Generator Tracked Down To Thief's Home

Police were led to the house of a bungling crook, who did not realise there was a tracker in the £3,000 industrial generator he nicked from work.

Anton Peter Arber, 34, a self-confessed “complete idiot” even went to the trouble of grinding down the serial number and painting it black in a bid to disguise it.

Arber, of Stella Maris Close, Canvey Island, Essex was immediately sacked from his £1,000 a week job by construction company Clancy Docwra Ltd.

He pleaded guilty today to stealing the Ingersoll Rand compressor generator while working at Thames Water’s Hogsmill Sewage Treatment Works, Lower Marsh Lane, Kingston-upon-Thames.

Prosecutor Miss Amanda McCabe told Wimbledon Magistrates Court a stock-take on February 29 showed the generator was missing and it was reported to the police on March 31.

“The next day Essex Police attended Canvey Island because the generator had a tracking device, which led them to Stella Maris Close, the defendant’s address.

“They were invited in by the defendant’s wife and in the back garden they found the generator, which had been painted black.”

When Arber was questioned he initially claimed he took it home to fix it, but eventually confessed he intended to sell it on eBay.

He told the court: “I’m guilty by being a complete idiot. It was taken home over Christmas and sat there until it was recovered.

“It was only recently painted, it was complete stupidity.

“Maybe it had a sale value of five hundred pounds, but I was earning double that.

“I lost my job the day the police came around and the children have seen the police going through the house.

“I’m very sorry for what I’ve done.”

Amber was placed on  a twelve-month community order, which includes 120 hours community service work.

He must pay £1,000 compensation to Clancy Docwra, £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Hospital Supervisor Denies Groping Female Cleaners

A cleaning supervisor at Orpington Hospital groped female members of staff, threatening them with the sack or a cut in hours if they complained, a court heard today.

Abdel Majid Rabti, 47, is accused of slapping the backsides and groping the breasts and thighs of domestic staff he believed would never report him, the Croydon Crown Court jury were told.

The first cleaner, who cannot be identified, told the court: “He slid his hand down my breast and when I shouted at him he went white.

“He’d grab my hand and pull it towards his penis area and I’d pull it away,” she added. “That happened quite a lot, all the time for years.”

Rabti, of Gumping Road, Orpington claims the three women have invented the allegations to “get rid of him”.

He has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting each woman twice and assaulting one of them once at the hospital, which is also known as Princess Royal University Hospital and is located near Farnborough. 

Prosecutor Mr. Deepak Kapur said: “This defendant touched each of the complainants. The touching was sexual and none of the complainants consented.

“It was totally unwarranted conduct toward these individuals.

“He abused his position in a supervisory capacity. He was robust in his view and thought they would not report him.

“Any suggestion they would was repressed by him intimidating them through hours of work or their jobs and it did remain unreported for some time.”

The earliest incident, in September, 2014, involved the first cleaner. “He grabbed her hand and tried to get her to touch his penis.

“She resisted and he tried to pass it off as a joke.”

The jury were told Rabti struck again on January 30, last year when the woman was working in the rehab department.

“He put his hand to her chest, slid down to her breast and squeezed.”

A second cleaner also came forward. “She said on two occasions he smashed, stroked, fondled her buttocks.

“The first time she was leaning over a cleaning table and he laughed it off.

“The second time he did the same when she walked past him, he slapped her bum again and laughed it off, but this time threatened her with the sack.”

Rabbit is also charged with assaulting this woman. “He even threatened to attack her,” explained Mr. Kapur.

“He started picking on her, became annoyed and threatened to sack her and raised his hand is if to hit her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone.

“He told her to shut up or he would smash her head against a wall and held his throat in a threatening manner.”

Regarding the third cleaner Mr. Kapur added: “She was by the sink washing up and the defendant pressed his body against her, pushed his groin against her backside and moved side to side.

“Another time he ran his hand up her leg, up her skirt to the top of her leg.”

Trial continues…………. 

Another Suspended Sentence For ASBO Accountant

A 77 year-old ASBO accountant involved in a bitter parking and access dispute, which he says claimed the life of his son and over £200,000 in legal bills, has received a suspended sentence for breaking the order again.

Roger Jocelyn Gloucester-Trotman, of Devon Road, Sutton and his late son Ian Trotman, who committed suicide aged 44, owned the service road behind a suburban parade of shops, where the defendant's accountancy business is based.

Planning permission was successfully won - despite local objections -  to build two three-storey townhouses at each end of the road and Gloucester-Trotman tried to stop neighbouring business owners using and parking there despite them having legal access rights.

Since February 2005 Gloucester-Trotman has continuously been convicted of breaching of ASBOs and restraining orders - around his home and business premises in Westmead Road, Carshalton.

He was convicted by a Croydon Crown Court jury of two counts of breaching an Anti-Social Behaviour Order.

His sentencing was heard at Guildford Crown Court, where he received six months imprisonment, suspended for twenty-one months.

He was also ordered to pay £1400 costs.

The court heard he has clocked-up 27 convictions for similar offences.

Cursed Alley

His lawyer said: "Mr. Gloucester-Trotman's health seems to be deteriorating markedly.

"He can seem feisty at times, but he's not a man in good health.

"He seems to have become more frail."

The ASBO was made as a result of him continuing to complain to police about issues regarding his son's death, vehicle access and parking to the rear of his office and outside his home.

The dispute has also cost Gloucester-Trotman his professional reputation after he was struck-off by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 2011, after they finally lost patience with his constant court appearances and ASBO breaches. 

On May 28, 2010 his property-developer son was found dead inside a drain located in the disputed access road with an angle-grinder, petrol can and towels and a subsequent inquest found he killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning. 

"He was driven to it by the police," said Gloucester-Trotman, after previously receiving a suspended prison sentence for another ASBO breach.

The development proved incredibly unpopular amongst local residents, who claimed their lives had been made a misery by the father and son's behaviour, their instillation of CCTV and declaring their own parking-free zone.

One neighbour reported Ian Trotman to police for criminal damage after her boiler flue, which was adjacent to the second development site, was vandalised and another 73 year-old resident claimed the son deliberately shovelled lumps of rubble against his legs, sending him crashing to the ground.

That resulted in a criminal trial, but even though Mr. Trotman was cleared of causing actual bodily harm his father says the stress of the prosecution, plus a civil dispute between his son and his ex - Sue Gloucester-Trotman -  caused unbearable stress.

The accountant's battle with his business neighbours concerning parking and access in the road ended up at Guildford County Court, which ruled against Gloucester-Trotman, costing him £200,000 in legal bills.

During the dispute he dug up the access road on Boxing Day, preventing any vehicles gaining access and parking.

Those incidents continued to occur from what Gloucester-Trotman saw as a lack of road traffic enforcement, forcing him to be distracted from his accountancy practice to ensure regulations at his home address and office were maintained.

The ASBO was made to prohibit Gloucester-Trotman abusing his neighbours, calling 999 except in an emergency and calling police to complain about car parking and the death of his son.

The order was made to protect three neighbours from harassment, but he has continued to abuse them in the street and regularly turn up at Sutton Police Station to make multiple complaints, at one point having six live cases before the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Woman Sexually Assaulted Schoolgirl On Bus

A woman who admitted a bus sex attack on a teenage schoolgirl has been sentenced.

Nadia Schroeder, 39, will now be on the Sex Offenders Register for the next five years.

She was sentenced at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court.

Schroeder, of Kingston Road, New Malden, south-west London pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the thirteen year-old girl on July 3, last year.

The defendant was travelling on a 111 bus in Hampton Court Road when she targeted the victim.

She was sentenced to a two-year community order, who includes a sixty day compulsory activity requirement. 

Jail Warning For UK Citizenship Baby Plotters

Fausat Abolore

A Nigerian illegal immigrant and the bogus father of her new-born baby were told today they are facing prison after he posed as the dad so she could stay in the UK.

The audacious plot was exposed when Home Office investigators found photographs posted online of the true father - a Nigerian illegal - at the child’s Christening ceremony.  

The mother was facing deportation and paid the stand-in £1,000 to pass himself off as the baby’s father so she and her son could remain.

“You face the prospect of custodial sentences,” Inner London Crown Court Judge Mark Bishop told Fausat Abolore, 29, and Anthony Ezekpo, 44, adjourning the case until October 17.

Jobless UK-born Ezekpo, of Litchfild Street, Winlaton, Gateshead allowed his name to be falsely entered on the baby’s birth certificate as the father and a bogus passport application was also made.

Both he and Abolore, of Colombus Square, Erith were both found guilty of conspiring to breach immigration law.

A third defendant, nurse Samson Awoyinka, 29, of Havil Street, Southwark, who countersigned the passport application, was acquitted of one count of making a false statement.

Abolore and Ezepko were also convicted of one count of giving false information when registering a birth and Abolore alone found guilty of seeking leave to remain in the UK by deception.

Abolore gave birth at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich on August 6, 2014 and Home Office investigators found a picture on her phone of her partner, Peter Gentry, cradling the new born.

The Nigerian-born couple have no status in the UK and there are no records of them ever entering the country legally.

He is the true father, the jury were told, but as he had no right to remain in the country a plan was hatched to find a stand-in citizen.

“It was necessary for Miss Abolore to find a British citizen  and that’s where Mr. Ezekpo come in,” explained prosecutor Mr. Alan Gardner.

Ezekpo & Awoyinka

“He was enlisted as part of a fraudulent scheme to get British citizenship for her to remain in the UK.”

However, online photographs of the baby’s naming ceremony on September 15, 2014 with Mr. Gentry in the role of doting father were found, exposing the fraud, the jury were told.

“A man turned up with her at council offices in Greenwich to register the birth and get a birth certificate.

“The man putting himself forward as the father was not Mr. Gentry, but Mr. Ezekpo and they both said they lived together at 111 Chandlers Drive, Erith, a false address.

“Having obtained the birth certificate Miss Abolore makes an application for a passport and this is signed by Mr. Ezekpo and countersigned by Mr. Awoyinka.

“He said he knew Mr. Ezekpo for five years from his church congregation. This was not true, he barely knew the man.

“British-born Mr. Ezekpo has a separate life from Miss Abolore, he lives near Newcastle.

“When he was questioned he told a pack of lies and refused to give the PIN to unlock his phone,” added Mr. Gardner. “He said someone must have stolen his identity and he had never been to Greenwich.

“He was questioned a second time and changed his story. He said he had an affair with Miss Abolore and she became pregnant and told him the child was his.

“He then admitted he signed the passport application and went to Greenwich.”

Abolore was co-habiting with Mr. Gentry when she was arrested on September 17, last year. “On her phone was a picture of Mr, Gentry holding his newborn son as the hospital.”

The jury was told Abolore was under Home Office investigation and she had no legal basis to be in the UK.

“She said Mr. Gentry was not the father and that he (Ezekpo) was trying to save her face at the naming ceremony.”

Abolore refused consent to a DNA test.

“She had a great deal to hide. She knew if she gave consent to the DNA test it would reveal the truth that Mr. Ezekpo was not the father and her application for a passport and birth certificate were all lies.

Home Office investigators discovered a text Ezekpo sent Abolore giving her his date of birth and bank details.

“He was going to get paid for lending his name to this commercial enterprise,” added Mr. Gardner.

The £1,000 payment was transferred to his account the same day he was entered on the baby’s birth certificate.

She has since had a second child with Gentry.

Creepy Stalker Wanted By Police

Police are hunting this stalking suspect after a woman in her thirties was followed in Croydon.

Detectives from the borough have issued CCTV footage of a man they wish to identify and speak to in connection with the incident.

On Wednesday, March 9, police were approached by the concerned woman at around 5.00pm to reports of a man watching her.

Earlier that day fellow-customers at a town centre coffee shop told her the suspect had been staring at her for fifteen minutes and they were concerned for her safety.

The same man was seen by the victim standing at a bus stop on Brighton Road and was staring at her closely, making her feel uncomfortable.

The man is described as a slim Eastern European, aged in his early twenties, 5ft 11ins tall, with blond hair, very pale complexion and dry skin.

He was wearing a shiny plain black leather hooded jacket with a zip at the front.

He walked with a slight hunch in his shoulders.

Police are keen to hear from anyone who may recognise the man shown on CCTV.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 020 3649 0115 or 101 quoting reference number 206901, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Bandit Bungles Bookies Blag

Police are hunting a wannabe armed robber, who fled a bookies empty-handed after demanding cash.

Flying Squad detectives have released this CCTV image of their suspect, who they wish to identify.

The raider entered Paddy Power bookmakers in Barking Road, Plaistow at 12.50pm on February 28.

He threatened staff with what was believed to be a firearm.

Nobody was injured and he fled without any money.

The suspect is described as an Asian male in his twenties.

He was wearing a blue jacket and carrying a green bag.

Anyone with information can contact the Flying Squad on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.