Father And Son Deny Assault Near Home

A father and son accused of assaulting a man near their south-west London home denied the charge when they appeared in court yesterday.

Anthony Witt, 55, and James Witt, 26, of Hook Road, Chessington entered not guilty pleas to one count of assaulting Terry Phillips on August 31.

They were bailed to return to Wimbledon Magistrates Court for trial on December 1.

It was described as a domestic dispute.

First-Date Thames Speedboat Tragedy: Man Charged With Manslaughter

Leaving Court: Jack Shepherd

A man whose late-night speedboat date ended in a drowning tragedy, appeared in court for the first time today charged with the manslaughter of the young woman.

Charlotte Brown, 24, a business development consultant died in the early hours of December 9, 2015 after plunging into the Thames.

It was her first date with website developer Jack Sebastian Shepherd, 30, of The Laureate, Charles Street, Bristol after meeting on an online app and dining at the Shard.

He appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court, which sent him to appear at the Old Bailey on November 15. 

He is charged with one count of manslaughter at Butlers Wharf, Wandsworth on December 9, 2015. 

Many members of Ms Brown’s family were in court for the short hearing.

At Plantation Wharf near Wandsworth Bridge the pair were in a speedboat that capsized, throwing them both into freezing waters just after 10pm on December 9.

Ms Brown, from Welling, south-east London was pronounced dead at 1.55am the next day.

Tragedy: Charlotte Brown

Wandsworth police and Marine Support Unit searched the area, alongside the National Police Air Service and the RNLI

She pulled from the water at around 11.45pm.

The charge follows a twenty-month investigation by Scotland Yard’s Homicide and Major Crime Command.

District Judge James Henderson bailed Shepherd unconditionally.

Benefit Cheat Had £153K In The Bank

A benefit cheat, who continued claiming despite having £153,000 in his bank account, was told yesterday he faces imprisonment when he returns for sentencing.

Builder Jeffrey Hearn, 55, received £87,000 in Employment and Support allowance and Housing and Council Tax benefit for six years and two months.

He told Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court he does not want a lawyer to defend him because he wants to keep as much as the money he defrauded to himself.

“The money I saved was for my children. I don’t want to pay two thousand pounds to a solicitor,” he said from the dock.

Hearn, of Cromwell Place, Station Road, Redhill pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement in a benefits application on June 19, 2009 to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

He also pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement in a housing benefit application to the London Borough of Merton on July 1, 2009.

Hearn also admitted dishonestly making a false statement in an Employment & Support Allowance application to the DWP on August 6. 

All three charges  relate to him lying about the amount of savings he had at the time.

“This was fraudulent from the outset,” said prosecutor Francesca Levett.

Hearn, who claims to have a £300 per week cannabis addiction told the court he repaid Merton Council £21,000 and has been making £50 payments to the DWP for 18 months.

The judge told him: “You are at grave risk of custody, a prison sentence,” bailing him until November 6 for a Drug Rehabilitation Requirement assessment.

“This is not an indication of the sentence the judge will pass. The sentencing guidelines suggest a custodial sentence because of the amount of money involved.

“This is a serious case. I can only advise you as strongly as I can to get representation.”

Social Worker And Care Boss Deny Greedy Plot Against Council

"Abused Her Position": Baiyewu

A social worker exploited two vulnerable adults by grossly-inflating their care needs so the private company she ran with a co-plotter could cash-in, a court heard today.

Valerie Baiyewu, 51, also illegally sub-let a private rented flat - effectively turning it into a care home for the men - behind the backs of the council she was defrauding, the jury were told.

Merton Council social worker Baiyewu, of Nottingham Avenue, West Beckton, Newham has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to defraud the council by abusing her position between May 1 and December 15, 2015.

Care company director Ayodeji Aderounmu, 50, of Scotson House, Marylee Way, Lambeth also denies the same charge.

Baiyewu has also pleaded not guilty to fraud by abuse of position between the same dates.

Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court heard Baiyewu reassessed the care needs of two clients from £1,107 and £5,208 per year to £19,913 and £24,588 respectively.

At the same time she and Aderounmu together arranged for companies they controlled - AAA Carers Ltd and Matrix AA Care Ltd. - to take over the contracts.

Prosecutor Mr. Nick Wayne said: “Baiyewu abused her position  as a social worker for gain. Aderounmu would gain more hours and more money as a carer and potentially make money by subletting houses out to clients of hers.”

The pair rented a Mitcham flat at in

Holborn Way at £1,550 per month, which they sub-let to the men, who were on housing benefit for £850 per month each.

One of the men, Bazhad Bakshe-Riazi, had suffered a brain injury in 2013 and needed speech and language therapy and suffered weakness to the right side of his body and had been referred to the council by a charity.

Care Boss: Aderounmu

The second man, Giovandan Karunanithy, was partially-sighted with limited english and needed help with his shopping and preparing food.

“She concluded Mr. Bakshe-Riazi was no longer able to manage the activities of his daily life because there had been, in her opinion, a degradation of his condition,” said Mr. Wayne.

“She recommended a new care package substantially greater than the original care package.”

She also reassessed Mr. Karunanithy. “She concluded his health and well-being had been compromised by his living conditions.”

The jury were told Baiyewu failed to disclose she was the men’s new landlord to Merton Council.

“Her plan was to house them together and the Crown say this was with a view to make money out of the arrangement.”

The defendants passed themselves off as a couple intending to live in the flat when agreeing the letting with the owner, the jury were told.

“They had no intention of living there, but house clients of Baiyewu in the property.

“They are clearly in a business relationship, the Crown say and none of this was disclosed to Merton Council.”

The fraud was exposed when the flat owner, Louis Broomes, visited to check and a neighbour revealed it was not a couple, but two men living there, the court heard.

Aderounmu was “cagey” during an internal inspection, said Mr. Wayne. “It began to dawn on Mr. Broomes that his property was being used as a care home.

“He wanted everyone out of the property and told Merton Council.”

Baiyewu was arrested at work on November 23, 2015. “She said she thought it would be a good solution for them if they lived together.

“She said she had taken no profit.

“By the deliberate exaggerating of hours of care it was Merton Council who were defrauded.

“They had to pay out for care services that were simply not needed.”

Trial continues………….

Thief Who Pinched £62,500 From Lady Is Locked-Up

Inner London Crown Court

A middle-aged thief, who was charged with nicking £62,500 from a lady, has been sent to prison for eighteen months.

Alan Binstead, 59, of Addington House, Stockwell Road, south London was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court.

He first appeared at Camberwell Green Magistrates court.

Binstead was originally charged with stealing the quantity of money from Elsie Bailey in the London borough of Lambeth between January 1 and November 24, last year.

He was also ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge.

City Lawyer Fails To Have Sentence Cut For Rowing Club Bum slap

Main: Another Court Defeat

A City lawyer, who repeatedly slapped a woman’s bum after drenching her in beer while calling her an “Australian slut”, has failed in a bid to have his sentence cut.

Alastair Main, 35, who has rowed competitively for England, pursued her into the ladies toilet at The London Rowing Club’s Christmas dinner to carry-out the sex attack as she tried to clean herself up.

He was sentenced at Wimbledon Magistrates Court to a twelve-month community order and must sign the sex offenders register for five years.

He was also slapped with a five-year restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting the victim.

However, Main – a former captain at the club – appealed the sentence at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court, but his attempt to reduce it was dismissed, landing him with a £260 bill for extra court costs.

Prosecutor Mr. Paul Douglas told the original trial: “The defendant followed her into the ladies toilet, where she had gone to clean herself up, having had a beer thrown over her by the defendant.

“He pulled her hair and pulled up her skirt and smacked her approximately five times on the backside.

“There is further CCTV footage of a light tap to the bottom on the stairs as she was leaving the premises.”

This followed an earlier incident that left the 27 year-old woman in fear of Main, who attended £30,000 a year Oratory School, Reading.

Two days after his conviction he was sacked by his global asset management firm employers, who he joined having previously worked for Coutts private bank.

“The beer was poured over her and she was cowering in the office,” said Mr. Douglas. “The defendant is behaving in an aggressive and intimidating way.

London Rowing Club

“He walks out and repeatedly calls her an: ‘Australian slut’ and pursues her and assaults her again.”

The woman told the court she snubbed Main at the bar when he asked for a hug. “He was kind of leaning on the bar, like he was trying to be affectionate.”

She told him: “I don’t think so,” and after hearing her plans to continue the evening with another woman he said: “Off to find some men are we?”

The woman told the court: “His demeanour had changed, something had snapped and there was an anger about him.

“He told me to: ‘Get the f*** out’ and at that point Mr. Main poured a beer over me.

“I was drenched, my hair was so wet. In my handbag, my scarf. He called me an: ‘Australian slut.’

“I knew I was going to have to walk back through the room so tied my hair up so it wouldn’t be so obvious.

“There were other members of the club standing in the doorway. I remember feeling humiliated.

“I didn’t want a scene in front of the members. I was terrified he would cause a scene, particularly after calling me an: ‘Australian slut.’”

A member’s wife tried to tell the woman it was a “wonderful evening” as she tried to flee Main, she said.

“I was hoping she would not notice my hair was wet and make-up running down my face.

“Mr. Main came up behind me and pulled my hair and pushed me forward.

“I went to the bathroom to fix myself up. I could hear heavy footsteps coming into the ladies bathroom.

“He appeared and said: ‘Where do you think you’re going?’ He called me a slut again, I don’t remember having breath to say anything because of shock.

“He was pulling my hair, slapping my head and pushing me around.

“He pulled my skirt up, calling me a slut and asking me if I was wearing any knickers.”

She said the slaps to her bottom occurred before her dress was pulled up by Main and she only escaped momentarily when another woman came into the toilet.

“He was slapping me as I tried to get down the stairs and out of the building. My bottom my thighs.”

She told the court a pal of Main’s pulled him off her outside and she kicked-off her shoes to flee.

He continued calling her “slut”, she added and shouted: “You’d better start running ‘cos I’m coming for you.”

Main later messaged her: “It was totally unacceptable, I realise that. I need to sort my life out and stop ruining yours.”

Main, who shares a £900,000 detached home with his wife Rebecca in Cobham Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, always denied the claims. 

He was found guilty of one count of sexually assaulting the woman at the club in Embankment, Putney on December 12, last year and the racially aggravated assault of the woman on the same occasion.

Married Main joined the London Rowing Club (LRC) during the 2005/05 season after rowing competitively for Nottingham University, Notts & Union and Britannia Boat Club.

He was elected captain for the 2013/14 season.

Six-foot plus Main was a national champion in 2003 and represented England at that year’s Home International Regatta.

He retired from competitive rowing in 2006, having won the Thames Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta.

Main is a graduate of the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Law School.

Dodgy Book Keeper Ordered To Repay Only 0.24% Of £239K She Nicked

A book keeper, who was jailed for swindling a landmark housing estate out of £239,000, must only repay 0.24% of the money she took.

Carol Scott, 67, was jailed for two years and ten months and the repayment order was made after a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation.

She tried to cover her tracks and even blamed fellow-employees while overseeing the finances on Islington's De Beauvoir Town estate.

Blackfriars Crown Court ordered her to repay the estate £588.74p within one month.

Scott, who lived with her ill mother in Spellbrook Walk, Islington pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position between August 1, 2007 and June 11, last year.

She was employed by Englefield Estate Trust Corporation - the latest company to manage the estate during her thirty-nine years of employment.

No money was recovered during the original police investigation and Scott claims it all went on day-to-day living expenses, plus the odd gift for family members.

Prosecutor Miss Rebecca Lee told the court: "She had considerable responsibilities, including the handling of money and cheques for rent.

"She dealt with the banking, receipts, all the finances of the estate."

Englefield's finance director Chris Ferguson noticed a balance shortfall nearing £100,000 in 2014.

"He spoke to Miss Scott about that and she gave an explanation that she was on holiday at that time."

There was a larger shortfall by 2015 and Scott, who was paid £38,000 a year, was questioned again.

"She made admissions that she had been taking money over a period of years and falsifying records to cover up the sums she was taking.

"She estimated she had taken less than one hundred thousand pounds."

The police were alerted and they quizzed the defendant. "She made admissions that she had been taking money for a number of years.

"She said she spent money on day-to-day living and on family members.

"She said that she intended to pay it back, but it escalated and she lost control of the situation.

"There is nothing to indicate a lavish lifestyle and her bank records show she just withdrew money from her account."

Scott's lawyer Miss Marina Williamson said: "She is incredibly remorseful, held her hands up and did not intend to deceive her employers.

"It was a mistake that became a habit that became an addiction.

"She said she was almost relieved she got caught, which would assist her in not taking any more cash.

"She knew the family she worked for, for a number of years so she did feel some guilt.

"She is the sole carer of her mother, aged eighty-seven, who has dementia and kidney and heart disease and is taking eleven different medications.

"She has not explained to her family she is involved in these proceedings. They are not aware how long she will be away."

Live Nation VP Filmed Up Women's Skirts On Trains With Secret Pen Camera

A Vice President with global concert giants Live Nation was caught by a Scotland Yard detective filming up women’s skirts, using a disguised pen camera poking out of his laptop bag.

Andrew MacRae, 43, was spotted by the Detective Inspector, who was taking the train to work, placing the bag on the platform and then train floor between the unsuspecting victims’ legs.

When officers searched his £550,000 home they discovered the married dad had also been secretly filming a female neighbour and house guest and had hoarded approximately 49,000 more images.

MacRae, of Hartfield, Caynham, Ludlow, Shropshire pleaded guilty to one count of outraging public decency between Clapham Junction and Vauxhall stations on July 19.

He also pleaded guilty to seven counts of voyeurism for the purpose of sexual gratification at the matrimonial home in Holmesdale Avenue, Redhill between January 2, 2013 and February 28, last year.

MacRae, who has moved to his parents home and is selling his and his wife’s house, was bailed to appear at Inner London Crown Court for sentencing.

The University of Exeter graduate, who was VP of Finance & Strategic Initiatives, was also accused of stealing three items of underwear from a female work colleague, but this charge was dropped.

Prosecutor Miss Angela Mehadio told Camberwell Green Magistrates Court the detective was on his way to work at 7.15am when he spotted MacRae on the platform.

“He had a black laptop bag on the floor, which was zipped-up and a black pen with gold trim poking out of it.

“The defendant seemed to be changing the angle of the bag, which he had placed between the legs of a blonde female wearing a red summer dress.”

The officer followed MacRae onto the train. “He stood next to another female wearing a red dress and positioned his laptop bag on the floor between her legs.

“The officer had a clear view and was convinced MacRae was using the device to film females and that pen was some sort of recording device.

“He introduced himself as a police officer and showed his warrant card and the defendant said nothing.”

The victim did not even know she had been filmed between her legs and complained: “I think you’ve got it wrong here. He’s done nothing to me.”

MacRae was arrested and when his home was searched police found another camera pen, which he said he’d bought as a “gadget.”

“He admitted his intention was to film up skirts for personal and sexual gratification and he intended to upload the films when he got home,” added Miss Mehadio.

“He said he had started the behaviour two weeks before and that there were ten to fourteen victims and expressed remorse.”

The court heard MacRae has sought counselling in Birmingham.

Live Nation sacked MacRae after his arrest and the company say they condemn his behaviour.

NOT GUILTY: Man Cleared Of 'Rape' That Never Was Of Internet Date Who Encouraged Rough Sex

A brand and marketing specialist has been cleared of raping his internet date after telling a jury she introduced him to dominant role-playing, which he acted out that night.

Max Lawrie, 38, spent seven hours in a police cell and had the serious allegations hanging over him for nearly two years until he was unanimously acquitted by a jury yesterday.

He hooked-up with the 27 year-old woman after they communicated on an internet dating site and she began sending him sexually-explicit clips involving dominant males and submissive females.

However, she told Blackfriars Crown Court Lawrie - who has never been in trouble before - repeatedly raped her after texting: “I want you,” at 1am on St. Valentine’s Day, last year.

“The type of sex she was describing was the norm for them as a couple. It was the sort of sex she was into,” Aisling Byrnes, defending, told the jury.

“We have seen the type of stuff she introduced Mr. Lawrie to and he was trying to show her he was willing to take part in this type of sex.”

The woman even had a blog containing multiple images depicting dominant and submissive sexual activity and exchanged explicit WhatsApp messages with Lawrie.

“Throughout her messages are references to grabbing her hair and grabbing her throat,” added Miss Byrnes, adding the woman replied: “Yes please,” to the prospect of being bitten.

She told the jury a drunken Lawrie, who had been celebrating his birthday, arrived at her £600,000 Belsize Park flat in the early hours of February 14, last year and forced himself on her.

“He said: ‘You’re f***ing mine, mine,’ like he owned me.

“He took my trousers off and moved my pants to the side and was holding my legs up in the air and slapped me around the face and put his hand around my neck.

“He sort of grabbed my hair and pulled me and slapped me across the face again.

“He pulled me down on my knees in front of him. He was slapping my arse and grabbing me.

“He had sex with me again and was holding me around the neck really tight and grabbed my hair and he spat on me.”

However, during her video-recorded interview with police the young woman failed to reveal the couple were enjoying a dominant/submissive relationship, which she had encouraged.

Lawrie told the jury it was the first time he had ever been in such a relationship and found it very exciting.

Prosecutor Miss Catherine Milsom said: “The defendant was determined to have sex with her that night.

“She did not consent and just wanted to go to sleep and was moving away from him, wriggling away from him.

“She was telling him: ’No’”

The following morning the couple went out for breakfast and kissed goodbye at the train station, but the woman says this was just to get Lawrie out of her flat.

Lawrie, of Northwold Road, Hackney was found not guilty of three counts of rape and one count of attempted rape.

Jury Split In Scot's City Worker Hotel Rape Trial

A Glasgow businessman faces a potential retrial after a jury failed to reach a verdict on a charge he raped a drunken young woman during a trip to London. 

Privately-educated graduate William Paton, 30, was accused of taking advantage of the 26 year-old City worker in his hotel room on March 4, last year after she downed brandy and wine all evening.

Paton, of Fruin Avenue, Newton Mearns, who attended £12,00 a-year Hutcheson’s Grammar School and is a mathematics graduate of the University of Strathclyde was attending a black-tie event at a City of London livery company.

Yesterday a Blackfriars Crown Court jury announced they were split and the Crown Prosecution Service will announce on October 20 if they are pursuing a retrial.

Paton, whose family run a nationwide company involved in the insurance and maintenance of taxis and private-hire vehicles, had denied one count of rape.

Both Paton and the complainant told the court they had little recollection of the evening, but the woman claims she woke up at the Holiday Inn, Cavell Street, Whitechapel to find the defendant having sex with her.

“The next thing I remember was being rocked and seeing someone there, I freaked out,” she told the jury. “I did not know if it was real or not and I remember crying in the toilet. I scared myself that I could drink that much.”

She told the court she was “eight out of ten” on a scale of total inebriation, having started on cranberry juice at noon and progressing to double brandy and coke, plus wine.

Paton told the jury he had little recollection of the evening, but stressed: “I would never, ever take advantage of a woman. There’s absolutely no way that I would rape any woman.”

Gang Cops Catch Dealer With £200,000 Cocaine Cache

A BMW-driving cocaine dealer, caught with £200,000 worth of the drug after undercover police observed a transaction, has been locked-up for five years.

Kledian Semaj, 30, was watched by officers from the Metropolitan Police's Organised Crime Command as he collected two kilos of cocaine.

At Harrow Crown Court he pleaded guilty to possessing drugs, with intent to supply, and possessing false identity documents.

On June 26 Semaj was observed collecting two kilos of cocaine in Brentmead Gardens, Harlesden.

When stopped by police he immediately admitted drugs were in the car.

Each one kilo package was tested and contained cocaine at 92% and 86% purity respectively.

Detective Constable Paul Fuller said: “The sentence reflects the level of criminality involved and should be seen as a deterrent for others who think they can supply drugs without consequences.

“A huge amount of cocaine is now off the streets where it cannot damage local communities.”

Canal Tow Path Sex Attack: Two Suspects Hunted

Police are hunting these two suspected sexual predators after a woman in her fifties was targeted on a canal tow path just after midnight.

The cries of the partially-undressed woman were heard by a witness, who found her in bushes after the two suspects ran away.

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police's Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command are appealing for members of the public to identify the men.

They are also seeking witnesses to the incident, which occurred by the Grand Union Canal, Ealing Road, Wembley at thirty-eight minutes after midnight on September 10.

The woman had been walking alone prior to being approached by two men, forced into the bushes and sexually assaulted.

There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.

Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to call detectives on 101 or use twitter @MetCC.

To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 11 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.

Rave Festival Goer Accused Of Sharing Secret Sex Recording

A Bishop’s Stortford man, accused of secretly filming himself having sex with a woman and showing the footage to her ex-boyfriend at a Summer rave, appeared in court yesterday.

Ross Hollyoake, 37, of Nightingales is said to have made the recording on his tablet without the woman knowing.

He is also accused of sharing the footage at the Summer Gathering Festival: Zoo Forest in Donington Forest, Leicestershire with her ex and other people.

He is charged with voyeurism, namely recording a private act on an unknown date and location for sexual gratification and disclosing a private sexual film, with intent to cause distress, on July 29.

Hollyoake gave no indication as to plea and the magistrates declined jurisdiction due to the seriousness of the charges.

He was bailed to appear at Woolwich Crown Court on November 3.