Benefit Cheat Gets Suspended Sentence For Claiming While Abroad

Thomas: No Smoke Without Fire

A woman who continued claiming four different benefits while abroad during a three-and-a-half year scam has received a suspended prison sentence.

Lorraine Thomas, 60, of Bevington Road, North Kensington claims she had to flee the UK due to violent domestic abuse.

Thomas pleaded guilty to five separate counts of dishonestly failing to disclose information to the Department of Work & Pensions and the London Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, namely that she was not a UK resident.

She was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months.

The prosecution were given seven days to consider any application for compensation.

The charges relate to claims for Income Support; Employment Support Allowance; Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit between February 22, 2012 and August 2, 2015.

Thomas, a first-time offender, displayed mobility issues entering and exiting the secure dock at Southwark Crown Court.

Bus Pervert Who Molested Five Teens Is Hunted

Police are hunting a north London bus pervert after five teenage females complained of being groped.

Officers from the Roads and Transport Policing Command are appealing for help to identify this man suspected of sexual assaults.

At 6.30pm on January 25, the suspect was seen to board the route 279 bus at Tesco Ponders End and got off at Angel, Edmonton.

Whilst on the crowded bus, the suspect sexually assaulted an 18-year-old woman standing up and later sitting down.

He continued to assault her until she got off the bus.

At 7.20am on January 29, the suspect boarded the route 279 bus at White Hart Lane.

When a 14-year-old schoolgirl boarded the bus at Scotland Green, the suspect sexually assaulted her before disembarking at Enfield Highway.

At 7.45am on February 21, a 14-year-old girl boarded the route 279 bus at the Nightingale Road bus stop.

Whilst standing on the bus, the suspect sexually assaulted her.

Only when the victim disembarked at Ingersoll Road did the suspect stop and go to the upper deck.

At 8.00am on March 12, a 15-year-old girl boarded the route 34 bus at Cambridge Roundabout.

Whilst standing on the busy bus, she was sexually assaulted. The victim alighted at Green Lanes.

At 8.55am on March 15, a 17-year-old girl boarded a route 102 bus at Fortismere Avenue heading towards Bounds Green.

Whilst sitting upstairs, the suspect sat in a nearby seat and played with himself whilst watching the victim.

The victim got off the bus at Palmerston Road and the suspect remained on the bus.

The suspect has short black hair and a thin beard along his jaw.

He was wearing a two-tone padded blue jacket and blue jeans.

Detective Sergeant Edward Coleman, leading the investigation says: "We know of at least five offences committed by the same suspect on crowded buses.

“We would like to hear from anyone who may know this man's identity.

"We also want to hear from anyone who may have been the victim of a sexual assault while travelling on a bus."

Anyone with any information is asked to call Detective Sergeant Edward Coleman on 020 3054 6710 or 101 quoting reference CAD 2343/12Mar or tweet @MetCC.

To call anonymously, please contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Teen Slashed By Sword-Wielding Gang: Four Suspects Wanted

Police are hunting a sword-wielding gang after a 17 year-old college student was chased and slashed in east London.

Police were called just before 6.00pm on Tuesday, April 17 to reports of a fight at Star Lane Park in West Ham.

The teen was found to be suffering from a slash wound to his right arm.

He had been making his way home after finishing college with his friends, when he noticed a group of hooded males running towards them, with one waving a sword.

His friends all ran off and he was chased into Birch Close, where he slipped and fell over.

The group caught up, surrounded him and slashed him as he tried to defend himself.

The group, were seen to board a train at the Star Lane Docklands Light Railway station.

The London Ambulance Service took the victim to an east London hospital where he received several stitches before being discharged.

The suspects are described as:

Suspect 1 is described as an Asian man, wearing a black hat, blue padded jacket over a green hooded top, green tracksuit trousers and brown shoes.

Suspect 2 is described as a black teenager, wearing a black jacket with ‘Crosshatch’ written down the left arm, black trousers and black shoes.

Suspect 3 is described as a white man, with a short brown beard. He was wearing a green hooded jacket over a dark blue hooded top, blue jeans and white trainers.

Suspect 4 is described as a black man with a beard. He was wearing a dark blue jacket over a grey hooded top, dark blue trousers and white trainers.

Detective Constable Georgina Hebron, from Newham Borough, said: “This is a nasty unprovoked attack on a teenager who was walking home from college.

We are appealing for anyone who may have seen the attack to come forward.”

Anyone with any information are asked to call detectives at Newham via 101 quoting reference CAD 6371/17Apr18 or tweet @MetCC.

To call anonymously, please contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Cop Charged With Credit Card Offences After Section House Shower Peeping Tom Accusation

A policeman accused of spying on a female officer taking a shower at their shared section house has appeared in court for the first time.

Oliver Levi Darby, 41, is also charged with receiving three stolen bank cards and stealing a provisional UK driving licence.

He indicated not guilty pleas to all counts when he appeared at South London’s Camberwell Green Magistrates Court.

Darby, of Sand Cottage, Docking Road, Burnham Market, King’s Lynn, Norfolk was bailed to appear at Inner London Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on July 19.

He is charged with observing a person doing a private act for his sexual gratification at Gilmour Section House, Kennington Lane, Kennington on January 9.

Darby is also charged with dishonestly receiving a stolen Halifax Mastercard and Halifax Visacard, belonging to Coral Atkinson, at the section house on January 11.

He is further accused of dishonestly receiving a stolen Visa Barclaycard, belonging to Daniel Donaghy, on the same occasion.

Darby also face one count of stealing the UK provisional licence, belonging to Gary Steel, at Randolph Avenue, Maida Vale on January 6, last year.

Prosecutor Jennifer Gatland told the court Darby had lived for some time in the same address that had also been occupied by Mr. Donaghy and Ms Atkinson.

“Mr. Steel was someone who’s property was searched by the defendant after he had died and these items were found in the possession of the defendant.”

The court heard there is no evidence the cards were ever used, although there was some fraudulent activity on Mr. Donaghy’s card. but this was not linked to Darby.

“It is unsophisticated, but significantly aggravated by his role as a police officer.”

The prosecutor said there was evidence of Darby “peering in” as a female colleague took a shower.

'Eddie Catz' Kids Playcentre Founder Charged With Spying On Girls And Women

The wealthy boss of a well-known children’s soft play centre chain has appeared in court charged with filming girls and women at his business’s toilets and changing rooms and in a swimming pool’s private cubicles.

Darren Johnson, 51, resigned from Eddie Catz after he was arrested and charged with nine counts of voyeurism, including the filming two 14 year-old girls at a local leisure centre.

He founded the nationwide play centre, which has a tie-in with Mothercare, with his wife Maria over a decade ago and the couple share a £1.3m home.

The charges relate to filming at his Earlsfield play centre in south-west London and the nearby Putney Leisure Centre. 

Johnson, of Rodway Road, Putney Village appeared on bail at Wimbledon Magistrates Court, which sent him to Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court.

He is charged with five counts of voyeurism for sexual gratification between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2012.

Johnson is charged with two more similar offences relating to between January 1, 2016 and June 12, last year.

He is further charged with two more counts of voyeurism relating to the two 14 year-old schoolgirls at the leisure centre on June 5, last year. 

Prosecutor Ms Amanda McCabe told the court the teenage girls were in the same cubicle when they noticed somebody was holding an iPhone under the partition.

“The girls became very distressed,” added the prosecutor, explaining Johnson was identified via the centre’s CCTV and the distinctive backpack her was carrying. 

Officers raided his house on June 12, last year and seized a computer, iPad, a mobile phone and the backpack caught on CCTV.

“Images of several women in varying degrees of undress from the private staff changing room at Eddie Catz are found.”

The court was also told there were peepholes in the toilets at the play centre.

He was bailed on conditions he does not enter any Eddie Catz centre; uses mixed use and womens changing-rooms; contacts complainants, staff and witnesses or uses a camera, phone or video recorder to take images.

"Couple Of Glasses Of Wine" Put NHS PA Over Drink-Drive Limit

Wimbledon Magistrates Court

An NHS administrator was caught drink-driving after “a couple of glasses of wine” when police spotted her looking at her phone while behind the wheel.

Yvonne Stupple, 58, from West Brompton, a PA for Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust says she is “mortified” by her arrest and court appearance.

She pleaded guilty to driving her Chevrolet vehicle with excess alcohol in her breath in York Road, Battersea at 10.25pm on May 25.

Her reading was 41 microgrammes - slightly over the 35 limit.

Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard officers pulled Stupple over after seeing her phone in her hand although she says her vehicle was stationary at the time.

As far as the officers were concerned she failed to pull over satisfactorily and appeared confused.

They followed her around a large roundabout and she stopped opposite a petrol station.

When asked if she had been drinking Stupple confessed she had a few glasses of wine.

Her lawyer told the court: “It is a case of misjudgement. She did not feel she was under the influence of alcohol.

“She waited a few hours and thought she was fine to drive.

“She puts her hands up and takes full responsibility.

“She is very embarrassed and is remorseful. She was stationary when she looked at her phone.

“She is mortified she is in this position after a couple of glasses of wine.”

Stupple was disqualified from driving for twelve months and fined £500, with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £50 victim surcharge.

Greenwich Observatory's Public Astronomer Charged With Downloading Child Porn

A Greenwich observatory astronomer, accused of making indecent photographs of children, has appeared in court for the first time.

Marek Kukula, 49, who has had a senior role at the Royal Museums Greenwich for the last decade, holds the title of Public Astronomer.

Kukula, of Millennium Square, Borough appeared on bail at Camberwell Green Magistrates Court, which sent him to Inner London Crown Court.

He is charged that on or before October 5, last year he made 34 Category A indecent images of a child.

He also faces two further charges that on or before the same date he made 107 Category B and 266 Category C indecent images of a child.

Kukula describes himself as an experienced science communicator with a background in astronomy research at UK universities and NASA’s Space Telescope Science Institute.

At the Royal Observatory Greenwich he oversees science content and exhibitions and public programmes and is a spokesperson for the landmark institution.

He is the author of two books: ‘The Scientific Secrets of Doctor Who’ and ‘The Intimate Universe.’

While a project manager and researcher in residence at the University of Edinburgh he managed a national scheme to train young researchers and match them with secondary schools.

He has a degree in Physics with Astrophysics and a PhD in Radio Astronomy from the University of Manchester.

He was bailed to appear at the crown court on July 10.

Lord's Lover Accused Of Pigs Blood Vandalism Of Pied a Terre

Outside Court: Lizzie

The ex-Olympic showjumping lover of Tory Lord David Prior broke into their former love-nest and used pigs blood to daub the walls with offensive words and symbols, a court heard.

Lizzie Purbrick, 63, of Northgate Hall Farm, The Street, Warham, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk denies the charge.

She appeared for the first time at Camberwell Green Magistrates Court charged with burgling the house in Cardigan Street, Lambeth, with intent to do unlawful damage on May 9.

Purbrick, a member of Great Britain’s 1980 equestrian team, will return to the same court for trial on July 17.

Her lawyer Mr. Simon Nicholls told the court: “It is said she has gone to her ex-lover’s flat in London with two pints of pigs blood and daubed the walls with words and symbols.

“Lord Prior is the complainant and the address is the location where they would meet.”

Purbrick won the Amanda Dish at 1984’s Badmington Horse Trials and in 1978 competed at the World Championships in Lexington, Kentucky.

Pigs Blood: Lord Prior's House

In 1981 she was a member of the gold medal-winning British team at the European Championships.

Outside court she corrected her lawyer and said “five litres” of pigs blood was used to daub “offensive and explicit” words inside the property.

Lord Prior’s official title is Baron Prior of Brampton and the Charterhouse School and Cambridge-educated peer married Caroline Holmes on St. Valentine’s Day, 1987 and they have a son and daughter.

He was a Conservative MP for North Norfolk between 1997 and 2001 is currently Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in the House of Lords.

The former investment banker, 63, is the chairman of University College Hospital and was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health in David Cameron’s government.

The defence have requested his presence at the trial for cross-examination.

Octogenarian Denies Double Pub Grope

An octogenarian accused of a double sex assault at a pub near London Bridge has appeared in court for the first time.

Jaime Arrochelalobo, 80, of 108 Brinklow House, Torquay Street, Paddington denies the allegations.

He is charged with two counts of sexually assaulting a female at St. Christopher's Inn, Borough High Street, Southwark on March 25.

Arrochelalobo appeared on bail at Camberwell Green Magistrates Court.

A trial date was set for July 24 at Croydon Magistrates Court.

Boozy Cricket Fan Bit Lord's Security Guard At Test Match

Lord's Cricket Ground

A drunken cricket fan, who had been drinking beer and champagne at a Lord's test match, assaulted two security guards – biting one of them - as he tried to re-enter the ground.

Construction company boss Ross Allen, 39, of Westfield Close, Gravesend had attended the England v Pakistan match with family and friends.

The father-of-two pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court to assaulting Earl Annakie and Djan Salih and being drunk and disorderly at the St. John's Wood ground on May 25.

The magistrate told him: “This was a most unfortunate episode and there were certain aggravating features.

“You were drunk and this involved security staff.

“It was a lengthy episode and there was a bite and that must have caused a great deal of anguish.”

However, the magistrate added: “We appreciate you have shown remorse and that you have been under stress.”

Allen was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and was fined £100 with £85 costs, plus an £85 victim surcharge.

He must also pay £500 compensation to Djan Salih, the security guard he bit.

Russian Mobile Phone Tycoon Denies Punching Uber Taxi

Outside Court: Chichvarkin

A drunken Russian mobile phone tycoon - once reportedly worth £1.2 billion - dented an Uber driver’s bonnet with an angry punch during an evening out with friends in Soho, a court heard.

Evgeny Chichvarkin, 43, who sold retail chain Yevroset for approximately £280m in September, 2008 denies punching the white BMW, which he had booked, and will stand trial on August 17.

He lives in exile at a £6.6m apartment in The Little Boltons, West Brompton and in August, 2012 he launched new venture, award-winning Hedonism Wines in Davies Street, Mayfair. 

Chichvarkin pleaded not guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court to causing criminal damage to the three-litre vehicle, belonging to Lefter Petronel-Sebastian in Rupert Street on December 9, last year.

Prosecutor Mr. Jonathan Bryan said: “The complainant is an Uber driver booked to take the defendant. The defendant didn’t arrive on time so the Uber driver drove off and stopped at the lights.

“The defendant tried to stop him and when he was told the booking had been cancelled in anger and frustration he bangs his fist down on the bonnet causing the dent.

“Two police officers did not see the incident, but one of them says he did hear a bang. The officers give evidence that he is drunk at the time.

“The complainant can say there is a dent there that was not there before.”

There are no pictures of the alleged damage and Chichvarkin can be heard on the officers’ body-worn cameras asking: “Where is the damage? I haven’t damaged the vehicle. Where’s the damage?”

He was arrested that evening and held in police custody overnight and questioned by police the next day.

Chichvarkin’s lawyer told the court his client runs businesses and “invests heavily” in the UK and a criminal conviction would be “very damaging.”

He was bailed to stand trial at City of London Magistrates Court.

Chichvarkin is the founder of Russia’s largest mobile phone retailer Yevroset and at one time was the richest man under thirty-five years-old in his country.

He was the winner of Ernst & Young’s ‘Entrepreneur of the Year 2005 and also received Russian awards including the ‘Order of Glory of Russia’ and ‘Order of glory of the Fatherland.’

Chichvarkin has lived in exile in London for the past decade, campaigning against Russian corruption and Vladimir Putin as a member of the Right Cause political party.

Reality Star "Suicidal" After Stun-Gun Cocaine Arrest Damaged His Brand

A finalist of ITV2’s ’Survival Of The Fittest’ felt suicidal at damaging his ‘brand’ after police found an electric stun gun and cocaine during a raid on his bedroom in his mother’s house.

Fitness trainer and model David Pearse Lundy, 26, was woken in bed by police looking for firearms and weapons during the early-morning search.

Lundy, of Aragon Road, Morden pleaded guilty at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court to possessing a prohibited weapon and two small paper wraps of cocaine on December 21, last year.

He was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for twelve months and ordered to perform 120 hours community service.

Lundy was also fined £75 for the cocaine charge and ordered to pay £670 costs.

The raid was before he made the final of the show - dubbed Love Island’s winter alternative - which was shot in South Africa featuring teams of Boys v Girls.

Fortunately the charge was reduced from a more serious one, which carries a minimum of five years imprisonment. 

“A doctor’s report describes the depressive and anxiety issues that this defendant suffers from and the fear engendered in him from damaging the brand he has worked so hard for,” said Mr. Oliver Blunt QC, defending.

“He has had thoughts of suicide, but has been persuaded from that as his mother needs his assistance and support.”   

Prosecutor Mr. Nicholas Dunham told the court: “Police officers executing a search warrant went to David Lundy’s home address.

“The door was opened by his mother, who said he was upstairs asleep in bed.

“Officers went upstairs and woke him up and asked if there were any guns or weapons in the room.

“He said there was a torch with an electric thing on the end in a chest of drawers.

“The officer opened the drawer and found the black torch described by Mr. Lundy.

“They searched the wardrobe and Mr. Lundy directed them to two paper wraps and said: ‘It’s coke. Some stuff for a Christmas night out.’

“He was arrested and made no reply and taken to the police station, where he made no comment in interview.”

The ‘torch’ was tested by expert Nicola Hater, who said: “It was a duel-purpose hand-held shock device, known as a stun gun with a torch attached to it.

“It was covered in black tape and the meta heads were flush with the outer casing. It was powered by an integral chargeable battery.”

The stun gun was tested and was in working order, delivering an electric charge.

Mr. Dunham added: “Discharges are meant to incapacitate by interfering with muscle control, causing spasms, pain, mental confusion and loss of balance.”

Lundy’s QC said imprisonment would prevent him participating in  a ’Survival of the Fittest’ v ‘Eastenders’ charity football match on June 23 to raise funds for the John Hopkins Trust cancer charity.

“You could not have clearly more co-operation from the defendant. It was he that pointed out to the police where this device would be located in a drawer in a chest of drawers and where this minute amount of cocaine would be located.

“In fairness to Mr. Lundy he could not have been more co-operative at the scene with the police officers.

“He is by way of occupation a freelance model and personal trainer.

“By way of notoriety he participated in ITV2’s ‘Survival of the Fittest’, an eight-week engagement and in fact reached the final.”

The court heard Lundy is due to take over management of a government-run Woking fitness centre on July 1, on a salary of £23,500.

Lundy assists his petite mother Tracey Jane Lundy in caring for his sister Emma, 29, who has cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy.

“She has considerable handicaps,” said Mr. Blunt. “His mother needs the assistance of David to care for her severely disabled daughter.

“She simply cannot cope without the assistance of her son.”

Recently Lundy’s anti-anxiety prescription was doubled.

“Despite suffering from depression and anxiety himself he has helped others as an ambassador for that condition.”

A woman suffering cancer of the cervix wrote a reference for Lundy describing him as “sincere, dependable, loyal and honest.”

Lundy was given the stun gun a year and a half earlier while employed as a bouncer at the West End’s Hippodrome nightclub.

“While he was working there he was given the object by a co-employee. 

‘It was found in a chest of drawers. Mr. Lundy had not handled it for over eighteen months and dumped it in a drawer. It was not even charged.”

He is a volunteer with ‘Kingston Street Pastors’. “Mr. Lundy has a great relationship with Kingston Police,” said the QC.

The lawyer also produced a reference commending Lundy for staying with and helping a bleeding young woman suffering a serious head wound outside the Hippodrome.

He has contracts with three Public Relations companies, including Toto and Streamline. as he pursues a celebrity career and fear he may fall foul of their “unacceptable behaviour” clauses and be dumped.

“There is a risk that Mr. Lundy’s pleas could result in termination of his contracts. That he has damaged his reputation,’ added the QC.

“There are a lot of really positive features about this young man, who appears before the court for the first time and is of good character.”

Judge Georgina Kent told Lundy: “It’s dangerous because weapons like these can be used to incapacitate and in the wrong hands be used to inflict serious harm.

“It is sold in some countries as self-defence, but not in this country. 

‘You have no previous convictions. From what I have heard you are a hard-working man of positive character with medical issues of your own and relied on by your family.

“You worked as a doorman. You knew this weapon was prohibited and potentially dangerous.

“As a fitness instructor you do not need me to tell you how dangerous Class A drugs are.”

Marina War: Thameside Resident Smashes CCTV And Confronts Yacht Owner On Doorstep

Stephen & Christine Parsons

A bitter dispute between Thames side residents and a luxury marina saw CCTV cameras smashed and a yacht owner telling a court he ‘fought for his life,’ during a doorstep confrontation.

Residents of million pound homes claim motion-sensor alarms protecting yachts moored at the bottom of their gardens in Hampton  constantly wake them at night.

They have also made multiple planning objections to proposals to develop Hampton Riviera Boatyard and claim yacht owners were cashing-in by running illegal B&B’s from their vessels.

Retired construction boss Stephen Howard Parsons, 65, who lives in £1.2m Thames Cottage, Hampton Court Road, East Molesey was caught on camera smashing the cameras one night.

He pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the security equipment owned by marina boss Myck Djurberg, 58, and yacht owner Klaus Beversluis, 50 on January 8.

Parsons was also convicted of threatening behaviour at Mr. Beversluis’s girlfriend’s home in Dorchester Road, Worcester Park the next day and causing criminal damage to the front door.

He received a twelve-month community order and must complete 80 hours community service.

Parsons was also ordered to pay £100 compensation for Mr. Beversluis’s camera and £150 for Natasha Knight’s front door.

The court made an indefinite restraining order prohibiting him contacting the couple and Mr. Djurberg.

Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard he was caught on camera smashing the CCTV with a large wooden bat at 9.45pm, including one protecting the ‘Lucy Aswell’ one of three boats owned by Mr. Beversluis. 

Klaus Beversluis & Natasha Knight

“A baton or stick was used with extreme force five times on Mr. Djurberg’s camera,” said prosecutor Lydia Marshall Bain. “The same person returns and damages the CCTV of a boat moored by the jetty.”

IT Consultant Mr. Beversluis was relaxing on another boat with girlfriend Natasha Knight, 46, who describes herself as an ‘entrepreneur’ when he received a security alert on his phone.

He called the police, but ironically ended up in police cells that night, suspected of assaulting Parsons’s neighbour, former EastEnders actor Will Chitty, as the row escalated.

However, Mr.Beversluis says he was attacked. “I had injuries caused by Will and his wife running after me and pushing me into bushes.”

On January 9 he was at Natasha’s home, along with her sons, aged 12 and 14 years-old, when Parsons turned up, accompanied by his wife Christine.

“He shouted: ‘You’ve made a big f***ing mistake’ and forced his way through the door and I tried to push back. His hands pushed the door and then his leg came through the doorway.

“I almost couldn’t believe it, it was a surreal experience. I knew him from the marina, but to see him shouting at the door was very frightening.

“He was shouting and was very, very aggressive and if he accessed the property there would have been a lot of damage to humans or property. He was rampaging.

“He has assaulted us before and threatened to throw Natasha into the river. He was using all of his force, his leg was blocking the door, I couldn’t close it.

Myck Djurberg

“Natasha’s older son, Owen, was screaming: ‘Mummy, mummy!’ It was a harrowing experience for him, he was very scared.

“Natasha also pushed against the door and we managed to exit him. The door was damaged, bent and would not close properly thereafter.

“I felt very, very shaken, very rattled and fearful that he continued to try and push himself into the house despite a child screaming inside, who he could see in front of him.”

Mr. Beversluis admitted renting out his boats, a sideline shut down by the council after local residents’ objections. “I don’t think that is illegal in this day and age,” he argued.

He said the doorstep confrontation lasted approximately sixty seconds. “When you feel like you are fighting for your life that one minute feels very long indeed.”

Mr. Beversluis suggested the CCTV destruction was in preparation for an assault on him later. “We have photographs of Mr. Parsons walking around the marina at 1.30pm that day taking pictures of where the CCTV was.

“This was so he would know where they were to damage with a baseball bat before the assault on me.”

Natasha told the court: “I just heard him screaming, bellowing. I was scared and there have been lots of threats.”

Parsons told the court he wanted to sound a personal alarm in Mr. Beversluis’s face to give him a taste of what the residents had endured, but the front door was slammed on him.

“The previous night the people in that house had shone high-powered laser lights through our windows and ran off. I was going to insist they stop harassing us at our home address.

“I said in a calm, clear voice: ‘You made a big mistake attacking my family.’

“I tried to set the personal alarm off, but couldn’t get it to work properly. The same two people have alarms at the bottom of my garden that have gone off the previous two days.

“They were so loud all three houses there were continually woken up at night.”

Parsons claimed Mr. Beversluis damaged his own door. “It was slammed in my face with great force.

“I consider myself the victim and I did not go there hot tempered or angry. 

“I wanted to sort out a long-standing problem. The people in that house were running an illegal bed and breakfast from the boats.

“The previous night they were not relaxing on their other boat, but were shining lights. He has been intent on provocation and intimidation for months.”

The court heard the local residents have made multiple complaints about the marina to the police, the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames, the Environmental Agency and local MP Vince Cable.

Parsons wife Christine said: “They were shining laser lights into our living-room while we were with friends. 

“They knew where we lived and we wanted them to know we knew where they lived and to ask them to stop intimidating us.”

Magistrate Hilary Parker told Parsons: “You took with you an alarm with the intention that they should appreciate the sound of it at close quarters.

“You visited that house with the intention of causing Mr. Beversluis alarm and distress. We don’t find your version of events credible.”