Sunday, 29 December 2019

Publicity-Hungry Katie Price Screams Press-Intrusion While Publicising Her Own Court Case

"Am I Online?' Price Leaves Court
Publicity-hungry wannabe Katie Price was obsessed with press coverage at her driving ban appeal - while publicising the hearing herself and taking pictures outside.

She appeared at Woolwich Crown Court, where she successfully cut her driving disqualification from 24 months to 18 months.

The 41 year-old professional celebrity insisted she needed her licence to drive around her disabled son Harvey - then in front of the judge and magistrates condemned the reporter in court for daring to repeat her case.

Despite screaming press were intruding into her private family life by covering the appeal she allowed her flunkies to take pictures of her arrival, which were immediately sold to the tabloids. 

Price claimed the two-year ban amounted to “exceptional hardship” and told Judge Michael Evans QC she had five children, aged five to seventeen years-old.

Apart from her eldest Harvey, she has shared care with the other four children. “I’m divorced so I have them fifty-fifty. They have their set days and we stick with that.

She claimed her nearest train station, Horsham, was a fifteen minute drive away. “I live in the middle of nowhere. There was a bus stop outside my house, but they don’t use it anymore, in fact I’ve never seen a bus.

“My mum is twenty minutes away, but I was told last year she is terminally ill. She used to help me with Harvey, but he’s too much work, he’s too big and most people couldn’t handle Harvey.

“They all go to different schools, Jett and Bunny go to the same one, Princess and Junior to to Box Hill and Harvey goes to Wimbledon.

“I drive them and pick them up and the do football, gymnastics and horse riding.”

Papping The Papps: Price's New Career? 
Price told the court as well as the school run she needs a licence for emergency hospital dashes for twenty-six stone Harvey.

“He takes medication six times a day and if he doesn’t take it he will die. If he bangs his head he has to go to hospital or he will get a fit and die.

“This year I have taken him three times to hospital. It is quicker to drive him than take an ambulance. It is quicker for me to drive than take an ambulance because I live in the middle of nowhere”

Price said Harvey could not cope with anyone but her driving him and she needs her licence to pick-up medication from his GP and drive it to his Wimbledon school, where he lives during the week.

“I couldn’t have a taxi driver because if they bang the door he will go for the windscreen and if they click the seat belt without warning he will kick off.

“Friends can’t take him. You have to know how to talk to him.

“Not being able to drive will effect my life massively. The nearest shop is a mile walk and I can’t cycle because there’s no pavements where I live.

“I’m also on my fourth kidnap threat. Three months ago we heard from Scotland Yard.

“I need to have a car so I can get out and get away.”

Prosecutor Mr. Richard Job asked Price if she had explored the possibility of council-run community transport, but she insisted it wouldn’t be practical.

“Harvey would lash out at everybody on the bus. I don’t think that would work anyway. It would be too dangerous.

“I’d have to hire a driver, but I can’t, I’m bankrupt at the moment. There literally isn’t anyone, it has been a struggle.

“Everyone is scared to put Harvey in their car because they’ve seen what he’s done to my car.

“They told me I can get a mobility car, where it is kitted out to fit him and he can get disability allowance.”

She told the court her ex-husband was not available to assist. “No, he cheated on me seven times so he’s not coming back.”

As for Harvey’s father, ex-footballer Dwight Yorke, 48, Price said: “He doesn’t want to know. He hasn’t seen him since he was four because of his disabilities.

“I’ve been married twice. none of them want to know about Harvey when I’ve split up with them.”

“Because of him, rather than you, we’ve decided your disqualification of two years amounts to exceptional hardship,” said Judge Evans, sitting with two magistrates. 

“Your driving record is appalling, you know that,” the judge told Price. “You have displayed a degree of arrogance, knowing the effect of disqualification if you accumulate points.

“We have very little sympathy for you because of your driving record, but we do have sympathy for those who suffer the consequences of your reckless behaviour.”

Price’s disqualification was reduced from twenty-four to eighteen months.

Saturday, 28 December 2019

Rogue Trader Gets More Prison Time For Nobbling Jury With Help Of Wife

Conman: Patrick Cleere
A rogue trader will do more prison time and his loyal wife ordered to do community service for successfully nobbling a jury by handing out cash and business cards on the court steps.

The trial of roofer Patrick Cleere, 66, was scrapped after he and his wife Rita, 66, handed out twenty pound notes to potential jurors arriving at Blackfriars Crown Court.

The couple, of Ealing Village, Madeley Road, Ealing were both found guilty of doing an act to pervert the course of justice on July 16, last year.

A total of £920 cash was seized from people - including jurors - by the court’s listing officer and another £855 cash was confiscated by police from Rita Cleere.

Also seized were distinctive wooden business cards for Patrick Cleere’s company Candleverse Ltd.

Police are still searching for the £1,775 cash they seized from inside the courthouse and from Rita after it went missing from Walworth Stations’ secure property store.

Judge Justin Cole told Patrick Cleere, who has a criminal record of 53 offences: “You intended to, as demonstrated by the verdict of the jury, derail your trial.

“There had been requests of an adjournment, but this was your unlawful attempt to achieve your aim.

“You poisoned the well of potential jurors because so many people were canvassed outside the court building.

“In my assessment the appropriate punishment in your case is eighteen months imprisonment consecutive with the term you are currently serving.”

Cleere appeared via video link from HMP Thameside, where he is serving nine years for defrauding customers of £388,000.

Loyal Wife: Rita Cleere
Regarding Rita Cleere the judge announced he was showing “exceptional mercy” to her as she cared for her disabled grandson, who has a mental age of under two and was influenced by her “charismatic conman” husband.

She was ordered to complete 80 hours community service work and pay £200 costs.

Judge Cole added: “Rita, you can leave the dock. Consider yourself extremely lucky. What you did went to the heart of the administration of justice.” 

The nobbling scheme was initially successful and Patrick Cleere’s trial was postponed, however he later received nine years for the scam. 

The latest trial, at Harrow Crown Court, was told the Cleere’s recruited family and friends to dole out £20 notes and the business cards to potential jurors on the steps of the courthouse. 

Patrick Cleere had failed in repeated efforts to adjourn his rogue roofer trial and this was an attempt to scupper it by compromising potential jurors with cash handouts. 

The couple recruited family members and friends to help them and they were also arrested and charged, but were acquitted of perverting the course of justice.

They are: great-nephew Adam Cleere, 23, of Wellesley Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.

Patrick’s niece Natalie Cleere, 44, of Vineyard Court, Kings Parade, Clacton-on-Sea.

Rajiv Netto, 51, of

Rodden Road, Frome, Somerset and Hungarian national Hajnalka Romvari, 37.

The CPS dropped the same charge against Patrick’s brother John Cleere, 68, before the trial.

The acquitted defendants always maintained they were innocently working on a promotion scheme for Candleverse Ltd.

The group congregated around Blackfriars Crown Court, handing out the unique wooden business cards for Patrick’s candle company, plus the cash to everyone entering and leaving.

Jurors did take cash and many of the business cards were found in the jury room, resulting in the trial being postponed.  

Prosecutor Mr. Robin Sellers told the jury: “Patrick Cleere and five others were due to stand trial on criminal charges, which he asserted he was not ready for.

“On the day of the trial Patrick and these defendants arrived together, some carrying clipboard and all wearing lanyards around their necks showing his business card.

“They approached individuals making their way in, explaining they were representing Candleverse Ltd. and were enticing people to look at the company website.

“Instead of discount vouchers they handed out twenty pound notes and the wooden Candleverse business cards.

“Most importantly and uppermost in Patrick Cleere’s mind were that these people were potentially to be selected to serve on the jury for his trial.

“The company was in the evidence of the trial so jurors may have been compromised.

“Any juror would recognise Candleverse if they received a card and maybe view the company in a positive light, known as bribing or tampering with a jury.

“These defendants together carried out this act with the intention of derailing that trial that day.

“They were arrested that day outside Blackfriars Crown Court and Adam said he did not even know his great uncle was on trial and Rita described it as a: ‘charitable exercise.’

“All of this is nonsense. These defendants knew why they were there and what they were doing and that was to derail the trial.”

Friday, 27 December 2019

Charity Man Blew Kid's Cash And Nicked Computer Equipment

An IT boss with a Third World children’s charity, who blew their cash on alcohol and expensive cigars at a luxury New Delhi hotel, has been told to repay the money or go to prison.

Christopher Wiseman, 40, was employed by Mayfair’s Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, where he also pinched a laptop and three mobile phones.

He joined the charity - founded by billionaire Sir Christopher Hohn - immediately after leaving Battersea currency exchange specialists Halo Financial, where he stole an iPad Air, MacBook Air and other equipment.

Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court heard Wiseman, of 22 Woodlea Drive, Bromley used the charity’s credit card on drink and cigars while staying on an all-expenses work trip at the 4-star Sheraton New Delhi.

He pleaded guilty to stealing from the charity, plus stealing a back-up drive, data saver and usb stick from Halo and Judge Stephen John found he was also responsible for taking the iPad and MacBook after a short Newton hearing to determine the extent of his offending.

“He has tried to duck and dive to avoid or minimise his responsibility. He is a devious and manipulative man,” said the judge.

“Immediately after leaving Halo in no time at all he was dishonest in relation to the charity, taking equipment and making extravagant and unauthorised expenses.”

The judge deferred sentencing Wiseman until April 20 next year for him to pay £9,169 compensation to both bodies.

“I can do one of two things,” Judge John told him. “Sentence you today to twenty-one months imprisonment as you have chosen to brazen the matter out in front of me.

“Alternatively I can defer sentence on you for four months on the basis it gives you more than ample time to secure compensation to both the institutions you stole from.

“If you make payment in full you will come back before me and I will suspend the term of imprisonment.

“If you fail to pay in full I will be sending you to prison with immediate effect.

‘Let me down and the last I will see of you is your back as you go down the steps to custody.”

After leaving the charity Wiseman went on to be an £89,000 a year IT director with train company Govia Thameslink until taking £13,000 redundancy last October.

“There is a breach of a high degree of trust in both cases,” prosecutor Miranda Jollie told the court.

Thursday, 26 December 2019

Tube Passenger Wanted For Groping Himself Opposite Teen Girl

Police are hunting this suspected Underground train pervert, who played with himself after sitting opposite a 16 year-old girl.

On August 26 at around 1pm, a man boarded a northbound Northern Line service at Camden Town and sat opposite the teenager.

The girl noticed the man put his hands down his trousers and touch himself inappropriately for around three minutes.

He is believed to have left the train at Woodside Park.

Officers believe the man in the CCTV image may have information which could help their investigation.

If you recognise him, or have any information, please contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 687 of 26/08/19.

Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Wednesday, 25 December 2019

Major Christmas Day Police Investigation Into Overnight Battersea Death

A major police investigation is taking place in Battersea today
after a body was found in the road on Christmas Eve night.

Officers stood guard over the unidentified person, who was covered in a white sheet, until a police forensics tent was erected in the early hours of the morning and a police cordon remains.

The Metropolitan Police have not yet issued a statement on the incident.

Residents of Battersea Church Road, where properties sell for an average of £1.2m, woke up on Christmas Day to find the major crime scene outside their homes.

A section of the road was closed at approximately 10.00pm on December 24 and a policewoman stood near the covered body for much of the evening.

One local resident, a 70 year-old retired Lloyds reinsurance underwriter, whose £1.5m home overlooks the scene said: “The police told me a serious crime had taken place.”

The gent, who did not want to be identified, said he only discovered the crime scene when walking his cocker spaniel Jessie at approximately 10.30pm last night.

“There was police tape along the end of my road, Paveley Drive, at the junction of Battersea Church Road and I thought somebody had been run over,” he explained.

“Cars bomb along here at 50mph in a 20mph zone, but the police told me it was nothing like that so I think somebody has been stabbed or something.

“I am still suffering from being attacked in my front garden over three years ago. This area isn’t safe anymore and I’ve put my house on the market.”

The body remains at the scene and residents are being allowed to drive through the police cordon if they need to get away on Christmas Day.

Tuesday, 24 December 2019

Aristocrat Back Behind Bars

An aristocrat, who is 65th in line to the British throne, will be spending Christmas behind bars after he was jailed for yet another racially aggravated crime.

Ironically Rowan Nash Lascelles, 42, will be swapping a bed at the homeless hostel named after his great-great grandfather George V for a prison cell.

Last Thursday at Westminster Magistrates Court he was sentenced to sixteen weeks imprisonment, plus one week to run concurrently for jumping bail.

Lascelles, the son of The Hon. James Lascelles, 65, the second son of the 7th Earl of Harewood, had gone on the run and failed to appear for his earlier trial.

In his absence he was convicted at Hendon Magistrates Court of the racially aggravated harassment of Avi Daoudi at Victoria Station on April 18.

A second charge of racially aggravated harassment against Shubhamangla Sampanguramareddy was dismissed.

He received eight weeks imprisonment and was ordered to pay a £122 victim surcharge.

An additional eight weeks imprisonment was added, to run consecutively, for breaching a community order imposed for a similar offence.

Lascelles, of King George V Hostel, 75 Great Peter Street, Victoria was convicted last July of the racially aggravated assault of a Leicester Square casino doorman and racially abusing his supervisor.

On that occasion he spat blood in the bouncer’s face after fighting outside with some homeless men and called the supervisor a: “Paki.”

Again Lascelles jumped bailed and did not appear for the trial.

Monday, 23 December 2019

Vodka-Swilling Train Pervert Locked-Up

A drunken sex pest, who claimed a female train passenger whose skirt he lifted up provoked him by flashing her legs, has been locked up.

After drinking half a bottle of vodka Leon Pawlica, 59, boarded a train from London Victoria to West Croydon at 8.30am on May 22.

He approached the victim and tried to engage her in conversation.

Feeling uncomfortable, the victim moved away, and Pawlica attempted to speak to another woman on the train.

When the train stopped at Crystal Palace and the victim got up to leave, Pawlica lifted her skirt and sexually assaulted her. 

She challenged him and he followed her off the train and through the station.

The victim asked station staff for help who called the police and he was arrested nearby following a search of the area.

Pawlica was convicted at City of London Magistrates Court of one count of sexual assault.

He was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison and was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for seven years and pay £775 costs.

Pawlica was also handed a seven-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prevents him from carrying open alcohol and sitting next to or opposite a lone female on public transport.

In his police interview, Pawlica firstly claimed he was too drunk to remember the incident before accusing the victim of “sexually provoking it herself…because her legs were open.”

Detective Sergeant Dan Holmes of British Transport Police’s Sexual Offences Unit said: “Thankfully we police a CCTV rich environment and this blatant sexual assault was captured entirely on camera.

“Pawlica knew he had no defence, but his attempt to blame the completely innocent victim, who was left understandably distressed by the incident, is utterly reprehensible.

“It’s no surprise the court saw straight through this and I am pleased to see Pawlica handed a custodial sentence.

“I hope it serves as a strong reminder that sexual offenders absolutely won’t be tolerated on the railway.”

Sunday, 22 December 2019

Victoria Station Axeman Jailed

An axeman was caught at Victoria Station during a police operation involving a specialist sniffer dog searching for terrorists carrying explosives.

British Transport Police engaged in Operation Servator were at the busy terminus on April 16, 2018 checking passengers as they came through the fare barriers.

Nithusan Gobinathan, 22, of Harries Road, Hayes, west London had the twelve-inch axe in his rucksack without the protective blade cover.

He was convicted at Blackfriars Crown Court of possessing an offensive weapon and was sentenced to seven months imprisonment.

Gobinathan noticed the considerable police presence and caught the attention of plain clothed officers, who stopped to speak to him.

After raising the suspicion of officers he was stopped and searched, and the axe was found in his rucksack.

He was arrested and taken into police custody.

Project Servator Inspector Pete Day said: “There’s absolutely no excuse to be carrying offensive weapons on the railway, and thankfully, Gobinathan will now have time to think about his choices in prison.

“Gobinathan tried to claim that he’d bought the axe to carry out garden work, so I’m pleased the jury saw straight through this and that he was handed a custodial sentence.

“We are specially trained in spotting individuals like him who would rather avoid us, and we carry out high visibility Project Servator patrols like this every day, up and down the country.

“Don’t be alarmed if you do see us, we’re there to keep you safe and make sure the railway is a difficult place for people like Gobinathan to operate. 

“You can help us by keeping an eye out for anything or anyone suspicious and texting us discreetly on 61016.”

Saturday, 21 December 2019

Suspected Fare Dodger Wanted For Ticket Check Punch

Police are hunting a suspected fare dodger, who punched a ticket inspector in the mouth – chipping their teeth – when challenged at Purley railway station.

British Transport Police want to identify this suspect, who was caught on CCTV cameras.

Do you know this man him?

The assault happened at approximately 7.17pm on November 16. 

The victim, a member of rail staff, had challenged the man for not having a ticket.

The man became aggressive and later assaulted the member of staff by punching them to the face. 

A number of the victims teeth were chipped as a result of the punch.

Officers believe the man shown in this CCTV image may have information which could help them investigate.

If you know who they are, contact BTP by sending a text to 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 543 of 16/11/2019. 

Or you can ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Friday, 20 December 2019

Reverse-Baseball Cap Suspect Hunted By Police

Police hunting a London Underground sex pest, who followed a 19 year-old girl on an escalator before molesting her on the platform, have released this image of their suspect.

British Transport Police would like to identify him after the complaint of sexual assault at Bounds Green Underground station, north London.

On October 10 at around 10.30pm, the suspect followed the woman onto the escalator and tried to engage her in conversation.

After moving away onto the platform, the man cornered the woman and sexually assaulted her.

Thankfully, the woman was able to board the next Piccadilly Line train and lose sight of the man.

Officers believe the man in the CCTV images may have information which could help their investigation.

If you recognise him or have any information please contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 719 of 10/10/19.

Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Thursday, 19 December 2019

VIP Party Drug Supplier Jailed For Raping Drunken Woman

A former West End socialite, who recorded himself raping an unconscious woman at a £30m mansion, has been caged for eight years.

Alex King, 43, who supplied drugs and hookers to the VIP party scene, was incriminated by the recording he made twelve years ago.

He pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to raping the woman at 32 Portland Place, Marylebone on July 27, 2007.

The victim met King outside a nightclub that evening and accepted his invitation to a party, where they had consensual sex.

One of King’s friend’s filmed him having sex with the drunken woman, who can be heard saying: “Stop it,” on noticing the recording.

A second recording, made by King himself at approximately 6am, clearly showed him having sex with the unconscious woman.

She did not move, open her eyes or make any noises during intercourse.

She was fully clothed, save her underwear and her glasses were perched on her forehead.

The recording was deleted by King, but using specialist software his girlfriend recovered it and handed the evidence over to police.

The victim was “horrified” when shown the footage, suggesting she may have been drugged by the group of well-spoken, friendly men, who claimed to be gay when she met them.

At the time she felt unable to face a court case and called off her wedding, but fortunately her and her fiancé reunited and have been married for a decade. 

A second count of attempted rape at the 24-bedroom Grade II listed Edwardian property near BBC HQ, was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service. 

The address, currently registered to offshore company, is the new venue for sex parties hosted by disgraced fraudster ‘Lord’ Eddie Davenport, 53. 

King, currently serving eleven years imprisonment, has been described as Davenport’s former press agent.

Judge Deborah Taylor, the Recorder of Westminster told King: “What is clear from the footage you, yourself filmed on the camera is that you had vaginal sex with her when she was unconscious, she doesn’t move during the sexual intercourse.

“There is no doubt you took advantage of a young woman who drank too much and you didn’t care about what you did, but were callous and filmed that rape.” 

He is already a convicted sex offender, who failed to sign the sex offenders’ register after being convicted fifteen years ago of having child pornography on his phone.

King went on the run after drugs police raided his home and arrested him on June 29, 2016, while sharing a bed with his wife.  

He was sentenced to eleven years for drug dealing last January while on the run, but was finally caught last June in Marylebone.

The drugs included cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine.

He was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs; one charge of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and one count of conspiracy to supply Class C drugs.

During the police raid officers seized a block of 90% pure cocaine, MDMA powder, ecstasy pills bearing the Just East logo, crack cocaine, ketamine and diazepam.

Estimated to have a street value of £60,000, the drugs were stored in safe.

He will begin serving this eight-year sentence once he has completed half of his current one.

King has been involved in several bizarre incidents, including sparking a Salisbury-style major incident similar to the Novichok poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

He had made the false claim in September, last year that he was poisoned in a branch of Prezzo, while dining with wife Anna. 

The month before King and his wife were rescued by the RNLI after running out of fuel in their boat off the Welsh coast.

His friend Davenport was jailed for seven years and eight months for a multi-million pound fraud, but following his early release from prison due to ill-health is back on the party scene.

These events are held at 32 Portland Place, across the road from ‘Fast Eddie’s’ former party HQ at number 33. 

Wednesday, 18 December 2019

Fraudster Posed As Dead Woman's Daughter In £14,000 Swindle

A fraudster posed as the daughter of a deceased elderly friend and cremated the older lady behind her family’s back during a £14,000 fraud, a court heard yesterday.

Figen Akin, 45, pretended she was Iris Waite’s natural-born daughter at Kensington and Chelsea Registry Office to get her hands on the death certificate.

The divorced mother-of-six, of Dhonau House, Longfield Estate, Bermondsey then used the document to cash out the pensioner’s £10,000 life insurance policies and empty £4,000 from her two bank accounts.

She fought the case, but the Inner London Crown Court jury rejected her evidence that the late Mrs Waite saw her as a daughter and had fallen out with her own family.

Akin was convicted of wilfully making a false declaration at the registry office on August 9, 2016 and two counts of fraud by false representation regarding the insurance policies between August 4, 2016 and January 20, 2017.

She was also found guilty of two counts of theft relating to the bank accounts she emptied. No money was recovered and it is unlikely Akin will face confiscation proceedings due to lack of assets.

“Clearly the money that did belong to the deceased is all gone,” said Recorder Timothy Clark QC. “The aggravating feature is the victim was deceased and there was an act of perjury to the registrar.”

He sentenced Akin to two years imprisonment, suspended for twelve months, plus twenty days of a probation-ordered activity requirement.

Akin befriended Mrs Waite in 2015 after receiving a psychic reading from her daughter Kim and became an unofficial carer with access to her PIN and bank cards.

“I’ve always known her as ‘mum’ and I was the named ‘next of kin’ with her GP and hospital,” Akin told the trial. 

“I was getting the same that mum was getting out of it, companionship. We would sit there for hours talking, it was fantastic.

“I did not even know she had life insurance until she passed away and did not know how I’d afford to get her cremated.

“She said she didn’t want any of her family to get anything, nothing. She had no one that cared, only me.

“No one visited or called her, even near the end. I loved her like a mum.”

Mrs Waite lived in sheltered accommodation in Earl’s Court and Akin said she would clean and take her shopping. “I would take night buses across London to look after her.” 

Akin told the jury there was a huge falling out with daughter Kim when Mrs Waite was hospitalised with heart problems. “Kim told me she had an argument with mum and was swearing and shouting at me.

“She was screaming: ‘I’ve had enough. You have to choose. Me or mum’. I said I would not leave a sick woman in hospital and Kim said: ‘I don’t care if she dies. I don’t want to know. Don’t contact me.’

“I was there every day, even if I was ill.”

Recorder Clark told Akin: “You became a friend and then a carer of Mrs Waite, but did not identify her at that time as a victim you intended to defraud upon her death, which you eventually did.

“She had a difficult relationship with her daughters and did have a will that others, other than you, would be the beneficiaries of upon her death.

“I reject that money you withdrew was with her permission and once you started withdrawing money, which you thought of as wages, it just became too attractive to you.

“There was a large amount taken out of her bank the day before she died and that must have been by you.

“When she died you took very little time representing to others you were her daughter and next of kin and the beneficiary of her two life insurance policies.

“You represented to the registrar that you were her natural-born daughter and I have listened to recordings of you talking to the Halifax bank and you confidently represented yourself as her daughter without pause.

“You obtained the death certificate by representing you were her daughter and next-of-kin and you lied through your teeth that you had no way of contacting her children even though you had a number for one of them.”

Close family associate Victor Wood, the executor of Mrs Waite’s will, said in a victim impact statement it was particularly hurtful to the family they were excluded from the funeral and prohibited from paying their last respects.

“Akin just saw her as a way of making money and in a calculated way took advantage of an older woman,” he added.

Akin’s lawyer Ibrahim Hussein said: “She has never been in trouble before and this is an isolated matter. Out of compassion she provided support and regarded her as her own mother.

“The lady did refer to her as her daughter, but the defendant accepts she should not have presented herself as her daughter.”