Drunken Wine Importer Accused Of Groping Off-Duty BA Hostess On Business Flight

A drunken award-winning wine importer groped an off-duty British Airways hostess during an overnight flight to Cape Town, a court heard.

Daniel Grigg, 37, who was on a business trip to South Africa, consumed beer, wine and a Bloody Mary cocktail, boasting to the woman: “I get paid to drink,” the jury were told.

The 35 year-old complainant told Isleworth Crown Court from behind a screen: “I was trying to get some rest and turned my back and I felt a hand tickling me on my leg and thigh.

“It was the top of my thigh area and then the hand went under my blanket. I did not think it was happening at first.

“He was tickling and rubbing my leg and then it was like a groping. He knew where his hand wanted to go.”

Grigg, of Gorringe Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire - boss of Museum Wines, Tarrant Hinton, Dorset - has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault on January 15, last year.

A three-time winner of the Decanter Awards Best Specialist Retailer South Africa and the International Wine Challenge South African Specialist of the Year, Grigg was seated next to the woman for the twelve-hour flight.

The multiple texts she sent her husband during the flight were shown to the jury which read: “The bloke next to me is pissed.” “He is doing my head in.” “This bloke next to me is virtually lying on me.”

She told the trial: “He made an odd comment that he was glad that I did not stink and that he was not sitting next to someone smelly and that he was glad he was sitting in that seat, having booked last minute.”

Grigg watched as she face-timed her 18 month-old daughter and he talked about his five month-old twin boys.

“He was very friendly and chatty and told me he was in the wine industry and that he got paid to drink.

“He smelled, he smelled of alcohol. He had been drinking a lot of alcohol and his behaviour changed and he was making odd comments.”

Grigg says he had no more than four alcoholic drinks during the flight and his chatting was merely “light-hearted and jovial.”

“He was shouting and the passengers were telling him to be quiet. The lights were off and the meal service was over,” added the woman.

“His demeanour really changed from the person who got on the flight. I told him to be quiet because people were sleeping and he said he did not care.

“When I came back  from the toilet he said: ‘Where have you been?’ as if I belonged to him and asked what was the craziest thing I had ever done.

“The cabin crew told me to put my earphones in and ignore him and I turned my back on him to discourage him.

“I have a blanket with a picture of my daughter on it that I carry everywhere and he said: ‘Isn’t an economy blanket good enough for you?’

“His hand went around me and I just shot up and woke the lady next to me and went to the back cabin. It made me want to get off the plane, but I was stuck on the aircraft.”

She told the jury the touching was over her clothing, with Grigg’s hand moving below her stomach after tickling her thigh and leg.

“I went to the galley and I burst into tears and then he came to the galley for more alcohol  and was told because of the incident he would not be served any more.”

She was moved to another seat at the rear of the plane. “I put the blanket over my head so he wouldn’t see me.”

A BA colleague advised her it would not be worth reporting Grigg to the local South African police. “I watched a man leave the aircraft after assaulting me and nothing had been done.”

She immediately filed an Air Incident Report and told her union what happened.

The BA employee denied a defence suggestion she was “disenchanted” with her role, due to the time spent away from her daughter. “I do like my job, I love my job.”

Grigg’s lawyer Hannah Beer also suggested she was unhappy about being seated in economy. “Everyone would prefer Business Class, but we have to take what we are given.”

She denied recommending Grigg try a Bloody Mary, but did agree she did not eat her airline meal and texted her husband: “The food was disgusting.”

Grigg’s lawyer also asked if she was angry about fellow-cabin crew not bringing her food from Business Class. “No, I would get into trouble if I ordered a meal from Business Class.”

The defence say the woman gave different accounts of the incident to different people.

Trial continues…………  

GUILTY: Sex Therapist And Church Youth Worker Convicted Of Grooming 13 Year-Old Boy

A sex therapist and church youth group leader was today convicted of trying to meet an imaginary 13 year-old boy after online sexual grooming and communication.

Psychotherapist Giles Dee-Shapland, 51, did not know the under-age youngster had been created in a citizen-led operation, believing he was communicating with a genuine teenager.

After engaging in sexually-explicit conversations with the ‘boy’ Dee-Shapland was detained in a sting operation.

After a trial at Isleworth Crown court the jury of six men and six women unanimously convicted him on two counts and Dee-Shapland was bailed to return for sentencing on December 4.

According to his online biography he studied at Exeter; Greenwich and Kingston Universities, is Harley Street-trained and specialises in trauma and psychosexual disorder.

Dee-Shapland, of Walham Green Court, Cedarne Road, Fulham describes himself as ‘Sexpert at SimplySxy’.

Before the trial he pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity on September 19, 2020.

The jury found him guilty of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child on August 8, 2020 and attempting to meet a child on October 3, 2020 after grooming.

“One has to take into account there was not a real child and it was an attempt. That has to be taken into consideration,” said Dee-Shapland’s lawyer Helen Butcher.

Asking that the sentences on each of the three counts are not added together she added: “There is a degree of totality that has to be taken into account.

“This is a man in his early fifties, without any convictions and my application is for a pre-sentence report.

“I ask for bail to continue. These offences date back to 2020 and nothing has arisen since and there was nothing on his devices that were seized.”

Judge Lindsey Rose announced: “There are also issues about his mental and physical health and in the circumstances I should have a pre-sentence report.

“I want to consider the risk of harm and re-offending and to know what risk this defendant poses.”

Dee-Shapland is already on the sex offenders register, having pleaded guilty to one count in July, last year and the prosecution confirmed they will be applying for a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Judge Rose told Dee-Shapland, who uses a walking-stick and was accompanied by a male companion: “You will be sentenced by me for the offence you pleaded guilty to and the two offences the jury convicted you of.

“I want to have information from the Probation Service regarding your background and risk and you should have no illusions as to how I deal with your case.

“I have custody in mind. These are very serious offences.”

Female Passenger Targeted By Tube Train Creep

A tube train pervert, who tried to expose himself to a female passenger and followed her to her stop, is being hunted by police.

British Transport Police (BTP) have released this image of their suspect and are requesting the assistance of the public in identifying him.

At approximately 10.00am on Monday, May 8 the woman was travelling on a Central Line Underground train when she was targeted by the mystery man between Mile End and Bethnal Green stations.

He deliberately sat opposite her and raised his leg on to the handrail and began rubbing his groin. 

As he attempted to expose himself the victim loudly confronted the male and moved away.

She saw the individual leave the train at Bethnal Green as he shouted at her from the platform. 

However, when she alighted a stop later at Liverpool Street Station, the same man was on the platform.

Officers believe the man in the 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 181 of 08/05/23.

Tik Tok Troublemaker 'Mizzy' Back In Court

Leaving Stratford Magistrates' Court

Notorious Tik Tok prankster ‘Mizzy’ yesterday pleaded not guilty to four breaches of his ‘Crimbo’ order, which bans him posting online videos of people without their permission.

The 18 year-old, real name Bacari-Bronze O’Garro, of Manor Road, Stoke Newington, appeared on bail at Stratford Magistrates’ Court.

He will return for an all-day trial on October 26 and was bailed on condition he lives and sleeps at the home address he shares with his mother.

He is charged with two counts of breaching a court-imposed Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) on May 24.

On that date O’Garro is alleged to have uploaded video content to social media, without the prior documented consent of the people recorded, in Tower Hamlets and Westfield shopping centre, Stratford.

He is also charged with breaching a CBO on May 26 in Hackney by uploading video content to social media, without the written permission of those in the recording.

O’Garro is further charged with again breaching a CBO in Haringey on July 7 by uploading video content to social media, without the prior documented consent of the people recorded.

The prosecution today dropped a charge of failing to comply with a police anti-social behaviour Section 35 direction to leave Finsbury Park on July 7.

O’Garro has made a name for himself online after posting videos of forcing himself into other people’s homes and cars; taking a distressed elderly lady’s pet dog; kicking people off their bikes and being a nuisance in shops and libraries.

Busy Mizzy: Stratford Beware

Today his lawyer Paul Lennon told the court: “He did not upload the content directly or indirectly. That is the defence.”

The Westfield shopping centre charge concerns ‘Mizzy’ engaged in a “piece to camera” as passers-by walk behind him without having given their consent to be recorded and broadcast online.

He was ordered to remove his trademark red hat by District Judge Matthew Bone as he entered the secure dock and only spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and address and to enter his pleas.

“This young man has been facing these allegations for some time so we are going to do this as soon as possible and have a quick trial,” announced the district judge.

Prosecutor Varinder Hayre confirmed the Crown’s case was that O’Garro was responsible for the content because it appeared on his social media accounts.

“They must be his, via someone else. How else would they get passwords etc. Is that your case?” asked Judge Bone. “There is no issue this material appeared on his account.”

The CBO does not ban O’Garro completely from the internet.

“The order was made so that he can still engage in other social media because preventing a young person engaging in social media is like cutting their hand off,” added the judge.

“We are dealing with a very young defendant facing serious allegations and he needs to know one way or the other what the verdict will be.”

Ex-Hollywood It Girl Kicked WPC At Chelsea Council Flat

A former Hollywood socialite was arrested at her Chelsea council flat after kicking a WPC’s leg when police were called to her drunkenly smashing up her home, a court heard on Wednesday.

San Francisco-born Birgit Cunningham, 60, who dated movie star Kevin Costner for three years and claims she had an affair with married Tory Peer Lord Strathclyde, kicked out while shouting ‘bastards’ at the officers. 

During her late twenties she was a doyen of the champagne-quaffing Hollywood Brit Pack, sharing a house with actress Elizabeth Hurley and partying with model Elle Macpherson and movie star Billy Zane.

The Sunset Strip residence - owned by film producer Julia Verdin - was nicknamed ‘Party Central’ and regular guests included Robert De Niro; John Hurt and Jack Nicholson.

Now living in a council flat in Wiltshire Close - a mere five-minute stroll from Sloane Square - Cunningham pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting Alin Garbuja on July 11.

At Westminster Magistrates’ Court she was conditionally discharged for eighteen months and ordered to pay the officer £150 compensation.

Prosecutor Alza Rashed told the court officers attended the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea residence at approximately 9.30pm.

“Police were called by neighbours to reports of this defendant smashing items in her property.

“They said she was upset because she just had her pet cat put down on advice from her vet.

“The officers noted she was noticeably drunk at the time and called them ‘bastards’ repeatedly as she squared-up to PC Garbuja, who asked her to turn away.

“The officer describes the defendant as being ‘aggressive’ and ‘in her face,’ and kicking her in the leg before being immediately handcuffed.

'A Perfect World': Hollywood Days With Costner

“It was a kick of substantial force to the officer and she also attempted to punch the officer during the struggle,” explained the prosecutor.

“The officer says that she received scratch marks to her right hand and was wincing in pain when contact was made to her body.”

In her victim impact statement the policewoman said: “As a police officer I expect negative behaviour, but being kicked crossed the line while I was trying to help the individual.”

However, the magistrates did not accept the police account of the assault and agreed there was no need for a pre-sentence report by the Probation Service.

“We don’t agree this was substantial force or over a prolonged period of time,” announced bench Chairman Jeffrey Manton.

Cunningham’s lawyer Stuart McDonald told the court health and medication difficulties contributed to the incident.

“She has chronic back difficulties, degenerative disc disease and her GP was trying to change her medication regime and the drug she was relying on, almost to addiction, was taken away from her.

“She has had a long-running issue with alcohol addiction and in her youth lived what could be described a a glamorous and exciting lifestyle and has turned to alcohol for relief.”

Privately-educated Cunningham, who attended exclusive £13,000-a year Roedean girls’ school, is the daughter of a former Bank of America treasurer.

She was raised in a sprawling Leatherhead, Surrey country home, with summer holidays spent in luxury rented properties in the South of France.

Clothes were bought at Harrods and Cunningham has previously talked of being chauffeured to parties in a Bentley and living in a £1m Chelsea flat bought by her wealthy father.

She studied for an art degree at Rutgers College, New Jersey, worked in a Paris gallery and was then employed as a PA to the vice-president of Universal Pictures.

Problems with alcohol ended Cunnigham’s Hollywood adventure and she returned to London, immersing herself in green issues and giving birth to son Jack, 23, in 2000 following a relationship with Old Etonian racing driver Sir Harry Nuttall.

She then became a single-mum campaigner as she pursued Sir Harry for child support - resulting in an arrest for assault during a courtroom scuffle.

Mr McDonald added: “She declines the structured treatment of a court Alcohol Treatment Requirement because she is doing it herself.

“I do not wish to belittle what she officer said, but this offence has all the hallmarks of lower culpability.

“She officer says: ’At some stage she kicked me in what I believe was my leg.’ This is minor or non-existent force.”

The lawyer asked for leniency based on: “Her age, remorse in interview and her addressing the underlying cause of this. She is in receipt of state benefits.”

Cunnigham’s last criminal conviction was in 2013, but details were not given.  

“You have pleaded guilty so that brings it down and we have noted your record and you are pretty much of good character,” Mr Manton told Cunningham, who attended court with the assistance of a crutch.

“We are going out of the guidelines because you are already seeking help and you should continue with Alcoholics Anonymous and their twelve-step programme.

“There is no point putting you on an alcohol programme since you are doing it yourself already.

“I you don’t make these payments the debt collector will turn up at your door.

“In the nicest possible way we hope to never see your face again.”