First-Time Airbnb Host Says Guest Raped Her

"Citizen Of The World": Dellarovere

An Airbnb host was raped by her first-ever guest - a well-travelled graphic designer who describes himself as a ‘Citizen of the World’ - a jury were told.

The woman told the trial she became a host to make the most of the spare room in her Wandle Park, Croydon flat, but ended up barricading herself in her own bedroom and hiding her kitchen knives.

Diego Dellarovere, 43, of Holland Road, West Kensington describes himself as a ‘Free Spirit’ and tells his instagram fans: “Follow Me. I will take you around the world.”

He has pleaded not guilty to orally raping the woman; sexually assaulting her and assaulting her by penetration at her flat on May 7, 2021.

The complainant told police in a video-recorded interview played to Croydon Crown Court: “I was just going to report this to Airbnb and leave it at that. My initial thoughts were it was pointless because it was not going to go anywhere.

“Then my thought was that he is likely going to do that to someone again so I want his name to be flagged.”

She thought it strange that London-based Dellarovere needed a one-night Airbnb, but accepted the booking anyway and poured them both a glass of wine that evening.

Dellarovere also claims he is a Reiki Therapist, which uses the natural energy of the body.

“He mentioned massage at that point and was following me very close and came behind me and started rubbing my shoulders and I said: ’No thanks.’

“Then when I was sitting on the couch he was touching my legs and said: ‘Put on spa music and I can give you a massage.’

“He was saying: ‘I have oil. I will give you a massage.’

“I felt like he was just looking at me and not wanting just small talk and that’s when things turned,” she told the investigating officers.

“He came forward and pulled me in and started licking and kissing my neck. I pulled back and he was quite strongly pulling me in and I had to forcefully push him away.

“I felt a little bit frozen and he went in again, using a lot more strength and force.

“I was saying ‘no’ quite a lot and pushing and he stuck his tongue in my mouth and moved from there to my breast and his hand went down inside my leggings. 

“I said: ‘I don’t want this,’ and he said: ‘Come on,’ and started talking about that energy stuff we had discussed earlier.

“He put his hand into my trousers and into me and was quite roughly moving his fingers. It was not comfortable.

“He pulled down down his trousers and underwear and sat down,” continued the woman, adding Dellarovere forced her hand between his legs.

“He grabbed my head again, my hair and just pushed forward.”

She said she was raped by force and without consent and afterwards Dellarovere followed her around the kitchen trying to grab her.

“He started grabbing me again and I said: “You’re really p***ing me off now,” and he walked away, tidied himself up and went into the spare bedroom.

‘I went to my bedroom and he was texting me, asking: ‘Are you sure?’ and then texted me that he was sorry and asked if I was angry.

“I was scared because he did not get what he wanted and would go out and bring someone back.”

After getting her pet dog into her bedroom she struggled to convince her reluctant pet cat to follow. “Once they were in I pulled a unit across the door.”

She also hid her knife block, remarking: “I did not know what he was capable of doing.”

Dellarovere had her door keys and returned to the flat at 2.00am after “going for a walk” and spent the night in the spare room.

Before leaving the next morning he told the host: “I’ll leave a good review.”

She left a neutral Airbnb about Dellarovere, which seemed to annoy him, the court heard.

“He responded with an angry face emoji and there was some back and forth messaging in which he said it was consensual and using block capitals said I LIKED it.”

Dellarovere sent further WhatsApp messages to the woman, including: “You are repressed,” “You’re not a good person,” “You need to be more in your soul not your mind,” “Be an adult, not a baby,” and “I didn’t see any objections from you.”

Dellarovere then blocked the woman, but contacted her again when she reported to Airbnb her concerns about his stay, resulting in her ultimately blocking him.

Trial continues………….

Fare Dodger Caught With Rambo Knife

A teenage fare-dodger has been locked-up for six months for carrying a fearsome foot-long combat knife.

Rackeem Thomas, 18, tried to flee police and was tackled to the floor of Dartford railway station while trying to pull the Rambo-style blade from his waistband.

He pleaded guilty to possessing a pointed or bladed article at the commuter station on December 18, last year and received the period of youth custody the following day when he appeared at Medway Magistrates Court.

He was also ordered to pay £85 for a forfeiture and destruction order, as well as a £154 victim surcharge.

The court heard Thomas was travelling through Dartford railway station when he was stopped for a ticket check by a revenue inspector. 

Thomas failed to provide a ticket, and British Transport Police officers’ suspicions were raised by his nervous behaviour. 

He was caught out trying to provide a fake name to officers.

Thomas was detained, but as officers prepared to search him, he attempted to flee and was stopped and taken to the floor with the help of rail staff. 

Whilst on the floor, Thomas attempted to withdraw the knife from his waistband.

Investigating Officer PC Alex Morgan said: "Thomas is clearly a dangerous individual, and I am extremely pleased to see him sentenced to six months imprisonment less than twenty-four hours after officers found him committing the offence.

"It is incredibly rewarding to get a violent individual and horrendous knife off the rail network and I hope this sends a clear signal to offenders that anyone caught in possession of these dangerous weapons in public will be brought to justice."

Fare Dodger Jailed For Devastating Knockout Punch

A fare-dodger, who hospitalised a 61 year-old tube station worker with a single punch that caused a fractured skull, multiple facial fractures and bleeding on the brain, has been locked-up for three-and-a-half years.

Viorel Schiopu, 23, returned to launch the “appalling and unprovoked attack” after pushing through the ticket barriers at Harrow-on-the-Hill Underground Station just after midnight on May 21, last year.

He had initially spoken to the victim and thrown the contents of a packet he was eating from at the Transport for London employee before CCTV showed him returning to continue the conversation and then suddenly land the blow.

Schiopu, of Lansdowne Road, Luton pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm; actual bodily harm and affray and is subject to an indefinite restraining order, prohibiting contact with the victim and entering certain stations.

The blow knocked the worker backwards and he fell to the ground unconscious – causing a loud bang heard by a colleague.

The victim was rushed to a Major Trauma hospital, where he was diagnosed with a bleed on the brain, a fractured skull and multiple facial fractures.

Later that day British Transport Police (BTP) released CCTV images of Schiopu, which were shared widely on social media, leading to him handing himself into police the next day.

The victim remained in hospital for twelve days and is still slowly recovering from the injuries.

In his victim impact statement, he said: “To say the effects of the assault have been profound would be an understatement. 

“It has changed everything, and my life is very different to what it used to be before….it feels like my freedom has been robbed from me.”

Detective Constable Tony Gittins said: “This was a truly appalling and unprovoked attack on a member of staff simply trying to do their job, and they are very sadly continuing to suffer the severe physical and mental effects of what happened to this day.

TikTok Doc's NHS Swindle

An NHS surgeon - motivated by “greed and avarice” - has received a suspended prison sentence for a £51,982 inflated hours swindle.

Kingston Hospital Ear Nose & Throat (ENT) specialist Kifayat Ullah, 40, says he wanted to keep his daughters, aged six and seven years-old in their private school and fund additional family bills.

He also has a TikTok channel - The Ear Doctor - and he posts about his private work, where he charges up to £170 for emergency call outs.

He forged the signatures of three different managers when falsifying a total of 29 timesheets - claiming wages for a full 45 hour week when in reality he was working a reduced 22.5 hours at his own request.

Dr. Ullah pleaded guilty to one count of making a false instrument, with intent it be accepted as genuine, between December 4, 2020 and June 30, 2021, namely timesheets.

At Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court he received twenty-four months imprisonment, suspended for two years and was ordered to pay £51,982 compensation to Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

In addition he must also complete 250 hours community service work, up to twenty-five days of a recommended activity requirement and pay £5,000 costs.

Dr. Ullah now face professional ruin as he will appear before the General Medical Council’s conduct committee, who have the power to strike him off.

Judge Marcus Tregilgas-Davey told him: “You initially claimed it was a mistake and not dishonest. That was untrue.

“You are of good character and I have read all the character references and comments of patients that testify to you being a good and caring doctor.

“However, your actions did not stem from anxiety or stress as you said, but greed and avarice.

“You wanted to retain your income and you have brought disgrace on yourself and your profession.

“Everybody who reads the news knows that the one organisation that cannot afford to lose large sums of money is the NHS, it deprives money going toward the care of the people of this country.”

Prosecutor Matthew Ralston said Dr. Ullah, who shares a £1.5m two-bedroom Hampstead flat in Primrose Hill Road with his wife and daughters was paid £69.00 per hour via MedicsPro Recruitment Agency, who billed the NHS an additional £10.00 per hour.

“In the following year a support manager requested copies of the timesheets from the doctor and on inspection it was revealed the number of working hours had been inflated

“Dr. Ullah had requested a reduction from five to two-and-a-half days per week for ‘personal reasons’ but 658 hours that he claimed to have worked did not feature on the Trust’s system.”

He was questioned by the hospital in November, 2021. “Dr Ullah said there was an understanding he would still receive pay for forty-five hours because he worked in the evening and saw extra patients.

“He said that any mistakes were not deliberate and the hospital’s system did not reflect the hours he worked.”

Dr. Ullah’s lawyer Quentin Hunt said: “He apologises to the court, the public and the NHS. Consider the tributes from those who know Dr. Ullah well, they find it hard to believe he committed the offence.”

However, Judge Tregilgas-Davey concluded the doctor lied to his professional colleagues and told them he was wrongly accused.

“Much of the character witnesses are of the premise that he is innocent, which he must have told them, which is rather telling, isn’t it?” asked the judge.

“They are phrased in such a way that they have been given incorrect and false information by him. It is remarkable that so many of the letters are written in such a similar way.”

Mr Hunt continued: “He is well known and well thought of by those with who he works professionally.”

Dr. Ullah says his ‘personal reasons’ for reducing his working hours were to care for his ill father, aged in his eighties and support his mother, aged in her seventies.

“He tells me he was under extreme stress as the breadwinner for his family and as a result made the timesheets as they are. He pays all the family expenses and the school fees for his children.

“Dr. Ullah suffers from anxiety and depression and takes daily anti-depressant medication, suffered a heart attack in 2021 and needs a hearing aid for one of his ears.”

Asking for the inevitable person sentence to be suspended the lawyer added: “His professional reputation is in tatters and he will probably be struck off by the GMC.

“There were no nice holidays, fancy cars or clothes and he has learned his lesson.

“This was an unforgivable lapse from a man who otherwise enjoyed a sparkling career in the medical profession and he is asking for a chance.”

Agreeing to suspend the sentence Judge Tregilgas-Davey announced: “I have an eye to the fact you have two young daughters and they will be adversely effected by any time you are in prison.

“This is your first offence and it seems the disgrace you have brought upon yourself is a significant punishment.”

The Trust spent an additional £34,956 in professional investigative fees with accountants KPMG and asked Dr. Ullah to pay, but this was refused by the judge, who said: “I am not going to order the astronomical sum requested.”

Jail For Train Rapist Who Targeted 14 Year-old Boy

A “dangerous predator,” who targeted and raped a 14 year-old boy on a train, has been caged for sixteen years.

Christopher Key, 39, of Westbourne Gardens, Folkestone deliberately sat opposite the teenager when they both boarded the service in Margate, Kent on March 27, last year.

Key proceeded to question the youngster, asking him inappropriate questions, and staring at him, making him uncomfortable. 

Bravely, the victim was able to capture a short video of Key’s face before he proceeded to threaten and then rape him.

The victim was then able to get away and get the attention of a couple on the train, who intervened and confronted Key, allowing the victim to get off the train safely. 

He ran home and alerted his mother to the incident, who called 999. 

Meanwhile, the couple who intervened remained on the train with Key and alerted a train guard.

The image of Key taken by the victim was sent to officers, who met the train and arrested Key.

At Canterbury Crown Court he pleaded guilty to one count of rape and will remain on parole for an additional eight years once released

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Sergent Mike Blakeburn said: “This man is a dangerous predator who targeted a lone teenage boy. 

“I am pleased that our investigation has resulted in him receiving a significant custodial sentence.

"I would like to thank the victim and his family for the support they have shown throughout this investigation. 

“It has been an incredibly difficult and upsetting experience for them and I hope this outcome brings them some closure.

“The victim’s bravery in reporting this at his soonest opportunity, along with the video of Key, meant off
icers could quickly respond and apprehend Key. 

“I commend his quick thinking in such a traumatic circumstance. Additionally, I’d like to thank the bystanders for bravely stepping in and allowing the victim to escape.

"Tackling sexual offences and violence is a priority for British Transport Police (BTP). We take all reports seriously and will do everything in our power to bring them to justice.

“If you are a victim of, or a witness to, a sexual offence on the railway - I urge you to report it to BTP by texting 61016 or via the Railway Guardian app. Always call 999 in an emergency.”

Piccadilly Line Predator: Rapist Caged For Nine Years

A sexual predator, who ended a night of depraved deviancy by raping a sleeping 20 year-old young woman on a Piccadilly Line tube train has been locked-up for nine years.

Ryan Johnston, 37, struck at approximately 7.45am after boarding the Underground train at Heathrow Airport, three hours after chasing and stalking two terrified women, who caught him masturbating while staring through the window of a house.

He was convicted by an Inner London Crown Court jury of one count of rape; one count of attempted rape; two counts of sexual assault and one count of outraging public decency.

Johnston was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Johnston boarded the tube train at Heathrow's Terminal Five on Sunday, February 23, 2020 and walked confidently through the carriage, approaching a young woman, who was asleep.

He sexually assaulted her and then raped her while she was unconscious.

The horrific attack was witnessed by a tourist and his young son, who reported what they had seen to police later that morning.

The incident was not captured on CCTV and despite extensive enquiries, officers were unable to identify the victim or any other report made to police.

Two years later, following a British Transport Police (BTP) review of historic rape cases, Johnston was identified, and arrested at HMP Brixton in December, 2022, where he was serving time for burglary.

Further enquiries led to detectives identifying the victim in the same month, who hadn’t realised the extent of what had happened to her.

Johnston was also linked to another disturbing incident in the early hours of that same day when two men exited Bounds Green Underground Station, also on the Piccadilly Line at 4.45am.

They noticed Johnston standing outside a house with his trousers round his ankles, looking through the window and masturbating.

Feeling scared, the women ran away, and Johnston then began shouting and chased them down the street to their home.

Thankfully, they managed to safely get inside and hide under a stairwell while Johnston banged on their door and put his hand through the letterbox before eventually leaving.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Kathrine Spencer said: "The offences committed by Ryan Johnston show him to be a dangerous individual, who viewed women with contempt.

“He was simply concerned with his own sexual gratification at any cost. 

“I hope this sends out a strong message to survivors of these offences that we will do all we can to bring offenders to justice to make society a safer place." 

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Paul Attwell of BTP’s Major, Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: “Johnston’s brazen attack in front of witnesses highlights his lack of shame or remorse for his actions, something which continued throughout his trial. 

“I am thankful his violence and despicable actions have been recognised by the guilty verdicts and significant sentence.

“His depraved actions will have a life-long impact on the victim and those who witnessed this. I am thankful for their bravery throughout this investigation. I hope they can now find some comfort in the fact justice has been served.”

County Lines Cocaine Dealer Jailed

A drug dealer caught during a County Lines investigation carried out by transport cops is starting a six-year prison sentence.

Adedayo Fatuga, 32, of George Avenue, Milton Keynes had £70,000 worth of cocaine hidden in his bedroom along with bundles of cash.

At Aylesbury Crown Court he pleaded guilty to two charges of possession of cocaine, with intent to supply and money laundering.

In July, last year officers from British Transport Police, Thames Valley Police, and the Metropolitan Police executed a number of search warrants at addresses in the Reading area of Berkshire, Milton Keynes and Camberley.

Officers were investigating drug dealers, who use the railway network. 

Fatuga was subsequently arrested and over 700g of cocaine was seized at his home address.

Detective Inspector Matt Davies from the British Transport Police County Lines Task Force said: “We are pleased with the excellent results of this operation and it is a credit to our team, the convictions we have secured so far. 

“Working alongside our colleagues from other forces enhances our capabilities to catch those orchestrating these County Lines.

“The County Lines Task Force works hard to tackle drugs on the railway. 

“This sentence should display a very powerful message to those involved in this sort of activity – we will disrupt the distribution of drugs by County Lines dealers.”

Train Sex Pest: Do You Know This Man?

Wanted: In Plain White

Police are hunting a mystery sex pest, who pleasured himself onboard a commuter train.

The unknown male stared at another train passenger while performing the repulsive act.

British Transport Police (BTP) have released this image of their suspect.

They are requesting the assistance of the public in identifying him.

The man was travelling between London Bridge and Cambridge between 3.30pm and 4.00pm on Thursday, August 31.

He departed the train at Hitchin railway station.

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 by calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 204 of 31/08/2023.

Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Stabbing At Camden Town Underground Station

A police manhunt has been launched after a tube train passenger was stabbed while waiting on the platform.

The victim was injured in the early hours of Saturday, November 18 at Camden Town Underground Station.

British Transport Police (BTP) have released this CCTV image of their suspect and have requested the assistance of the public to identify him.

The victim – a man in his thirties – was stabbed at approximately 5.30am and taken to a local hospital.

Fortunately, his injuries were not life-threatening or life-changing and he was released by the medical staff shortly after.

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

Anyone who recognises him, or has information relating to the incident, can contact BTP by texting 61016 of calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 110 of 18/11/2023.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Sexual Assault At DLR Station

A police hunt has been launched after a sexual assault at a Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station in east London.

British Transport Police (BTP) have released this image of their suspect and are appealing to members of the public to assist identifying him.

The victim, who BTP have failed to identify as either male or female, entered Stratford High Street station at approximately 9.00pm on Friday, September 29.

An unknown male approached the victim and attempted to start a conversation before repeatedly sexually assaulting them.

BTP officers would like to speak to the man in the image as they believe he may have information that could help their investigation.

If you recognise him, or have any information, please contact the British Transport Police by texting 61016, or by calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 321 of 03/10/2023.

Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.