Sunday 9 August 2009

£10k Cashpoint Blitz Charges


A Belfast French-Algerian accused of an ingenious £10,000-plus Transactional Reversal Fraud campaign on Coventry Building Society’s cashpoint machines was committed in custody to Southwark Crown Court.

Abdel Karim Redjel, 30, of 25 Alveston Drive, Belfast was arrested by officers from the joint Metropolitan and City of London Police's Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit and appeared at City of London Magistrates Court.

Redjel is accused of perfecting a top-secret technique whereby he withdraws cash from accounts opened in false names without the amounts being debited from his balance.

He faces twenty-three charges of stealing a total of £10,180 from the Coventry Building Society on various dates between May 25 and June 1, 2007 and attempting to steal an unknown sum from the society on June 2.



Saturday 8 August 2009

£600,000 Charity Plot Alleged


Three men accused of a £600,000 plot to defraud charitable organisations, including the National Lottery and Comic Relief, appeared at City of London Magistrates Court.

Following a lengthy investigation by Scotland Yard’s Fraud Team charges were brought by the Fraud Prosecution Service.

They are: Kyalemaninwa Mazambi, 31, of 149 Winsford Avenue, Coventry; Kitumbula Mazambi, 43, of 7 Tewkesbury Close, South Tottenham and Bulunda Lungumbu, 51, of 11 Brancaster Road, Manor Park.

All three face one charge of conspiring together between December 31, 2001 and January 1, 2005 within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court to defraud grant and award making bodies and charitable organizations my making fraudulent applications for funding and using charitable grants for their own purposes.

A fourth defendant, five months pregnant Mapendo Kasiba, 39, of 7 Tewkesbury Close, South Tottenham will appear on bail at Enfield Magistrates Court on August 11.

The three men were all bailed to appear at Southwark Crown Court on October 6 on the condition they continue to reside at their recorded addresses.

Friday 7 August 2009

Jealous Party Girl's Bottle Attack On Ex


A party girl who downed twenty pints during an all-day birthday celebration flew into a jealous rage and sent her ex to hospital with a head wound after hurling a beer bottle across a crowded bar.

Youth worker Lisa Penfold, 23, of Bernard Close, Wallington, Surrey had thumped ex-boyfriend Jack Highett twice in the face before running up behind him and throwing the bottle in the midnight attack.

Mum-of-one Penfold pleaded guilty at Inner London Crown Court to assaulting her ex, causing him actual bodily harm, at The White House bar, Clapham Park Road, Clapham, on April 13.

Prosecutor Mr. Peter Pride told the court Penfold (pictured above) and Mr. Highett, her ex-boyfriend, were in separate groups at the popular bar.

The victim was approached by friends of Penfold, telling him the defendant did not approve of his new girlfriend, so he approached her to smooth things over.

After simply saying ‘hello’ Penfold snapped: “Don’t you fucking talk to me. Bollocks, I’ve got a real man now.”

“She then punched him in the mouth with her right fist which caused a cut to the left side of his mouth,” explained Mr. Pride. “She then punched him again over the left eye.”

Mr.Highett turned and began climbing stairs. “He heard running behind him and felt a heavy object hit him on the left side of the head and then saw a glass bottle flying over his left shoulder.”

Bleeding Mr. Highett was rushed to St. Thomas’ Hospital with a 4 cm laceration to his scalp and police arrested Penfold at the scene.

She told officers: “Yeah. I did it. Nobody threatens me.”

When quizzed later Penfold told police she had drunk twenty pints during an all-day birthday celebration for a friend in her group, added Mr. Pride.

Penfold claims she threw the bottle in anger and with no intention to seriously hurt her ex and deeply regrets her behaviour.

“The aggravating feature is that you threw a bottle,” Recorder Anthony Dinkin QC told the tearful first time offender. “This is a serious matter and you did cause injury, but fortunately it was not permanent, but did require hospital treatment.”

Penfold was sentenced to an eighteen-month community order, including a six-month alcohol treatment requirement plus 100 hours of unpaid community work.

She was also ordered to pay £250 compensation to Mr. Highett.

Thursday 6 August 2009

Ticket Inspector's Blackmail Charge


A ticket inspector accused of blackmailing the Financial Services Authority after finding their paperwork on a Liverpool Street to Stanstead train appeared at City of London Magistrates Court.

Ian Aitken, 49, of Pearson Avenue, Hertford is charged that between June 2 and 6, within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court, he made an unwarranted demand of monies from the Financial Services Authority, with menaces.

It is alleged Aitken demanded money from the FSA or he would sell the information to the press.

He was bailed to appear at Southwark Crown Court for a plea and directions hearing on October 6.

Wednesday 5 August 2009

City Bar GBH Glassing Charge


A Woodford Green man accused of smashing a glass over the back of a fellow drinker’s head in a Bishopsgate’s bar appeared at City of London Magistrates Court.

Jordan Griggs, 22, of  Turpins Lane is charged with maliciously wounding Paul Harper at the Prohibition Bar, 1 – 3 Bishopsgate, on March 5.

He was bailed to return on September 15 when he is expected to be committed to Southwark Crown Court.

Tuesday 4 August 2009

TSG Condemned To Be 'Toothless Tigers' Says Met Cop


The fall-out from the G20 Tomlinson death case will be a "Rioters' Charter" and the demise of the Met's elite Territorial Support Group, according to one serving officer.

"We are now faced with the prospect of the Metropolitan Police's Territorial Support Group being reduced to toothless tigers at the expense of public order," observed the officer.

"As a result of this officer potentially facing a manslaughter charge police will be very reluctant to get hands on. The outcome will inevitably be a rioters' charter.

"It will probably spell the demise of the TSG, which will be a spent force and have no option but to rebrand itself the Neighbourhood Assistance Team to soften it up a bit," added the officer.

CPS Considers Police Manslaughter Charge In Tomlinson Case




The Metropolitan Police have learned one of its officers could face prosecution for the manslaughter of Ian Tomlinson at the controversial April 1 G20 demonstrations.

The unnamed officer, a member of the Met's Territorial Support Group (TSG), struck a seemingly drunken Tomlinson with a baton and shoved him to the ground moments before he died.

Announcing that it had completed its criminal inquiry into the newspaper vendor's death, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)said it had handed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Senior lawyers from the Special Crime Division of the CPS will now consider the evidence provided by the IPCC to decide whether to prosecute the officer, and if so, on what charges.

The IPCC questioned the officer under caution for manslaughter in April.

In determining whether he should face trial, CPS lawyers will consider the footage, along with other documents and witness statements.

The nature of the case means the director of public prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, will be involved in deciding whether charges should be brought.

His lawyers are bound by a two-test rule requiring a "realistic prospect of conviction" in a prosecution that is deemed to be in the public interest.

In the event that the CPS successfully prosecutes the officer for Tomlinson's killing, he would become the first British police officer ever to be convicted for manslaughter for actions while on duty. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment.

In a statement, the IPCC said the investigation had been one of the largest it had ever undertaken and had been "the subject of huge public scrutiny".

More than 40 IPCC investigators and other members of staff from all five regional offices were involved in the case, it said.

"We have had a remarkable response from the public and I would like to thank those people who have contacted us for all their help," said Deborah Glass, the IPCC commissioner for London.

Tomlinson's widow, Julia, said: "It has been a very difficult four months since Ian died and it is a relief to see some progress. The last information that the coroner put out was Dr Cary's view that Ian died from internal bleeding.

"Video footage made it clear to us, and everyone else, that Ian was the victim of an unprovoked assault by a police officer.

If there is going to be any justice then it must be left for a jury to decide if the police officer is guilty of killing Ian. 

I hope the CPS will get the case in front of a jury as soon as possible. We would like to thank everyone who came forward as witnesses."

Glass said most of the video evidence passed to the CPS was collected by members of the public on cameras or mobile phones.

"Over 190 premises were visited during a CCTV trawl. This resulted in footage being obtained from more than 220 cameras.

In addition, police footage has been reviewed, including that taken from police evidence gatherers and the police helicopter, as well as footage from people's mobile phones and cameras. 

This amounted to over 1,200 hours of footage, which has been reviewed by a dedicated team of IPCC investigators."

Statements were taken from 193 members of the public, as well as police officers and staff, and medical experts.

The 47-year-old Tomlinson had been trying to walk home from work past police cordons around the Bank of England when he was attacked on Royal Exchange Buildings, a pedestrianised passage, at about 7.20pm on. The officer's badge numbers were covered and his face concealed beneath a balaclava.

Tomlinson had his hands in his pockets and his back to the officer when he was attacked. No police officer went to his aid, and it was left to a bystander to lift him to his feet. He stumbled around 100 metres down Cornhill, clutching his side, before collapsing a second time.

The officer is understood to have faced allegations of aggression earlier in his career, after becoming involved in a road rage incident while off duty. The Met's vetting procedures are said to have failed to notice that the officer had an unresolved disciplinary matter.

Police initially led Tomlinson's wife and nine children to believe he died of a heart attack after being caught up in the demonstration. In statements to the press, police claimed attempts by police to save his life by resuscitation were impeded by protesters.

City of London police were allowed to run the inquiry with some supervision from IPCC investigators. 

After watching the video of the attack, a senior City of London investigator told the family Tomlinson's assailant could be a member of the public "dressed in police uniform".

The IPCC is still conducting a second inquiry into whether the Met and City of London police misled the public over his death.

An early postmortem examination concluded that Tomlinson died of a heart attack.

Police released a statement that he "died of natural causes" on the way home from work, but failed to mention the numerous injuries the pathologist found on his body, including bruises, lacerations and large amounts of blood in his stomach.

A second examination concluded that Tomlinson did of internal bleeding in the stomach, discrediting the first, which was conducted by a forensic pathologist who has since been suspended from an accredited government register of experts pending two investigations into his conduct.


G20 'Armoured Car 11' Charged


A group of G20 activists stopped in an armoured car near the Royal Bank of Scotland during the height of the April 1 protest have been charged with impersonating police.

The six-wheel Alvis Saracen, a model once used by the British Army in Northern Ireland, was emblazoned with the word 'Riot' and police-style black and white chequered livery.

The vehicle allegedly contained protesters wearing blue clothes and helmets when stopped in Bishopsgate.

The eleven - seven men and four women - were bailed to appear at City of London Magistrates Court on September 3 and 4 each charged with two offences under section 90 of the Police Act 1996 - impersonating a police officer and wearing an article of police uniform.

 


Monday 3 August 2009

Romanians At It Again


A Romanian cashpoint thief has a date with the Old Bailey after police caught him red-handed fitting a ‘Lebanese Loop’ device to a hole-in-the-wall in the City.

Gheorge Laeselu,41, of 130a Barking Road, Forest Gate pleaded guilty to possessing an article in connection with fraud at Barclays Bank, Minories, Aldgate on June 3.

City of London Magistrates Court heard police were called after Laeselu and a fellow-Romanian accomplice were seen acting suspiciously near the cashpoint and he was arrested after a short chase.

When searched the ‘Lebanese Loop’ – a plastic sleeve fraudsters insert into the card slot – was found on Laeselu along with a tube of glue used to fix it to the machine.

When inserted the thin sleeve holds unwitting customers’ cards in the cashpoint as the fraudsters watch them repeatedly type in their PIN number.

Victims believe the machine has swallowed their card and leave, allowing the criminals to then fleece the account.

“This is a prevalent offence of potential high value,” bench Chairman Edward Lord told Laeselu, committing him in custody to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on August 28.

Sunday 2 August 2009

Bank Fraud Four In Court


Four men accused of plotting together to defraud banks have appeared at City of London Magistrates Court.

They are: Jatinder Barum,22, of 11 Birch Grove, Slough; Lukhlinder Badhwal,28, of 296a Harrow Road, Wembley; Dhaman Ahluwalia,24, of 61 Bathurst Walk, Iver, Buckinghamshire and Randeep Assi,25, of 7 Burgett Road, Slough.

They face charges brought by the Fraud Prosecution Service and were all bailed unconditionally to appear at Southwark Crown Court on September 29.

All four are charged with conspiring together to defraud U.K. clearing banks between April 29 and August 16, last year, within the Jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court.

Barum is also charged with possessing a PIN Entry Device for use in the course of or in connection with fraud between July 1 and July 30, last year.

Badhwal is also charged with possessing a Schematics Keystroke Logger on April 30, 2008 and Credit Card Data on October 22, 2008 for use in the course of or in connection with fraud.

Ahluwalia is also charged with possessing a PIN Entry Device for use in the course of or in connection with fraud on July 29; August 9 and August 15, last year.

Assi is also charged with possessing a PIN Entry Device on July 17, 2008 and a Toolkit and False Identification on July 29, last year for use in the course of or in connection with fraud.

Saturday 1 August 2009

Old Boy's Child Sex Shame


A child porn addict Рwho attended illustrious Shrewsbury School - was caught when an outraged internet caf̩ customer flagged down police after spotting him viewing hard-core images of teenage boys in public.

Journalist Hugh Sohn, 49, a member of the Old Salopian Football Club, was arrested on the spot and a police search of his nearby home at Flat 1, 104 Harmood Street, Camden, revealed a collection of child porn.

In Sohn’s day Shrewsbury School was a boy’s only private boarding school for thirteen to eighteen year-olds.

Founded in 1552 - motto 'If right within, trouble not' - the  £27,000 a-year school occupies a 100-acre site and attracts pupils from all over the country.

Well-known Old Boys include Charles Darwin, Monty Python's Michel Palin, late DJ John Peel and Astronomer Royal Martin Rees.

First-time offender Sohn pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing indecent photographs of children aged between eight and fifteen on or before August 21, last year and six counts of making indecent photographs on or about the same date.

Prosecutor Miss Laureen Fleischmann told Blackfriars Crown Court Sohn was arrested at a Camden internet café when another customer reported him to police.

Officers seized his computer, plus CD’s and a video and found a total of 37 images of boys aged between eight and fifteen engaged in sexual activity. “They all involved boys on boys.”

Sohn’s lawyer Mr Ian Dowty told the court: “This was someone who’s psychiatric health was deteriorating and he chose this method as a form of self-medication.

“The outrageousness of his actions in a public internet café suggests he wanted to be stopped.

“He expresses deep remorse and sorrow and is coming to appreciate what he has been doing and how wrong that is,” added the lawyer. “He is determined this will not happen again.”

Judge John Hillen, sentencing Sohn to three years probation and ordering him to sign the Sex Offender’s Register for five years told him: “You have an addiction to pornography of this kind.

“The images were offensive and it is upsetting to see children being encouraged to engage in behaviour of this kind. They were being encouraged to do it for your masturbatory pleasure.”

Sohn, a freelance sub-editor, who has been off work with depression was ordered to comply with a sex offender’s treatment order as a condition of probation and was slapped with a three-year pornography ban.


Friday 31 July 2009

Miss Arrested For Sex With Girl Pupil


A female teacher at a posh City of London girls school has been arrested and quizzed by police investigating a sex attack on and underage pupil.

Helen Goddard,26, taught at the Barbican's £13,000-a-year City of London School for Girls.

She was taken in to custody on suspicion of sexually activity with the child - aged under 16 - during an alleged "inappropriate" relationship.

Goddard (pictured right) has been suspended from teaching while police investigate.

A spokesman for the City of London Corporation, which owns the school, said: "A member of staff has been arrested following an investigation by police in to an allegation of an inappropriate relationship with one of our students."

Worried parents of the 700 pupils at the school were asked to read a letter posted on the school's intranet by headmistress Diana Vernon.

The letter read: "The school takes its responsibility for the safeguarding of our children extremely seriously.

"We were pro-active in reporting this allegation and have since been co-operating fully with the police and authorities.

"As always, the wellbeing of our students is our paramount concern."

Miss Vernon added that Goddard had been suspended as a "precautionary" measure.

The school, whose former pupils include pop star Dido and TV presenter Claudia Winkleman, is based within the Barbican complex in the City's Square Mile. Its pupils are aged between seven and 18

A City of London Police spokeswoman said: "A 26-year-old woman from South London was arrested on July 20 on suspicion of sexual activity with a child.

"She has since been bailed and inquiries continue."

Thursday 30 July 2009

Death-Wish Hoaxer's 'Suicide By Cop' Bid


A suicidal graduate made 33 hoax 999 calls to police, claiming he was knifing a victim, in the vain hope armed marksmen would rush to the scene and shoot him dead.

Business Administrator Peter Adeyemo,25, of Bedwell House, Stockwell Park Road, Stockwell, pleaded guilty to making communications likely to cause annoyance, inconvenience or distress between June 17 and July 15.

City of London Magistrates Court heard after a series of similar emergency calls claiming a knifeman was in the act of stabbing a victim and needed to be shot police caught Adeyemo in Finsbury Circus making another call.

He told officers: "I want to kill myself. Why don't they shoot me in the chest. I wish the police would shoot me in the head."

Adeyemo, who has obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety was bailed unconditionally to return for sentencing on August 14. 


Wednesday 29 July 2009

St. Paul's Boss Stamp Fraud Charge


The former manager of St. Paul’s Cathedral’s gift shop, accused of a  £58,000 collectable stamps fraud against her ex-employers, appeared at City of London Magistrates Court.

Alison Robinson,43, of 1a Wishings Road, Brixham, Devon is accused of ordering the valuable international stamps on the Cathedral’s account and putting them up for sale on eBay.

She is charged with dishonestly obtaining Worldwide postage stamps, worth £58,289.15, from St. Paul’s with the intention of permanently depriving the Friends of St. Paul’s by deception between January 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007.

She is also charged with fraud between January 15, 2007 and June 30, 2007 in that she dishonestly abused her position as an employee to make gain, namely £58,289.15, worth of Worldwide postage stamps.

Robinson was bailed unconditionally to return on September 17 when she is expected to be committed to Southwark Crown Court.

Tuesday 28 July 2009

Canary Wharf Financial Analyst's Boozy KO Punch


A Canary Wharf financial analyst decked a man who annoyed him during a boozy night out in the City, leaving the victim lying in a pool of blood with a broken nose and a chipped tooth.

Stuart David Brown, 29, of 35 Abigail Crescent, Walderslade, Chatham, Kent downed five pints before felling the man with a single punch.

He pleaded guilty at City of London Magistrates Court to assaulting Simon Murray, causing him actual bodily harm, in Ludgate Hill on April 9.

Prosecutor Miss Varinder Hayre told the court it was 11.30pm on a Thursday night when police saw Brown punch the victim to the pavement near St Paul’s Cathederal.

Mr Murray was rushed to hospital where he needed seven stitches plus repairs to his broken nose and chipped tooth. 

He also suffered lacerations, bruising to his eye and concussion.

Brown, who had been out drinking with his brother and a group of friends, fled, but was caught by police and told officers: “I did it. He was annoying me.”

The court was told father-of-two Brown was arguing loudly in the street with his brother, following an earlier incident in a pub, then got involved in a verbal confrontation with Mr Murray.

“For no good reason Mr Murray, who was with a group of other men, got involved with what they were arguing about,” explained Miss Sarah Kelly, defending. “My client told him ‘leave us alone it has nothing to do with you’.”

Brown, who sat teary-eyed in the dock, admits he was frustrated by the interference and punched the victim in the face. When caught by police told them: “I did it. I’m sorry.”

“To say the defendant is ashamed is an understatement,” added Miss Kelly.”This moment of madness could cost him and his family dearly indeed.”

Sole breadwinner Brown’s children are 4 years and 18 months and he pays the mortgage. “If sentenced to imprisonment the resulting loss of his job would cause the whole family unit to disintegrate,” said Miss Kelly.

JP’s bailed Brown until August 12 for sentencing and the preparation of probation reports.

Monday 27 July 2009

Child Psychologist Goes Psycho



A Lottery-funded psychologist – whose firm specializes in parent-child relationships – went berserk in front of her twin teenage daughters and bit a stallholder who tried to stop her raiding the till during a dispute over a pair of shoes.

Psychology and Sociology graduate Agnes Remice, 47, boss of 21 Century Parenting has ruined her reputation and career in child care, Inner London Crown Court heard.

“She behaved disgracefully in front of her two daughters,” said Judge Simon Gerald. “It strikes me the defendant needs some kind of anger management course.”

Mother-of-four Remice, of Brunswick Park, Camberwell, denied, but was convicted by a jury of causing actual bodily harm to Kevin Bishenden at Rye Lane Indoor Market, Peckham on June 24, last year.

Her website boasts: ‘Agnes’s project aims to support parents in building effective parenting skills.’

‘Agnes is keen to help young parents with the everyday aspects of raising their children as well as taking care of themselves. She hopes to empower parents and families with the necessary life skills, through a series of workshops.’

Her project is supported by charity UnLtd., of Whitecross Street, Shoreditch which is funded by the  £100m Millenium Awards Trust.

“You are a trained counselor with a degree in psychology and are trained in dealing with special needs children,” Judge Simon Gerald told Remice, (pictured above).“You are trained to deal with people in these situations.”

“It was a serious attack using weapons, namely your teeth. At any time you could have walked away or dealt with things calmly, but you chose not to do that.”

The court heard Remice and her twin 17 year-old daughters – later reprimanded by police for trashing the stall – began arguing over a pair of shoes they bought the day before with the defendant trying to get cash out of the till.

Another stallholder, Mr Bishenden, jumped in and was bitten on the left forearm by Remice. He told police : “She nearly bit through to the bone. I did not realize the pain until later.”

Sentencing Remice to three months imprisonment, suspended for twelve months, plus 175 hours community service work Judge Gerald told her : “I do not accept you have shown any degree of remource. You apologized to your daughters over your disgraceful behaviour, but there was no apology to the shopkeeper or victim.”

He also condemned her performance to the jury. “It was clear you just put on an act. You used your qualifications to add credibility to what you were trying to say.

“The victim intervened to try to stop you robbing the till when you bit him. You continued frantically trying to get into the till and stalked off with your daughters, trashing the shop in your wake,” added the Judge.

“Both your daughters were present and they behaved disgracefully. The public needs to be protected from behaviour like this.”

Her lawyer Paul Sharkey told the court : “It is unlikely she will be able to continue in this field. That moment of madness means all has come to nought.”

Remice was also placed under 12 months probation supervision and ordered to pay  £500 compensation to the victim plus  £500 costs.

Saturday 25 July 2009

Businessmen Accused Of Exporting Military Vehicles To Sudan


The Doncaster boss of a second-hand military vehicles company and an assistant, accused of shipping personnel carriers to blacklisted war-torn Sudan, were committed to Southwark Crown Court.

Andrew Jackson,46, owner of L Jackson & Co. of Rocket Site, Misson, Bawtry, and Steven Smithey,27, of Netherholme Epworth Road, Haxey, Doncaster appeared at City of London Magistrates Court.

The Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office have brought charges under the 2004 Trade in Controlled Goods order.

Both men are charged with being knowingly concerned on or about February 3, 2006 with exporting prohibited goods, namely fifteen Haggland BV306 Tract Personnel Carriers.

Jackson alone also faces two similar charges relating to seven Haggland Personnel Carriers on or about December 18, 2006 and eight carriers on or about January 30, 2007.

They were bailed unconditionally to appear on August 25.

L Jackson & Co., which occupies at sixty acre former military air defense missile site, prides itself on fifty years involved in the supply of used, refurbished and new ex-M.O.D and NATO vehicles, plant and machinery.

Friday 24 July 2009

Self-Promoting Socialite's £17,000 Benefits Scam

A notorious ex-magazine editor – the daughter of a millionaire property tycoon – whose recently published autobiography details her life as a doyenne of the media and art world created a web of deceit in a £17,000 benefit fraud.

Mother-of-two Farah Damji, 42, claimed her infamous criminal exploits were behind her in book ‘Try Me’ launched less than 24 hours before her appearance in the dock at Blackfriars Crown Court.

Damji, of Cardinal Mansions, Carlisle Place, Westminster, daughter of Asian property magnate Amir Damji, edited lifestyle magazine Another Generation, wrote for the Observer and New Statesman, was a Birmingham Post columnist and previously ran art galleries in Manhattan and East Hampton, New York.

“The prosecution’s case is this defendant orchestrated a planned fraud on landlords and then had the audacity to claim public benefits,” said Judge Aiden Marron QC. “She is a relatively sophisticated dishonest woman.”

The evening before, Damji partied the night away at the Guy Hilton Gallery, Shoreditch, venue of her book launch, before the celebration moved to the Golden Heart pub in trendy Spitalfields.

In a breathtaking display of self-promotion Damji even nominated herself for a New Statesman Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 Award - describing herself as an individual who has changed through her own diverse talents and created an enduring beauty “spreading light” as she goes.

The court heard she told landlords she was the £96,000 a year creative director of fashion company Moksa and owned a £3m Chelsea home with a non-existent husband who was a £100,000 per week property developer.

In fact the ‘husband’ was MySpace pal, American Francesco Miccolupo, who Damji had a fling with and used his bank account behind his back, claim the prosecution.

She pleaded guilty to dishonestly making false representations to landlords Alex and Alix Lentjes in relation to 73c Loftus Road, Shepherd’s Bush and to landlord Benjamin Hutton, owner of 2b Kilmaine Road, Hammersmith on or before October 3, last year.

She also admitted three counts of dishonestly making false representations to Hammersmith and Fulham Council in relation to both addresses, forging a Halifax Bank statement she gave letting agents ‘Lets’s Do Business’ and falsely representing Alex Lentjes was the holder of a specific account benefits were deposited in.

Damji will be sentenced following a Newton Hearing which will determine the extent of her dishonesty. Confiscation proceedings will follow.

She desperately tried to suppress reporting of the case, falsely claiming it would be contempt of court and when quizzed outside replied : “I don’t talk to scum.”

Prosecutor Miss Karen Robinson told the court £17,000 in housing and council tax benefit was paid to Damji, who left landlord Mr Lentjes £7,685 out of pocket and with a damaged flat following the defendant’s eviction on October 3, last year.

When Damji rented £350 per week 73c she claimed to be married Farah Miccolupo and was very edgy about providing reference details, explained Miss Robinson, even threatening a libel action against the letting agents she described as “liars”.

Eventually she was given the keys. “The landlord was left with the impression a couple were moving in and were in a position to pay for the flat.”

Rent was paid in a variety of ways and from a variety of sources, including Mr Miccolupo’s account, said Miss Robinson, adding an associate of Damji, Michael Hill, had his signature forged on one document he purported to witness.

Cheques bounced, one came from Moksa and another from an unknown source in relation to 73c which Damji even advertised for £400 per week on website Gumtree, behind her landlord’s back.

A similar fraud was hatched for the flat at 2b, but Damji was arrested by police on October 27, last year before the landlord suffered any loss.

Her lawyer, Nick Wrack, claimed his client was on income support at all times and entitled to housing benefit, but had to invent a new identity to hide her infamous criminal past.

She was hunting suitable accommodation to impress the Family Court she could house her 12 year-old son and daughter, aged 6. “The intention was to obtain tenancy, not expose landlords to loss,” added the lawyer.

Four years ago she absconded from Surrey’s Downsview Prison – where she was serving a 3 ½ year sentence for a  £50,000 credit card fraud – and became Britain’s first on-the-run blogger.

After failing to return to prison when released to attend an Open University tutorial for a sociology degree she kept the world up to date with her exploits on her MySpace page until arrested five days later.

The controversial socialite first came to public attention over her dalliance with travel writer William Dalrymple plus a fling with a Guardian executive and in a revealing Daily Mail interview detailed the ups and downs of the affair.

In October 2002 she stole her nanny Milla Salminen’s credit card and ran up a £3,903 bill with 61 purchases, including a stay at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Birmingham.

In October 2004, while on bail, she did the same with marketing assistant Darshika Mahavir who visited her house for a sales pitch, and her credit card was stolen by Damji to buy clothing worth £1,030 from Harvey Nichols.

The following month she stole a credit card from Rakhee Gokani, who was organising a magazine photo shoot for Another Generation’s front cover and her card was used 34 times for purchases amounting to £2,630.

She audaciously telephoned top-peoples jewellers Boodle and Dunthorne, posing as Daily Mail showbiz correspodent Kiki King’s assistant, and conned them out of two diamond and platinum rings worth £10,550.

Freelance journalist Ambarina Hasan’s credit card was stolen by Damji and used to open a savings account in the reporter’s name and obtain a £18,000 Sainsbury’s loan.

She also stole two credit cards and a driving licence from a friend, Nazia Soonsara, in a bid to steal her identity.

She pleaded guilty to twenty-five theft and deception charges plus two counts of perverting the course of justice when she told a witness not to appear in court, asked a prosecution barrister to drop the case and posed as then Home Secretary David Blunkett’s assistant in a bid to convince the Crown Prosecution Service pursuing the case was not in the public interest.

Her New York art career ended in disgrace with a six-month stint in tough Rikers Island prison for padding a certified cheque with extra zeroes and forging a court document ordering the seizure of her property.

She was accused in New York of an extensive and pathological crime spree, employing several aliases to rip-off artists, associates and was said to terrorize ex-boyfriends and continued her criminal behaviour in posh East Hampton following her release.