'He'll Be Out In Four': Summer Looter Who Killed Pensioner

A looter, who killed a pensioner with a single punch as the victim tried to extinguish a fire during riots in West London last summer, has been jailed for eight years.

Darrell Desuze, 17, (pic.bottom) of Bath Road, Hounslow punched 68 year-old Richard Bowes (pic.top) in the face – causing him to fall and strike his head on the ground.

He pleaded guilty at Inner London Crown Court to manslaughter and violent disorder in Springbridge Road, Ealing on August 8, last year and burgling four nearby shops immediately afterwards.

His mother, Lavinia Desuze, 31, received 18 months for perverting the course of justice after she dumped her son’s clothes in a bid to destroy important forensic evidence.

Police did not comment whether the killing was racially-motivated.

Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Rowell, Borough Commander at Ealing, said: “Whilst today's sentencing has concluded the investigation into the killing of an innocent man last summer's violence in Ealing, we continue to investigate and pursue those involved in the disorder.

“We have already examined hundreds of hours of CCTV and continue to do so, this will inevitably lead to further arrests in the near future.

“Mr Bowes was an innocent man trying to do the decent and honest thing of protecting life and property; tragically he lost his life whilst doing so.”

In Ealing at around 10:00pm Desuze became involved in one of many stand-offs against the police, during which hostile mobs threw missiles at officers.

A number of fires were also being deliberately lit and shop windows and cars were being smashed.

At around 10:30pm along Springbridge Road, officers came under sustained attack from rocks, bricks and glass bottles.

On the same road, at 10:45pm, Mr Bowes attempted to extinguish a fire which was started in an industrial rubbish bin.

As he tried to stop the blaze, Desuze went up to Mr Bowes and punched him in the face.

He fell backwards and struck the pavement.

Desuze, who left Mr Bowes lying motionless on the ground, went on to loot shops close by, including William Hill, Tesco Express, Fat Boys Thai restaurant and Blockbusters.

Officers who went to his aid then became the subject of continual missile attacks from a hostile mob around them.

Mr Bowes was taken by ambulance to St Mary's Hospital in a critical condition with severe head injuries. He remained in intensive care for three days and sadly died on August 11.

A post mortem examination held on August 11 at Uxbridge mortuary and gave the cause of death as a head injury.

Prior to Mr Bowes' death, detectives had already begun the detailed and laborious task of going through hundreds of hours of CCTV footage in connection with his assault and the widespread rioting.

Media appeals to trace the suspect then followed.

Members of the public, some of whom had witnessed and recorded events first-hand, began to provide information and pass on recordings made on personal mobile devices on the night.

A number of these recordings have formed the basis of crucial evidence presented at court.

On the night Desuze had been wearing a distinctive black hooded sweatshirt which had a "Robbers and Villains" logo across the front, and a white t-shirt underneath.

These were items of clothing which Lavinia Desuze immediately recognised via the circulated images released by police, as belonging to her son.

She found the garments, tore them up, and dumped them in a number of public dustbins in Hounslow.

'Only Two Free Lunches' Said Corrupt Sainsbury's Buyer

A senior Sainsbury's buyer, who accepted bribes totalling £4.9m in cash and lavish hospitality, told bosses he had only received two modest lunches from potato supplier Greenvale AP - who he recommended for a £40m annual contract.

John Maylam, 44, who joined the retail giants as a teenager and earned £64,000 a year - a buyer's top pay grade - plus a £15,000 bonus, told Sainsbury's nothing about luxury stays at Claridge's hotel or twelve-day trips to the Monaco Grand Prix, financed by Greenvale.

"He would have had a significant influence and would have conducted a review of potential suppliers and come back to Sainsbury's with a recommendation," Maylam's immediate boss Conor McVeigh told Croydon Crown Court today where a Greenvale director denies corruption.

After the lucrative contract was agreed Maylam secretly rubber-stamped higher payments to Greenvale, without Sainsbury's knowledge. "There were no grounds under which prices should have varied," added Mr. McVeigh.

"The prices paid to Greenvale should have been comparable with other suppliers, but I found a number of instances where this was not the case. The prices paid to Greenvale were significantly higher."

Maylam, (pic.top) of Bearstead, Maidstone has pleaded guilty to corruption between January 1, 2006 and January 1, 2008 by accepting gifts from Greenvale AP and acquiring criminal property, namely £1,158m held in a Luxembourg bank account.

Greenvale's account manager, David Baxter, 50, (pic.mid.) of Hinstock, Market Drayton has pleaded guilty to corruptly giving Maylam gifts and consideration between the same dates and acquiring criminal property, namely goods, services and cash between June 1 and July 1, 2007.

Both men will be sentenced after the trial of Greenvale finance director Andrew Behagg, 60, (pic.bottom) of London Road, Cambridge, who denies corruption and told police he was the victim of "extortion" by Maylam.

Sainsbury's also felt they were not receiving value for money from Maylam himself while he was secretly paid millions by Greenvale.

"I began to have concerns in the second half of two thousand and six, initially around attendance in the workplace," said Mr. McVeigh. "I began to record the number of occasions John was not in attendance through sickness and absence and part-day occasions when he would arrive at the office, but was not at his desk for large parts of the day.

"It continued into two thousand and seven and there were concerns about his role of buyer. The concerns about his attendance continued and worsened."

Mr. McVeigh told the court Sainsbury's hospitality police was clear to Maylam. "Hospitality had to be modest, appropriate and more importantly recorded."

A Greenvale accountant also told the jury he found illicit payments to bogus companies under Maylam's control.

Cash was transferred to a Spanish-based company, but accountant Simon Forster said: "I did not believe we stored potatoes in Spain so why would we have an invoice for storing potatoes in Spain?

"The question I asked myself was: 'Does it exist?' and my deduction from what I was seeing was that it did not."

Suspicious payments were also made to a company called Greenwood Storage. "I came to the same conclusion that it probably did not exist."

Further scrutiny revealed another questionable account. "Initially I believed it was in relation to entertaining, but as I looked at it more I found it was in a separate file, not in the main filing system, and by the time the year end was approaching I had the view this activity was not normal and had to cease," added Mr. Forster.

"I took the view the best way forward was to inform the auditors what my fears were at the time."

Trial continues…………

£23K Rolex Robbery Suspects Caught On CCTV

A Kensington fashion designer had her £23,000 Rolex Daytona watch ripped from her wrist after being followed home from a night out in Soho.

The 26 year-old victim, who had spent the evening at the notorious Box fetish club in Brewer Street and Jet Black nightclub in West Central Street, was robbed by two muggers.

She was pounced on from behind as she walked with a friend towards her home in Clareville Grove at 6.00am on November 3, last year – moments after exiting a mini cab.

Police from the Notting Hill Robbery Squad have released these CCTV images of two men they are hunting.

Detective Constable John Cahill believes the victim was followed after leaving the second club.

“It is here we believe the suspects first saw the victim and her friend by a mini-cab office as they left to go home at about 05:45hrs.”

One of the suspects grabbed the victim from behind, covering her mouth whilst his accomplice pulled the watch from her wrist.

The suspects then ran off towards Gloucester Road. 



DC Cahill added: “We believe the victim was targeted for her watch after being seen leaving the Jet Black nightclub and the suspects followed her to where the taxi dropped her and her friend off.



“This was an extremely nasty robbery and fortunately the victim did not sustain any serious injuries.



“I am appealing for anyone who recognises the men in the CCTV images which were taken from outside the Jet Black nightclub to contact police as we strongly believe these are the two who committed this robbery.”

Suspect One is described as being of Mediterranean/Arabic appearance, aged 25 to 30 years, of slim build with black hair. He was wearing a dark jacket with hood. 



Suspect Two is described as being of Mediterranean/Arabic appearance, aged 25 to 30 years, of slim build with short black hair. He was wearing a blue jacket. 



Any information in relation to the identity of the suspects please contact DC John Cahill at Notting Hill Police Station on 020 8246 0231 or via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 if you wish to remain anonymous.

Sainsbury's £8.7M Potato Corruption Scandal

A greedy Sainsbury's executive received corrupt payments totalling £4.9m from a huge potato supplier who lavished him with "excessive gifts and hospitality" for granting them a lucrative multi-million pound contract.

Buyer John Maylam, 44, ran up a £200,000 bill at London's Claridge's Hotel; enjoyed a luxury £350,000 twelve-day holiday to the Monaco Grand Prix and received cash payments totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds stuffed inside brown envelopes.

Maylam, (pic.top) of Bearstead, Maidstone has pleaded guilty to corruption between January 1, 2006 and January 1, 2008 by accepting gifts from directors of potato giants Greenvale AP and acquiring criminal property, namely £1,158m held in a Luxembourg bank account.

Greenvale's account manager, David Baxter, 50, (pic.mid.) of Hinstock, Market Drayton has pleaded guilty to corruptly giving Maylam gifts and consideration between the same dates and acquiring criminal property, namely goods, services and cash between June 1 and July 1, 2007.

Both men will be sentenced after the trial of Greenvale finance director Andrew Behagg, 60, (pic.bottom) of London Road, Cambridge, who denies corruption and told police he was the victim of "extortion" by Maylam.

"What this case concerns is corruption on a massive scale through the payments of gifts and hospitality," prosecutor Mr. Paul Ozin told the Croydon Crown Court jury today. "As a result of the corruption Greenvale gained the benefit of keeping Sainsbury's' valuable business and overcharging Sainsbury's for potatoes."

The £40m contract was ratified by Maylam and Greenvale poured £8.7m of Sainsbury's money into an account nicknamed 'The Fund' - paying Maylam and his associates £4.9m and keeping the remainder for themselves, the jury were told.

"Mr. Maylam was corrupted with wholly excessive gifts and hospitality to show favour to Greenvale and work against the interests of his own employers," explained Mr. Ozin. "The hospitality ran into many hundreds of thousands of pounds.

"Firstly they reimbursed Mr. Maylam's own extravagant expenses after he entertained himself at luxury restaurants and hotels, paying his bills at luxury london hotel's, including Claridge's, which came to two hundred thousand pounds.

"Not only was he staying at the hotel, but he was using it as a bank and withdrawing thousands of pounds.

"There were further payments for luxury holidays abroad and very, very lavish corporate entertainment."

Greenvale were overcharging Sainsbury's to finance the bribes and the supermarket giant knew nothing of the arrangement, said Mr. Ozin. "What is in it for Sainsbury's to fund Mr. Maylam's stays at Claridges, dining on fine food and drinking champagne while at the same time taking out large sums of cash?"

Sainsbury's own code of conduct demands all hospitality gifts must be placed in a charity raffle and failure to do so may result in misconduct proceedings and dismissal.

"Further money was syphoned off by Mr. Maylam by using bogus businesses pretending to be something else and became another way of taking lot's of money," added the prosecutor.

"One and a half million pounds was paid to Mr. Maylam through third parties and a bank account in Luxembourg. The payments were made on the bogus basis they were for potato research or storage of potatoes in Spain.

"A peculiar feature of the corruption was that it was self-funding. Greenvale were not paying for it, Sainsbury's were paying for the corruption of their own buyer and this was achieved by overcharging Sainsbury's."

Baxter, who was based at offices in Stoke Heath will give evidence against Behagg, who worked from Chatteris. "Mr. Baxter paints a picture of corruption that goes to the very heart of Greenvale. To the senior management," said Mr. Ozin.

Baxter claims Maylam had an arrangement with the company's chief executive officer from June, 2005 to receive secret cash reimbursements for his expenses.

"Mr. Maylam sent his receipts in envelopes to Mr. Baxter's home address to avoid Greenvale scrutiny and he then took them to Mr. Behagg. Mr. Baxter would then deliver the cash in a brown envelope to Mr. Maylam.

"Mr Baxter says 'The Fund' was discussed in senior management meetings that were attended by Mr. Behagg, who explained to the others what went through the books.

"Mr. Maylam then made it clear he wanted more and was told the payment could be for a consultancy report, which was suggested by Mr. Behagg. This resulted in a payment of eighty-five thousand pounds."

Sainsbury's also ended up paying more for Greenvale's potatoes than agreed.

"What happened under Sainsbury's radar was that Mr. Maylam was agreeing to massive increases in the price of potatoes. The prices were much too high.

"One technique was to add on one pound to a crate and with the volume we are talking about it soon adds up," said Mr. Ozin. "They also supplied smaller packs for the same price and there were illogical prices for new packs."

Behagg was arrested and questioned by fraud detectives. "He said Mr. Baxter told him Mr. Maylam was offering better prices in return for Greenvale providing him with entertainment and hospitality.

"They believed that if they did not do what Mr. Maylam was asking they would lose Sainsbury's business. He described is as 'extortion' by Mr. Maylam.

"He said he assumed Mr. Maylam had the permission of Sainsbury's to use 'The Fund' for whatever he wanted.

"His explanation that Sainsbury's knew what was going on is incredible."

The trial is expected to last three weeks.

Boiling-Water Torture Burglar Convicted

A balaclava-clad armed burglar has been convicted of pouring a kettle of boiling water over a terrified householder in front of his wife and 11 year-old step-daughter.

Marcus Hayes, 24, and two accomplices ransacked the suburban semi-detached house (pictured) and also threatened to cut off the victim's ear and poked him with kitchen knives.

He was convicted at Croydon Crown Court of aggravated burglary, while armed with an imitation firearm, at the property in The Ridge, Coulsdson on August 10, 2010.

Hayes was also unanimously found guilty by the jury of falsely imprisoning the three occupants, robbing the couple, inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and possessing an imitation firearm with intent.

Prosecutor Claire Robinson told the court it was 4pm when the unsuspecting occupants opened the front door and were confronted by a man holding a gun wrapped in a plastic bag.

Three intruders, one wearing a balaclava and another with a scarf wrapped around his face, burst in.

"The crown say Hayes was the man with the balaclava and he was also wearing a hoodie.

"The man with the gun hit the male victim on the back of the head and they asked questions like: 'Where's the money, where's the jewellery?'

"In the garage they were all held down on the floor and a bracelet and necklace were taken from the woman and her husband was asked to empty his pockets," explained Miss robinson.

The family were frog-marched upstairs as the gang continued the hunt for jewellery and valuables.

"The man was put face-down on the bed and the gun was put to the back of his head.

"One of the intruders started to slowly cut the man's ear with a pair of scissors and he was punched in the face.

"One of the kitchen knives was used to poke him around the body.

"Boiling water from the kettle was poured over his back and the remainder over his thigh and stomach," added the prosecutor.

The couple were left tied-up in the living-room as the gang fled - taking with them a £10,000 diamond solitaire necklace.

The male victim was rushed to Croydon University Hospital , where he was treated for burns to 8% of his body surface.

Hayes dumped his balaclava and hoodie in nearby bushes and police matched his DNA to the clothing.

He was arrested on October 27 and tried to convinced police he previously left the items in a friend's van, but was later charged on December 23.

Judge Shani Barnes announced: "This is a case of an incredibly grave nature and I have to consider whether the defendant goes to prison indefinitely."

Hayes was remanded in custody until May 25 at Lewes Crown Court.

Cocaine Courier's 8 Ball & Chain

A Derby cocaine courier, convicted yesterday of smuggling over £300,000 worth of the drug from the Caribbean, has been jailed for eight years.

Simon Brown, 38, of Osmaston Park Road was unanimously found guilty by a Croydon Crown Court (pictured) jury of importing 1.86 kilos of 100% pure cocaine at Gatwick Airport on January 9, last year.

"Here you are, back before the crown court yet again, this time for the most serious offence of all," the Recorder of Croydon, Judge Warwick McKinnon told Brown.

"You have an unenviable record. You do not lead a law-abiding life, you are a lawless individual," added the judge, after hearing the defendant has multiple convictions, which include the supply of ecstasy and cocaine in Derby.

"You did not think twice about going out on this drug-running trip. You went there in order to bring drugs back and you brought back a significant quantity.

"I am satisfied by your text messages that you were dealing in drugs. It is obvious you were dealing in drugs, but to what extent is unclear.

"You were more than a mere courier. I saw and heard from you in the witness box, you are very much your own individual."

Brown had just stepped off a flight from Antigua, where he claimed to have merely enjoyed an innocent ten-day holiday, when stopped by the UK Border Agency.

They found four packages containing cocaine hidden inside the lining of his suit carrier.

Brown insisted he knew nothing about the drugs and had been given the bag by a friend of his cousin's, who he knew only as 'Don', shortly before flying home.

Incriminating text messages, suggesting cocaine-dealing, were found on Brown's phone, but the powerfully-built defendant tried to convince the jury he was referring to body-building drugs.

"You are not an unintelligent man and I place you in the category of playing a significant role in this importation," added Judge McKinnon.

"Whether or not you were going to sell all the cocaine or whether you are a retailer or wholesaler, whichever way you analyse it I do not regard you as a traditional courier."

Brown was also made subject to a Travel Restriction Order, which prohibits foreign travel for four years after his day of release.

Speeding Uninsured L-Driver Jailed For Killing Budding Dancer

A speeding hit-and-run unlicensed L-driver, who set fire to his car after killing a talented 14 year-old girl dancer, was jailed for six-and-a-half years yesterday.

Alessia Boschiazzo (pictured) has passed her audition to the BRIT school the day before she was run over and her heartbroken family received the acceptance letter after her life-support machine had been switched off.

Apprentice scaffolder Steven Saunders, 22, of Gardeners Close, Motingham admitted causing Alessia's death by dangerous driving in Moreland Road, Croydon on February 25, last year and causing death by driving while unlicensed and uninsured.

He also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice, namely setting fire to his Renault Clio in a cul-de-sac half a mile away, a blaze which caused £10,000 worth of damage to two other vehicles.

The Carshalton teenager - whose ambition was to become a professional dancer - was described by her devastated mother Cecilia Flores as: "A lovely, happy teenager full of goals and targets in her life."

Saunders, who has a previous conviction of failing to stop for police while driving a stolen car, was speeding at 50mph in a 30mph residential road and "darting and weaving in and out of traffic," Croydon Crown Court was told.

He was rushing to a restaurant date with his girlfriend and decided to drive the car, which he had only bought a few days earlier, and had already driven on at least two occasions.

Alessia was struck as she crossed the dimly lit road and Saunders immediately sped off.

"Miss Boschiazzo was left lying in the road. She sustained very serious injuries and was taken to St. George's Hospital for treatment," said prosecutor Mr. James Brown.

"She died a week later on the fourth of March. Her injuries were extensive and fatal."

Alessia's father Aldo Boschiazzo, who was described in court as a "broken man" was too emotional and angry to attend, but in a statement said: "I am living a life sentence now. Every day of my life is a nightmare."

The Recorder of Croydon Warwick McKinnon told Saunders: "This is a quite dreadful and tragic case. You mowed down that poor girl at the beginning of her life. She was only fourteen and had everything to live for.

"There you were, a provisional driver, who had bought this car a few days before this dreadful accident.

"You had driven it at least twice before while unlicensed and you drove at a grossly excessive speed inappropriate to the circumstances.

"You may have seen Alessia moments before the collision, but before that you were accelerating towards her and it sounds almost pathetic to say you were doing that because you were running late.

"What aggravates this is that having struck Alessia, you almost without thinking sped off straight away and went to the nearest out of the way cul de sac we you set fire to your vehicle with the intention of getting away with the dreadful crime you had committed."

BNP Throat-Slasher Xmas Killer Caged For 26-Year Minimum

A BNP supporter - whose terrifying collection of knives included a swastika-embossed dagger - was jailed for life yesterday for slashing a lost Indian man's throat on Christmas night.

Sheet metal worker David Folley, 35, was convicted of murdering 36 year-old Inderjit Singh - known as 'Raj' to friends - in the early hours of Christmas Day 2010 and will serve a minimum of 26 years.

The confused victim (pic.l.), described as a "quiet, calm, gentle, fun-loving man" was looking for a pal's address, but ended up outside Folley's front door at 28 Calshot Walk, Bedford and was stabbed to death on the landing.

Above his body was an ominous sign the defendant had placed above his front door, which read: 'Danger of Death. Keep Out.'

Police later found a BNP flyer displayed in the defendant's flat and seized a t-shirt, with the words: "Fuck off. We're full," depicting a boat called SS Asylum heading for the white cliff of Dover.

"Mr. Singh had lost his way that evening, having come from a late-night carol service at his local church and tragically he ended up on your landing, somewhat the worse for wear," the Recorder of Croydon Judge Warwick McKinnon told Folley.

"He settled himself down and was drinking from a bottle of whisky and you, yourself were clearly intoxicated and plainly annoyed by Mr. Singh's presence on your landing. You saw it as someone invading your territory.

"You worked yourself up into a rage, took a knife from your kitchen, and the drunk Mr. Singh, helpless and vulnerable stood no chance.

"You sliced his throat open as if you were killing an animal. It is plain to me you are a dangerous man. He posed absolutely no threat to you."

Folley (pic.r.) confirmed his BNP sympathies from the witness box, telling jurors: "I believe you should put British people first."

Officers seized three crossbows from his unkempt flat - one with a telescopic sight - a 17" 'Bad To The Bone" folding knife, the swastika-embossed dagger and a variety of other weapons, including baseball bats, swords and a rifle.

"The prosecution say this defendant took a knife from his flat and cut the throat of Inderjit Singh, leaving him to die on the staircase of the block of flats," prosecutor Mr. Stuart Alford told the court.

Folley had arrived home in the early hours, after an all-day drinking session during which he downed up to fourteen pints, and murdered Mr. Singh soon afterwards.

Tiny spots of airborne blood were found on the defendant's jeans, placing him at the scene at the time of the fatal stabbing.

Folley claimed Mr. Singh had already been attacked by the time he returned home, insisting: "I saw this bloke lying there and there was blood everywhere."

No murder weapon was ever identified, but a kitchen knife capable of inflicting the wound was discovered wrapped in a plastic bag bearing the defendant's fingerprint inside his secure dustbin.

Folley was also convicted of causing actual bodily harm to fellow Woodhill Prison inmate Norman Grant, whose chin he cut with a sharpened plastic knife and received nine months imprisonment to run concurrently with the life sentence.

Sikh Mr. Singh had come to the UK after an arranged marriage and his ex-wife and daughter were in court.

"There is some evidence this was a racially-motivated killing, but I cannot be satisfied to the necessary high standard," added Judge McKinnon.

Alleged Cocaine Courier Claims To Be "Shocked" By 300K Find

A Derby man, stopped by customs officers with over £300,000 worth of cocaine hidden in his luggage, told a jury today: "I was shocked when they said there were drugs in my suit carrier."

Simon Brown, 38, of Osmaston Park Road has pleaded not guilty at Croydon Crown Court to importing 1.86 kilos of 100% pure cocaine at Gatwick Airport on January 9, last year.

He had just stepped off a flight from Antigua, where he claims he enjoyed an innocent ten-day holiday over the new year.

"I did not know there was anything in my suitcase. That is one hundred per cent the truth," Brown told the court.

UK Border Agency officers found a total of 3.72 kilos of white powder hidden in the lining, of which 1.86 kilos was pure cocaine.

Brown told the jury he was given the suit carrier by a friend of his cousin's - who he knows only as 'Don' - at the end of the trip.

The three men had partied and smoked weed on the Caribbean island and spent nights at a club called 'Mystique.'

"There was a reason for me to borrow a bigger bag for clothing I was going to buy," insisted the defendant.

However, he did not implicate 'Don' as the man responsible for hiding the cocaine in the luggage.

"He did not put cocaine in the bag, he did not get me in trouble. I don't know when the cocaine was put in the bag.

"I know my family would not do this."

Brown conceded the half-empty bag was a little heavier than it should have been when he collected it at the airport's south terminal.

"As I picked it up I did think: 'What have I packed?' Because it felt different.

"They told me there was powder, which they believed to be cocaine, class a drugs, and I was thinking to myself: 'What is going on?

"The officer interviewing me had made up his mind that he was not going to believe anything I said and told me I was a liar."

Prosecutor Mr. Mark Stern told Brown: "Your whole explanation as to how you came to have this bag is nonsense."

Trial continues………..

Businesswoman's Illegal £7M Virgin Media Pirate Decoder Trade

A businesswoman, who cheated Virgin Media out of potential sales of £7m by selling pirate set-top satellite tv boxes from her suburban home, avoided prison with a suspended sentence today.

Ex-estate agent Julie Morris, 40, of Laburnum Gardens, Shirley Oaks Village, Shirley illegally sold nearly 1,000 decoders via her website 'tvfriendly.com' as well as pirated video games.

The mother-of-three was raided by trading standards officers accompanied by the police and an investigator from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) at her former home in nearby Morris Close on June 22, 2009.

"There is no such thing as free cable television and you knew that," Croydon Crown Court Judge Nicholas Ainley told the first-time offender. "This was a thoroughly professional theft of intellectual property."

Morris (pictured) pleaded guilty to fraudulent trading between January 31, 2008 and June 23, 2009 by selling set top boxes, decryption codes, software and instructions to avoid paying a subscription to Virgin Media and supplying counterfeit Nintendo DS games.

Prosecutor Miss Francesca Levett told the court an ELSPA investigator bought Morris's Nintendo games bundle for £44.99, which contained 500 pirated games with a retail value of £9,500.

This prompted an investigation into 'The Digital Cable Company Ltd.' and the raid, which recovered 40 set top boxes, a decryption key reference and a document called 'Enabling Key Emulator' which gave a 10-point guide on how to unscramble channels.

Also found were advertising flyers asking: "Do you want free cable TV?"

Morris also provided customers with new codes to dodge Virgin Media's latest security measures.

Records proved her company sold at least 924 illegal set top boxes, which provided the full service of channels.

If those customers had legitimately paid Virgin Media for the same service it would have cost them a total of £7m.

"That is the notional loss to Virgin Media. We do not have accurate figures," said Miss Levett.

Similarly if all the illegal nintendo games were bought legitimately they would have cost nearly £200,000.

The prosecution estimate Morris earned up to £45,000 from the scam, but she says all profits were ploughed into funding the website and she made nothing.

Her lawyer Mr. Craig Rush told the court: "She was bored and for her own self-worth needed her own source of money."

Morris was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years, ordered to perform 250 hours community service and pay £5,000 costs.