Tuesday 18 November 2014

Ex-English Defence League Chief Fined After Controversial Demo

Former English Defence League chief Stephen Lennon - aka Tommy Robinson - has been convicted of flouting strict police conditions when the right-wing group marched on the East London Mosque last year.

The Metropolitan Police's decision to impose conditions "for fear of serious public disorder" was upheld by a High Court judge and the 600-strong EDL group were stopped 600 metres from the mosque.

At Hammersmith Magistrates Court on yesterday Lennon, 31, of Luton, denied, but was convicted of failing to comply with a condition at Old Gate Street, Whitechapel on September 7, namely failing to limit public speaking to thirty minutes.

He was also convicted of inciting a public assembly participant, namely fellow EDL demonstrators, to speak in excess of thirty minutes and inciting others to remain and listen.

Lennon was fined £100 on each count and ordered to pay £80 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

The EDL had challenged the police decision to stop them short of the mosque before a High Court judge, but failed and ended up being held near Aldgate East station, where they were confronted by anti-fascist demonstrators.

They had marched across Tower Bridge, intending to gather in Tower Hamlets, which has a large muslim population chanting and singing: "I'm English 'til I die," and: "England."

Similar nationalist groups from Germany, Poland and Finland joined the march and police made ten arrests, including Lennon and two other suspects for possession of a bladed weapon and a firework.


EDL's motivation for the march, they claimed, was to demonstrate against Tower Hamlets being governed by Sharia Law.

Monday 17 November 2014

Self-Medicating Drug User Caught Snorting Powder In Van

A Cheltenham man was caught with a cocktail of drugs he claims he needs to alleviate the pain of a decade-old injury after a passer-by saw him snorting an illegal substance while parked in his van.

Angus Duncanson, 45, of Smenham Farm, Icomb, had cocaine, heroin, magic mushrooms and cannabis on him, which police estimated to originally have a street value of £1900.

Duncanson pleaded guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates Court to four counts of possessing the drugs in Linden Gardens, Bayswater, west London on August 17 and was bailed until November 26 for a probation report.

Prosecutor Miss Louise Burnell told the court today: “It was 4pm when police were called to Linden Gardens after reports from a member of the public of a man in a van sniffing something.

The police found the defendant in the van, along with several different drugs.”

Officers seized two packages of cocaine weighing 1.1gms; a 2.22gm package of heroin; 3.89gms of magic mushrooms and 380gms of both herbal and cannabis resin.

Combined the drugs had a street value, according to the police of one thousand nine hundred pounds, but a lot of it was covered in mould so was worthless,” added Miss Burnell.

Duncanson was arrested on suspicion he was a drug-dealer, but an analysis of his mobile phone failed to find any evidence of “criminal activity” and he was charged with simple possession.

When questioned by police the first-time offender admitted the drugs were for his own use, claiming he had a fall ten years ago and suffered chronic pain, which was alleviated by the use of cannabis and heroin.

He said he smoked heroin on a daily basis and spends one hundred and twenty pounds a week on drugs, using the money he received from a house sale.”

His lawyer Mr. Mark Haslam told the court: “There is a variety of drugs, but the amounts are small.”

He estimated the cocaine to be merely £37 worth, the heroin £100 and the mushrooms £38.

Sunday 16 November 2014

Uninsured Mercedes Driver Gets Six Months For Death Crash

Killed: Androula Michael
An uninsured death-crash driver, who killed a grandmother, has been jailed for six months and banned from the road for three years.
Riad Ladjassa, 41, of Brownlow Road, New Southgate was convicted of causing death by careless driving and causing death while uninsured.
Pensioner Androula Michael, 78, of Carnoustie Drive, Islington suffered fatal injuries when struck by Ladjassa's blue Mercedes C250 in Sussex Way, Holloway on May 1, last year.
A Blackfriars Crown Court jury, who cleared Ladjassa of causing death by dangerous driving, heard Mrs Michael was rushed to St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington at 5.00pm, but was pronounced dead two hours later.
The post mortem examination gave the cause of death as multiple injuries consistent with a road traffic collision.

Ladjassa will also have to pass an extended driving test before he can receive a full driver's licence.

Saturday 15 November 2014

Company Boss And Medicine Man Cleared Of £1.1M Nicked Pills Charges

'Not Guilty': Vincent Quigley
A company director and a pharmaceutical dealer, accused of handling £1.1 million worth of medicinal drugs stolen from a lorry nine years ago, have been dramatically cleared after the prosecution was dropped nearly three weeks before their Old Bailey trial.

Vincent Quigley, 67, of 27 Daleside, Thornhill, Dewsbury and Kenyan-born Mahmoud Azizi, 56, of Princess Court, Bryanston Place, Mayfair, who was extradited in custody from Canada, were due to stand trial on November 24.

Quigley pleaded not guilty to one count of handling and one count of receiving stolen goods on or before October 16, 2007, namely 1,620,000 Comtan tablets; 510,000 Lopressor tablets and 480,000 Femara tablets.

The tablets, which had been stolen in 2005, were traced to a warehouse in Yorkshire on October 16, 2007 by a private detective hired by the loser, Swiss-based Norvartis International.

Comtan is prescribed to patients with Parkinson's Disease; Lopressor is for the treatment of high blood pressure and Femara is for breast cancer patients.

Canadian citizen Azizi, who was extradited from Vancouver, pleaded not guilty to one count of receiving stolen goods on October 16, 2007, namely medicinal products belonging to Norvartis International.

After the prosecution announced on November 6 they would not be offering any evidence not guilty verdicts were entered on all counts.

Friday 14 November 2014

TV Money Man Jailed For Stealing £1/4M

An executive with the television company behind The X Factor and American Idol was jailed for three years and four months today for defrauding his former bosses of over £224,000 to pay off two holiday homes in Portugal.

Ian Ousey, 51, who lives in a £1.9m detached six-bedroom house at in Prince Consort Drive, Ascot, Berkshire was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of FreemantleMedia Group (FMG) - which also produces Take Me Out and Grand Designs.

Father-of-two Ousey, a qualified chartered accountant, who now faces being struck-off, left the company in March and paid back the money as part of a £1.4m legal settlement, which included his former employers expenses.

It is said large amounts were paid to a holiday home developer in Portugal and to cover credit cards, vehicles, mobile phones, courier payments and all-expenses luxury trips to Brazil and Australia.

Judge Peter Clarke QC told him: "I have to sentence a chartered accountant of no previous convictions, who has pleaded guilty to the misappropriation of over two hundred and twenty thousand pounds by way of wholly bogus invoices to the company of which he was the chief financial officer.

"He's done, quite probably, irreparable damage to his career and he's likely to lose his position as a Chartered Accountant.

"There is also the destruction of his family life and self-respect and the respect he's held in by his spouse and children."

Ousey's privately-educated children are aged twenty and eighteen years-old.

Ousey pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position between October 30, 2008 and November 30,2012 in that while occupying the position of CFO in which he was expected to safeguard or not act against the financial interests of FMG he abused that position to make a gain, namely £224,754.

Ousey used his pension to repay the company, plus a £140,000 bonus due to him and there is no equity in the Portuguese properties.

Ousey's world came to an end after abusing his expense account and suspicious transactions, which also involved the company credit card as well as bogus invoices, were discovered in April, 2012 by Freemantle's Group Financial Director (GFD) Mr. Mark Riddlestone.

The criminal investigation revolved around eleven invoices Ousey created and a company he formed, Broadcast Research Consultants, which FMG paid, believing it was money owed to the legitimate Broadcast Research Ltd.

Ousey's lawyer Mr. Samuel Parish told Blackfriars Crown Court: "This man has kicked himself well and truly in the teeth, he's ruined his reputation in the profession, ruined his family life and himself financially.

"One can't imagine how a man can fall from such as height to where he is now. His house will have to be sold and we don't know if his marriage will survive."

The false invoice offence began after a holiday Ousey enjoyed with his wife when they decided to buy two holiday homes and missed a repayment.

"He had to pay for the development in instalments. There was a hiccup and they could not pay and everything had to be paid up or it would have been forfeited," added Mr. Parish

Ousey joined music company Audio Network - which specialises in music for film, television and video - in April and he has previously worked for Price Waterhouse Coopers, the RTL group, Pearson Television and was based in Monaco with Grundy Worldwide.

He has since left Audio Network "by mutual consent."

Thursday 13 November 2014

Housekeeper's £13,000 Grab At Employers' Apartment

A housekeeper, who worked for a couple at their exclusive mansion block, pinched £13,000 in cash, jewellery and other valuables - forcing her victims to buy back their own property from a local pawnbroker.

Raquel Villanueva, 47, of Leslie Road, Leytonstone pleaded guilty to theft from her employer, Nicholas True, between April 1and October 16 at Bryanston Court, George Street, Bayswater.

Prosecutor Mr. Oliver Schneider-Sikorsky told Hammersmith Magistrates Court yesterday: "Mr. True's wife noticed a large amount of jewellery was missing from the bedroom and other items were missing and there were no signs of a break-in.

"Their Transport For London Oyster card was also being used by somebody and had been topped-up in Leytonstone, where the defendant lives."

The couple's Harrods card also had a mystery £9,500 spent on it, but Villanueva denied knowing anything about this.

However, she did admit taking cash and jewellery, including Mr. True's expensive lighter, which he did not even know was missing.

"She admitted taking cash and taking a holdall and using both their Oyster cards and said she was broke and stressed.

"She said she had sold the property at a pawn shop and had receipts at home.

In her purse Mr. True found £1,000 cash and a £500 Selfridges gift card, along with his business card and a Harrods rewards points card.

Villanueva was taken by mini-cab to her home, where she tried to hide one of the receipts, but handed over the lighter she had stolen.

At an Earl's Court pawn shop Mr. True had to pay £2,850 to recover his own items and then called the police, who arrested first-time offender Villanueva.

Her lawyer told the court: "She's pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and this is clearly a serious breach of trust. She's deeply remorseful and it is difficult to ascertain the reason she did what she did."


The magistrates bailed Villanueva to appear at Southwark Crown Court for sentencing, announcing: "This was a breach of a high degree of trust and the thefts took place over a sustained period."

Wednesday 12 November 2014

Handyman Caught On CCTV Snatching Cash In West End Mews House

Devonshire Mews West
A maintenance worker was caught on CCTV helping himself to the contents of a customer's purse when called out to repair the ceiling of a mews house.

Ashley Gallant, 32, of Eagle Way, Hampton Centre, Peterborough picked on a family who had previously suffered a theft at their central London home and had installed cameras.


He pleaded guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates Court to stealing £60 cash from Sohana Jisooh at an address in Devonshire Mews West, Marylebone on October 27.


He is a maintenance worker and was given keys to the property and had permission to be there to work on the bedroom ceiling,” explained prosecutor Mr. Oliver Schneider-Sikorsky. “There had been a previous theft of one thousand pounds so CCTV had been installed.


When it was observed Mr. Gallant was seen removing cash from the purse and the management company he works for and the police were called.


At Paddington Police Station he admitted everything and the money was recovered.”


Gallant's lawyer Mr. George Otchere told the court: “This is a very unfortunate case and he had been working for this company for fifteen years.


He regrets what happened, he just didn't think and in that moment took the money.


He has lost his job and feels sorry for what happened and has shown remorse.


He's unemployed now, he's not working and has a large family and wife a wife expecting.


It was not a sophisticated offence. It was in the heat of the moment and he did not think.”


Gallant was bailed until November 24 for pre-sentence reports.

Tuesday 11 November 2014

Online Paedophile's Child Abuse Plan Exposed By Undercover Police Sting

Isleworth Crown Court
A Barclay bank employee, caught in an online police sting, has been convicted of child sex offences involving two girls, aged ten and twelve years-old, he wanted to abuse.

Michael Ray King, 38, of Victoria Road, Poole, was working in a branch of the bank located in the town before going home to his flat and spending the evening drinking heavily and cruising the net to chat with fellow paedophiles.

He was remanded in custody at Isleworth Crown Court and will be sentenced on December 19 for arranging the commission of a child sex offence between November 10, 2013 and March 12, this year and attempting to engage in sexual activity in front of a child on March 5.

The jury heard King, a first-time offender, indulged in sick online conversations with an undercover officer, known as 'Jez', on internet forums entitled 'Incest' and 'Jailbait.'

The defendant discussed meeting 'Jez' and his two young daughters and having sex with them and encouraged 'Jez' to abuse the girls while chatting online.

King also sent 'Jez' pictures of “scantily-clad” young girls and gave his phone number to the officer.

The jury also found the defendant pleasured himself in front of his computer's webcam, believing 'Jez' was forcing the girl to watch.

King told the jury he was acting out fantasies for sexual kicks and never believed there were any young girls watching him via his webcam or in danger of being abused.

He claimed to be depressed and stressed and spent long evenings alone, often drinking five cans of lager a night and smoking cannabis.

Monday 10 November 2014

Illegal Ammo And CS Gas Found In Cop's Home During Police Raid

A policeman was caught with old ammunition and a CS gas cannister during a search of his home by officers investigating a thirty year-old rape allegation.

PC Russell Yardley, 61, of Manor Court, Weybridge, Surrey who serves in the Metroplitan Police Service, had three bullets, which were British military standard rounds until the mid 80's, and nine pistol-only bullets.

He pleaded guilty at Isleworth Crown Court today to two counts of possession of ammunition, without a firearms certificate, at his home address on August 14, last year.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid/gas/electricity, namely the CS gas cannister.

Yardley received a twelve-month community order and the items will be forfeited and destroyed.

Officers arrived at his home with a search warrant and found the bullets in a bag at the rear of his garage, which also contained some old corroded firearms.

There were three 7.63x51mm Nato Calibre bulleted cartridges and nine RG 9mm parabellum bulleted cartridges.

A defence application to find the search unlawful due to alleged breaches to comply with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, namely a failure to show and leave a copy of the warrant with Yardley, was rejected.

It is not believed there was any further action relation to the rape allegation, which the complainant claimed occurred at their home address three decades ago.

Sunday 9 November 2014

Ex-Barnardo's Principal Jailed For Child Cruelty

The former principal of a Barnardo's children's home, who made a young girl's life a misery, taunting her that her mother didn't want her, making her the subject of cruel insults and washing her mouth out with soap is starting a three and a half year prison sentence.

Peter Hickman, 78, of Quarry Road, Chadlington, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire told the suicidal girl she was: "ugly, disgusting, a thief, a liar," while running Llanfair, Park Road, Beckenham in the 1960's.

The girl's ordeal, which also included being stripped naked to be roughly scrubbed by the defendant and having her face pushed into urine lasted between the ages of six and eight years-old when her parents sent her to the charitable home because they could not cope.

She tried to take her life, aged ten, but eventually came forward at the age of fifty-three to give evidence to a Croydon Crown Court jury, which convicted Hickman of one count of child cruelty between February 27 1968 and July 1969.

"This is a complete and utter breach of the position you were in and how anyone can behave like that to a little girl is inconceivable," Judge Warwick McKinnon told Hickman, who still maintains his innocence.

"You have shown absolutely no remorse, you are still in denial and your conduct has ruined this woman's life. She's attempted suicide on more than one occasion."

Llanfair was opened as a girl's home in April 1946, then became mixed and closed in 1969 and demolished soon afterwards.

Llanfair: House of Horrors
The victim, who later returned to the care of her family, told the court: "He told me time and time again that my mum didn't want me," adding Hickman deliberately cut off all her hair on her final day to add to her humiliation.

She overdosed on her mother's arthritis tablets and made more suicide attempts later in life.

Jailing Hickman, who in 1975 received four years for twelve counts of indecently assaulting Barnardo's boys, judge McKinnon added: "You were cruel to a six year-old girl routinely, month after month.

"You began verbally abusing her on the very first day she set foot in the home and were angry and aggressive.

"You ordered her to strip in the washroom and roughly scrubbed her body and washed out her mouth with soap, telling her you were going to wash the filth and lies out of her.

"You told her she was ugly and left her naked in the washroom, you pushed her face in urine after she wet the bed and when you force fed her and she brought it up you made her stand in the corner with her hands above her head.

"You hit her with a belt on her naked thighs and told her that her mum was coming to visit on her seventh birthday when you knew she was not coming, that was particularly psychologically cruel.


"On the very last day at the home you cropped her hair short, cut all her hair off."

Saturday 8 November 2014

Violent Midnight Rapist Jailed

A rapist, who put his victim through a four-hour ordeal in her own home, putting her in fear of her life with threats of retribution, has been caged for eight-and-a-half years.
Mustafa Osman, 36, of Lebus Street, Tottenham arrived uninvited at the 23 year-old victim's home in east London at just before midnight on Monday November 11, last year. 


Osman slapped her face and pulled her hair before forcing her to remove her clothes.
She was then subjected to a variety of assaults spanning a four hour period. 


During her ordeal the victim was threatened by Osman, who said he would find her and 'ruin her life' if she told anyone. 


Wanting to get away from Osman, the victim explained she had to leave for work.
Osman, now asking her to forgive him, left at the same time. 


When she arrived at work the victim told colleagues of the incident and police were called. 


Osman was arrested by the Metropolitan Police's Child Abuse and Sexual Exploitation Command ten days later and was charged with two counts of rape and one count of digital penetration.


He was founguilty by a Snaresbrook Crown Court jury on all three counts by a unanimous verdict. 


Detective Constable Richard Wren said: "This young woman was subjected to a torturous ordeal that spanned four hours and put her in fear for her life. 


"She was then compelled to give evidence in court by Osman entering a not guilty plea.

“I hope that the sentence handed down provides her with a measure of comfort and goes someway to restoring her sense of personal safety." 

Friday 7 November 2014

Prolific Jewellery Thief's £1/4M Crime Blitz Ends With Incriminating 'Selfie'

A prolific jewellery thief, who snatched nearly a quarter of a million pounds worth of valuables from shops all over London was caught after leaving behind his mobile phone following one raid, which had a 'selfie' screensaver image of himself.

Mechanic Germain Ibrahim Fofana, 27, who blew the lot gambling in casinos, received five-and-a-half years imprisonment today for a total of forty-five offences.

Police identified the New York-native, whose father is American and his mother from the Ivory Coast, from the 'selfie' pic on the screensaver of the phone he left behind at the scene of an £18,000 jewellery theft from Ernest Jones in Kingston-upon-Thames on May 18.

Posing as a customer he entered the shop with female accomplice, who had a young child in a buggy, at 1.45pm, claiming to be looking for an engagement ring.

He returned alone thirty minutes later and asked to see the two original engagement rings he viewed and a wedding ring to compare styles, running out of the shop when the assistant handed them over.

When police announced the manhunt Detective Sergeant Damion Cumming said: "In his hurry to get out of the shop, the suspect left his mobile phone on the table alongside his bag.

"While police were on the scene the phone lit up, having received a text message, and a picture of the suspect was saved as the background.

"It was the shop assistant, who served him, who was able to identify the person in the picture."

Police used the information to tie Fofana, who lived in modest digs at the Marbella Hotel,

Queens Road, Peckham, to a string of similar offences committed all over the capital.

He pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court to nine counts of theft and one count of attempted theft, which included the Ernest Jones offence, plus theft of jewellery, worth £29,770, from Kabiri, 37 Marylebone High Street, Marylebone on June 23.

Theft of two gold chains and two gold bracelets, worth £3,675, from Albone Pawnbrokers, Walworth Road, Walworth on September 25, last year.

Theft of a necklace, worth £5,000, from Sinclair Jewellers, 6-7 The Pavement, Wimbledon, on February 25.

Theft of jewellery, worth £21,520, from Pandora, 1 New Change, Cheapside, on June 29.

Theft of a ring, worth £4,500, from Jonathan Greeves, Liverpool Street, on Jun 6.

Theft of jewellery, worth £7,600, from Links of London, Royal Exchange on June 20.

Attempting to steal one Omega watch, worth £12,950, from Suttons & Robertson, Fleet Street, on June 5.

Theft from Links of London, King's Road, Chelsea of jewellery, worth £30,000, on May 28 and theft of a gold bracelet and necklace, worth £1,770 from McCarthy's on april 7.

Fofana, asked for another twenty-six similar theft offences to be taken into consideration, plus five burglaries from London hostels and one burglary of a hotel.

He also pleaded guilty to burgling another hostel, Baden Powell House, Queensgate, South Kensington on January 7; February 20 and April 10; stealing luggage, cameras, an iPod, and an Apple Mac worth at least £1,580.

The total haul was worth £237,663, but when arrested Fofana only had £250 cash and a fake Omega watch on him and the court made no order regarding costs and compensation.

"You have showed yourself to be a prolific thief," Recorder Lionel Persey QC told him. 

"The modus operandi was that you went into a shop and asked to see items of jewellery and would snatch the jewellery and run off.

"Your conduct was aggressive and items were of high value and a significant degree of pre-planning went into these thefts and were distressing to staff members.

"I have seen a statement from Links where staff were traumatised and additional security training had to be put in place and it is a severely aggravating feature that seven of the thefts were committed while you were on bail."

Regarding the burglaries Recorder Persey added: "You were targeting those holidaying in London, young people staying at hostels, a particularly nasty crime distressing to the victims."

Fofana's lawyer Mr. Oliver Weetch told the court: "He's co-operated fully with the police in going through a large number of offences and providing information on them.

"The offending is a result of a heavy gambling addiction and a problem with alcohol. Like most gamblers he's lost all his money."


An Interpol check revealed confusion as to Fofana's conduct in France before coming to the UK, initially suggesting he had convictions for armed robbery, burglary and handling stolen goods then a second enquiry stating he was of good character.

Thursday 6 November 2014

Racist Engineer's Drunken Strip-Club Bust-Up

A highly-qualified engineer, who was refused entry to a strip club, punched one of the doormen and launched into a race-hate rant when police took him to hospital for treatment to injuries he sustained during the confrontation.

Senior Process Safety Engineer Anthony Swindells, 44, of South Court, Wexford Road, Prenton, Birkenhead, who designs safety platform in the oil and gas industry, was enjoying a day out in London's West End when he was arrested.

Swindells, currently working in Reading, Berkshire, pleaded guilty to assaulting Alexander Sinitskiy outside the Sophisticats strip club, Marylebone Lane, Mayfair on September 6 and racially-aggravated threatening behaviour at St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington.

He received a twelve-month community order, which includes an alcohol treatment requirement, and was ordered to pay £50 compensation to the victim and £85 costs.

Prosecutor Miss Kate Shilton told Hammersmith Magistrates Court: “The defendant got into an altercation with security staff when refused entry and he became angry and aggressive and threatened to kill the staff.

He was seen on CCTV swinging his arm three times and connected on the third occasion with Mr. Sinitskiy, who reported feeling numbness in his upper right teeth.”

Police were called and took Swindells to hospital at 1.30am, where he made a reference to islamic terror group ISIS.

He said: 'You should be chasing the muslims not me. They're trying to bomb us.'

In the CT room Swindells shouted: 'You f***ing paki c***,' and became aggressive and got in the police officer's face,” added Miss Shilton. “He was so aggressive the CT scan was cancelled.”

It was the latest in a series of alcohol-related incidents involving the defendant, who last year was arrested on three occasions for being drunk and disorderly and once for disorderly behaviour.

He's turned to drink as a result of things going wrong and he's ashamed and embarrassed,” said Mr. Norman Cho, defending. “You're very unlikely to see him in court ever again.”

Wednesday 5 November 2014

Stylist To The Stars' Double Drink-Drive Crash And Dash

A stylist to the stars, who twice crashed her car while nearly four times and then quadruple the drinks limit in the same week, was told she risks going to prison today after admitting the offences.

Chelsea School of Art graduate Clare Harries, 50, of Huddleston Road, Tufnell Park, has a celebrity clientele which includes stars Bruce Willis; Daniel Radcliffe; Jude Law; Angelina Jolie; Robert Downey Jnr and Emma Watson.

She pleaded guilty to driving her blue Mercedes in Oxford Street on October 15 with 133 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35 - and driving in Malvern Road, Wood Green on October 20 with 141 microgrammes.

Described as "one of the most respected and experienced stylists working in the industry today" Harries specialises in film and TV shoots; photo shoots and award ceremonies and is also a style consultant and interior designer.

Hammersmith Magistrates Court heard it was 9.15pm when Harries was involved in a collision in Orchard Street in the West End, with the other driver calling the police because he believed Harries was drunk.

She drove off, but was followed by officers who confirmed the smell of alcohol on her breath and she failed a roadside test and was arrested.

While on bail she was arrested again after colliding with another vehicle in Whiteman Road, Hornsey at 6.50pm and driving off.

When police caught up with her the car was stationary with the engine running and Harries gripping the steering wheel and staring blankly ahead.

She was bailed until December 3 for probation reports and the bench chairman announced: "This is a very serious matter. She's at risk of custody, it's a very high reading."




Tuesday 4 November 2014

Holidaymaker Had Electric Stun Gun In Luggage

Heathrow Airport
A High Wycombe man, caught with an illegal stun gun disguised as a torch after stepping off an international flight at Heathrow Airport, has admitted the offence.

Alan Aldous, 42, of Normans Court, Micklefield Road, will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on December 12.

He pleaded guilty yesterday to possessing a prohibited weapon, namely a stun gun, at the airport's Terminal Three on May 4.

The prosecution dropped a more serious charge of possessing a disguised weapon, which carries a minimum five-year prison sentence.

He had a stun gun that had the appearance of a torch that had 'Stun Gun' written on the side,” said prosecutor Mr. Julius Capon.

Judge Paul Dugdale refused a defence application to sentence immediately and ordered a probation report, announcing: “I think it's important the court knows a little bit more about you and why you had a stun gun in your possession.”

Aldous was granted unconditional bail.

Monday 3 November 2014

"Grave Robber" Scrap Metal Dealer Jailed For Memorial Plaques Outrage

A "grave robber" rogue scrap metal dealer, who bought hundreds of bronze memorial plaques stolen by heartless thieves from cemeteries in the dead of night, was jailed for fifteen months today.

Over 723 plaques were stolen overnight from Croydon, Beckenham, Tonbridge & Malling, West Norwood and Putney Vale cemeteries and evidence of all of them were discovered during a police operation, which targeted DSM scrap yard.


It's boss, Joseph Collier, 72, of Woodhall Drive, Dulwich cut the £75 plaques into tiny unidentifiable pieces and also bought an £1800 bronze sacred heart of Jesus statue stolen from a grave in Putney Vale.

Recorder Benedict Khelleher told him at Isleworth Crown Court: "Their value to those who they were a memorial to, loves ones, can't be valued in monetary terms and the theft of these plaques would have caused distress to many.

"Your motivation can only have been to maximise the profits of your business," he told Collier, who has two separate convictions for trading in scrap metal while unregistered and unlicensed.

His lawyer Mr. James Martin told the court: "He fully appreciates the seriousness of the offending and the suffering to the families of loved ones.

"He said when he read it in the newspaper he felt like a grave robber.

"He was running a legitimate business, but in a way that was asking no questions. He's taken people on face value and not asked the proper and appropriate questions."

Collier claims the scrap value of the plaques was only £4,000, but the police say the cost to replace them to bereaved families would be £17,000 to £30,000.

He fought the case and even tried to dodge responsibility when interviewed by the probation service after his conviction. "He was explaining just because they were plaques didn't mean they were stolen," explained Mr. Martin.

During the police raid, which was the culmination of 'Operation Ferris', officers also seized a £3,200 200 kilo Thai bronze dragon statue, "wrenched from its concrete setting", from a front garden in Teddington. 

Collier was also trapped in a police sting of trying to buy eight reels of copper, valued at £800, belonging to UK Power Networks ten months later while he was still on bail.

"He's lost his business now, that's a huge blow to him. He's a man who's literally worked every day of his life. There's no chance anyone is going to give him a scrap licence again and he doesn't know what to do with himself," added Mr. Martin.

Prosecutor Mr. James Lofthouse told the jury the plaques - of which 250 were later identified - were for the recently deceased. "They included memorial plaques from 2010, 2011 and 2012. These were not old, unwanted, unvisited memorials.

"Some had been recently visited and could not be said to be scrap metal and Mr. Collier would have known this as well.

"Various memorial plaques were pieced back together and shown to staff at the cemeteries and in all five instances they identified them."

The first cemetery targeted by thieves was Croydon in September, 2011. "Staff reported the theft of a large amount of memorial plaques from their garden.

"They are all four inches by three inches and are secured to the ground by a twelve-inch metal spike and sixty-six were stolen."

Over 200 were then stolen from Beckenham, 148 from Tonbridge & Malling, 300 from West Norwood and 9 from Putney Vale.

DSM, of Bensham Lane, Croydon was searched on March 14, 2012 and Collier arrested on the premises.

"Officers found a number of plaques and fragments of plaques and Mr. Collier ran the business, he decided what to pay and accepted metal on a no questions asked basis," added Mr. Lofthouse.

"In several bags in the yard were found these bronze memorial plaques, with the names of the deceased, details and personal messages on them.

"some had been cut into small pieces rendering them unrecognisable. You would not have known what they were."

A member of Collier's staff was operating a cutting machine in one of the buildings.

"There was a memorial plaque with the corner cut off on the machine and a basket beside it containing plaques already chopped up.

"The bronze sacred heart of Jesus statue was found nearby along with the ornamental dragon."

Beckenham Cemetery had coated their plaques in identifiable 'Smart Water' and traces of it were found on the cutting machine.

The jury were also shown undercover surveillance footage of Collier buying the stolen items and handing over cash.

He was found guilty of two counts of possessing criminal property on May 14, 2012, namely the memorial plaques and sacred heart statue and the ornamental dragon figure.


Collier was also convicted of disguising criminal property, namely a quantity of memorial plaques, on the same date and attempting to receive stolen goods, namely eight reels of copper on March 27, last year.

Sunday 2 November 2014

Police Art Squad Hunt Painting Pincher

An audacious sneak-thief made off with this painting from the Southbank Centre.
The oil on canvas painting by Kyffin Williams, entitled 'Landscape at Llanaelhaearn,' is dated 1947 and measures 51.1cm by 61cm. 


The painting had been on display in a secure room on level five of the Royal Festival Hall since it was received on loan from the Arts Council Collection in November 2013. 


The painting was reported stolen after a member of staff at the Southbank Centre found its frame, broken, concealed in a toilet cubicle.


It is believed that the painting was stolen at the end of September this year.


Investigating officer Detective Constable Ray Swan of the Metropolitan Police's Art and Antiques Unit said: “Whoever stole this painting is likely to try to sell it.
“I urge anyone who is offered the painting to report the matter to us immediately, or contact us if you know anything about the theft or the painting’s whereabouts.“



Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the painting should call the Art and Antiques Unit on 020 7230 2150. 

Saturday 1 November 2014

Gun Crooks Jailed After Police Seize Pistols

Two gun crooks have been caged after police found a pair of pistols, plus ammo, in a car's glove compartment.
Yaser Kelleher, 26, (pic.top) of Hatch Lane, Harmondsworth, Middlesex received eight years for possession of a firearm and assault. 


Mohamed Amine Darik, 22, (pic.bottom) of Beames Road, Harlesden received five years for possession of a firearm.
Isleworth Crown Court heard how on March 4 at approximately 11:30pm officers were called to an address in Hatch Lane, West Drayton, Middlesex to reports of an assault.
Kelleher initially gave a false name, however following police checks his true identity was established and he was arrested for the assault.
A search of his car was carried out where officers found two handguns and ammunition in the glove compartment. 


Both of the handguns (pictured) were manufactured as replicas but subsequently converted to fire live ammunition.
Forensic examination of the handguns revealed Darik’s DNA present.
On May 2 Darik was arrested at his home address. He denied the offence, but was later charged with possession of a firearm.


Detective Sergeant Beverley Kofi, from Hillingdon CID said: ““Darik truly believed he was innocent and did not have any involvement with the handguns.
“What he failed to understand is that the police will use every tool we have to catch those involved in gun crime.


"I hope that these sentences serve as another reminder to anybody involved in the possession, supply and use of firearms that officers will continue to pursue and place them before the courts.

These are serious offences and will result in lengthy custodial sentences."