Monday 21 November 2016

Ex-Scout Master Guilty Of Molesting Four Boys In 1970's

An ex-scout master has been convicted of molesting four young boys during camping trips, swimming lessons and visits to his garden workshop four decades ago.

Terry Figg, 67, of Cook Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire preyed on the boys, including two brothers, all aged between ten and fourteen years-old throughout the 1970’s, the court heard.

They were all members of Crofton Oak scout group, based in Orpington, south-east London and it was a BBC documentary concerning abuse within the youth organisation that prompted the complaints against Figg.

He was convicted at Croydon Crown Court
of eleven counts of indecent assault and will be sentenced on December 9.

Figg fought the allegations and forced the victims to give evidence against him during the two week trial. 

Now middle-aged men they recounted abuse at the hands of Figg between April 29, 1970 and December 2, 1980.

Prosecutor Mr. William Eagleton said: “They all took place in either the workshop behind Mr. Figg’s house, where he’d rigged-up a bed and a television, or on camping trips or when swimming in Swanley.”

The first complainant enjoyed working on cars and motorbikes and says he was first groped between the legs in Figg’s workshop.

“Mr. Figg came up behind him and fondled him over his clothing and showed him pornographic pictures.”

The boy was similarly fondled between the legs on  camping trip. “He remembers Mr. Figg reaching down into his sleeping bag and feeling him.”

The jury were told the abuse escalated back at the workshop with Figg encouraging the boy to lie on top of him on the bed as he performed a sex act on the youngster.

“In the swimming pool he remembers Mr. Figg taking hold of him and fondling him over his swimming trunks.”

The complainant reported Figg to The Scout Association in 2009, but it was only after two others reported the defendant following the 2014 documentary that he was contacted by police.

The second complainant said Figg first molested him during swimming lessons and the defendant was convicted of cupping his genitals.

“He remembers being shown pornographic pictures and remembers Mr. Figg exposing himself to him.”

The prosecutor said Figg also repeatedly performed a sex act on the boy in the workshop. “That went on for a year or more.”

The third complainant was an off-road vehicle enthusiast. “They would go to trialling events all over the country,” explained Mr. Eagleton.

“Once when camping he woke during the night and Mr. Figg had reached down his sleeping bag and was touching him.”

The jury were told the boy was similarly abused like the others in the workshop as was the fourth complainant.

Figg is also groped him between the legs during a swimming trip.

Sunday 20 November 2016

Arabic Interpreter For BBC World Service Denies Groping Secretary In 1980's

Camera Shy: Walid Moussa
An Arabic interpreter for the BBC’s World Service subjected an 18 year-old secretary to a daily ordeal of sexual abuse during the eighties, a jury were told last week.

Walid Moussa, 76, was employed within the corporation’s International Broadcasting and Audience Research Department at Queens House, Kingsway, Holborn.

“It didn’t happen once, but daily for almost a year,” prosecutor Mr. Subhankar Banerjee told Harrow Crown Court. “The assaults took place while she was working at the BBC.”

It was the teen’s first job and she told the jury: “He seemed a nice friendly man, which made me think he was a nice person.

“After a couple of months he asked me questions about my sex life and showed me pictures of women, some topless or in bikinis and asked me if I would pose in the same manner.

“I was taken aback. I didn’t have a sex life, I didn’t believe in sex before marriage.

“It had been quite a nice job to begin with and I wasn’t enjoying going to work anymore.

“It got worse. He came around his desk and before I knew anything he was in front of me putting his hand down my top.

“I felt incredibly scared, I couldn’t move, I was incredibly shocked. I can only describe it as groping and I felt like it was forever.

“He told me I was a mere secretary and he was an Arabic translator and it would be much easier to replace me than him.

“I knew there were tears rolling down my face and I composed myself before seeing the other staff. Obviously I didn’t want to create a big fuss.

“I believed I’d be labelled a troublemaker and wouldn’t be able to get a job.”

On one occasion the abuse escalated, she claimed. “He put his hand up my skirt and it happened one time because after that I always wore trousers.”

It was only after publicity surrounding the Jimmy Savile scandal that the woman reported father-of-two Moussa to police and she was interviewed by Operation Yewtree officers.

Describing the first incident Mr. Banerjee said: “The defendant suddenly got up and came around the desk and put his hand inside her blouse and bra and fondled her breast.

“She remembers freezing in shock,” he added, explaining: “This groping continued until she left the BBC in July, 1984.

“She did not report what happened because she was frightened of losing her job.”

It was only on her last day of work she reported Moussa to two supervisors, but the defendant’s career went from strength to strength.

“This defendant went onto work for the government and was vetted to the highest possible standard and there was no suggestion of sexual impropriety during that vetting procedure.”

Moussa, of Fursby Avenue, West Finchley has pleaded not guilty to four counts of indecently assaulting the woman between July 17, 1983 and July 7, 1984.

He suggests the woman is motivated by the possibility of financial compensation.

Saturday 19 November 2016

NOT GUILTY: Guernsey Businessman Innocent Of Bum Grope Claim

The businessman founder of Guernsey FC has been acquitted of groping a waitress’ bottom while enjoying the hospitality of Wembley Stadium’s Bobby Moore Room during an England international. 

Stephen Dewsnip, 49, of L’hirondelle, Ruette Des Marottes, Castel, Guernsey was found not guilty of one count of sexual assault on September 8, last year.

“I never held my hand over a girl’s bottom and did not touch anyone inappropriately or accidentally. What’s being suggested is totally beyond belief,” he told the Harrow Crown Court jury.

They unanimously cleared him today after approximately thirty minutes and Dewsnip closed his eyes and looked upwards in relief.

The young student claimed Dewsnip pulled her towards him and fondled her bottom after the England v Switzerland Euro qualifier.

The father-of-two was arrested at the stadium before the England v France friendly on November 17 shortly after arriving with his girlfriend.

“I was taken into a side room and met three police officers and we were totally shocked. We couldn’t believe what was happening.”

He spent nearly three hours in a cell before answering all questions to police, denying the complaint.

“I thought it would go away and I am astounded that it’s on trial here.”

He said the allegation emerged after he made numerous complaints about the standard of hospitality to one of the suite’s supervisor’s, Thomas Duffy, who supported the waitresses account.

Dewsnip’s lawyer Mr. John Cooper QC told the jury: “He’s got it in for Mr. Dewsnip. He doesn’t like him, he’s got it in for him.

“They’ve put their heads together on this. 

“They’ve decided, because of long-running problems between the defendant and Mr. Duffy, to take this chance to get rid of him, to give him a bloody nose.”

Such behaviour by Dewsnip, a man of good character, would be to: “Commit personal, professional and repetitional suicide,” added the QC.

The defendant’s business guest that night was Geneva-based trust fund expert Christopher Coleridge-Cole, who described Dewsnip as: “An extremely nice, pleasant man. Professional and efficient.

“I’ve never heard him swear, I’ve never seen him drunk.”

He estimated the pair consumed two bottles of wine between them during the course of the evening and recalled an issue between his friend and manager Thomas Duffy.

“There was clearly some kind of altercation between Steve and this chap. He made a comment that he was fed up with the bloke. It must have been the service, I don’t know.”

When asked if he saw the defendant touching anyone that night he replied: “None at all, no one.

“I was utterly dumbfounded when Steve told me about this, so surprised. It is not his nature to be coarse, rude, vulgar.

“This suggestion of what he’s supposed to have done with the waitress is beyond my imagination.

“He doesn’t get drunk, he coaches young footballers. The whole thing is so, so entirely out of character in so many ways.

“When I left him he was as sober as a judge.” 

Friday 18 November 2016

Employee Jailed For Stealing From Jewish Care Home

Sunridge Court
A woman employed at a care home, which specialises in accommodating Jewish residents, is starting a sixteen month prison sentence for stealing from her bosses.

Pamela Darroux, 58, of Shernhall Street, Walthamstow fought the charges for over two years.

She originally appeared in court charged with eight counts of stealing money from the 43-bed Sunridge Court, located in The Ridgeway, Golders Green, north London.

Darroux was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court.

The charges covered the period from January 1, 2011 and February 28, 2014.

The care home, established in 1967, has close ties with local synagogues and Jewish organisations. 

Thursday 17 November 2016

Guernsey FC Businessman Denies Groping Waitress's Bum At Wembley Stadium Suite

A businessman fondled a young waitresses bottom during “alcohol-fuelled” hospitality at Wembley Stadium’s Bobby Moore Room following an England international, a court heard yesterday.

Founder and ex-Chairman of Guernsey FC Stephen Dewsnip, 49, - an £8,000 a year member of the exclusive suite - pulled the woman towards him and groped her as she collected glasses, the jury were told.

The full-time student from Greenwich told Harrow Crown Court: “He reached an arm out behind me and pulled me towards him and he did fondle my bum.

“He pulled me right up next to him and continued the conversation and did not acknowledge what was happening.

“I felt unable to protest. I was working and we have to be polite and I tried not to make contact with him. It’s very hard to know how to react.

“I felt like I was there quite a long time, but in reality, minutes I’d say. I was shaken and some co-workers tried to reassure me.”

When Dewsnip’s defence team suggested she could have resisted the young woman replied: “I wouldn’t dare.”

The court heard it was the night of the England v Switzerland Euro qualifier and Dewsnip, who works in financial services, had a designated member’s.

Prosecutor Miss Chetna Patel said: “It’s an exclusive restaurant and Mr. Dewsnip had his own table.

“The complainant was working as a waitress and towards the end of the evening, after the match, she was busy collecting glasses from tables.

“This defendant was sitting on his own, in conversation with the floor manager Thomas Duffy.

“He also engaged her in conversation and without invitation, suddenly and deliberately he reached around her body and pulled her closer to him and then began to fondle her bottom.

“That fondling of her bottom was witnessed by Mr. Duffy and the complainant made her excuses and left.

“The prosecution say the defendant’s actions were fuelled by alcohol, were deliberate and not accidental.”

Dewsnip was arrested when he returned to the suite for the England v France friendly international on November 17 and was questioned.

“He denied the allegation and and said he had not done it and had no recollection of touching someone’s bottom accidentally.”

The woman and Mr. Duffy  picked-out Dewsnip at an identity parade at Wembley Police Station last January.

The young woman also told the jury: “The man greeted me in conversation and said he noticed me smiling earlier in the evening.”

The defence have questioned why Mr. Duffy did not intervene. “He was in a similar position to me,” she said. “Not knowing how to react.”

She said Dewsnip groped her with one hand as he hugged her with the other.

Dewsnip, of L’hirondelle, Ruette Des Marottes, Castel, Guernsey has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault on September 8, last year.

Trial continues……….. 

Wednesday 16 November 2016

Charismatic Charity Boss Jailed For Defrauding £33K From Women's Centre

Canary Yellow: Court Date
The boss of a National Lottery-funded women’s charity, who used the power of her personality to defraud the organisation of £33,771, was jailed for two years yesterday. 

Ruth Hiscock, 37, was the co-ordinator of Harrow Women’s Centre, which in February 2014 secured five years of lottery money after the local council removed their £68,000 grant.

Harrow Crown Court heard she fooled the board of trustees, staff and volunteers and stayed above suspicion as she turned colleagues against each other.

Hiscock, of The Gables, North Orbital Road, Watford pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by abuse of position between December 31, 2012 and April 24, last year.

Prosecutor Miss Maureen Flaherty told the court: “The defendant’s running of the charity was deemed to be successful and utilising her strength of character and the manipulation of those she worked with she managed to keep her position of authority.

“An aggravating factor is that some of her fellow-workers were essentially short-changed. They were not paid and lost out.

“Especially concerning is that fact that Mrs Hiscock, in her role, managed to set all parties against each other while paying herself an extra salary.”

The centre, based in Andrew Close, Bessborough Road, Harrow describes itself as providing, for over twenty years, a safe place for women in need, hardship and distress.

Caged Bird: Police Custody
It provides support and counselling, including mental health assistance, training and legal advice and has thirty-two qualified counsellors, plus volunteers.

Hiscock was originally employed as a part-time book keeper, but was so impressive she was promoted to overall managerial control of the charity.

However, she plunged the centre into £26,000 in rent arrears, jeopardising the existence of the charity, which annually assists 850 local women.

When staff complained to Hiscock about lack of pay, she lied to their faces, claiming the board of trustees were unhappy with the quality of their work.

“She deflected any wrongdoing away from herself.”

Her laptop revealed she had created false invoices to assist the fraud. “Quite clearly this defendant had been paying herself far more than she was entitled to,” added Miss Flaherty. 

“She tried to cover her trail and had such control and came across as such a jovial, decent person.

“It would have been clear to her what could happen as a result of the misappropriation of funds and the charity was in jeopardy of folding.

“Fortunately a further National Lottery grant was a saving grace, but they have depleted funds that were saved for a rainy day.

“The trustees have been left feeling foolish that they could not protect the charity.”

The organisation realised there was a financial crisis last year. 

“There were initial denials by Mrs Hiscock, but in May, last year she eventually said: ‘I hold my hands up. I took the money.’

“She said she had a breakdown and turned to alcohol and could not account for how the money was spent, there was no one main item purchased.”

Hiscock is also the former director of Harrow Community Action Ltd.

Tuesday 15 November 2016

No Lady: Aristo's Ex Jailed For Attacking Pensioner And Daughter

Locked-Up: Badley
The former fiancé of Prince Charles' aristocratic godson, the Hon Nicholas Knatchbull, has been jailed for attacking a pensioner and her daughter in the street.

Homeless mum-of-three Zeaphena Badley, 34, was once destined to become Lady Brabourne, but has been staging a one-woman “dirty protest” at HMP Bronzefield.

She refused to leave her jail cell for her trial at Hammersmith Magistrates Court yesterday, where she was convicted of assaulting Lai Wah Kan, 68, and 43 year-old Wai Yue Sincer.

Drug-addict Badley, who split with Eton-educated Knatchbull - heir to a £100m fortune - in 2011 was sentenced to twelve weeks imprisonment.

She was evicted form her £600,000 Bayswater apartment four years ago and has been virtually homeless since, clocking up a total of 19 criminal convictions.

Was Yue told the court she had just left Marks and Spencer at 11.30am on September 29 with her parents and was walking towards Edgware Road Underground Station when they were attacked in Chapel Street.

“The next minute my mother was on the ground. She fell quite hard, I thought she had tripped.

“I heard a woman screaming at her, saying my mother had called her Satan. 

“I confronted her and told her my mother can’t speak English and she was shouting back: ‘Don’t provoke me.’

Lai Wah Kan & Wai Yue Sincer
“She hit me in the face, I didn’t see it coming until the impact. Maybe it was a slap and it was throbbing for the rest of the day.

“I was shocked, distressed. You don’t think that kind of thing is going to happen to you.”

Her mother Lai Wah said: “Someone pushed me from behind very, very heavily and I fell down.

“Lots of people came round to help me up and the woman, who had been sitting outside Marks and Spencer’s, was shouting and screaming at me.

“My daughter was speaking to her and she pushed my daughter away and slapped her in the face.

“My arm was painful and my left leg was all bruised and red. I was very unhappy and upset, it hurt a lot and I had difficulty sleeping.”

A plain-clothes police officer arrested and handcuffed dreadlocked Badley, who was wearing jogging bottom and a black top.

“She seemed to be suffering mental health issues,” said PC Paul Penrose. “She was incoherent and talking about demons coming to cleanse the world.”

Prosecutor Mr. Sena Frimpong told the court: “Badley was shouting and screaming aggressively at them and punched Miss Sincer in the face.

“She told the police she had been called Satan by the complainants and talked about demons coming to Earth.”

Deputy District Judge Shlomo Kreiman announced: “The defendant has deliberately absented herself and made it abundantly clear she does not wish to participate in a trial in this court.

“This was an unprovoked attack on two females and one of them is sixty-eight years-old and was attacked from behind.

“Neither victim provoked the defendant into behaving the way she did.”

Badley received twenty weeks imprisonment last January for a separate assault and will be released immediately from this sentence because she has been locked-up on the charge since her arrest.

She will not have to pay costs or compensation to the victims.

She was engaged for eighteen months to Knatchbull, who has the courtesy title Lord Romsey, and is the son of Lord Brabourne, a childhood friend of Prince Charles.

He was raised in the sixty-room Broadlands stately home, Hampshire, but struggled with drug addiction, including heroin and crack cocaine use, since his schooldays and began a relationship with Badley when they started sharing a room in a west London house.

Monday 14 November 2016

Seven Years For African Benefits Fraudster Who Swindled £191K

Seven Up: Angel Jackson
A “vain and self-important” benefit fraudster, who faked disability and created multiple identities during a £191,414 swindle, received seven years on Friday. 

Ghana-born Angel Jackson, 52, of Greenwood Road, Mitcham claimed she was confined to a wheelchair, but was caught on CCTV using the treadmill at her luxury block’s private gym.

Judge Adam Hiddleston told her: “You maintained you could not walk off the prison bus everyday. This was manifestly dishonest and there is no medical evidence to say you cannot walk.

“True to your character you aimed to deceive,” he told the mum-of-one, who used benefits to purchase a lucrative property portfolio, VW 4x4 and enjoy foreign holidays.  

“There was nothing to prevent your participation in the trial, you had nothing more serious than indigestion, yet strung things out as long as you could to engineer sone sort of mistrial.

“You have shown a quite remarkable and staggering contempt for the court, the jury and this case.

“You are a thoroughly dishonest person. Dishonest through and through, to your very core.”

A Croydon Crown Court jury convicted her of thirty-two offences, covering thirteen years from 2002, made up of fraud, using false identities and one count of illegally evicting a tenant.

She claimed a variety of benefits from Croydon and Merton Council’s and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) while also collecting rents as a landlady on property she owned.

“You have practiced deception on a truly epic scale, targeting everyone that crossed your path, councils, insurance companies with a fictitious car accident claim and your ex-husband, who lost his assets, his dignity.  

Jackson: Fraudster Wheeled Into Court
“You put great energy into the tasks to give an air of legitimacy and you have been relentless, even when obstacles were placed in your way.

“You are a professional fraudster, that’s your life’s work. You created several personalities, changed your name, had various passports, applications for benefits, numerous bank accounts and mortgages and re-mortgages.

“You masqueraded as both a landlord and tenant and used your computer to skilfully forge letterheads.

“Millions of taxpayers pay their taxes without complaint. You have not paid a penny.

“You have taken and taken and taken and never given anything back.

“Who knows how many school places and hospital beds could have been provided by the local authorities you cheated.

“You have shown no shame, no significant remorse.

“Your bank accounts were awash with cash as a result of your dishonest activities.

“You can be a thoroughly nasty and vindictive person.

“Maybe as a result of the creation of so many identities you have become a vain and self-important person and plainly do not like anyone crossing your path.”

Prosecutor Francesca Levett told the court: “She accrued significant assets at the expense of the state, had foreign holidays, plenty of money in the bank and is extending her home.”

Her concierge-assisted luxury flat had a gym in the building, which Jackson used, despite claiming she was disabled.

“That was a facility the defendant herself used. While coming to court wheelchair-bound she was seen on CCTV using the gym and was on the treadmill for forty-five minutes.”

Jackson went AWOL for two weeks halfway through the trial and was arrested at her GP surgery, spending the rest of the proceedings in prison.

The prosecution say she claimed housing benefit on the properties, while ordering her private tenants not make any claims themselves or liaise with the local authorities.

“Her ability to recover both rent and housing benefit allowed her to gain assets at the expense of the ratepayers and legitimate benefit claimants.”

She would deposit bundles of cash - up to £50,000 - in her various bank accounts and £22,000 was found her in wardrobe.

Aliases include Angel Duffy and Diva Paris Anderson

Miss Levett added: “Miss Jackson uses, or has used a number of different names and dates of birth for reasons that cannot be legitimate.”

She married Irishman Thomas Francis Duffy, 61, but he became another victim, with heavies accompanying Jackson to his front door to collect maintenance payments.

“When using the name Angel Duffy the defendant presents herself as a respectable property owner and marketing consultant, married to a lawyer with plenty of funds in the bank.

“When using the names Quinn Portia Jackson or Angel Jackson the defendant presents as a lone parent, who becomes a mature student whilst fighting illness and disability, which makes her incapable of work, becoming wholly reliant on benefits to assist her.”

“When using the name Diva Paris Anderson the defendant portraits herself as a British national, a teacher at Queen Mary University.”

It is claimed her “alter ego” Paris Anderson, of 11 Danbrook Road, Streatham made £2,500 per month providing care and assistance to the wheelchair-bound Angel Jackson.

“She manipulated the system, told countless lies, hijacked identities and defrauded her way into becoming an affluent property owner without working a single day.”

Jackson’s claims began in 1998 when she successfully applied for income support and housing benefit as a single mum living at 167 Livingstone Road, Thornton Heath under the name Quinn Portia Jackson.

She changed her name by deed poll in September, 2001 to Angel Jackson and married Thomas Duffy on Valentine’s Day, 2002 at Wandsworth Town Hall.

He agreed to assist her immigration status by getting married, but it was never consummated and they did not live together.

Jackson moved into 126 Woodville Road, Thornton Heath with her 14 year-old daughter Latoya and continued receiving housing benefit for her old address and did not tell the DWP she was now married.

The couple bought 71 Greenwood Road, Mitcham in August 2002 with the help of fake accounts to support the mortgage application. 

“Mr. Duffy says he recalled going to see a broker and recalls signing things, but he couldn’t tell you what he was signing.

“He said that whenever he needed to sign something presented to him by his wife his glasses would disappear.”

The Home Office granted her leave to remain for five years in August, 2007, but rejected an application on behalf of her daughter.

When Irishman Duffy asks for a divorce Jackson’s anger forced him to back down.

To avoid paying council tax at 71 Greenwood Road Jackson invented a tenant, Francesca Bennett, who purportedly lived their alone and racked up a £2,500 bill.

Mr. Duffy’s share of ownership was removed behind his back and Jackson divorced him in October, 2008, eight months after receiving permanent UK residence.

Jackson bought 37 Solent Court, London Road, Norbury in July, 2005 for £150,000 and put it in her ex-husband’s name without his knowledge.

Two months later she bought 39 Solent Court for £152,500.

Jackson claimed £750 a month housing benefit for 37 Solent Court, declaring she did not own any property.

She had taken control of her ex-husband’s finances, his passport and driving licence, but failed to pay the mortgage on his home at 174 Whitehorse Lane, which was repossessed.

“He simply went and lived in a room at his sister’s property and describes himself as confused and afraid.

“He had lost everything, but the defendant still came and collected his wages every week.

“He was depressed and fragile, frightened to open his door.”

Mr. Duffy told investigators Jackson was often accompanied by big, burly men and the best thing that ever happened to him was bankruptcy because there was nothing more she could take.

The prosecution also say she forged a letter from the Dean of Kingston College, confirming to the council Latoya was still a student there.

Jackson declared her only bank account was £1,395 overdrawn when in reality she had two Barclay and three NatWest accounts containing over £65,500.

After a June, 2007 car accident Jackson successfully claimed £53,500 in care and assistance for herself and her daughter, paying themselves via aliases.

Jackson began a business degree at Queen Mary University in September, 2007, the same day her daughter began a law degree.

Sunday 13 November 2016

Fraudulent £72K Letting Agent Now Housed By Charity

Hardy Ripped-Off Tenants
A rogue letting agent, who stole £72,000 from tenants and landlords before fleeing to her native South Korea, has been ordered to stay in at night as a punishment.

Myung Hardy, 60, will also keep the money and was let-off having to do community service work because she has rheumatoid arthritis.

Ironically the disgraced businesswoman is being housed by Croydon charity Elis David Almshouse, which specialises in providing accommodation for people in need.

She was sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to obey a six-month night time curfew between 9pm and 7am.

The curfew will not be electronically tagged and the prosecution made no application for the return of the money under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

First time offender Hardy pleaded guilty at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court to seventeen counts of theft from landlords and tenants between October 1, 2010 and April 19, 2011.

The court heard she ran Jins Lettings in New Malden High Street, New Malden and collected rent on behalf of landlords and held tenants’ deposits.

However, she suddenly fled to her homeland a few weeks after police began investigating her in May, 2011.

She returned to the UK last year, claiming the business ran into financial trouble after a civil court case and she started gambling to recoup the money.
Mug: Tears On Arrest

Recorder Jonathan Kinnear QC told her: “You for a number of years ran a letting agency and in 2010 you fell into difficult financial times despite previously running a successful business.

“You had issues with the lease of a building you either occupied or others occupied and that led to a legal dispute that led you to losing a considerable amount of money in fees.

“Your reaction was a sixteen month course of thefts, stealing deposits and rent monies you received into your business account.

“You took about seventy-two thousand pounds, some of which you used to gamble in trying to turn around your financial misfortune.

“That led to greater financial difficulties.

“This was a considerable breach of trust against people who trusted their money in your hands and your culpability is high.

“You have no previous convictions and you have demonstrated clear remorse and admitted the offences in the police station.

“You are sixty years-old, suffer from severe rheumatoid arthritis and taking the other factors into account I’m prepared to suspend the sentence.”

Saturday 12 November 2016

GUILTY: Young Farmer Convicted Of Bloody Dancefloor Headbutt

Convicted: Mitchell Britten
A young Norfolk farmer has been convicted of breaking another reveller’s nose with a dance floor head butt, leaving the victim “spitting blood”.

After a day enjoying the England v New Zealand test match at Lord’s Mitchell Britten, 24, went to the Cuban-themed Embargo Republica club.

During the early hours of May 25, last year at the King’s Road, Chelsea, nightspot he head butted the 27 year-old VIP guest he says got aggressive with him.

Britten, of Cavick House Farm, Cavick Road, Wymondham was convicted by an Isleworth Crown Court jury of causing Neil Brotherston actual bodily harm.

He was cleared of the more serious count of wounding.

Britten, who claimed he only leaned forward to secure some personal space, was bailed to return for sentencing on December 16.

Mr. Brotherston, who had been drinking since 6pm, and was consuming vodka in the club told the jury: “My recollection is leaving the VIP table area, walking across the club to the bar area, to the toilet and being head butted.

“The next memory is being in a state of shock with bouncers. My nose was bleeding pretty heavily and was not straight so I presumed I’d broken my nose.

“I saw myself in the mirror of the staircase and how bloody my nose was and on my shirt. There was blood everywhere.”

He got a taxi home at 2.10am and his doctor mother told him to go to hospital.

“I had to have my nose re-straightened under anaesthetic. There is still a bump down the right hand side.”

Prosecutor Mr. Alex Wright told the jury Britten, who has always claimed self-defence, was found by police via the club’s records and questioned at Notting Hill Police Station on July 22.

Headbutted: Neil Brotherston
“He said that he bumped into a guy on the dance floor, put his hand up to say sorry and the man pushed back and came into his space.

“He said he could not push or punch the man and put his head down towards him.”

As a result Britten told police the man “began spitting blood” and he informed the club staff.

Britten appeared in court wearing his trademark country-style green hacking jacket.

Cavick House Farm described itself as a working farm that has been in the same family since the 1970’s

It boasts 16,000 free range hens on the two-acre site, with a specially-planted woodland and grassland to produce the best eggs

The farm is registered Lion Code Quality and with UK Egg Packers and is part of the environmental Natural England Higher Level Stewardship Scheme.

It has a caravan site, a self-service egg shed and a farm cafe, gift shop calledThe Hen House and a pop-up lamb shop.

Britten runs a pedigree Charollais flock of sheep alongside his commercial Lleyns flock and encourages visitors to view the livestock.