Drunken Theatre VIP Shut-Down 'Othello' Performance Amid Chaotic Scenes

"Very Angry": Mike Fox

An all-female theatre performance of ‘Othello’ was cut short amid chaotic scenes after a cast mutiny against a VIP guest, who then shoved one actress into the front row of seats, a court heard.

The drunken disruptive behaviour of creative arts schoolteacher Mike Fox, 56, who continually disturbed the performance, resulted in a shout of: “Stop the show. Call the police.”  

The part-time theatre producer was invited to attend the London Theatre production in New Cross, which he planned to take to the south coast until causing the dramatic shut down.

He told Bexley Magistrates Court the cast formed a human barricade to block his return to his seat and the performer playing Othello gave his wife the “middle finger” during the fracas.

Fox, of Beechfield Road, Bromley - a graduate in Arts & Entertainment - was convicted yesterday of assaulting Jo Sharifi, who was playing Cypriot governor ‘Montano’ at the October 20 performance last year.

The trial heard Fox, a well-known performer and writer on the fringe scene, dodged past the actors who tried to block him as he continued to try watching the play.

The cast wanted theatre owner and director Harry Denford to throw his guest out for his disruptive behaviour and Ms Sharifi said: “He’s trying to get him to leave and he’s not leaving.

“They started jostling and had a hold of each other and Mike said: ‘Do you want to fight Harry?’

"Immediate Pain": Jo Sharifi

“I felt a hand come onto my waist to move me out of the way, it was Mike’s hand and I said: ‘Get your hands off me.’

“I called out: ‘Stop the show. Call the police’ and Mr. Fox’s wife goes onto the stage and there is shouting between her, the audience and the cast members.

“I was apologising to the audience when I felt a big push with two hands behind me. I lost my balance and fell onto three empty front row chairs.

“They were metal chairs and really painful. My knees hit the metal in between them and there was immediate pain. I started crying and said: ‘He pushed me.’

“Everyone in the theatre was shouting: ‘Oh my God, you pushed her’ and he replied: ‘I didn’t push her, she fell.’

“I felt shocked and burst into tears, I was tense and for the following weeks felt very vulnerable,” an emotional and tearful Ms Sharifi told the trial.

Actress Isaura Barbe-Brown - who played ‘Othello’ - said: “He was shifting around and making too much noise, getting up a lot and getting in the way.

“When he was asked to get out of the way for the actors to get on and off the stage he was quite rude.”

The ‘Fantastic Beasts’ star didn’t recall giving Cheryl Fox the “middle finger,” but said: “There was a lot of arguing and yelling from her.

“I was being yelled at and sworn at quite a lot and told them they should leave if they were in that mood and that the police had been called, but they did not want to.”

PC Anwar Khan described Mr. Fox as “hostile and aggressive” and clearly drunk, slurring his speech and smelling of alcohol. “He was getting very angry for very little reason.”

'Othello': Isaure Barbe-Brown

Fox told the court he only had a small glass of wine before the play, which he described as “inordinately long” and left the first time when Mr. Denford incorrectly accused him of filming.

He then left for the toilet. “I felt I needed to go. I tried to hold on, but unfortunately wasn’t going to make it so I nipped through the curtain.

“When I returned I was immediately blockaded by four or five people. My heart raced for a moment because I thought they were people from the street.

“It was members of the cast trying to block me and when I stepped sideways I was grabbed. I said: ‘This is ridiculous. What’s going on?’

“I saw an opening and nipped back to my seat when somebody threw the curtain open with great gusto and the house lights came up immediately, full blast, and everyone was wincing.

“I was getting shouted at and assailed on all sides by hostile people saying: ‘You’ve ruined the play; You stupid idiot,’ and various swear words were going back and forth.

“I was mortified they had stopped the play and had no reason they had taken against me. I’d gone to my friend’s theatre and was being blamed.

“I did not know what was going to kick off when somebody lunged towards me and I instinctively put my hands up and they fell over these chairs.

“She jumped back up and was in my face, shouting at me.”

His wife Cheryl Fox said: “There was chaos everywhere, everyone was up. The cast seemed very aggrieved and were angry about something.

"There Was Chaos Everywhere": Cheryl Fox

“They were surrounding Mike like a mob, I was scared for Mike. They kept saying: ‘This is your fault. You’ve ruined our play.’

“It was an intimidating situation and utterly confusing. The woman who played Othello was quite aggressive and was pointing at my face and gave me a one-fingered gesture.”

Fox produced ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ with Harry for Bromley’s ‘Shakespeare in the Park’ last year, which he told the court was attended by the local mayor and MP.

“We have also put on some theatre and comedy shows together. I am a producer, writer and composer,” he said.

He is an events organiser at London’s ‘Fat Jesters’ comedy club and has taken shows to the Edinburgh Festival and other fringe projects.

Fox’s credits include bit parts in EastEnders and Casualty, plus work with the BBC News and BBC Radio One.

He and wife Cheryl did not have to pay and were also given a complimentary bottle of wine by Harry before the show, but say they did not drink it, having visited a local pub beforehand.

“We’d had a few drinks. I still knew what I was doing and was quite coherent,” he said. 

Fox was sentenced to a 12-month community order, which includes 50 hours community service work must pay £200 compensation to Ms Sharifi, plus £215 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

Boozy Investment Banker Thumped Barman After Insulting Woman

A drunken investment banker made a lewd gesture to a woman in a Chelsea gastropub then leered at her bum when confronted and punched a barman in the head when refused more alcohol, a court heard.

Nicholas Dyte, 53, who lives in a £1m apartment on a private estate overlooking Wentworth golf course admits he has a “smart arse mouth” which he and his pals enjoy.

He was convicted of assaulting both the the female customer and barman and using threatening behaviour at the Admiral Codrington pub, Mossop Street on December 18, last year.

Dyte, of Dormy House, Portnall Drive, Virginia Water, fought the case, insisting he did not make a gesture with his mouth and fingers to intimate a sexual act and only pushed the barman.

Today at Westminster Magistrates Court he was placed on a 12-month community order, which includes 120 hours community service work.

He must pay £100 compensation to the woman; £500 compensation to the barman, plus £1,000 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor Mr. Jonathan Bryan told the court: “The woman was with work colleagues enjoying a pre-Christmas celebration and at 9pm made eye-contact with Dyte, who was on the other side of the bar.”

She later told police: “He made a rude gesture. He made a V-shaped symbol with his fingers and licked in between them three or four times while looking at me.

“That was a sexual gesture. He was mimicking licking my vagina. I was disgusted and decided to challenge him.”

She says six foot five inch-tall Dyte asked: “How’s your f***ing p****.”

Mr. Bryan added: “He laid his arm on her, turned her around and bent down to look at her bottom.”

Ten minutes later Dyte was cut-off by the bar manager because he was so drunk and settled his bill.

“Before leaving Dyte leaned across the bar and threw a single punch that connects with the barman’s forehead, resulting in bruising.”

Probation Officer Christine Bradford interviewed Dyte and told the court: “He was having a pre-Christmas celebration and admits he has a ‘smart arse mouth’ when in drink.

“He and his friends think he is funny, but he knows other people don’t find him funny.

“The manager was refusing to serve him and his friends anymore alcohol. He admits pushing the bar manager, but not punching him.

“He is currently setting-up a new business venture, an investment fund in which he intends to be the investment manager, but feels these convictions will cause him problems with financial regulators.”

Dyte told the court: “I apologise for the upset I caused, particularly to the young lady. I am embarrassed about the whole evening and am ashamed of my behaviour.

“The lewd gesture is not something I did.”

Magistrate Mr. David Best told Dyte: “This was an awful incident that took place. The bar manager was doing his job and you were also grossly offensive to a customer in the pub.”

Sixteen Years For Vicious Kitchen Knife Stabbing

A knifeman who attacked a vulnerable middle-aged man he knew – piercing his lung and spleen – has been jailed for 16 years.

Scott Slade, 21, of Yew Tree Gardens, Romford, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent, on the 56-year-old victim.

The victim was known to Slade and was considered vulnerable.

At 11.15pm on Sunday, September 9, last year Slade stabbed the victim several times with a kitchen knife at an address in Yew Tree gardens.

He fled the scene, leaving the victim bleeding heavily and warning him that if he told anyone he’d been stabbed he would kill him.

Police and London Ambulance Service were alerted when the victim’s family went to the address ten minutes after the attack.

The victim was taken to an east London hospital as police launched urgent enquiries to trace the suspect.

Slade was located at Rush Green Road, Romford leaving a mini-cab.

He was arrested at 11.50pm still armed with the knife.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard the victim had been stabbed in the chest, arm and back with the knife piercing his stomach, lung, diaphragm and spleen.

This, along with a previously existing lung condition, meant that the victim’s health declined rapidly and he was in an induced coma for several days, followed by two weeks of critical care and the need for ongoing treatment.

Detective Inspector Jason Prendergast of the East Area Command Unit said: “It is only right that Slade will spend a long time in prison, having pleaded guilty to this violent and cowardly attack.

“The victim has not fully recovered and he may not walk unaided again.

“I hope that the lengthy prison sentence that Slade is facing provides the victim and his family with some measure of comfort.”

Convicted Drug Dealer Still On Run

A drug-dealer is still on the run from a five-year prison sentence imposed in his absence.

Arthur Khanye, 29, of Newham, east London was sentenced on October 2, 2017 at Snaresbrook Crown Court for supplying Class A and B drugs.

Khanye was arrested following a raid on his home in 2016 by officers from the Trident and Area Crime Command.

A quantity of drugs was recovered.

Detective Sergeant Paul Deville, said: "We have carried out extensive enquiries to locate Khanye after he failed to appear at court. Unfortunately, these have proven to be unsuccessful.

"I would urge anyone who knows of his whereabouts to contact police so that his attempts to evade justice can be stopped."

Khanye was known to frequent the North Woolwich area of Newham as well as having connections with Essex.

Anyone with information is asked to contact officers at Trident on 020 8345 4125 or via 101.

Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 02SD/631436.

Big Brother Star Repeatedly Punched By Beer Festival Pal

Gillman: "Flurry of blows"

Former Big Brother star Darnell Swallow was repeatedly punched to the back of his head by a drunken pal during an all-day beer festival drinking session.

New dad Luke Gillman, 35, of Queensland Road, Holloway was upset the reality star refused to visit his two month-old baby despite their twelve-year friendship and launched the attack.

“Gillman landed a tirade, a flurry of blows against Mr. Swallow,” prosecutor Mr. Charles Shelton told City of London Magistrates Court yesterday. “It was an attack from behind with several blows reigned down on the head.”

Partially-sighted Darnell, 37, told the trial he was not relaxed at Kensington Olympia’s Great British Beer Festival on August 11, last year.

“Up until the incident I’d say I was quite anxious. I believe Mr. Gillman may have been disappointed where our friendship was at.

“Luke was irritated and the point of escalation was when he arose, got up, came behind me and punched me in the head.

“I was discussing with him some personal problems in my life and how I admired where he had got in his life.

“I can remember multiple blows, mainly to the back and side of my head and afterwards he poured his beer on me.

Court Date: Swallow

“Instinctively I covered up. I was unsure what was happening and my next memory is of a glass being thrown at me and breaking.

“I was shocked and confused about what was happening and why it was happening.

“I had a cut on the back of my head and felt bruising.”

The Ipswich-born musician, who grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and finished fifth in 2008’s Series 9 of Big Brother, denied he was “aggressive.”

Darnell also denied saying: “F*** you and f*** your baby,” and throwing the first punch.

Gillman claims Swallow was agitated by his requests to see the new baby and told him: “Stop asking or I will stop you.”

They were sitting around a table with two other pals and the group had regularly attended the festival for a decade.

“There was an altercation and the defendant erupted in anger,” explained Mr. Shelton. “Gillman was offended that Mr. Swallow had not been around to see his new-born baby.

“There was no threat made by Mr. Swallow and the defendant had been drinking beer and cider all day.”

The pair had holidayed together and were described in court as “close friends,” but the relationship had soured.

When questioned by police Gillman said he had been “drinking all day” and had little recollection of the incident.

“He said he was blind drunk,” added Mr. Shelton, but did recall Darnell telling him: “I haven’t been around. What does that tell you?”

Gillman told the officers he expected to see Darnell down the pub to patch things up a couple of days later.

The magistrates rejected Gillman’s claim he acted in self-defence and found him guilty of assaulting Mr. Swallow.

He was fined £540, with £775 costs and ordered to pay a £54 victim surcharge.

Nigerian Benefits Claimant Threatened Bloody Carnage During Taxman Passport Row

Deadly Threats: Osula

A frustrated Nigerian benefits claimant emailed the Houses of Parliament that he would carry out mass murder using a vehicle and a knife if he didn’t get his way, a court heard yesterday.

Father-of-four Daniel Osula, 30, was angry HMRC still retained his home nation’s passport for his tax credits claim, arguing this was destroying his life because he couldn’t travel to Belfast to continue his studies. 

He was found guilty of four counts of sending a threatening communication to various parliamentary email addresses on October 9, last year for the purpose of causing distress or anxiety.

His email to the Treasury Committee included the words: “I will get a knife and go through security in HMRC. Jump in a car and run over everyone until I am killed.

“Return my passport or I will spill blood on your streets. Be it threat or no threat, return my passport and I will walk away and never return to this hell.”

He also emailed the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, writing: “Now I am tempted to steal a car and smash as many people as possible. You don’t treat visitors to the UK like a piece of s***.”

Osula, of Valence Avenue, Chadwell Heath also emailed the House of Lords: “I will be forced to enter the street with a knife if that us what it takes…..this is a sick country.”

Up The Steps: Osula

The House of Commons also heard from him, when he emailed: “I will go through British blood for my passport. Don’t underestimate my resolve.

“I will commit a grave and bloody crime to bring attention.”

City of London Magistrates Court District Judge Richard Blake announced: “Driven by concerns and frustration over his passport Mr. Osula sent these very troubling emails to the Houses of Parliament.”

Referring to slain police officer Keith Palmer, who was stabbed to death, he added: “If I read them, my blood would have turned cold, given the circumstances. 

“People have been run over by drivers and someone was murdered at the Houses of Parliament.”

The judge bailed Osula until April 2 for sentencing at Westminster Magistrates Court and asked for a probation report and a mental health assessment.

“I want to know a great deal more about you,” he told Osula. “There has got to be a background here and information into what’s going on in your life.

“It is very serious to threaten people working in a place where there has been very serious incident and loss of life due to knife crime and terrorist activity to people they knew and worked with.

“I have in mind custody in this case. In fact it is my starting point. Have no doubt about the serious position you are in.”

During the trial Osula dramatically raised the Bible aloft while in the witness box stating: “I swear to Almighty God I did not send these emails to Parliament.”

He pleaded guilty to a separate charge of causing £7,000 worth of criminal damage to four glass windows and two iPads at the Royal Courts of Justice on September 20, three weeks prior to his email campaign.

Prosecutor Miss Sophie Akister told the court Osula was upset about being refused an application at the public counter because there was a Restraining Order against him.

“He became immediately angry and started shouting and picked up a chair and smashed it down on the bullet-proof windows and two iPads, causing them to be destroyed.”

Osula went to another public office and continued his rampage. “He picked up another chair and began striking the windows that separate the public from staff and destroyed three of them, cracked a fourth and damaged the frames.”

The judge warned Osula: “Should there be any communication by you or threats or the carrying of a knife or if you email or text any threat have no doubt you will be arrested and remanded in custody.”

Black Cab Driver Accused Of Death Collision

Cabbie: Michael Amorsingh

A black cab driver ran over and killed a pensioner crossing the road because he was not paying attention behind the wheel, a jury heard.

Taxi driver Michael Amorsingh, 54, simply told police he did not see 67 year-old Robert Smith, who was struck while crossing Horseferry Road, Victoria.

Witnesses heard a “screech of brakes” and “loud bang” at 11am on December 29, 2017 as the taxi - travelling at approximately 27mph - hit Mr. Smith.

Amorsingh, of Spicers Place, Wickhambreaux, Canterbury has pleaded not guilty at Inner London Crown Court to one count of causing death by careless driving.

Local man Mr. Smith, a father-of-four, who worked closely with the homeless, suffered serious a serious injury to his forehead and the left side of his head and died in hospital a week later.

Prosecutor Mr. Paul Wakerley told the jury: “This is a sad case, someone has tragically lost their life.

“We say this incident was at least in part due to Mr. Amorsingh not driving to the standard the law expects drivers to maintain.

Tragedy: Robert Smith

“He was driving a black taxi in broad daylight in Central London when he hit Mr. Smith.

“He was a pedestrian crossing Horseferry Road on foot. He was struck, thrown into the air and obviously injured.”

The impact caused damage to the Mercedes Vita taxi’s bonnet and the windscreen smashed when it made contact with Mr. Smith.

Passers-by gave first aid to the semi-conscious pensioner, who was bleeding heavily.

The post mortem gave the cause of death as “in part” due to the injuries Mr. Smith suffered, coupled with his existing heart condition.

“It is possible both driver and pedestrian have some degree of responsibility. Mr. Smith was not crossing on a zebra or at lights.

“He was there to be seen by any driver on that road. Mr. Amorsingh did not see him at all until he hit him and we say that by itself shows he did not exercise competent, careful driving.”

CCTV cameras outside Channel 4’s HQ captured the incident and show Amorsingh hitting his brakes 0.3 seconds before impact.

“There are at least six seconds after Mr. Smith starts crossing where he is there to be seen by any motorist on the road.

“Mr. Amorsingh says he did not see him at all until a split second before striking him.

“Witnesses at the scene say Mr. Amorsingh was plainly visibly upset and distressed by what happened.”

When asked by police at the scene what happened the cabbie said: “I was driving down the road and he came in front of me and it was too late.

“A cyclist crossed me with no hand signal and then there was a bang.”

Mr. Wakerley added: “He said the incident would have been avoided if Mr. Smith had looked. It was his fault he had been hit.”

Trial continues……….

Pharmacy Expert's Career Wrecked By 'Upskirt' Habit

A pharmaceutical expert, who uploaded ‘upskirt’ video clips he recorded of women on the London Underground to an adult website, was jailed for eight months yesterday. 

Father-of-two Sanjayan Nadarajah, 43, hid his mobile phone in his laptop bag to film young female commuters, plus shoppers and women in shop changing rooms. 

He claims his business has been ruined after his sordid habit was exposed, with contracts within the industry cancelled and postponed.

“The offences you committed were very numerous and were active and with forty-six videos of upskirting publicly available on the web,” Blackfriars Crown Court Judge Peter Clarke QC told him.

“I don’t understand why you decided to to make them available to anyone on the internet. That’s what makes these offences troubling and shocking.”

The pharmaceutical quality consultant, who has a chemistry degree and lives in a £775,000 home at

Shelvers Way, Tadworth, Surrey was hunted down by British Transport Police (BTP).

Officers discovered the online clips and traced Nadarajah - known as ‘MonkeyMan9’ - when the adult site disclosed his email address to the police.

He pleaded guilty to five counts of outraging public decency between May 17 and July 19, last year.

Nadarajah also pleaded guilty to two counts of voyeurism between January 1 and May 12.

Prosecutor Mr. Paul Rattigan told the court today: “The BTP were contacted by a member of police staff who reported that there were photos and video sequences of upskirting female members of the public travelling on the London Underground.

“Images were taken of their genital area by a covert camera by another passenger.”

Forty-six publicly-available upskirt video clips were posted by Nadarajah, plus another eleven were accessible with a password.

“The forty-six were visible to anyone in the wide world who had an interest in that sort of material,” said Mr. Rattigan.

During the investigation eleven more clips were uploaded after Nadarajah filmed up women’s skirts on an escalator at Lakeside Shopping Centre, plus more on the Underground.

He was arrested on October 9, last year and police seized a Samsung phone, plus two SD cards containing more ‘upskirt’ recordings.

“Following his arrest the defendant admitted uploading material to use as a sort of cloud storage for himself.”

Examples include a young woman on the Underground wearing a short black and white skirt, who was filmed from behind on an escalator.

Another was a female sitting opposite the defendant on a tube train, who was wearing a short skirt, who the defendant followed off the train and up stairs filming her buttocks and underwear.

At a clothing shop in Wimbledon he twice filmed women in changing rooms, with one in full view in just her bra and knickers.

“He admitted from the outset he was the person who uploaded the material and went into detail about how he recorded the material,” added Mr. Rattigan.

Nadarajah confessed he was fascinated filming females, knowing they would be in a state of undress and that if they knew they were being recorded they would have felt victimised.

“He admitted he did it over a wide range of time and on a large number of occasions.”

A total of 41 ‘upskirting’ videos were found on USB sticks seized by police when they raided Nadarajah’s family home, plus 27 more on his phone.

Nadarajah’s QC Mr. Ali Bajwa said: “Everyone who knows this man says he is outstanding and he makes no excuses. 

“His wife, who is here today, says he was under business stress for nine months to a year.

“Maybe putting them on the web was an extension of the voyeurism. There was obviously some sexual excitement.

“The defendant’s business is extremely successful and the impact on him has been considerable. Contracts have been cancelled or postponed after reporting in the media.

“The shame and loss to his reputation is unrecoverable. The effect on him has been profound.

‘The amount of forgiveness from his wife and family has been sobering and the long-term hope is that he never finds himself before a court again.

“If ever there was a man suitable for another chance it is this man.”

Judge Clarke told Nadarajah: “You have caused enormous damage to your business and brought punishment down on yourself by your actions.

“The aggravating harm has to be that they were viewed by others.

“There had to be a degree of planning when you got a video recording of a women’s changing area, where females were changing their clothes in what they thought was the privacy of a cubicle.

“Uploading onto the World Wide Web was particularly reprehensible.”

Soldier-Turned-Bodyguard Attacked Inspector During Ticket Row

A former Lance Corporal turned private bodyguard, who boxed for his regiment, throttled a tube train ticket inspector during a fares row after pinning his arm and shouting: “I’ll snap it,” a court heard.

Close protection specialist Ian Paxton, 33, of Fels Avenue, Worcester, used his bank card to tap-in for his Piccadilly Line journey and refused to hand it over to be checked.

He was convicted of assaulting revenue inspector Vince Fitzsimonds on August 20, last year between Knightsbridge and South Kensington station.

Paxton told City of London Magistrates Court Mr. Fitzsimonds failed to properly identify himself then snatched his driving licence out of his hand when he demanded to see id for a penalty fare.

He served the Royal Logistic Corps for ten years, which included tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland and represented them in boxing and rugby.

Mr. Fitzsimonds, who boarded the train with two colleagues, told the trial: “I asked to check his ticket and there was no response, so I repeated: ‘Can I check your ticket please?’

“He said: ‘I haven’t got a ticket, I’ve got a bank card’ so I asked to check his bank card with my card reader and he said: ‘I’m not letting you check my bank card with that machine, I don’t know who you are.

“I told him it would be a penalty fare situation and that he would have to alight at the next stop.

“He said he was going to Heathrow and if I wanted to go there it was up to me.

“I asked if he had any id on him and he handed me his driving licence.

“He jumped out of his seat and came right up into my face and said: ‘Give me my driving licence.’

“I thought he was possibly going to headbutt me and I turned my head. He was aggressive now.

“He grabbed me around the throat with his arm in a choking action. I felt he was trying to get his forearm around my throat.

“I was trying to stop him choking me and my two colleagues were trying to get him off me and I could hear them saying: ‘Get off him.’

“He threw me to the side and grabbed my right arm and was trying to force it up my back.

“Now he was shouting: ‘I’ll snap it, I’ll snap your arm. Give me my driving licence.’

“I felt really threatened now. It was a launched assault.”

Paxton denied threatening to break the inspector’s arm, insisting he feared for his driving licence and was saying: “Don’t snap it.”

Mr. Fitzsimonds said Paxton identified himself as a security expert during the struggle. “I could tell he was trying out a move, some sort of professional and controlling thing with my arm.

“I felt the arm could snap.

“I was pushed down onto the seats with force and then he had his hands around my throat. I couldn’t get up.

“It was the worst experience in the manner of the assault, the control, the choking, the move to the arm that I’ve experienced in twenty-five years in the job. I couldn’t fight back.”

Mr. Fitzsimonds said there was no credibility in Paxton genuinely suspecting he was the potential victim of a scam. “I’ve heard stories about cards being skimmed, but I’ve never come across a fake inspector.”

Paxton also claimed the inspector’s TfL polo short was excessively worn and he only saw a quick flash of his id card when the ticket demand was made.

He told the court he saw a hand coming towards him and took action to defend himself.

Mr. Fitzsimonds received a small injury to his lip, adding: “I had redness around my throat and by my ear and head.”

Today Paxton was sentenced to a twelve-month community order, which includes 100 hours community service work and he must pay £150 compensation to Mr. Fitzsimonds, plus an £85 victim surcharge.

Diner Thumped In Restaurant

Police are hunting this restaurant diner after a middle-aged man was punched in the face in a south-east London eaterie.

At approximately 11.30pm on Friday, January 18, the victim was eating in a restaurant on Broadway, Bexleyheath when the suspect punched him in an unprovoked assault.

The victim, a man aged in his fifties, was taken to hospital for treatment to a facial injury before being discharged.

Officers would like to hear from anyone who recognises the man in the photograph.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Constable Terry Powell at the South-East Command Unit via 101 quoting reference 8328/18Jan

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

There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.

Skilled Thief Nicked Rolex And Burberry Watches Off Victims' Wrists

A skilled distraction thief used sleight of hand during New Year celebrations to steal expensive watches from the wrists of two revellers.

Zajaria Lalouii, 29, mingled with the thousands of people who converged on central London for the celebrations to prey on his victims.

He was sentenced to eleven months imprisonment for two counts of robbery, during which he snatched a Rolex and Burberry watch.

Lalouii was caught in the early hours of News Years Day by officers from Westminster’s Operation Bobcat - a team designated to tackle violent crime in and around the borough.

They caught him in the act of taking the Burberry watch from his 23 year-old victim’s wrist in Heddon Street, Piccadilly.

Lalouii, taking advantage of the celebrations, had pretended to dance with the victim and wrapped his leg around the victim’s legs to distract him while at the same time taking the watch.

Officers arrested Lalouii and he was taken to a west London police station.

When searched, he was in possession of the Rolex watch that had been stolen on 24 hours earlier from a 35-year-old man in Marylebone Lane, Marylebone.

Police Constable Andy Marsh of Westminster Borough, said: "While nobody was injured as a result of these thefts, the effects of becoming a victim of robbery run far deeper than a loss of property.

"I hope that the conviction and sentencing of Lalouii brings a measure of comfort to the victims."