Police Scotland Highland and Islands Division will be carrying out test purchasing operations in the Inverness area in the coming weeks.

The scheme consists of a fully briefed teenager (under 18 years of age) entering off-sales premises under controlled conditions and in line with agreed guidelines to purchase alcohol.

If the proprietor does not ask the person their age and allows them to purchase alcohol they will be committing an offence, even if their excuse is that they thought they were 18.

Licence holders will not be duped into committing an offence because if they, as they should do, ask the age of the test purchaser then the youngsters will answer truthfully.

All those who hold licenses to sell alcohol in these areas should be reminded that they could face losing their license if they are caught selling alcohol to a minor.

Police would encourage anyone with information relating to alcohol sale to minors within the community to report it to Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on0800 555111.

A man from Morecambe has today pleaded guilty to the rape of two women at Preston Crown Court.

Mateusz Otfinowski, 23, of Lord Street, Morecambe pleaded guilty at a Plea and Case Management Hearing this morning (Tuesday 21 October).

The offences relate to the rape of a woman on Bridge Street in Lancaster on 3 March 2014 and the rape of a woman on Cross Street in Morecambe on 26 July 2014.

Detective Inspector Richard McCutcheon said: “I am thankful that today’s plea has spared the victims the ordeal of having to sit through a trial and that they do not need to re-live the details of the despicable crimes committed against them.”

Otfinowski will be sentenced at Preston Crown Court on Friday 12 December.

An Epsom man has been sentenced to five years in prison after drugs, a firearm and ammunition were found at his home.

Warren Christopher, of Chavecroft Terrace, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a class A drug with intent to supply, possessing a firearm without a certificate, possessing a firearm when prohibited, possessing ammunition without a firearm certificate, and two counts of possessing class A drugs.

He also admitted to being in breach of a suspended sentence which was imposed for being in possession of a bladed article, when he appeared at Guildford Crown Court yesterday (Monday 20 October).

Intelligence from the community led officers to conduct the search at his home on Saturday 9 August. On seeing officers arriving at the address Christopher ran off, but three days later he was questioned and interviewed.

Officers found a quantity of drug wraps, some of which was located inside a yellow Kinder Egg container in the kitchen.

More wraps were found in his bedroom as well as a handgun concealed in a sock, and a quantity of cash and ammunition.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Hannah Millyard said: “This sentence demonstrates that when members of the public come forward with their concerns about illegal activity in their community, we will act.

“Drugs have a hugely damaging impactonpeople who use them and in turn on the neighbourhoods where they are used, with it often leading to other criminal behaviour.

If you have any suspicions around drug use in your area call Surrey Police on 101, or report it online at http://www.surrey.police.uk/. Alternatively call the independent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Three people have been injured following a dog attack in the Belmont area of Durham City today.

Just after 1pm today officers were called to Coniston Close area of Belmont following a report of a man being attacked by dogs.

Police believe a man and a woman were walking six American bulldogs when the dogs began fighting with a Staffordshire bull terrier that was also being walked by its owner.  The owner of the Staffordshire bull terrier, a 63 year old man from Belmont, was injured during the incident.

He was taken by ambulance to the University Hospital of North Durham (UHND) with injuries to his limbs and head.  His condition is described as serious.

A woman was also injured with bites to her hand.

Immediately after this incident a local woman walking nearby was injured by one of the dogs.  She was also taken to UHND where she is being treated for injuries to her leg.

A 48 year old man from Pittington has been arrested in connection with the incident.  He is currently being questioned by officers at Durham City police station.

Neighbourhood Chief Inspector for Durham Andy Huddleston said “I can confirm all dogs involved in the incident have been secured and there is no immediate danger to the public.  The people injured have been taken to hospital where we are monitoring their progress.”

Anyone with information can contact police on 101.

A man has been convicted for a vicious attack on three sisters with a claw hammer, as they slept in their London hotel room.

Phillip Spence, from Abbeyfields Close, Harlesden, admitted the attack on the women during a burglary at the Cumberland Hotel in the early hours of 6 April, but denied trying to kill them.

Today, Tuesday, 21 October, at Southwark Crown court, a jury found him guilty of three counts of attempted murder and one count of aggravated burglary. He will be sentenced on 18 November at Southwark Crown Court.

Also found guilty of conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, was Thomas Efremi, 57, from Upper Handa Walk, Islington. Efremi supplied Spence with the claw hammer and the two men agreed that Spence would steal from hotel bedrooms and they would share in the proceeds.

The court heard that the victims arrived in London from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 3 April, for a family holiday.

On 5 April they went sightseeing before returning to the hotel at around 17:30hrs and retiring to their beds.

At 01:13hrs, Spence entered the hotel lobby and took the lift to the fifth floor, before using the stairs to go up to the seventh floor, where the family were asleep in their shared adjoining rooms.

The door to the corridor of their shared room had been left on the latch to allow a fourth sister to come and go. Spence entered the room and began rifling through a bag which woke Khuloud, 37, who was in bed with her two daughters aged nine and 11.

Spence approached her and demanded money, before repeatedly striking her on the head with the claw hammer until she lost consciousness. Her screams woke her sister Fatima, 31 who tried to stop Spence but he turned his attention to her, striking her until she too was unconscious.

The third sister, Ohoud, 34, asleep in the adjoining room with her nine-year-old nephew, suffered the most brutal attack. Ohoud was hit with such force that her skull was split open and she is never expected to recover from her injuries. She lost part of her brain; she can no longer speak and had to have one eye removed.

Fatima suffered multiple skull fractures and underwent surgery. She also suffered damage to her ear, arm and facial nerves.

Khulood underwent emergency neurosurgery for multiple skull fractures and had surgery. She also suffered a fractured arm and underwent surgery to reconstruct facial bones.

The alarm was raised by the fourth sister who returned to the room to find her sisters gravely injured and nieces and nephew covered in blood. The emergency services arrived shortly after and described a ‘horrendous’ scene.

A forensic pathologist concluded that all three women suffered life-threatening injuries and it was only through prompt medical and surgical treatment that they each survived.

Having left the sisters for dead, Spence stole a suitcase of valuables which included cash, credit cards, mobile phones, watches and iPads.

He left the hotel at 01:36hrs and made his way to Efremi’s address by bus, calling him en route using Khuloud’s phone. Spence arrived at Efremi’s address at about 02:42hrs.

Ten minutes later Efremi left to use the stolen bank cards to withdrawn cash. He took a minicab to a number of cashpoints and made ten withdrawals totaling £5,000.

Later that day Spence was in contact with an associate, James Moss who he took the stolen property to and Efremi used some of the cash he withdrew to make purchases at Vodaphone and Sports Direct store.

Detectives from the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command launched an investigation to find those responsible for the attack.

Extensive CCTV work was undertaken and some 330 hours of footage viewed having been seized from 200 separate cameras from the hotel and beyond. The blood-stained hammer Spence used was found on an external window ledge in the 7th floor fire exit stairwell of the hotel. Efremi’s DNA was found on it.

Efremi was arrested on 8 April and his home searched. The brown leather jacket and blazer worn by Spence during the attack were found.

The items were forensically examined and found to contain DNA belonging to Spence, Efremi, Ohoud and Khulood.

Spence was arrested on 10 April and declined to answer any questions during his police interview.

Commander Mak Chishty, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), said:

“I am pleased that today the jury have rejected Phillip Spence’s version of events and convicted him of attempted murder.

He now faces the prospect of a lengthy prison sentence, where he will have plenty of time to think about the consequences of his actions during the early hours of 6 April, at the Cumberland Hotel, when he changed the lives of a family forever.

It is unimaginable the terror they must have felt when they woke to find him in their room.
The level of violence Spence chose to use was extraordinary, and completely unnecessary for him to steal, as he had set out to do that night.

I would like to thank the detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command who worked tirelessly to arrest Spence and secure the evidence needed to bring him to justice today.

Our thoughts remain with the women he injured and nearly killed, and their families. Whilst his conviction will change little for them, it may go some way to helping them deal with the events of that night.

I would like to pay tribute to them and the courage and fortitude they showed in giving evidence to the court and the support they and their representative have shown the MPS during the investigation.

I would like to thank the Abu Dhabi Police who provided crucial assistance and whose officers came to London to assist the investigation team. Their corporation is greatly appreciated and we are grateful that we were able to form with a close working relationship with them.

I would also like to thank the individual UAE Embassy’s and their staff for their ongoing liaison, regular meetings which have helped us to enhance our knowledge of the needs of visiting communities.

The ramifications of this incident were felt across London, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other major cities across the world, feeling shocked and outraged and understandably frightened.

I would like to give reassurance that an incident of this nature is thankfully very, very rare and the victims were not specifically targeted, followed or attacked because they are from the UAE.

London very much remains one of the safest major cities in the world with crime continuing to fall year on year. This financial year to date, overall crime in London is down by 2% and visitor numbers from the UAE have not diminished.

This incident should not deter anyone from visiting London.

+ On 1 October at Southwark Crown Court, James Moss, 33, (5/11/80) Hanley Road,
N4, pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods.

NON ATTRIBUTABLE: Impact statement of Khuloud:

My emotions are still very raw. Everything in my life has changed forever. That night I lost everything, my way of life, my sister Ohoud and also my ability to care for my children as much as I would like. I have also lost my job, as I am now medically retired due to my inability to do my job due to the injuries I suffered.

I am simply not myself anymore. I feel very lonely and have lay in a hospital bed without my sister, children and family. I am extremely upset and emotional. I cannot sleep for anxiety and flashbacks of the sounds of my children screaming. I have a plethora of medication, not to mention the numerous operations I have had. My looks have changed forever; I am not even the same person when I look in the mirror. I have been left without the full use of my left hand, and this is something that will never recover.

Everything I did before the incident has changed. I am now dependant on other people, to help me wash, to drive me to assist me when I walk. I now am fearful of strangers and do not feel comfortable when I am alone. When that man attacked myself and my sisters, and stole our belongings, he took far more than our property; he took away our futures, things that I had planned; dreams that I had for my family and children.

He also stole my children’s innocence. They will never view the world in the same way. They do not trust anyone. They are now fearful to be alone and do not want to leave home. Nora and Fatima cry in their sleep and cannot sleep alone. They cannot even bear to visit their Aunty Ohoud. Yet they do not want to talk about what happened and I am scared they are bottling it all up. The full impact on the children cannot be fully comprehended until they grow up.

Ohoud has lost everything. I recall the moment when I was told she was going to pass away and feeling as though I did not want to live without her. She is now bound to a hospital bed for the rest of her life unable to communicate, to have a family and become the woman she was destined to be.

My sister Fatima and I both feel very strongly about what is considered to be justice for Phillip Spence. I will say that 100 years in prison will not be enough. It means nothing to me that he will be in prison, I want him to feel the pain he has caused us and believe vehemently in an eye for an eye as is the justice in my own country. While I respect the laws of the UK I cannot say I feel justice will be done simply by sending him to prison.

He has never once shown any ounce of remorse; his sole concern has been for himself and to find someway of getting away with what he did. He has never given any explanation for his actions nor taken any responsibility. I will never ever forgive him, and sincerely hope that one day he feels the full burden for what he has done.

I wish to thank the Police and for the investigation they have conducted and also the UAE embassy for the support they have shown my family and I throughout this most difficult of circumstances.

Impact statement of Fatima:

I must say that whatever words I use, I will not be able to explain my full feelings of what happened in our hotel room on 6th April 2014. Everything in my life has changed forever. On that night I lost everything; my way of life.

My sister Ohoud received horrific injuries that from which she will never be able to recover. I remember the day when police officers told me shortly after the incident that Ohoud was dying. She is now confined to a hospital bed for the rest of her life and unable to communicate, eat, see move. She can only squeeze my hand; she is a living dead sister. Seeing Ohoud like this every day breaks my heart.

I was graduated from a university recently and have been working with my company as a Supporting Engineer in the IT Department. I have been with my company for the last 11 years. I have now lost my job, as I am being medically retired due to my inability to do my job due to the injuries I have.

Since the attack, I am full of sadness and in tears a lot of the time. This attack has changed the rest of my life as well all of my family. I have lot of difficulty to sleeping. I am really short tempered with people around me and I have no patience for anyone which I hate and it upsets me. Since the incident I have not spoken to any of my friends and I still do not want to see any of them. I feel isolates and very sad.

When that man attacked myself and my sisters, and stole our belongings, he took far more than our property; he took away our futures, our plans, our happiness and our lives.

It means nothing to me that Phillip Spence he will be in prison. I want him to feel the pain he has caused us and believe that an eye for an eye as is the justice as it is in my own country. I respect the laws of the UK but I cannot say I feel justice will be done simply by sending him to prison.

He has never once shown any remorse. He cannot even admit what he has done. He blames other people for his own mistakes. He has never given any explanation for his actions nor taken any responsibility. I will never ever forgive him, and sincerely hope that one day he will feel the pain that we are in.

I wish to thank the Police and for the investigation they have conducted and also the UAE embassy for the support they have shown my family and I throughout this most difficult of circumstances.

A man from Heywood has been sentenced for a catalogue of sex offences.

Rory Beswick (born 07/01/1991) of Severn Road, Heywood has today, 21 October 2014 been sentenced at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square, to six years and three months imprisonment.

Beswick was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and has been given a Sex Offenders Prevention Order.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to eight counts of making indecent images of children, seven counts of sexual activity with a child and child abduction.

In August 2013, concerns were raised that a teenage girl was having contact with an older man.

These concerns came to the attention of the Sunrise Team, a multi-agency team that tackles child sexual exploitation consisting of police officers, social workers, Early Break drug and alcohol workers and family support workers from Parents Against Child Sexual Exploitation (PACE).

The team were made aware by the girl⿿s parents that she was going missing from home more regularly and they thought she was in contact with an older man.

Officers identified this man as Beswick and spoke to him where they raised concerns about his contact with her. At this stage the teenager had not made any complaint or disclosure to the Sunrise Team.

Officers and staff from the Sunrise Team continued to work with the girl and in December 2013 her parents again raised concerns about her behaviour and how she was going missing from home more regularly.

In December 2013, officers issued Beswick with a warning notice under section 2 of the Child Abduction Act following concerns a teenage girl was being groomed for sex.

The warning explained that he could not have any contact with the teenage girl.

The team continued to work with the girl and her family and were able to establish that the girl was planning to meet with Beswick who was suspected of contacting the child and keeping her away from her parents when she was missing from home.

On 8 January 2014, officers attended Beswick⿿s address, one of the officers knocked on the door and saw two people run from the back of the house up the stairs.

A short time later Beswick came to the door, the officer walked into the house, he asked if there was anyone else there and he said there wasn⿿t.

Following a search of the house, officers found the girl hiding in the loft.

After the offender⿿s arrest for abduction and with support from the sunrise team the girl was able to disclose a number of serious sexual offences to Greater Manchester Police.

His house was also searched and his mobile phone was recovered which contained a number of indecent photographs and videos.

Detective Constable Ben Harris, of The Sunrise Team ⿿ Rochdale⿿s multi-agency child sexual exploitation team: ⿿Beswick groomed this child over a number of months, she was flattered by his advances and thought he was being kind and affectionate towards her and did not realise he was abusing her.

⿿The parents of the girl and the Sunrise Team believed she was at risk of sexual exploitation, although she had not made any disclosures to the team.

⿿We will work closely with children and parents of children who we believe are at risk and where we have reason to believe an individual, in this case Beswick was taking or keeping the child from their parents, we will issue the perpetrator with an abduction notice.

⿿In issuing this notice we told Beswick he is liable to arrest and prosecution if he is caught with this particular girl.

⿿When officers visited his house, he was there with the girl and was subsequently arrested.

⿿The abuse has had a terrible effect on the girl and her family, who are only now starting to rebuild their lives.

⿿I hope that today the girl can try to put her past behind her knowing justice has been done and I want to pay tribute to her strength of character as she looks to move forward with her life.⿝

Anyone who is concerned about a child or young person should call Greater Manchester Police on 101 or 999 in emergencies. For more information on the Sunrise team go to:http://www.thesunriseteam.co.uk or on twitter @thesunriseteam.

Any child or young person wanting help and advice can use the numbers above or contact Childline on 0800 1111.

Please also call the Runaway Helpline on 0808 800 70 70 if you need help. The helpline provides free 24 hour confidential support, help and advice.

Parents who have concerns about child sexual exploitation should visit PACE through their website http://www.paceuk.info/

Telltale signs of child exploitation to look for include:

– Disengagement from education; young people who are not in school during the day may be more at risk of sexual exploitation. Children who are becoming involved in this activity may begin to skip school or become disruptive
– Risky behaviours; including secretive use of mobile phones and the internet
– Repeatedly going missing
– Unexplained gifts; children who appear to have new clothes, jewellery, mobile phones or money that cannot ⿿plausibly⿿ be accounted for
– Peers and friends; involved in sexual exploitation and with ⿿older⿿ boyfriends/girlfriends
– Drugs/alcohol; drug or alcohol abuse may leave children more vulnerable to sexual exploitation, it is also true to say that ⿿abusers⿿ may use drugs and alcohol to help control children
– Sexual health issues; a history of unprotected sex leading to STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infection) or inappropriate sexual behaviour.

Last night’s “24 Hours In Police Custody” captured the stories of two young men, whose lives had been destroyed by drugs.

The episode provided an interesting perspective, showing the extremes that people go to, to fund their drug habit. Darren was arrested for stealing meat from M&S and Daniel was dealing drugs to finance his own habit. Both young men were clearly victims of those criminal gangs behind the drug trade.

Across the county, recorded drug offences are down 3.5% and solved crime rate is up 1.3% year on year Oct-Sept, and Bedfordshire Police continue to work closely with other law enforcement partners, to disrupt and dismantle those gangs intent on bringing drugs to the streets of Bedfordshire.

Superintendent David Boyle who heads Local Policing Operations in the South of the county, said: “Luton, as with most other metropolitan areas, has its problems with drugs and it is the task of Bedfordshire Police to ensure that the criminal gangs behind the drugs trade are pursued and prosecuted. But we cannot forget those who through complex circumstances are the customers and victims of the drugs trade.”

During the show sympathetic Custody Sergeant Pete Fitz-Gibbon tries his best to persuade Darren to stay strong and get clean – providing him with clean needles and wipes when he finds out he is injecting. The efforts of the force and other partner agencies were rewarded by Darren getting his life together, staying clean and finding a job.

Superintendent Boyle, said: “This is just one example of the support and understanding we offer to those brought into custody on drugs charges. Often they are the victims of their habit and need a lot of care and support. We work closely with those using drugs who need help to break their habit and start rehabilitation.

“We hope this show will act as a deterrent to those taking drugs or tempted to start taking drugs.”

If you are concerned about someone you know and want help and advice or are taking drugs yourself and want to know more about how they affect you and how to give up using them then get help and advice from www.talktofrank.com/

If you have information which may help us in our work to keep drugs off the streets of Bedfordshire call Bedfordshire Police on 101. In an emergency dial 999

A man who kidnapped and brutally attacked a work colleague before leaving him to die in a remote stream has been convicted of murder.

Andrej Malinovskij, 43 (9.11.70), of Pheasant Close E16, was today, Tuesday, 21 October, found guilty at the Old Bailey of killing 34-year-old Evaldas Svolkinas over an unpaid debt.

Mr Svolkinas, of Dorking Rise, Romford, was reported missing to police by his girlfriend on 13 December 2012.

His badly beaten body was found three days later by a dog-walker face down in a stream named Carter’s Brook near Wincanton Road, Romford.

The court heard it had been there since the evening of 13 December, when he had most likely been killed.

Investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Chris Jones, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “This was clearly a pre-meditated and well-planned attack on a man Malinovskij felt aggrieved by.

“He spent some time studying the victim’s day-to-day movements before carefully choosing his moment to snatch him off the street, bundle him into a car and brutally attack him. He then callously dumped his body in a remote stream where he left him to die.

“The attack may have been well-planned but Malinovskij failed to realise his vehicle had been repeatedly caught on CCTV and it was this that ultimately led to his capture and conviction today.”

The court heard that Mr Svolkinas, a subcontractor in the building trade, was heavily in debt and owned several people money.

Malinovskij was one of those people – the victim owned him money for work he had carried out as a carpenter on a building site the previous September. In November 2012 Malinovskij had sued the victim in the county court for £1,360 in unpaid wages.

He abducted the victim a matter of yards from Mr Svolkinas’s home, early on the morning of 13 December, as he made his way to work.

CCTV showed Malinovskij had twice visited the area in the days leading up to the murder so he could be sure when the victim left his address each day.

Footage on 13 December demonstrated that Malinovskij had left his own home by 04:07hrs, arriving near the victim’s address before 05:00hrs.

The victim would normally have left his home and walked up Dorking Road, onto Whitchurch Road, before visiting a local newsagents and waiting at a bus stop.

But on that day shortly after leaving his house he was grabbed off the street by Malinovskij and bundled into his Renault Espace.

Part of the zip fastening from the rucksack he always carried was later found not far from his home, having come loose in the struggle.

The Espace was then traced on CCTV travelling back towards Malinovskij’s home.

What happened over the next few hours is unknown but the Espace returned to the area in and around Dorking Drive that evening and was a few hundred metres from Carter’s Brook at 20:14hrs.

The vehicle remained there for at least 90 minutes before making off.

A post-mortem examination showed Mr Svolkinas had been hit round the back of the head around eight times with a heavy blunt weapon, fracturing his skull. He is believed to have been unconscious when he was dumped in the stream – cause of death was given as drowning.

Strips of gaffer tape were found metres from the victim’s body.

On 12 December the defendant had booked one-way tickets for himself and his family to travel via ferry from Dover to France – the first part of the journey onto Lithuania – on 17 December. He planned to take his car, which he had used to abduct the victim, with him.

Malinovskij returned to the UK in a different vehicle on 20 January 2013. He was arrested on 26 September 2013 and subsequently charged with murder.

Sentencing will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, 22 October, at 10:00hrs.

Demonstrators began arriving at Parliament Square on Friday, 17 October and, as they have arrived, police officers at the scene have been handing out leaflets and informing the demonstrators of the specific legislation which relates to Parliament Square and it’s surrounding area.

This morning. Tuesday, 21 October, there were around 15 people demonstrating in Parliament Square. The group on the grassed area had been sleeping on a tarpaulin which is prohibited under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act of 2011, namely they have items with them to enable them to sleep in Parliament Square.

We informed them of the breach of legislation and asked them to leave, this was done on a one-to-one basis. They were told that if they failed to leave they would be removed from the site and would be liable to summons for the offence.

The tarpaulin has been removed and 15 people have been arrested for failing to provide details suitable for a summons. They have been taken to a central London police station.

Our role is to facilitate peaceful protest whilst balancing the needs of London communities and minimising any disruption. We will not take sides, but we seek to apply the law fairly and proportionately.

A man has died following a collision involving a police car in Coseley, this morning (21 October).

The man suffered serious injuries in the collision, which happened at 11am at the junction of Central Drive, Bridge Street and Martin Close.

Paramedics attended but sadly the man could not be saved and he died at the scene.

The police officer, who was driving a marked car, was carrying out routine enquiries and was not responding to an emergency incident. He is uninjured but shaken by the morning’s events.

Inspector Paul Bennett, from the Regional Collision Investigation Unit, said: “The man’s family has been informed of this morning’s collision and will be supported by liaison officers at this difficult time.

“We have launched a full investigation and urge any witnesses to contact us as soon as possible.”

The force Professional Standards Department has informed the IPCC, due to the involvement of a police vehicle in the collision.

Central Drive was closed between Eachus Road and Sangwin Road for around five hours whilst emergency services work at the scene and carried out urgent enquiries.

Police urge anyone who was in the area at the time and witnessed the collision to contact Inspector Paul Bennett at the Regional  Collision Investigation Unit by dialling 101.

A team of six will be jailed tomorrow, Wednesday, 22 October, for concealing heroin in items such as children’s clothing inside parcels from Pakistan.

The men will appear at Isleworth Crown Court for conspiracy to import heroin. They are:

[A] Omar Farooq Islam, 24 (30.10.89) of Olive Crescent, Oldham;
[B] Zohaib Shah, 26 (20.02.88) of Greenacre Gardens, Walthamstow;
[C] Muhammed Fayaz, 26 (2.05.88) of Vicarage Farm Road, Hounslow;
[D] Luqman Shah, 25 (3.03.89) of Delamere Road, Hayes;
[E] Zahid Shah, 27 (9.01.87) of Windsor Gardens, Hayes;
[F] Adnan Malik, 29 (5.01.85) of no fixed address.

Detective Sergeant Jim Barry, of Hillingdon CID, said: “These individuals sought opportunities to exploit the procedures that are in place to protect the public from drugs importation. To their detriment, they were unaware that the Met and its partner agencies, were working together to rapidly dismantle this drugs ring. The removal of over one million pounds of heroin is a significant win for us as investigators, the public, and those who would have suffered the devastating effects of this drug.”

Following a three-week trial [B] Shah, [C] Fayaz, [D] Luqhan Shah and [F] Malik, were found guilty offences on 17 October.

Previously in July 2014, [A] Islam and [E] Zahid Shah had pleaded guilty to the offences.

All six men came to the attention of police following an intensive seven-month operation led by detectives at Hillingdon CID. The investigation was supported by the Border Force and National Crime Agency, who worked closely with Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force in Karachi .

On 8 May 2013, Border Force officers at Coventry international postal hub identified a suspicious package which had arrived into the UK from Pakistan. Officials opened the box to discover Indian restaurant menus stuffed with heroin estimated at £75,000. This package was intended to reach an address in Hayes, Middlesex. Furthermore it was established that the menus were created under the non-existent business name of ‘Royal Spicy’.

Detectives at Hillingdon CID were notified, and a proactive operation was immediately launched. Despite extensive enquiries made at the time, the exact recepient(s) of the package were not identified.

On 29 October 2013, Anti-Narcotics officers in Pakistan identified a similar parcel at Jinnah Airport in Karachi, Pakistan. Inside, heroin worth £67,000 was concealed in the lining of baby clothing. This particular package was intended to reach an address in Hounslow. Pakistani officials immediately notified the relevant UK authorities and the investigation team.

Through intelligence, detectives linked this parcel to [E] Zahid Shah. He was arrested on 4 November 2013 in west London. His mobile phone was seized and was discovered to have thousands of text messages clearly confirming Zahid’s involvement with drug transportation and five further associates – four of whom were in the UK on student VISAs.

One of Shah’s text messages read: “LET THE BUSINESS GROW, WE’LL KICK SOME A** BEFORE WE GO HOME!”

Officers established that [A] Omar Farooq, the owner of a tyre repair company in Oldham, was responsible for master-minding the group’s activities.

What then followed, between November 2013 and February 2014, was a number of raids London and beyond to arrest the five remaining associates.

With support from colleagues at Greater Manchester Police, Met officers executed two drugs search warrants in January 2014 at two addresses in Oldham belonging to ring-leader Omar Farooq. Officers seized over £19k in cash under the Proceed of Crime Act and Farooq was arrested.

In total 12 packages were intercepted in London, Oldham and Manchester containing 5.25 kilos of heroin with an estimated street value of £1,113.212.

All six individuals were arrested and charged with conspiracy to import heroin and remanded into custody.

Hank Cole, Deputy Director of the National Crime Agency’s Border Policing Command, said: “This crime group thought they could hide from the law by concealing the drugs in restaurant menus and baby clothes. How wrong they were. Together with our partner agencies, we will continue to relentlessly pursue groups like this.”

Mike Butler, Border Force Senior Officer at Coventry, said: “Heroin is an evil drug that ruins the lives of users, their families and the communities in which they live. Detections like this demonstrate how Border Force officers are at the forefront of the fight to keep illegal drugs and other banned substances off the streets.

“Working with our colleagues in the police and at the NCA we are determined to do all we can to stop drug traffickers.”

+ On Friday, 17 October two men were found not guilty of conspiracy to import Heroin. They are [G] Mohamad Awad, 30 (23.10.83) and [H] Adnan Mehmood, 26 (9.03.88). Both men were arrested on 27 January 2014 and charged the following day.

A man who raped a student at knifepoint in a terrifying ordeal in her own home has been jailed for 21 years.

Vaidotas Niedvaras, 22 (2.02.92) of no fixed address, had previously been convicted at Woolwich Crown Court of rape, digital penetration, false imprisonment and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Jivan Saib, of the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said: “The victim suffered a horrific prolonged ordeal at the hands of a man who has shown no remorse for his actions.

“She remains extremely traumatised by what happened to her and was unable to sit exams she was due to take. I hope this lengthy sentence offers a degree of comfort to her.”

The victim, a 21-year-old student, began chatting to the defendant on a dating website and first met him for coffee on Tuesday, 18 March.

They met a few more times but she became uncomfortable when he unexpectedly turned up at her home and where she worked part-time and harassed her with non-stop text messages.

She broke things off but agreed to allow him to return some property to her on Sunday, 23 March.

Niedvaras arrived at her home in Peckham, SE15, just before midnight and pushed his way inside.

He tried three times to touch her wrist and when she objected, he punched her in the face, grabbed a knife from the kitchen sink and held it to her throat. He threatened to kill her if she screamed.

He forced the victim into her bedroom, locked the door and twice raped and sexually assaulted her in an ordeal lasting several hours.

After threatening to kill her family if she went to the police, Niedvaras left the following morning.

The victim went to work as normal and told her colleagues what had happened who then alerted police.

Niedvaras was arrested on Wednesday, 26 March and charged later the same day.

During his trial he showed no remorse and said it was the victim’s fault he punched her because of the way she had spoken to him.

He was found guilty on Monday, 29 September and sentenced on Monday, 20 October.

A man who was waving a large knife around in public was safely arrested by specialist officers.

At about 11pm on Tuesday 22 October 2014, CCTV operators spotted a man waving a large bladed knife around the Piccadilly Gardens area of Manchester and informed police.

Within two minutes of the call being received, response and armed response officers arrived at the scene and safely arrested the man, preventing any harm to him, officers present or members of the public.

A 55-year-old man was been arrested on suspicion of affray and remains in police custody for questioning.

Inspector Ian Fields, said: “This incident reflects exactly the kind of threat officers face on a day-to-day basis.

“For whatever reason, the man was waving an intimidating weapon around late at night, causing considerable concern and alarm to those members of the public in the area.

“Officers arrived within minutes and resolved the situation, ensuring no harm came to the wider public, the man or the officers themselves.

“Every day we respond to dangerous incidents involving potentially dangerous individuals who can be armed with deadly weapons and so the bravery of those involved and their determination to resolve this incident swiftly and safely should be highlighted and commended.”

Police are appealing for information after a 14 year old boy was the victim of an attempted robbery in Skelmersdale.

The incident happened at around 8.20pm on Monday 20 October outside a house on Lambourne, Ashurst.

It is believed that the 14 year old was approached by two men who wear wearing hoods and had their faces covered with masks. One man stopped the victim and searched through his pockets whilst the other is thought to have been holding a serrated knife and stood and watched the search.

The two men walked off without taking any items from the boy.

DC Tobin of Skelmersdale Police said: “This was an upsetting incident for the young boy involved and I would urge anyone who may have witnessed what happened, or who has any information that could help us with our enquiries, to get in touch as soon as possible.

“I would like to reassure members of the public that we have increased neighbourhood patrols in the area.”

Anyone with information should call Lancashire Police on 101 quoting log reference 1269 of 20^th October.

Alternatively, they can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at Crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

A man and woman have been sentenced to a total of eight years in prison for their part in an attempted ‘throw over’ of drugs and other items into The Mount prison in Bovingdon.

Pattrine Stephenson-Francis, who is 33 years old and from Third Avenue in Kilburn, and 47 year old Owen Foster, who is of no fixed address, both appeared before Luton Crown Court on Friday (October 17) to be sentenced for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and a third charge of attempting to convey mobile phones and alcohol into prison.

She received a four and a half year prison term, he was given three and a half years. Stephenson-Francis had been found guilty on Thursday following a trial, Foster had pleaded guilty an earlier hearing.

The two were arrested following an investigation into an incident at the prison on April 3^rd, 2013. On that day, Pattrine had been picked up in a taxi from her home address, before the taxi driver was asked to stop and pick up a man nearby. The taxi driver was then instructed to drive on to The Mount.

When they arrived, the man who had been picked up got out of the vehicle. He was subsequently seen in the trees by prison officers, who had been alerted to suspicious activity whilst monitoring CCTV.

Items were recovered, which were meant to have reached prisoners inside The Mount. These included cannabis, heroin, alcohol and mobile phones.

Detective Inspector Ian Butler is in charge of Hertfordshire Constabulary’s specialist Rapid Action, Intervention and Disruption (RAID) team which lead the investigation. He said: “These are serious offences and I am pleased the sentences given to these two reflect this.

“They were arrested following some excellent investigative work and I hope this sends a strong message to anyone thinking of doing anything similar, that prison officers and the police will do everything in their power to bring offenders to justice.

“I would also like to reassure members of the local community that proactive patrols by my team, who are working closely with the prison and other agencies, is on-going. We will continue this partnership working to ensure we can prevent and disrupt any prohibited items reaching prisoners for the safety of prisoners and the community.

“I would encourage anyone who knows who is involved in this type of crime to report it to police in confidence on 101 or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

A prison spokesperson said: “This sentence clearly demonstrates that these crimes bring severe consequences. We will continue to work in partnership with Herts Police in keeping our communities safe and fighting crime wherever it takes place.”

A police investigation is continuing after a man was seriously injured by dogs in the Belmont area of Durham yesterday.

At around 1pm police were called to reports of five American bulldogs attacking a man on fields in an area between Pittington and Belmont known locally as ‘the scrambles’.

Police responded and the dogs were quickly secured and taken to kennels where they remain.

A 48 year old man from Pittington was arrested at the scene for failing to keep his dogs under proper control.  He was questioned by police at Durham city police station yesterday afternoon and has now been released on bail, until late November, pending further enquiries.

The injured man a 63 year old from Belmont, was taken by ambulance to the University Hospital of North Durham (UHND) where he remains with serious non-life threatening injuries to his head and leg.

Police believe the incident unfolded when a 48 year old man from Pittington was walking his five American bulldogs with his friend, a woman in her late 60’s from Sedgefield.

At the same time it appears that the 63 year old man who was injured was walking his Staffordshire bull terrier in the same area when the dogs began fighting with one another.  The owner of the Staffordshire bull terrier intervened and was bitten by the dogs.  The woman from Sedgefield was also bitten on the leg but did not require hospital treatment.

Initial reports suggested a third person had also been injured but we can confirm today that this was not the case.

The Staffordshire bull terrier was seriously injured in the incident and remains in the care of a local vet.

Neighbourhood Chief Inspector for Durham Andy Huddleston said “I can confirm that the 48 year old man owns 14 American bulldogs in total and although only 5 were involved in this incident all 14 have been taken to local kennels as a safety precaution.  This is an ongoing investigation and my officers will be in the local area speaking with people as we work to establish exactly what happened yesterday.”

Chief Inspector Huddleston added “After the events of yesterday clearly questions are being asked about this man’s ability to control his animals and this will form part of our investigation.  The dogs are legally held in that they are not categorised as dangerous dogs under the dangerous dogs act 1991.  However under new legislation introduced only this week, new options are available including a local authority public space protection order.  I would like to reassure people that all available options will be considered.”

Anyone with information can contact police on 101.

A 30 year old man faces a jail sentence after detectives were able to prove he carried out a sexual assault from DNA left on the victim’s clothes.

Due to the wealth of evidence against him, Hatcher, of Dymchurch Road in Hythe, pleaded guilty to sexual assault, kidnap and robbery.

Officers used sophisticated forensic techniques to extract strands of DNA left by Christopher Michael Hatcher on an item of his victim’s clothing and her handbag.

Canterbury Crown Court heard the victim had been walking along Royal Military Canal in Hythe at about 7.30am on Sunday 22 June, when she heard someone running behind her.

As she turned to see who it was, the man stopped running and began walking towards her. He was wearing a top with the hood pulled over his head and a scarf covered his face.

It was then that he revealed a knife and told the victim: ‘Don’t make a noise, come with me.’

The victim was forced to walk back in the direction she had come from while Hatcher followed behind saying: ‘Don’t look at me, remember I have got a knife’.

When they arrived at a secluded spot by the canal, Hatcher told her to lay on the floor and cover her face with a jumper. He then performed a sex act.

When the victim got up, Hatcher was rifling through her handbag and found her purse. He said: ‘I’ll take this’ before running off in the direction of Folkestone.

The victim was found by a dog walker, who called police.

Forensic specialists carried out an examination of the victim’s handbag and clothing and extracted strands of DNA.

That was to prove crucial for detectives investigating the incident when officers attended a call on 5 July of a report of a man acting suspiciously near the canal tow path.

Officers arrested Hatcher at the scene and DNA tests later provided a direct match to a profile found on the victim’s clothing and handbag from the sex attack on 22 June.

In interview he denied the offence and said he had not been to that area of Hythe for many years, but pleaded guilty during a plea and case management hearing at court on Tuesday 21 October.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Richard Vickery of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: ‘This was a premeditated incident in which Hatcher targeted his victim in a secluded area in the early hours of a Sunday morning.

‘It must have been a terrifying experience for the victim. With her assistance and detailed account we were able to compile a thorough and comprehensive case against Hatcher. She is an extremely courageous young lady and I would take this opportunity to thank her personally.

‘In the weeks after the assault, officers carried out regular patrols in the area to keep members of the public safe and they were close by when they were able to respond to a call on 5 July.

‘Officers were able to make a crucial arrest and thanks to the advances in forensic science, we were able to match Hatcher’s DNA with that found on an item of the victim’s clothing and handbag.

‘Forensic science continues to play an important part in the detection of serious crimes.

‘It is a science that continues to develop and capture significant evidence to ensure justice for victims.’

Hatcher has been returned to prison to await his sentence on a date yet to be confirmed.

Detectives are appealing for information following an injury shooting this evening (Tuesday, 21 October 2014).

Officers were called to Maberley View in Wavertree just after 8pm to reports of a man being shot.

It is understood that the 30-year-old victim was leaving his home with his partner and 18-month-old child when the incident occurred.

As he was leaving he was approached by a man, believed to be armed with a shotgun, who chased him on foot for a short distance before shooting him.

The victim has been taken to hospital where his condition is described as serious.

Supt Mark Wiggins, said, “At this time we believe this incident was a targeted attack. I would appeal for anyone with any information regarding who was responsible, or why this took place, to contact us and help us with our enquiries.

“Merseyside Police deals robustly with any incidents of  gun crime and we will relentlessly pursue those who use guns on our streets. If you have any information which could help us to identify who carried out this attack, please call us so we can put them before the courts and bring them to justice.”

The scene of the incident has been cordoned off whilst forensic examinations are carried out and house-to-house inquiries are underway. High visibility patrols have been stepped up in the area to reassure the local community.

Officers are appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has any information which could help them with their inquiries to contact the specialist Matrix Serious Organised Crime Team on 0800 230 0600, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.