Category: Police

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

Headline: Man charged in Hackney violent Hackney robberies

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

Headline: A Man tried and sentenced in his absence has now been arrested and jailed

Police were appealing for the public’s help to trace a man who was wanted for failing to appear at court.

James Bennett, 32 (12.09.85) of no fixed abode was due to face trial at Inner London Crown Court on Monday, 11 December charged with 17 counts of fraud.

He was found guilty in his absence on Wednesday, 13 December and he was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment on Friday, 15 December for the fraud offences.

A warrant was issued and Bennett was arrested by officers on Friday, 26 January.

He appeared at Inner London Crown Court later that afternoon and was sentenced to a further month’s improsonment to run consecutively for failing to appear at court.

Between late 2015 and December 2016, Bennett made numerous listings on the Spareroom.com website advertising rooms for rent at four separate properties in Brixton, Walworth, Elephant & Castle and Tooting.

Bennett obtained more than £10,000 by conning prospective tenants out of deposits for flats he had no right to let

In each case he had no permission to rent out those rooms and was in the process of being evicted. In all 17 cases he took holding deposits of up to £725 each from people desperate to obtain accommodation. In total he obtained more than £10,000.

Bennett made no attempt to hide his identity and gave tenancy agreements to each victim. He also willingly provided copies of his passport and other documents to prove his identity in order to dupe his victims who had all made reasonable attempts to ensure he was genuine.

Many of the victims only found they had been defrauded when they turned up on the agreed day to move in. This led to huge inconvenience for people who could ill-afford the loss of such a large sum of money, and in more than one case left the victim homeless. One victim had to spend Christmas in a hostel.

Bennett was arrested in November 2016 and initially denied the offences. When confronted with further evidence in May 2017, he made a full admission in interview.

He was charged with 17 offences but, despite his full admissions in interview, pleaded not guilty at Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court.

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

Headline: Appeal to find 11-year-old girl missing from Newham

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

Headline: Appeal one-week on from man’s disappearance

One-week on from the disappearance of a man from Greenwich, detectives are renewing appeals for information to trace his whereabouts.

Seyed Khan, 49, who is from Thamesmead was last seen at work in A-Z Carpets at 717-719 High Road in Ilford at approximately 17:00hrs on Wednesday, 24 January.

He left the shop to take a phone call and has not been seen or heard from since.

Mr Khan’s family, and officers, are growing increasingly concerned for his welfare as his disappearance is out of character.

His eldest son, Khalil, said: “My father is a kind and well respected man; he is much loved by his family and friends. We are all in great grief, especially my five-year-old brother. All we want is for our dad to come back to us.”

Mr Khan is an Asian man, around 5ft 9ins tall, of medium build with short black hair. At the time of his disappearance he was wearing blue jeans, a black jacket and grey trainers.

He is known to frequent the Thamesmead, Plumstead, Woolwich and Ilford areas.

The Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command is leading the investigation into his disappearance and is continuing to work closely with colleagues in Greenwich and Redbridge Boroughs.

Detective Inspector Richard Leonard, said: “It has now been a week since Mr Khan left his place of employment to answer his phone. We would like to speak with whomever placed that call, or anyone who saw where he went. Somebody must have seen him.

“His family are desperate for information and I would urge anyone who is yet to speak with officers to come forward.”

Anyone who has information should call the incident room on 020 8721 4622, via 101 or tweet @MetCC.

To remain anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

Headline: UPDATE: Man charged with Hackney murder

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

Headline: POCA Hearing regarding Hatton Garden theft

Four men responsible for the theft of gold and jewellery from a vault in Hatton Garden have been ordered to pay back more than £6 million or each serve an extra seven years in jail.

Following a one-week Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearing at Southwark Crown Court, Terry Perkins, John Collins, Daniel Jones and Brian Reader, have all been made subject of a confiscation order as a result of their involvement in the burglary during the Easter Bank Holiday in 2015.

Collins, Jones, Perkins and Reader were found to have jointly obtained the whole of the proceeds of the burglary, with a calculated value of £13,690,331.75.

– Terry Perkins, 69 (04.04.48) must pay back £6,526,571.65 or serve another seven years in jail.
– John Collins, 77 (05.09.40), must pay back £7,686,039.06 or serve another seven years in prison.
– Daniel Jones, 60 (01.03.57), must pay back £6,649,827.47 or serve another seven years in prison.
– Brian Reader, 78 (28.02.39), must pay back £6,644,951 or serve another seven years in prison.

At the same confiscation hearing on Tuesday, 30 January, William Lincoln, 62 (15.06.55), was ordered to pay back £26,898 or serve another nine months in prison.

– Hugh Doyle, 50 (28.02.67) also had a judgment handed down today after a confiscation hearing on 29 January. He must pay back £367.50 or serve another 14 days in prison.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Bedford, of the Met’s Flying Squad, said: “These defendants were responsible for one of the biggest safety deposit centre heists in British history, but, after a meticulous Flying Squad investigation, they were caught, tried and subsequently given lengthy custodial sentences.

“However, this was not the end of the investigation; specialist financial investigators from the Met’s criminal finance team have been working with the Flying Squad to locate the outstanding property and identified the assets of these defendants. This thorough investigation in partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service has resulted in these Proceeds of Crime orders which will ensure the defendants are prevented from enjoying any financial benefit from this audacious burglary and demonstrates the Met’s determination to ensure that crime does not pay.”

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

Headline: Third man charged in connection with murder of Malachi Brooks

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

Headline: Man charged with sexual assaults

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

Headline: Appeal for missing Bromley man

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

Headline: UPDATE: Man charged with double murder