BURGLAR Jonathan O'Dwyer was not hard to spot at the scene of his crime – he wore a bright yellow fluorescent jacket.
O'Dwyer's high-visibility coat was seen by a woman neighbour.
She went to investigate when she heard loud "booming noises" and noticed glass smashed in a side door at the house in Barbara Square, Hucknall.
O'Dwyer, 20, of Holbeck Road, Hucknall, was standing at a side door but left the scene. A police dog picked up his trail and found his jacket which he had dumped as he escaped. Tests revealed his DNA.
O'Dwyer was arrested and charged with the burglary on November 17. He named an accomplice, but there was not enough evidence against him.
"At the time that named male was still in the property when he ran off," said Andrew Tanser, prosecuting at Nottingham Crown Court.
Judge Michael Stokes, QC, told the defendant's barrister: "Going burgling in a fluorescent yellow jacket does suggest a degree of naivety."
O'Dwyer, who pleaded guilty, had been made redundant and was using drugs.
Julia King, mitigating, said the offence was out of character, he was short of money and got involved through the other man.
"He is now a full-time warehouseman. These proceedings have forced him to consider his lifestyle and the direction he was heading and he has stopped taking drugs.''
Two gold chains, a PlayStation 3 and games were taken and estimated to be worth more than £1,000. Nothing was recovered.
Judge Stokes sentenced O'Dwyer to a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for one year, and imposed 140 hours of unpaid work. He must pay £600 compensation to the householder.
He said: "You were one of two men who burgled someone's home. The other burglar escaped with the stolen property. Unusually you told police who he was, but he has not been prosecuted.
"Your role appears to have been a subsidiary role, and someone who should retire forthwith from this activity. If you are going to burgle in a yellow high-visibility jacket, you are going to draw attention to yourself – one ironic way that suggests you were naive and under the influence of someone else."
Thursday 25 March 2010
Wednesday 24 March 2010
Armless getaway driver leads police a merry dance
14th September 2009 09:08 GMT
An semi-armless teenager who acted as getaway driver on a jewellery heist, driving at 100mph during a police pursuit "despite needing somebody to change the gears for him", has escaped jail, the Telegraph reports.
John Smith, 18 - who has no arms below the elbow - was in charge of a Ford Focus during the robbery of Ernest Jones in Hempstead Valley shopping centre near Rainham, Kent, on 17 December last year.
At 2am, the three other members of the gang smashed the shop window with a claw hammer and made off with £174,445 worth of jewellery. Cue a high-speed chase along the A2 towards London, until Smith lost control of the car and crashed on the approach to the Blackwall Tunnel.
Despite "heavy damage" to the vehicle, Smith attempted to continue, but a police car forced him against the tunnel wall.
Recorder Charles George QC of Maidstone Crown Court told Smith that "his disability and the fact he did not take part in the raid itself enabled him to suspend the custodial sentence".
Accordingly, he sentenced Smith to a 12-month youth custody order, suspended for two years, slapped a six-month electronically-tagged curfew on the teen and ordered him to attend a Probation service "Think First" programme.
Two other partcipants in the heist, who pleaded guilty to burglary, were jailed. Tyrone Tassell, 21, from Walthamstow, copped 32 months, "less 224 days already served on remand or under a tagged curfew".
Sunni Sacco, 19, address unknown, earned two years in a young offenders' institution, "less 241 days served on remand or under tagged curfew".
The third ne'er-do-well, Craig Phillips of Islington, is subject to a two-year supervision order and a six-month electronically-tagged curfew
An semi-armless teenager who acted as getaway driver on a jewellery heist, driving at 100mph during a police pursuit "despite needing somebody to change the gears for him", has escaped jail, the Telegraph reports.
John Smith, 18 - who has no arms below the elbow - was in charge of a Ford Focus during the robbery of Ernest Jones in Hempstead Valley shopping centre near Rainham, Kent, on 17 December last year.
At 2am, the three other members of the gang smashed the shop window with a claw hammer and made off with £174,445 worth of jewellery. Cue a high-speed chase along the A2 towards London, until Smith lost control of the car and crashed on the approach to the Blackwall Tunnel.
Despite "heavy damage" to the vehicle, Smith attempted to continue, but a police car forced him against the tunnel wall.
Recorder Charles George QC of Maidstone Crown Court told Smith that "his disability and the fact he did not take part in the raid itself enabled him to suspend the custodial sentence".
Accordingly, he sentenced Smith to a 12-month youth custody order, suspended for two years, slapped a six-month electronically-tagged curfew on the teen and ordered him to attend a Probation service "Think First" programme.
Two other partcipants in the heist, who pleaded guilty to burglary, were jailed. Tyrone Tassell, 21, from Walthamstow, copped 32 months, "less 224 days already served on remand or under a tagged curfew".
Sunni Sacco, 19, address unknown, earned two years in a young offenders' institution, "less 241 days served on remand or under tagged curfew".
The third ne'er-do-well, Craig Phillips of Islington, is subject to a two-year supervision order and a six-month electronically-tagged curfew
Recent fraud cases cast shadow on egg sector
Recent fraud cases cast shadow on egg sector
By Philip Clarke on March 23, 2010 5:48 PM
Egg suppliers are in danger of being tarred with the same brush as politicians, following recent cases of fraud and corruption.
The case of Keith Owen, who was fined over £3m and sent down for three years for selling millions of eggs from caged birds as free range and organic, received widespread coverage in the national media.
The British Egg Industry Council was quick to point out that its British Lion scheme had been tightened up since those offences were committed in 2006, and welcomed the tough sentence handed down in early March.
But then came news a week later that Derbyshire trading standards officers had "issued advice" to nine businesses following spot checks on eggs in the county...
Apparently 19 out of 50 eggs tested did not match the description on the box - a 38% failure rate - again with supposedly free range eggs having come from caged systems. Others were out-of-date and under weight, prompting one local councillor to observe that "egg fraud is big business across the country".
The news resonated with comments made by one egg producer at the recent NFU annual conference, who said that "the cowboys are taking over in my part of south Yorkshire".
With parts of eastern Europe clearly unable to meet the impending EU cage ban, she feared a flood of illegally-produced, incorrectly labelled eggs coming onto the UK market from 2012.
Of course the vast majority of egg producers and suppliers in this country operate to the highest of standards - which is more than can be said of MPs in Westminster.
But it only takes a handful of "bad-uns" to create the impression that everyone is "on the game" and cast doubt about the integrity of the product.
It is therefore essential that everyone in the egg business remains vigilant and reports any irregularities to the appropriate authorities.
By Philip Clarke on March 23, 2010 5:48 PM
Egg suppliers are in danger of being tarred with the same brush as politicians, following recent cases of fraud and corruption.
The case of Keith Owen, who was fined over £3m and sent down for three years for selling millions of eggs from caged birds as free range and organic, received widespread coverage in the national media.
The British Egg Industry Council was quick to point out that its British Lion scheme had been tightened up since those offences were committed in 2006, and welcomed the tough sentence handed down in early March.
But then came news a week later that Derbyshire trading standards officers had "issued advice" to nine businesses following spot checks on eggs in the county...
Apparently 19 out of 50 eggs tested did not match the description on the box - a 38% failure rate - again with supposedly free range eggs having come from caged systems. Others were out-of-date and under weight, prompting one local councillor to observe that "egg fraud is big business across the country".
The news resonated with comments made by one egg producer at the recent NFU annual conference, who said that "the cowboys are taking over in my part of south Yorkshire".
With parts of eastern Europe clearly unable to meet the impending EU cage ban, she feared a flood of illegally-produced, incorrectly labelled eggs coming onto the UK market from 2012.
Of course the vast majority of egg producers and suppliers in this country operate to the highest of standards - which is more than can be said of MPs in Westminster.
But it only takes a handful of "bad-uns" to create the impression that everyone is "on the game" and cast doubt about the integrity of the product.
It is therefore essential that everyone in the egg business remains vigilant and reports any irregularities to the appropriate authorities.
Tuesday 23 March 2010
Dad spared prison to look after jailed mum's children
Dad spared prison to look after jailed mum's children
Wednesday, March 03, 2010, 07:06
A father who has avoided justice for months was spared prison so he can care for five of his children while his ex-wife serves a jail term.
After breaching a suspended sentence, Karl Edwards, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday - just 24 hours after former partner Helen Edwards was jailed.
When mum-of-six Helen, 32, was sentenced to 10 months on Monday for shoplifting, handling stolen goods and being in breach of a suspended sentence she pleaded with the judge to be able to take her baby into prison with her.
Karl Edwards, formerly of Brook Street, Gloucester, but now of Naunton Road, Coney Hill, was before the court for breaching a suspended sentence handed down in December for possession of stolen goods.
He had been on the run but he appeared in court and told the judge he wanted to take care of his children while his ex-wife was in prison.
TIN.adverts.adWriteDC('article-detail-impact-tile', '452x118');
On his behalf, Steve Young told Judge William Hart his ex-wife had six children, including her new baby, and although there had been difficulties between them he wanted to return to live at her home to care for the family
“He was living at Brook Street, Gloucester, when he was given the suspended sentence and supervision order, but he and his ex-wife were reconciled and he had returned to live at her home,” he said.
“That was why he did not receive letters and notices of appointments from the probation service. He accepts that he should have contacted the probation service and that it was his duty to inform them of his change of address.”
Edwards acknowledged that this was not a satisfactory explanation for his conduct but asked that the suspended sentence was not activated.
“Social services are aware of the position and the children have been placed in the care of a family friend,” Mr Young said. “What happens to the children now depends on what happens to him here today.
“Give him one further opportunity to comply with this order.”
Judge Hart said it would be unusual for him to activate a suspended sentence on the first breach.
“I will adjourn your case for five weeks and if you comply with the order, I will not activate the sentence,” he said.
“But I am far from persuaded that you are going to comply,” he told Edwards .
He added: “And your domestic circumstances are not easy, but they must not interfere with this order.”
Wednesday, March 03, 2010, 07:06
A father who has avoided justice for months was spared prison so he can care for five of his children while his ex-wife serves a jail term.
After breaching a suspended sentence, Karl Edwards, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday - just 24 hours after former partner Helen Edwards was jailed.
When mum-of-six Helen, 32, was sentenced to 10 months on Monday for shoplifting, handling stolen goods and being in breach of a suspended sentence she pleaded with the judge to be able to take her baby into prison with her.
Karl Edwards, formerly of Brook Street, Gloucester, but now of Naunton Road, Coney Hill, was before the court for breaching a suspended sentence handed down in December for possession of stolen goods.
He had been on the run but he appeared in court and told the judge he wanted to take care of his children while his ex-wife was in prison.
TIN.adverts.adWriteDC('article-detail-impact-tile', '452x118');
On his behalf, Steve Young told Judge William Hart his ex-wife had six children, including her new baby, and although there had been difficulties between them he wanted to return to live at her home to care for the family
“He was living at Brook Street, Gloucester, when he was given the suspended sentence and supervision order, but he and his ex-wife were reconciled and he had returned to live at her home,” he said.
“That was why he did not receive letters and notices of appointments from the probation service. He accepts that he should have contacted the probation service and that it was his duty to inform them of his change of address.”
Edwards acknowledged that this was not a satisfactory explanation for his conduct but asked that the suspended sentence was not activated.
“Social services are aware of the position and the children have been placed in the care of a family friend,” Mr Young said. “What happens to the children now depends on what happens to him here today.
“Give him one further opportunity to comply with this order.”
Judge Hart said it would be unusual for him to activate a suspended sentence on the first breach.
“I will adjourn your case for five weeks and if you comply with the order, I will not activate the sentence,” he said.
“But I am far from persuaded that you are going to comply,” he told Edwards .
He added: “And your domestic circumstances are not easy, but they must not interfere with this order.”
Man, 89, is oldest criminal in county
Man, 89, is oldest criminal in county
Saturday, August 29, 2009, 07:30
AN 89-year-old man who used credit cards and online bank accounts to commit fraud is the oldest criminal in Derbyshire.
He is just one of 260 over-70s to be arrested in the past three years, according to new figures released by Derbyshire police.
So far this year, 67 pensioners have been detained for criminal offences ranging from common assault, racially or religiously aggravated harassment and theft.
Other offences in Derbyshire include an 87-year-old man convicted for criminal damage and an 82-year-old arrested for malicious wounding.
Over the past three years, one 71-year-old man was charged with trafficking cocaine while others were arrested for sexual assaults, burglary, false imprisonment and making threats to kill.
There were more than 70 thefts from shops over the three years, with 18 taking place in the first half of 2009.
Southern Derbyshire Pensioners' Association says that people over the age of 65 could be turning to crime to top up their state pension.
It believes the figures should be a catalyst for the Government to raise it beyond the current level of £165 per week.
And an Age Concern spokesman said the statistics show that anyone, regardless of age, was capable of committing crime.
The figures, which were obtained through a Freedom of Information request to Derbyshire police, show there were 113 crimes committed by pensioners in 2007. In 2008, there were 88 offences. Nationally, pensioners are said to be responsible for about 2,000 crimes a year out of a total of several million.
Ann Crosby, chairwoman of Southern Derbyshire Pensioners' Association, said the figures only amounted to a very small proportion of crimes committed across the county.
She said: "As a population, the number of older people is growing, so it's no surprise that the number committing crimes is growing as well.
"The fact that a lot of the crimes are for offences such as shoplifting could be an indication of the low income that pensioners have.
"I am not excusing people committing crime, but it could be a reason."
A study by Prudential, one of Britain's biggest pension companies, found that more than 100,000 pensioners have turned to – or considered turning to – crime to top up their pensions.
The biggest increase has been in fraud, while others have turned to drug dealing and even robbing banks.
A spokeswoman for Age Concern described the figures as a "phenomenon of society".
She said: "There is no justification for criminal behaviour at any time of life.
"However, people over 70 are responsible for only a tiny share of the almost five million crimes committed in England and Wales last year."
Earlier this year, Brian and Sheila Tasker, 72 and 60, of Chaddesden, pleaded guilty to operating a consumer credit business without a licence.
The pair loaned out large sums of cash and used threats of violence over a 10-year period to make sure the money was paid back with huge interest.
They raked in tens of thousands of pounds a year and were given 12-month prison terms, suspended for two years, at Derby Crown Court.
In 2007, 87 people between the age of 70 and 79 committed offences, 24 people between 80 and 85, with two 86-year-olds and an 87-year-old also being arrested.
Last year, 77 people aged between 70 and 79 carried out crime, five pensioners between 80 and 85, as well as an 86-year-old, two 87-year-olds, an 88-year-old and 89-year-old.
So far this year, 51 pensioners between 70 and 79 have committed offences, 12 people aged between 80 and 85, and two 87-year-olds, an 88-year-old as well as the 89-year-old fraudster, who was charged.
A spokeswoman for Derbyshire police said figures for crimes such as sexual offences may refer to offences committed when people were younger.
She said: "There are cases where people report offences many years after they occur.
"However statistics show age is no bar to criminal activity."
Saturday, August 29, 2009, 07:30
AN 89-year-old man who used credit cards and online bank accounts to commit fraud is the oldest criminal in Derbyshire.
He is just one of 260 over-70s to be arrested in the past three years, according to new figures released by Derbyshire police.
So far this year, 67 pensioners have been detained for criminal offences ranging from common assault, racially or religiously aggravated harassment and theft.
Other offences in Derbyshire include an 87-year-old man convicted for criminal damage and an 82-year-old arrested for malicious wounding.
Over the past three years, one 71-year-old man was charged with trafficking cocaine while others were arrested for sexual assaults, burglary, false imprisonment and making threats to kill.
There were more than 70 thefts from shops over the three years, with 18 taking place in the first half of 2009.
Southern Derbyshire Pensioners' Association says that people over the age of 65 could be turning to crime to top up their state pension.
It believes the figures should be a catalyst for the Government to raise it beyond the current level of £165 per week.
And an Age Concern spokesman said the statistics show that anyone, regardless of age, was capable of committing crime.
The figures, which were obtained through a Freedom of Information request to Derbyshire police, show there were 113 crimes committed by pensioners in 2007. In 2008, there were 88 offences. Nationally, pensioners are said to be responsible for about 2,000 crimes a year out of a total of several million.
Ann Crosby, chairwoman of Southern Derbyshire Pensioners' Association, said the figures only amounted to a very small proportion of crimes committed across the county.
She said: "As a population, the number of older people is growing, so it's no surprise that the number committing crimes is growing as well.
"The fact that a lot of the crimes are for offences such as shoplifting could be an indication of the low income that pensioners have.
"I am not excusing people committing crime, but it could be a reason."
A study by Prudential, one of Britain's biggest pension companies, found that more than 100,000 pensioners have turned to – or considered turning to – crime to top up their pensions.
The biggest increase has been in fraud, while others have turned to drug dealing and even robbing banks.
A spokeswoman for Age Concern described the figures as a "phenomenon of society".
She said: "There is no justification for criminal behaviour at any time of life.
"However, people over 70 are responsible for only a tiny share of the almost five million crimes committed in England and Wales last year."
Earlier this year, Brian and Sheila Tasker, 72 and 60, of Chaddesden, pleaded guilty to operating a consumer credit business without a licence.
The pair loaned out large sums of cash and used threats of violence over a 10-year period to make sure the money was paid back with huge interest.
They raked in tens of thousands of pounds a year and were given 12-month prison terms, suspended for two years, at Derby Crown Court.
In 2007, 87 people between the age of 70 and 79 committed offences, 24 people between 80 and 85, with two 86-year-olds and an 87-year-old also being arrested.
Last year, 77 people aged between 70 and 79 carried out crime, five pensioners between 80 and 85, as well as an 86-year-old, two 87-year-olds, an 88-year-old and 89-year-old.
So far this year, 51 pensioners between 70 and 79 have committed offences, 12 people aged between 80 and 85, and two 87-year-olds, an 88-year-old as well as the 89-year-old fraudster, who was charged.
A spokeswoman for Derbyshire police said figures for crimes such as sexual offences may refer to offences committed when people were younger.
She said: "There are cases where people report offences many years after they occur.
"However statistics show age is no bar to criminal activity."
Sunday 21 March 2010
A transsexual self-styled countess was jailed for four and a half years for falsely claiming nearly £200,000 in benefits.
A transsexual self-styled countess was jailed for four and a half years for falsely claiming nearly £200,000 in benefits.
Published: 3:04PM GMT 19 Mar 2010
Marianne Jonson of Rawlings Crescent, Wembley pretended to be paraplegic to receive payouts and live in social housing which was reserved for disabled people.
Jonson, 49, who used multiple identities including the name Countess Mariaska Romanov, said she had an identical twin sister who could walk.
Brent Council said she was found guilty of 22 counts of benefit fraud at Harrow Crown Court yesterday.
During her trial it emerged that Jonson, who was born a man called Robert Duxbury, presented medical records to the court which she said were from an orthopaedic surgeon.
In fact they had been cobbled together by doing Google searches and the medic was dead.
Simon Lane from Brent Council said: ''This sentence sends out a strong message from the court to those who may be considering benefit fraud. Brent Council has carried out one of the most detailed and lengthy investigations in its history in order to bring a prosecution in this case. I am sure that taxpayers will be very satisfied with the outcome.
''This was a complex case, involving many different benefits and lines of inquiry.
''Jonson attempted to frustrate the investigation at every stage with petitions to the council, complaints to MPs and councillors and claims of lost evidence. Particularly distasteful is the £58,000 in direct care payments, which have a direct and real impact on the council's ability to provide care to those in real need.''
The fraud dated back to 1996 and over the years she claimed £197,000 in benefits, accommodation and to cover her apparent need for 24-hour care.
But during that time she also ran a cafe in the name of the Countess Romanov and worked as a school governor, and was found by council investigators to enjoy a lifestyle of shopping and foreign holidays.
Mr Lane added: ''Throughout the trial Jonson maintained her innocence, claiming that investigators had taken her medical records, proving her innocence, during a police search and these had been lost by the council.
''The records that she did provide to the court, allegedly from an eminent orthopaedic surgeon, were found to have been based on a Google search and written after his death. The sentence imposed clearly reflects the seriousness of these crimes against the public purse.''
Published: 3:04PM GMT 19 Mar 2010
Marianne Jonson of Rawlings Crescent, Wembley pretended to be paraplegic to receive payouts and live in social housing which was reserved for disabled people.
Jonson, 49, who used multiple identities including the name Countess Mariaska Romanov, said she had an identical twin sister who could walk.
Brent Council said she was found guilty of 22 counts of benefit fraud at Harrow Crown Court yesterday.
During her trial it emerged that Jonson, who was born a man called Robert Duxbury, presented medical records to the court which she said were from an orthopaedic surgeon.
In fact they had been cobbled together by doing Google searches and the medic was dead.
Simon Lane from Brent Council said: ''This sentence sends out a strong message from the court to those who may be considering benefit fraud. Brent Council has carried out one of the most detailed and lengthy investigations in its history in order to bring a prosecution in this case. I am sure that taxpayers will be very satisfied with the outcome.
''This was a complex case, involving many different benefits and lines of inquiry.
''Jonson attempted to frustrate the investigation at every stage with petitions to the council, complaints to MPs and councillors and claims of lost evidence. Particularly distasteful is the £58,000 in direct care payments, which have a direct and real impact on the council's ability to provide care to those in real need.''
The fraud dated back to 1996 and over the years she claimed £197,000 in benefits, accommodation and to cover her apparent need for 24-hour care.
But during that time she also ran a cafe in the name of the Countess Romanov and worked as a school governor, and was found by council investigators to enjoy a lifestyle of shopping and foreign holidays.
Mr Lane added: ''Throughout the trial Jonson maintained her innocence, claiming that investigators had taken her medical records, proving her innocence, during a police search and these had been lost by the council.
''The records that she did provide to the court, allegedly from an eminent orthopaedic surgeon, were found to have been based on a Google search and written after his death. The sentence imposed clearly reflects the seriousness of these crimes against the public purse.''
Man had sex change to escape debt collectors
A man from the West Midlands, who was believed to have debts of up to £50,000, had a sex change in a desperate bid to avoid debt collectors.
Published: 8:00AM GMT 20 Mar 2010
The man, who cannot be named, had got into so much debt that he decided to switch identities completely.
Actress Sarah Thom revealed that she found out about the man after speaking to workers at the Wolverhampton Credit Union to research her role playing a debt-ridden cleaner in a touring play called Forever in Your Debt.
She said that she met up with workers at the union – which provides financial advice and loans to members – who revealed its most extreme cases of debt to her.
One was the case of man from the West Midlands area who decided to have a sex change in a bid to dodge debt collectors.
The man is believed to have gone through with the operation, but is now thought to be in the process of sorting out his debts and paying off his creditors.
He is thought to have built up the massive debt – around £50,000 – after falling behind on his mortgage payments and credit card bills after losing his job.
It was also revealed that the owner of a 99p store in Wolverhampton had to shut down after penny-pinching customers demanded 1p change, while another man took a job as a debt collector only to have to hassle his own family for repayments.
Ms Thom, said: "The thing I picked up was the humour people have at the point of tragedy."
Published: 8:00AM GMT 20 Mar 2010
The man, who cannot be named, had got into so much debt that he decided to switch identities completely.
Actress Sarah Thom revealed that she found out about the man after speaking to workers at the Wolverhampton Credit Union to research her role playing a debt-ridden cleaner in a touring play called Forever in Your Debt.
She said that she met up with workers at the union – which provides financial advice and loans to members – who revealed its most extreme cases of debt to her.
One was the case of man from the West Midlands area who decided to have a sex change in a bid to dodge debt collectors.
The man is believed to have gone through with the operation, but is now thought to be in the process of sorting out his debts and paying off his creditors.
He is thought to have built up the massive debt – around £50,000 – after falling behind on his mortgage payments and credit card bills after losing his job.
It was also revealed that the owner of a 99p store in Wolverhampton had to shut down after penny-pinching customers demanded 1p change, while another man took a job as a debt collector only to have to hassle his own family for repayments.
Ms Thom, said: "The thing I picked up was the humour people have at the point of tragedy."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)