JCB has Dig at Bank

Police believe that a large JCB digger was used to attempt to dig out an ATM machine. The machine was in the wall of a Barclays Bank in Barretts Lane, Needham Market. There was a gaping hole in the wall from the 3.30a.m. raid attempt. After failing to get the cash machine free from the building, the thief drove off in the digger, before abandoning it in a nearby field. A resident, living just feet from the bank, said: "The thud of a massive box hitting the ground I thought would make some noise, but we heard nothing." The road has been closed while an investigation takes place and engineers check the structure of the bank.

Olympian Hurdles

We all have our hurdles in life and mine is to navigate the M23 & M25 in the rain on a Sunday. Called out to attend a Met Police station to defend on a GBH case. Don't reckon I will get a medal, just vending machine tea. The joys of being a popular criminal lawyer.

Ridicule or Ridiculous?

Paul Chambers who posted what he described as a “silly joke” on Twitter threatening to blow up Robin Hood Airport has won his appeal against a conviction of sending ‘menacing electronic communications’. Mr Chambers wrote ‘C**p! Robin Hood Airport is closed. You’ve got a week and a bit to get your s**t together otherwise I’m blowing the airport sky high!’ Mr Chambers was fined £385 and ordered to pay £600 costs after being convicted under the Communications Act 2003 in May 2010. However, the conviction was quashed after John Cooper QC stated this was an obvious joke, there was no attempt to conceal his identity and it obviously had no links with terrorism.

Rapist Spikes 12 Years Old Girl’s Drink

Bailed rapist spiked 12-year-old’s fruit juice before sexually abusing her. Samuel Omar spiked a youngster’s Fruit Shoot drink with vodka before sexually assaulting the girl. This was while he was on bail for attacking another child. The court case for this previous incident was delayed due to funding cut-backs. He was yesterday jailed indefinitely and must serve at least three years and three months before being considered for parole. However, Judge Sylvia De Bertodano made it clear he would only be released once he is no longer dangerous. 64-year-old Omar has admitted the two attacks and making indecent images of children. He has previously served a 12-year prison sentence for raping a six-year-old girl in 1987. HS&Co have great experience in both sexual and assault cases.

Rapist Spikes 12 Years Old Girl’s Drink

Bailed rapist spiked 12-year-old’s fruit juice before sexually abusing her. Samuel Omar spiked a youngster’s Fruit Shoot drink with vodka before sexually assaulting the girl. This was while he was on bail for attacking another child. The court case for this previous incident was delayed due to funding cut-backs. He was yesterday jailed indefinitely and must serve at least three years and three months before being considered for parole. However, Judge Sylvia De Bertodano made it clear he would only be released once he is no longer dangerous. 64-year-old Omar has admitted the two attacks and making indecent images of children. He has previously served a 12-year prison sentence for raping a six-year-old girl in 1987. HS&Co have great experience in both sexual and assault cases.

Healthy Teenagers?

A survey of a selection of English secondary school pupils showed that the numbers of children ages 11-15 that had tried drugs at least once had fallen from 29% in 2001 to 17% in 2011. The NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre said the figures showed that youngsters appeared to be living increasingly healthy lifestyles. Use of Cannabis, usually the most commonly used drug, was also down. The survey also showed that the number of 11-15 year olds smoking was the lowest since records began in 1982. Only 7% reported to be drinking regularly, down from 20% 10 years ago. HS&Co have anecdotal reports from this age group that contradicts the above findings.

Reality Policing in 2012

Full-time equivalent (FTE) officer numbers have fallen by 5,009 in a year, standing at 134,101 by the end of March this year. The number of community support officers also fell 9% but the number of volunteer special constables (they are unpaid!) was up 10.4%. These cuts are all part of savings in the deficit reduction programme. The number of FTE’s in Derbyshire dropped 10% and 8.2% in Warwickshire, the biggest percentage drops. The only force to see an increase was Surrey, which saw a rise of 4.7%. Shadow police minister David Hanson has said it is “deeply worrying” that this many officers have been lost and that this comes at a time when there are growing challenges for forces to keep crime levels at historic lows. Our Head of Criminal Law, Andrew Parker, recently tweeted: The 2012 Olympics have a dark side, the impact on normal policing. Don't expect too many arrests or effective proceedings in your home area! Police leave has been cancelled and once the Olympics has finished, there will be a knock on effect for some months.

Lotto Rapist Runs Out of Luck

A convicted rapist who subsequently won £5million on the lottery has been jailed for nine months after fraudulently claiming benefits. Convicted of rape in 1993, Edward Putman won the lottery in 2009 but has since been applying for housing benefit to the sum of at least £12,000. He also wrote to the Department of Work and Pensions claiming he didn’t have enough money for food, despite buying two sports cars and a new house.

Corruption by Public Officials

Two prison officers were allegedly paid thousands of pounds by journalists for information. One prison officer is suspected of receiving £35,000 while another is thought to have received around £14,000. Detectives have analysed stories potentially linked to the payments and are said to believe there are “reasonable grounds” to believe offences have been committed. Meanwhile, as the Leveson Inquiry enters its final week, Operation Weeting (investigating phone hacking) has arrested fifteen former and current journalists and six people (including Rebekah Brooks and her husband Charlie) have been charged. Forty-one people have been arrested under Operation Elveden (the investigation into payments to officials) and detectives have made seven arrests under Operation Tuleta (looking into allegations of computer hacking and privacy infringement). HS&Co was recently informed that there were a certain number of prison officers in most prisons who might be susceptible to being rewarded by inmates for information on other prisoners. This is particularly in the context of finding out about sex offenders who were masquerading as ‘normal’ prisoners, now that the special wings have been removed. HS&Co represent on all types of sex offences.

Dangerous Dogs Collared After St. Leonards Rampage

Further to the nature vs nurture debate regarding Staffordshire Bull Terriers, two of these dogs went on the rampage in a seaside town and injured 10 people. A woman’s arm was ripped open, a man was gored and eight other people were bitten after the dogs escaped from a garden. Daniel Walker stepped in and trapped one dog in a crate while the other was captured by armed police. Two men aged 22 and 21 were taken to custody on suspicion of letting the dogs be out of control. The 21-year-old, Spencer Brown, pleaded guilty to the charges at Hastings Magistrates Court and will appear at Lewes Crown Court at a later date. Brown also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis, and committing offences during a conditional discharge. This latest assault triggers further arguments in the debate over whether these dogs have an inherent aggressive nature or whether the problem lies in the ownership of such animals. HS&Co often defend in animal and RSPCA cases.

Celebrity Blackmail?

Two brothers and a teenage girl have been charged with conspiracy to blackmail regarding naked images of a high profile celebrity found on a stolen laptop. The trio (consisting of Lee Fevrier, his brother Vernon and the 17-year-old girl who cannot be named for legal reasons) allegedly demanded £4,000 from a woman connected with the celebrity. They have not been charged with theft of the laptop. They will reappear in Southwark Crown Court in October for a Plea and Case Management Hearing.

Border Limitations

The House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee has revealed that the backlog the UK Border Agency face is equivalent to the size of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne! This group of people living in the UK illegally include 150,000 migrants, 21,000 asylum cases and 3,900 foreign offenders. The report recommends a team be created to establish why foreign criminals have not been deported and to subsequently ensure they are. The Government’s plans to tackle this issue include cutting the number of student visas issued, however this report has suggested that students should be excluded from these figures. The Home Office has said that they are aware of these concerns and are tackling them. HS&Co are experienced in defending on arrestable Border Agency cases. Especially at Gatwick Airport custody, prior to attending Crawley Police Station Custody.

Another Successful Work Experience Placement!

When enjoying yourself there is a saying ‘time flies when you’re having fun’ and my time certainly has flown by this week. I don’t know where to start to say thank you to everyone at M23Law / HS&Co. You have all given me a truly amazing experience and I’ve learnt so much in a week. I’ve been captivated throughout the week by the work you do and how hard you all work. I came into this week not knowing what to expect and not knowing much or anything about criminal or motoring law. But as time has passed I now understand an aspect of the life when working as a solicitor. This experience has motivated me to proceed with law as my career choice and I will be coming back often, to update everyone on how I am doing. I cannot wait to learn more and one day hopefully I am able to sit in the position that you sit. Once again I would like to say a big thank you to everyone at M23Law / HS&Co. You have definitely made my work experience a memorable one. Y – Sussex Student July 2012

Criminals Court Out

Criminals could soon be avoiding court for offences such as minor assault, theft and fraud and escape prosecution. It has been named ‘the biggest shake-up of charging guidelines for 20 years.’ No further action will be taken by the prosecution if they do not believe it is “proportionate” to take them to court. Deciding whether to charge a defendant will depend on cost and the length of a likely trial also. Prosecutors will weigh such issues with the likely sentence the criminal would get. HS&Co / M23Law often make successful submissions to the Crown in order to keep cases away from the court proceedings stage. It is the second time in 3 years Keir Starmer QC has suggested to bring “common sense” to prosecutions. HS&Co stress how important it is to have our representation at the investigation stage, in order to hopefully avoid court proceedings. All our lawyers at HS&Co / M23Law have attended a lecture at Sussex University by Keir Starmer QC.

Penteado the Pretender

The presenter from Rogue Traders’ Dan Penteado has been found guilty of benefit fraud. Dan claimed over £24,000 while he has been working for the BBC. He had not declared his earnings from the BBC while claiming housing and council tax benefits. Dan was recognised from the TV by a council housing benefit officer who then reported him. He was jailed for 12 weeks for his fraudulent endeavours. HS&Co has dealt with many benefit fraud cases in the past.

Sex Party Punch

An Old Bailey Jury took under an hour to convict male model Patrick Ribbsaeter of GBH on his girlfriend after they attended an upmarket sex party. Miss Sara-Pod had to flee her car with just a fur coat on after going to the Killing Kittens Soho swingers’ party in Central London. She was apparently caught by the defendant with another man in a toilet cubicle. Sentence has been adjourned until the end of August. HS&Co often defend in both sexual and assault cases.

Couple Jailed for Slave Labour

Husband and wife treated a destitute man “worse than slaves” by forcing him into servitude. They have been jailed for 11 years and 4 years respectively. James John, 34, and Josie Connors, 31, who are both members of a traveller family, "brutally manipulated and exploited" the men for financial gain at a caravan site near Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire.

Drug Tunnels Found in US-Mexico

Two tunnels have been found on the border of US-Mexico; both tunnels more than 200m long had ventilation and lighting. A US agent said that this was beyond something an ordinary miner could put together. More than 150 tunnels have been found since 1990, crisscrossing the border and all being used for smuggling drugs into the US. On Wednesday the Mexican army discovered the first tunnel in a warehouse under a bathroom sink. The second tunnel led from San Luis Rio Colorado to a storage room in what was described as a “nondescript building” in San Luis Arizona.

Billionaires in Corruption Scandal

Thomas and Raymond Kwok have been charged with bribery-related offences in a high-profile corruption scandal. The two billionaire property developers allegedly gave bribes for information on land sales between 2005 and 2007. HS&Co regularly defend in fraud and dishonesty cases. In Your Defence.

Towering Over Brighton

A 600ft tower is due to built on Brighton and Hove seafront to help attract more tourists. As it had been put on hold due to lack of money the resent loan from the council has rebooted the project and will begin as soon as possible. It is said that the i360 tower will attract 800,000 tourists per year and with the profit of this they will pay back the council for the huge loan.

No Time for Trials, the Olympics is on!

The taxpayers are paying for suspects in custody for weeks longer due to the police guarding the Olympics. It could cost £100 a day for each defendant to stay in custody and these delays could run into the autumn. Nearly 1,300 officers from the West Midlands and Staffordshire forces are on duty at the games. The Metropolitan Police admitted extra cops had to be drafted in due to the G4S fiasco.

Gun from Wiltshire Shooting Victim James Ward is Recovered

Police have recovered the gun that is thought to have been used in the shooting of lawyer James Ward, whilst he remains in a critical condition in a Bristol hospital following yesterday’s shooting. Police are still questioning the suspect thought to be connected with the shooting of Ward and the news has sparked a mixture of surprise, concern and confusion among the locals. Fellow lawyer David Whitney tweeting ‘Crikey, reminds us all to take care’.

New Reforms to Protect Against Sexual Abuse in Care Homes

Children as young as 11-years-old in the nations care homes are being left open to sexual abuse. New reforms have been set to protect youngsters who reside in the care homes, after the sex abuse ring that preyed on vulnerable girls in Rochdale were jailed in May. The Government is introducing a new system to locate missing children and try to ensure they are placed in homes close to where they are from. Thus to ensure the children in the homes are properly protected. Sue Berelowitz was shocked at the findings in her report and states how she thinks ‘it’s right and proper’ for the Government to pay special attention to those in the care system as the ‘state is their parent’ and therefore has a special duty of care. The Government has proceeded to end the care systems ‘out of sight, out of mind’ culture.

Man’s Skull Fractured in Gang Attack

A 30-year-old man remains in hospital in Oxford after his skull was fractured when he was attacked by a group of five men in Slough town centre. A 22-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of GBH.

Man Jailed for Gross Indecency

David Martin Carlin has been jailed for six months for gross indecency towards a six-year-old girl and has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for seven years. Carlin pleaded guilty to all charges and following his conviction he has been ostracised by members of his family and by most of his community. As well as jailing him for six months, Carlin has further banning orders on him. These include no unsupervised contact with children and a ban on accessing internet devices, unless monitored by a probation officer.

Convicted Sex Offender Dies in Custody

William Speirs has died in custody at the age of 80 after being convicted last July of sex attacks against four children carried out more than 40 years ago.

Closing a Loophole in Child Abuse Cases

Those who physically abuse children or vulnerable adults can, as of this week, face up to ten years in prison. The loophole will be closed by extending the offence ‘causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable adult’ to ‘causing or allowing serious physical harm’ e.g. brain damage or broken bones.

Police Watchdog Withholding Files

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been threatened with contempt of court for withholding documents from its own investigation of the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan. The shooting by a specialist police team, led to nights of rioting in the major urban cities. However it emerged in March that an inquest into the death may never be held. The IPCC have been told to hand over the documents within 28 days, however it is understood they will not hand over any copies of statements or evidence until they choose to do so. The family of Mark Duggan have been hugely critical of the IPCC stating that they are incompetent and should be abolished.

Child Sex – Sussex Priest Charged.

A retired Priest has been charged for sex attacks on 18 girls and boys, some going back 50 years. He is accused of committing 38 offences over an eleven year period dating from 1962 – 1973. These charges followed a nine-month inquiry by Sussex police detectives. HS and Co. defend in a lot of police cases.

Drug Dealing Footballer

A footballer who controlled a cocaine dealing gang has been jailed for 11 years. The semi-pro footballer who used to play for Preston North End has been using his illegal earnings to fund a Premier league lifestyle. Rob Hartshorne and several others have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. The police search found over £900,000 worth of drugs from the gang.

FaceTime

A naked man in Miami was shot dead by Police as he chewed another man’s face off. Neither the victim nor the attacker have been identified, however the victim remains in hospital fighting for his life. There are no definitive tests, but the police have stated the attack could have been as a result of the attacker suffering from ‘cocaine psychosis’, side effects of the drug that can raise the suffers body temperature causing them to strip off.

Murderer escapes prison

John Massey, a convicted murderer, was on the run after escaping from Pentonville prison in North London on Wednesday by constructing a makeshift rope out of bedding, to scale the walls of the Victorian-built jail. He was them arrested in Faversham, Kent after spending two days in hiding.