CPS News Brief

Ched Evans retrial

Ed Beltrami, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Wales said:

“We respect the decision of the jury today. This case hinged on the issue of sexual consent – that someone consents if they agree by choice and have the freedom and capacity to make that choice. Being drunk does not mean a person relinquishes their right to consent, that they are to blame for being attacked or that they were ‘fair game’.

“The prosecution argued that the complainant did not have the capacity to consent, but the jury found they could not be sure, beyond reasonable doubt, that the complainant did not consent, or that Evans thought she was not consenting.

“I would like to thank the complainant for her courage throughout this case, and the previous trial.”

Adult teen sentenced for grooming grieving girl over social media

A Northampton teenager who groomed a grieving 14-year-old girl using social media and caused her to self-harm has today been sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.

Connor Hibberd, 19, used Instagram and WhatsApp social media channels to target his victim, causing her to believe he would harm her if she did not comply by sending photographs of herself committing sexual acts and harming herself. 

Lawrence English, Head of Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit for the CPS East Midlands said: 

“The young victim in this case was preyed upon at a difficult time in her life when she was grieving and suffering from the loss of a close family member. The defendant exploited this in the worst way possible.

“The defendant’s hold over his victim was so strong she felt she had no choice but to do as he said, although they had never met in person. Even when they were in different countries the power Hibberd held over his victim led to her acting against her wishes, under his instruction. 

“The prosecution case was highly complex, with several international legal issues to navigate. For example, it was necessary for the offence to exist in the country where it happened in order to prosecute, even if the defendant later returned to the UK.

“The CPS prosecutes criminal offences that take place both on- and offline. Hibberd used social media to facilitate his crimes and has now been brought to justice.”

Additional information:

Hibberd pleaded guilty at Northampton Crown Court on 19 August to four counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity between August 2014 and February 2016.

Hibberg was sentenced to a total of 4 years’ imprisonment. The judge found him to be dangerous and imposed an extended licence of 8 years. Hibberd is also now the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

Ends

Three officers from West Midlands Police charged in Kingsley Burrell case

A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said:

“Following a referral by the IPCC we have decided there is sufficient evidence to charge three officers from West Midlands Police with perverting the course of justice and perjury in connection with the death of Kingsley Burrell in 2011.

“The officers and the family of Mr Burrell have been informed.

“Criminal proceedings involving the three police constables will now be commenced and each has a right to a fair trial. It is important that nothing is said, or reported, which could prejudice that trial. For these reasons it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

 

Notes

• The officers will appear at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 31 October 2016
• The decision was made in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors which can be found here http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/code_for_crown_prosecutors/index.html

Arthur Simpson-Kent sentenced to whole life term for murdering Sian Blake and their two children

Malcolm McHaffie, the deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS London, said: 

 

“A few days before she was killed, Sian Blake had been told that she had motor neurone disease and that it was terminal. Tragically, Arthur Simpson-Kent’s actions on the night of 14 December 2015 prevented Sian’s family of from spending precious remaining time with a much loved sister, daughter and mother. It also wiped out a future generation of the family. 

 

“Simpson-Kent went to great lengths to conceal his crimes. He misled friends, family and the police about what he had done and where Sian and her children had gone. Even more callously he suggested that Sian and he had entered into a pact to end all of their lives because of her condition. This was not true. In fact Sian had been making enquiries about schools for the children and had been considering moving to live with her family without him. These were brutal, cold-blooded murders of his partner and children, whose trust he grossly breached. We made this clear to the court today to assist the Judge in deciding the sentence.

 

“I hope that the sentence passed today gives Sian’s family some small amount of comfort at this very difficult time. I would also like to thank the Ghanaian Authorities for their assistance in relation to the arrest and extradition of Simpson-Kent.”

“Fake Sheikh” Mazher Mahmood convicted of conspiring to pervert the course of justice

Mazher Mahmood and Alan Smith have been convicted of conspiring to pervert the course of justice after they were found to have planned to change a statement given to police.

Mahmood, a journalist better known as the ‘Fake Sheikh’ for his high-profile celebrity stories, gave evidence to police which led to singer Tulisa Contostavlos being arrested and charged with being concerned in the supply of a class A drugs. 

However the defendants agreed to alter a written statement Smith gave to police in order to remove material which could have helped Ms Contostavlos’ defence. This was revealed during her trial, which led to her acquittal on all charges, and to the prosecution of Mahmood and Smith for this offence.

Simon Ringrose, Specialist Prosecutor in CPS Special Crime Division, said: 

“Mr Mahmood portrayed himself as the master of subterfuge and as the ‘King of the Sting’, but on this occasion it is he and Mr Smith who have been exposed. Mahmood and Smith tampered with a statement and then attempted to cover their tracks through lies and the destruction of evidence. By piecing together the various strands in this matter, the CPS was able to present a compelling case to the jury."

Ex-police officer sentenced to four years for sexual assaults

A former officer with West Midlands Police has been given a four year prison sentence today for sexually assaulting two women while he was on duty.

PC Stephen Walters, (dob 07/06/1968), committed the offences in February and April 2015. Walters originally denied the allegations but pleaded guilty at Stafford Crown Court on 5 September 2016.

The first assault happened in the back of a police car and the other in the home of the second victim while her children were in the house. Both incidents took place in the West Midlands.

Dan Jones, specialist prosecutor for the CPS said:

“Walters’ offences are all the worse because he was a serving police officer who the victims trusted but he chose to abuse his position. 

“His case shows that no one is above the law and we will work with law enforcement agencies to prosecute anyone who is a significant danger to the public. 

“Walters initially denied assaulting the women and pleaded not guilty. However, the women gave clear, consistent and credible accounts. As a result he changed his plea to guilty.

“Without them there would have been no case and I want to acknowledge their courage in coming forward.”

Notes 

1.         Stephen Walters pleaded guilty to two counts of Sexual Assault on a Female contrary to section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. 

2.         The case was referred to the CPS by the Independent Police Complaints Commission in November 2015.

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Woman sentenced for illegal trade of tiger skins

A woman has been given a six month suspended prison sentence at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court for attempting to sell two tiger skin rugs illegally on eBay in 2014.

Dovile Vaitkeviciute, 31, of Wood Green, London, also purchased one of the items illegally and then falsely claimed that it had been received as a gift in order to get the required licence from the Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) to sell it. 

The tiger is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Both of the items were from a sub species of tiger that became extinct in the 1980s and one of the them was put on the auction site for £5,000. In order to trade items such as these, individuals need to be able to prove that their origin was prior to 1947, that the item is tanned and lined and that they had been obtained legally. Carbon dating as part of the police investigation showed that the origin of both items was well after that date. 

Yemi Awosika, CPS London reviewing lawyer, said:

“The sale of items such as these is a highly lucrative criminal business that threatens the survival of tigers in the wild. That these items were from a species that is already extinct shows how critical it is that we prosecute this illegal criminal activity. 

“Carbon dating confirmed that the origin of one of the skins was dated near the late 1970s. Sadly the sub-species of tiger that these skins came from became extinct in the 1980s and a prosecution expert said that this particular tiger may well have been one of the last of its kind.

“Vaitkeviciute attempted to bypass the legal sale of these items and has been convicted for her actions. This successful prosecution sends out a strong message to those involved that the illegal sale of wildlife items will not be tolerated. We are committed to working with our Defra and police colleagues to stamp out this illegal trade and support the preservation of our endangered species.”

 

Notes

1. Vaitkeviciute pleaded guilty to the following charges at a hearing at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on September 8, 2016:

• One count of knowingly / recklessly making a false statement / representation to obtain a permit / certificate 
• Four counts of purchasing / offering to purchase etc / selling / or keeping for sale etc specimen of an endangered species. 

2. On 29 September she was sentenced to:

• 3 months x 2 (to be served consecutively) - suspended for 24 months
• 180 hours unpaid work
• Victim surcharge - £80
• Costs - £85
• Costs for Carbon Dating - £520
• Total - £685

3. For further information please contact the CPS press office on 020 3357 0906, out of hours: 07699 781926

Mark Love jailed for life for the murder of Roy Blackman

A man has today (29 September) been jailed for life, with a minimum term of 28 years, for the murder of an elderly man in his home in Kent. 

Roy Blackman, 73, was beaten to death in March 2016 after he interrupted a group of burglars at his bungalow in Biddenden. 

The DNA of Mark Love was found on a tap in the upstairs bathroom and the bath was full of water, indicating it may have been run by Mr Blackman’s killers and used to wash items that could be linked to the attack. In police interviews, Love consistently denied ever having been in the property. 

Among the items stolen was a safe that could have held in excess of £100,000. 

In the days after Mr Blackman’s murder, Love was seen spending large amounts of cash at the Designer Outlet Centre in Ashford, where he bought new clothes and disposed of the ones he was wearing.

Love was today found guilty at Maidstone Crown Court of Mr Blackman’s murder and a separate charge of aggravated burglary at the home of a couple in Northiam, on the East Sussex/Kent border, in February 2016. In that attack, four men dressed in black broke into the house and demanded money. The couple were then tied up and attacked, before the men escaped with an estimated £10,000 and two guns. 

Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS South East Jaswant Narwal said:

“It was clear from the evidence that Love was part of a group that carefully planned both burglaries well in advance, identifying properties which they knew were likely to contain significant quantities of cash. 

“One was a terrifying ordeal for a couple at their home, while the other led to the tragic death of a quiet and private man who was the victim of a violent and brutal attack. The level of violence was truly appalling but today Mark Love has been brought to justice for his crimes.”

Love was also today sentenced to 12 years for aggravated burglary, to run concurrently with the life term.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

For further information please call the press office on 020 3357 0906

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Six sentenced for corruption over Royal Household contracts

Six people, including a former Deputy Property Manager within the Royal Household, have been sentenced for their involvement in a conspiracy centred on corrupt contract payments.

Ronald Harper worked with an annual budget of £2.3m in the role and was able to authorise orders worth up to £30,000. 

During his employment, Harper personally received more than £100,000 in covert payments from companies which were awarded lucrative and prestigious contracts for mechanical and electrical work in Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s Gallery, St James’s Palace and Kensington Palace.  One company renewed their Royal Warrant during the period of the conspiracy.

In sentencing, the Judge commented that Harper’s offences were aggravated by the fact that he proudly displayed an award for excellence, given by the Royal Household, in his office.

Christopher Murphy and Aseai Zlaoui were found guilty of conspiracy to make corrupt payments. Steven Thompson and Glynn Orridge pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud. 

Nick Vamos, Head of Special Crime at the CPS, said:

“This was a complex scam but by working in close liaison with Leicestershire Police, CPS prosecutors were able to meticulously piece together a case that laid bare the extent of the defendants’ corruption.

“It was a long-running, sophisticated and well-planned fraud in which they exploited the good name and status of the Royal Household to enrich themselves at the taxpayers’ expense.

“This case demonstrates the commitment of the CPS to hold to account those who seek to gain through corrupt practices.”

Harper was found guilty of conspiring to receive corrupt payments from the former owners of Melton Power Services (MPS) and BSI Nordale. During two trials at Southwark Crown Court, the court heard that the payments were made to maintain good relations with Harper and to obtain or retain the valuable contracts the companies had with the Royal Household. 

Evidence put before the court showed that the tender processes and payment systems were manipulated, invoices were fabricated and that a Royal Warrant was granted to MPS on the recommendation of Mr Harper.   As a consequence of the conspiracies the Royal Household was overcharged for the necessary work which was undertaken at the Royal Palaces.

Both MPS and BSI inflated the price of contracts and the additional amounts were then used to create a fund from which the bribes were paid. Thompson, the former owner of MPS, also kept some of the additional money himself.

Thompson pleaded guilty to his role in the making of corrupt payments to Harper.  He and Orridge – a subcontractor to MPS - also pleaded guilty to defrauding MPS.

Murphy, who had worked closely with Harper in a similar role at Harrod’s, and Zlaoui were found guilty of conspiring with Harper to make corrupt payments at the time their company BSI Nordale was awarded large contracts to work at Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace. 

Some of the payments by BSI Nordale to Harper were disguised using his brother-in-law Alan Rollinson, who was convicted of money laundering.  

Harper received £55,000 in covert payments from MPS and £20,000 from BSI Nordale. In addition unexplained cash deposits into Harper’s bank account in the region of £30,000 were also uncovered.

Notes to Editors

1^st Trial June 2016

Ronald Harper convicted of 1 count of conspiracy to make corrupt payments - 3 years

2^nd Trial August 2016

Ronald Harper convicted of 1 count of conspiracy to make corrupt payments - 2 years (5 years total)

Aseai Zlaoui convicted of 1 count of conspiracy to make corrupt payments - 12 months imprisonment suspended for 24 months.  200 hours unpaid work

Christopher Murphy convicted of 1 count of conspiracy to make corrupt payments - 18 months imprisonment

Alan Rollinson convicted of 1 count of converting or transferring stolen property - 12 months imprisonment suspended for 24 months. 200 hours unpaid work

Guilty pleas

Steven Thompson pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to make corrupt payments and 1 count of conspiracy to commit fraud – 15 months imprisonment and 3 months imprisonment consecutive (total 18 months)

Glynn Orridge pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to commit fraud - Community Order 100 hours unpaid work

Robert Gillam and Simon Davies given custodial sentences and disqualified from being directors for arms deal bribe

The Directors of a British arms manufacturer have been jailed at the Old Bailey today and disqualified from being directors. The two men pleaded guilty to bribing an employee at an American firm in order to secure a lucrative contract following an investigation by City of London Police.

 

Gillam and Davies are the directors of Mondial Defence Systems Limited, a company which has supplied military equipment such as bomb disposal and de-mining apparatus to armed forces and NGOs around the world. 

 

In 2009 Mr Gillam initiated contact with RONCO, an American company which he knew to have a contract to supply equipment to the Afghan National Army. 

 

Mondial was invited to bid for a £5m contract with RONCO and meetings took place in London at the Ritz Hotel and in Washington DC. Mondial won the contract and following an initial payment of £2m to Mondial by RONCO, Mondial then transferred £120,000 into the bank account of Robert Gannon, RONCO’s Director of Operations from a bank account registered in Singapore. 

 

Stephen Rowland, Specialist Prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service said:

“Bribery is a crime with a corrosive effect. It impedes the prospects of honest business competitors and can ultimately cost jobs and livelihoods.

 

“Evidence including bank accounts and email correspondence discussing the payments was presented by the prosecution to demonstrate a compelling case, leaving these men with no option but to plead guilty. These sentences send a clear message that bribery can and will be successfully prosecuted by the CPS.”

 

Further Information

Robert Gillam was the founder and director of Mondial, which he set up in 1986.

Simon Davies was the financial director of Mondial, having joined in 2009.  

Gillam and Davies each face a charge contrary to section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.

Gillam was sentenced to two years imprisonment and disqualified from being a director for five years. He was ordered to pay prosecution costs.

Simon Davies was sentenced to 11 months imprisonment and disqualified from being a director for two years. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs.

Rapist who posed as police officer given life sentence for attacks on schoolgirls

A convicted rapist who posed as a police officer in order to attack two young girls in north London has today (27 September) been jailed for life at Wood Green Crown Court. 

Apedelrazek Badran, 33, committed terrifying attacks on two 12-year-old girls on 27 January 2016 in Edmonton. 

On both occasions Badran claimed he was a police officer when approaching the girls. During the first attack his victim managed to break his grasp and run away, however, in the second he threatened to use a knife on the victim before sexually assaulting her.

CPS London reviewing lawyer Andrew Held said:

“These were terrifying attacks on two 12-year-old girls who had left school only a short time earlier. 

“That Badran would try to gain the trust of these girls by claiming to be a police officer is all the more deplorable.

“This is clearly a very dangerous man, with a history of committing serious sexual offences, and this has been reflected in the life sentence imposed on him today.”

 

Note to Editors

·         Badran received a life sentence with a minimum term of 8 years 4 months for the assault by penetration of a girl under 13.

CPS Statement on Victims’ Right to Review in Operation Kaddie

A CPS spokesperson said: 

“On 16 June, the CPS announced that no criminal charges were to be brought as a result of Operation Kaddie. 

“The CPS subsequently received applications to review two of the charging decisions under the Victims’ Right to Review scheme. In accordance with the scheme, a CPS lawyer who was not involved in the original decision-making process has completed a full review of the evidence and has concluded that the decisions not to charge were correct.”

Christopher Halliwell found guilty of murder

Ian Harris, Head of the Complex Casework Unit for the Crown Prosecution Service Wessex said:

“After Christopher Halliwell had led Wiltshire Police to the body of Sian O’Callaghan, he also confessed to the murder of Rebecca Godden, who had been missing since January 2003.

"That was in 2011. Since then, our focus has been to get justice for Becky and her family as well. My team in the Complex Casework Unit in CPS Wessex has worked tirelessly with Wiltshire Police to build up a strong case against Christopher Halliwell and this meant that earlier this year we were able to re-start the prosecution for Becky’s murder.

"In the course of his defence, Christopher Halliwell dismissed his legal team and then maintained that he had not been involved in Becky’s murder. This meant we could ask the court to reverse the ruling which prevented the jury from being told about his confession. We succeeded and this meant that we could tell the jury not only that he was serving a life sentence for Sian’s murder but also that he had confessed to Becky’s murder and knew where she had been buried.

"Even then, despite all the evidence, including his own confession, Mr Halliwell continued to fight the case. In the process, he has put Becky’s family through untold suffering on top of the terrible pain he has caused them by murdering Becky.

"In the end, despite his every effort to evade justice, he has been convicted and I hope that this will finally give some comfort and closure to Becky’s family. Our thoughts have been very much with them, and also with Sian’s family, throughout this dreadful ordeal.”

Mohammed Syeedy convicted of the murder of Jalal Uddin

A man has been convicted of the Daesh-inspired murder of an imam in Rochdale.

Mohammed Syeedy was today found guilty at Manchester Crown Court (Crown Square) of the murder of Jalal Uddin, who died after being attacked in a park in February. 

Syeedy and his accomplice, Mohammed Abdul Kadir, now believed to be in Syria, had planned their attack over many months before bludgeoning Jalal Uddin to death as he walked home from evening prayers at his mosque. 

Uddin was killed because he practised something known as Ruqya, a form of healing in which he used amulets called Taweez. His attackers, followers of a strand of Islam known as Salafism – the same strand as Daesh – believed this practice to be punishable by death.

Sue Hemming, Head of CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: 

“The prosecution proved that Syeedy believed Jalal Uddin to be practising black magic and, inspired by the teachings of Daesh, that the victim deserved to die for that belief. Syeedy and his accomplice stalked Jalal Uddin round the streets before attacking him and leaving him to die.

 

“The poisonous ideology of Daesh cannot be allowed to sow division in our society and those who carry out or encourage violence in its name will be prosecuted. 

 

“Our thoughts are with Mr Uddin’s family and friends.”

Family members whose dog killed their baby are sentenced

A mother and grandmother from Daventry have been jailed for two years immediate custody for offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act following the death of a baby in 2014.

 

Six-month-old Molly Mae Wotherspoon died on 3 October 2014. She was killed by the family’s dog, an American Pit bull type dog called “Bruiser”, who had escaped from its cage and attacked her.  

 

At the time this happened, Molly-Mae’s grandmother, Susan Aucott, was babysitting and looking after Molly Mae and the dogs at the house. 

 

Following the Police investigation into Molly Mae’s death, Susan Aucott was charged with being the person in charge of a dog which caused injury resulting in death while dangerously out of control. 

 

Claire Riley, Molly Mae’s mother and Bruiser’s owner, was charged with being the owner of a dog which caused injury resulting in death while dangerously out of control.

 

James Allen, Head of the Complex Casework Unit for the CPS East Midlands said: 

 

“Molly Mae’s death was a tragedy for all concerned.

 

“Sadly, the simple truth is that her death in October 2014 was entirely avoidable.  

 

“Molly Mae’s death would not have happened if two of the people closest to her had acted, as any reasonable person would have done, and never allowed such an aggressive and dangerous dog to be in the same small house as a young and vulnerable child.

 

“Any type of dog that is dangerously out of control, whether a breed of dog banned under the Dangerous Dogs legislation or not, can cause injury. The larger and more powerful the breed of dog, the more serious those injuries can be. As this case tragically illustrates, young and vulnerable children can be killed by dogs regarded as family pets. The onus is on owners and people responsible for dogs to ensure that dogs are kept under control.”  

 

Additional information:

 

Susan Aucott pleaded guilty to the charge she faced at Northampton Crown Court on Wednesday 8 June 2016. Claire Riley initially pleaded not guilty, but then pleaded guilty at the start of her trial.

 

Both defendants were sentenced to two years immediate custody and disqualified from having custody of a dog for ten years.