CPS News Brief

Anthony Still convicted of blackmailing businessman

Anthony Still has been convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court of blackmailing a businessman who paid him £600,000 to stop him revealing details about a secret affair. The businessman, known in court as “Barnaby”, decided he could no longer go on paying and went to the police last year. Still was jailed for 11 years.

Chris McCann, head of the CPS East of England Complex Casework Unit said:

"Blackmail is a despicable crime as it preys on people's fears of having something made public that they want to keep secret. Paying a blackmailer is no guarantee the demands will stop - if anything the demands increase and the victim faces both the fear of exposure and keeping up the payments, as occurred in this case when £628,000 was paid .

"The only way to stop a blackmailer is to go to the police and I would like to reassure victims that if they do, we will do everything in our power to protect their identity from becoming public. It is not our role to do the blackmailer's job for them so that the victim is exposed through the court system.

"In this case we sought and were granted a lifelong anonymity order; the victim was known in court by the pseudonym of "Barnaby" and gave evidence from behind screens so they could not be seen. This is something we would do for any blackmail victim and was not just for this case.

"Victim and witness care is at the heart of what we do and this case demonstrates that blackmail victims can come forward and see justice done without fearing their identities will be revealed."

Esso and Austin & Mclean Ltd plead guilty to Health and Safety offences in relation to worker’s death

Gaon Hart, Senior Crown Advocate for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division said:

“Juan Quintanilla Romero died tragically and unnecessarily on 30 August 2008 when a fuel pipe collapsed on him as he worked on a fuel tanker docked at Fawley Refinery, Southampton.”

“Today Esso Petroleum Company Limited pleaded guilty at Winchester Crown Court to one count relating to the maintenance of the crane, under s.33 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act.

“This offence properly reflects the criminality involved and provides the court with suitable sentencing powers. The prosecution has therefore accepted this plea. One other health and safety offence in relation to Esso Petroleum Company Limited will lie on file, while the prosecution will offer no evidence with regard to three others.

“Austin & Mclean Limited, the company responsible for the maintenance of the steel cranes, known as jibs, that carried the fuel pipes, pleaded guilty to a health and safety offence in relation to Mr Romero’s death on 6 June at Winchester Crown Court. This offence, under section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act, was for failing to ensure that non-employees such as Mr Romero, who was a seaman working on board a docked ship, were not exposed to risk at the marine terminal. Another charge of failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees will lie on file.

“I hope these convictions remind other companies and individuals who own and control the maintenance of cranes that the public rely heavily on their expertise to keep them safe from harm and that the CPS will diligently prosecute those who fail to meet this responsibility.

“I offer my sincerest condolences to the family of Mr Romero.

“Both companies will be sentenced later this year.”

Father and Son Haulage Firm Owners Sentenced for Manslaughter of driver

A father and son have today been sentenced to 11 years in prison at St. Albans Crown Court after being found guilty of the manslaughter - on the basis of gross negligence - of Stephen Kenyon, a driver employed at their haulage firm.

Adrian John and Adrian Paul McMurray were convicted on 10 May 2013 for the manslaughter of Stephen Kenyon, who died in a motorway collision while on duty as a lorry driver for the McMurrays’ firm, A.J. Haulage, in February 2010. The court heard that Mr. Kenyon was almost certainly asleep at the time of the collision having been required to drive for longer than the legally permitted number of hours in the 24 hours leading up to the incident.

The McMurrays also pleaded guilty to a number of revenue offences, having failed to pay tax on income totalling more than £5million, and were sentenced to an additional (insert sentence) for these offences.

Andrew Biker, a specialist lawyer for the Crown Prosecution Service, said:

"Adrian John and Adrian Paul McMurray failed abjectly in their duty of care to their employees, and it was this gross negligence that resulted in the tragic death of one of their haulage drivers, Stephen Kenyon.

“Through the utterly reckless management of their haulage firm the McMurrays showed consistent disregard for the health and safety of their employees and the wider public.

“This negligent approach to the running of their business was further demonstrated when they failed to pay tax on more than £5 million worth of income over a four year period. Everything about this case indicates that the McMurrays prioritised making personal profits for themselves over the safety of their drivers or other road users.

“I extend my condolences to the family of Mr. Kenyon."

Seven men jailed over Oxford child sexual exploitation case

Seven men have today been jailed for a total of 95 years following an investigation into child sexual exploitation in Oxford.

Baljit Ubhey, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Thames and Chiltern, said:

“The abuse these girls were subjected to was truly appalling. Today’s sentences reflect the seriousness of the offences, and the young age and vulnerability of the victims when the offences were committed.

“I would like to thank the victims for having the courage to support the prosecution and give evidence in this case. Their bravery has ensured that seven sexual predators, who sought opportunities to target, and sexually abuse and exploit vulnerable young girls, have been brought to justice.

“The victims in this case were targeted because of their vulnerability and then cynically exploited. They were given drink and drugs; they were shown attention to make them feel special, all of which was insincere and designed solely to make them feel indebted to their abusers; they were then coerced into sexual acts by emotional pressure, intimidation, threats and violence. As a result, these girls were left in absolutely no position to give true and free consent to those sexual acts.

“This is an important point for other victims out there, who may think that they won’t be believed because they too seemingly ‘agreed’ to sexual activity. The background and context of such sexual activity is of crucial importance and victims who are forced to succumb to it by the use of such tactics do not, in the eyes of the law, consent to it. Their freedom to make a choice has been cruelly taken away from them.

“The Crown Prosecution Service has made tackling child sexual abuse a national priority. Only two weeks ago (11 June) the Director of Public Prosecutions issued new interim guidelines on prosecuting cases of child sexual abuse, which are subject to a three month public consultation.

“This case shows our approach is working, and I urge any victims of sexual offences to come forward and report their abuse to the appropriate authorities. We and the police will listen and support you.

“In today’s case, I very much hope that today’s sentences provide some comfort to the victims and their families.”

Sentences

• Kamar Jamil: Life imprisonment with minimum term of 12 years
• Akhtar Dogar: Life imprisonment with minimum term of 17 years
• Anjum Dogar: Life imprisonment with minimum term of 17 years
• Assad Hussain: Seven years’ imprisonment
• Mohammed Karrar: Life imprisonment with minimum term of 20 years
• Bassam Karrar: Life imprisonment with minimum term of 15 years
• Zeeshan Ahmed: Seven years’ imprisonment