CPS News Brief

Teenager sentenced to six years and three months for acid attack

Liam Sibbons, 16, was sentenced today to six years and three months in a young offenders institute at Snaresbrook Crown Court for applying a corrosive liquid with intent, contrary to section 29 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

Baljit Ubhey, CPS London Chief Crown Prosecutor, said:

“This was an unprovoked attack involving a shocking degree of brutality and callousness against a completely unsuspecting victim.

“On 30 April Liam Sibbons attended the address of the victim, who he did not know, and deliberately squirted strong acid onto her when she opened the door.

“This disturbing attack has had a profound effect on the victim.

“She was left with deep burns on her arms, face and chest. She has had to undergo surgery and will need continuing treatment.

“On top of the constant pain from her physical injuries the victim has also been emotionally traumatised by the attack.

“We may never know why Sibbons carried out this attack but I hope the sentence given today will provide some comfort to the victim and her family.”

Background: Liam Sibbons pleaded guilty on 24 June to applying a corrosive liquid with intent.

Notes to editors: The section 39 order was partially lifted to allow Sibbons to be named but details of his address of a photograph must not be published.

Two brothers jailed for evading £6m of alcohol duty

Brothers Inderjit and Amandeep Singh-Mangher have today (Friday 25 October) been sentenced to a total of six years and three months imprisonment for their roles in an alcohol duty fraud believed to have cost the public revenue more than £6.3m.

Leeds Crown Court heard that the two brothers conspired to create a black market business, trading in alcoholic drinks on which no duty or VAT was ever paid. They sold their alcohol stocks to local off-licenses and alcohol vendors, attempting to disguise their illegal activities by affixing all the spirits they traded with counterfeit duty labels. In total HMRC investigators uncovered evidence that Inderjit and Amandeep Singh-Mangher had sold or were intending to sell more than 4.7m litres of alcohol, including 4.2m litres of beer and cider, 250,000 litres of wine and 220,000 litres of spirits.

Each pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to contravene section 170 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.

CPS specialist fraud prosecutor Adrian Dugdale said:

“Between August 2009 and October 2010 Inderjit and Amadeep Singh-Mangher engaged in a conspiracy to deliberately defraud the public purse of more than £6m by escaping duty payments on millions of litres of alcohol.

“The Singh-Mangher brothers knew very well that duty was payable on the alcohol they were trading in, hence why they went to such considerable and devious lengths to disguise the fraud by producing counterfeit labels in order to try to dupe investigators into thinking that duty had been paid.

“Alcohol duty fraud not only damages the legitimate UK alcohol industry but is also estimated to result in losses of up to £1.2bn to the UK taxpayer annually. This is a serious and costly crime, both to taxpayers and to legitimate local businesses and pubs. Those involved in schemes to evade alcohol duty should know that they risk prosecution.

“I would like to thank the HMRC investigators who worked tirelessly for many months to ensure we had the strongest possible evidence in this case. The fact that both defendants entered guilty pleas is a testimony to the strength of the case that the CPS and HMRC were able to build.

“The Crown will be seeking confiscation in this case.”

Man jailed for mosque explosions and murder of elderly Muslim man

Pavlo Lapshyn was today jailed at the Old Bailey for a minimum sentence of 40 years. He pleaded guilty on 21 October 2013 to one count of murder, one count of causing an explosion contrary to section 2 of the Explosive Substances Act 1883 and one count of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts contrary to section 5(1) of the Terrorism Act 2006.

Louise Gray, a lawyer for the Crown Prosecution Service counter terrorism division, said:

“Pavlo Lapshyn is a dangerous man with a dangerous agenda. Just a day after his arrival in Britain from the Ukraine he was researching right wing supremacist websites, including those linked to convicted racist murderers in Russia.

“His self-confessed racist views led to a campaign of terror which started with the brutal murder of 82-year-old Mohammed Saleem Chaudhry as he was walking home from Mosque after evening prayers. In the days that followed, he went on to detonate three explosive devices near Mosques around the region, with the bomb at Tipton deliberately timed to coincide with the start of prayers.

“This case is a clear reminder of the link between extremist material and the very real threat to life posed by those who access it. It is also a reminder that the threat of terrorism comes from a very wide spectrum of hateful views.

“I am pleased that, because of the strength of our case, Pavlo Lapshyn pleaded guilty, sparing Mr Chaudhry’s family from having to sit through a trial. I extend my sincere condolences to them and hope that today’s sentencing will provide some small comfort.”

Stuart Hall charged with 16 sexual offences

The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised Lancashire Police to charge Stuart Hall with 15 offences of rape relating to two girls and one offence of indecent assault.

Nazir Afzal, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said:

“Following a careful review, we have decided that there is sufficient evidence to prosecute Stuart Hall for 16 alleged sexual offences against two girls and that it is in the public interest to do so. It is alleged that Stuart Hall committed offences against one girl, aged between 14 and 16, from 1976 to 1978 and another girl, aged between 11 or 12 and 15, from 1976 to 1981.

“This decision to prosecute has been taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, the CPS legal guidance on rape and sexual offences and the DPP’s guidelines on prosecuting cases of child sexual abuse.”

The charges in relation to the first girl, who was aged between 14 and 16 at the time of the alleged offences, are that Stuart Hall:

• Between 1 January 1976 and 1 April 1977 at Manchester raped a female under the age of 16 years.
• Between 1 September 1977 and 23 March 1978 at Manchester raped a female under the age of 16 years.
• Between 1 September 1977 and 23 March 1978 at Manchester raped a female under the age of 16 years.
• Between 1 September 1977 and 23 March 1978 at Manchester raped a female under the age of 16 years.
• Between 1 September 1977 and 23 March 1978 at Manchester raped a female under the age of 16 years.
• Between 24 March 1978 and 30 September 1978 at Manchester raped a female.
• Between 24 March 1978 and 30 September 1978 at Manchester raped a female.

The charges in relation to the second girl, who was aged between 11 or 12 and 15 at the time of the alleged offences, are that Stuart Hall:

• Between 1 January 1976 and 31 January 1977 at Stockport raped a girl aged under the age of 13 years.
• Between 1 January 1976 and 1 January 1977 at Stockport indecently assaulted a girl under the age of 13 years.
• Between 1 January 1979 and 1 January 1981 at Wilmslow raped a female under the age of 16 years.
• Between 1 January 1979 and 1 January 1981 at Manchester raped a female under the age of 16 years.
• Between 1 January 1979 and 1 January 1981 at Manchester raped a female under the age of 16 years.
• Between 1 January 1979 and 1 January 1981 at Sale raped a female under the age of 16 years.
• Between 1 January 1979 and 1 January 1981 at Sale raped a female under the age of 16 years.
• Between 1 January 1979 and 1 January 1981 at Sale raped a female under the age of 16 years.
• Between 1 January 1979 and 1 January 1981 at Sale raped a female under the age of 16 years.

These offences are contrary to the Sexual Offences Act 1956.

Stuart Hall will appear at Preston Magistrates' Court on 8 November 2013.

Mr Afzal added: "May I remind all concerned that Mr Hall has a right to a fair trial. It is very important that nothing is said, or reported, which could prejudice that trial. For these reasons, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further."

CPS advises no charges should be brought over alleged disclosure of information to the media

Simon Orme, Specialist Lawyer in the CPS Special Crime Division, said: 

"I have considered the evidence provided by Cumbria Police concerning allegations that information relating to expenses incurred by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cumbria had been disclosed to the media.

“In doing so, I considered whether a criminal offence of obtaining or disclosing personal data had been committed by one suspect, contrary to the Data Protection Act (1988), and have determined that there is insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.

“In reaching this decision I took into account the statutory defence to this offence, which exists if an individual disclosing personal data can demonstrate that the disclosure was justified as being in the public interest.

“To rely on this defence, an individual is required to establish on the balance of probabilities that the disclosure was in the public interest. In my view, given the nature and circumstances of the disclosure, the suspect would be in a position to do so and, therefore, there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.

“We have therefore advised Cumbria Police that no further action should be taken in this case.”

Former police officer charged with misconduct in public office over rape investigation

Gaon Hart, Senior Crown Advocate in the Crown Prosecution Service Special Crime Division, said:

“I have carefully reviewed all of the evidence provided by the IPCC as a result of their investigation into PC Hannah Notley, a former Sexual Offences Trained Officer employed by Essex Police.

“It is alleged that between July 2011 and February 2012, PC Notley failed to properly investigate an allegation of rape and that she falsely informed her superiors and the victim that the CPS had decided to take no further action, when in fact the case had not been submitted to the CPS.

“I have concluded that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and that it is in the public interest to charge PC Notley with one count of misconduct in public office. This decision was taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

“She will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 25 October 2013.

“Hannah Notley now stands charged with a criminal offence and has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that nothing should be reported which could prejudice this trial.”