CPS News Brief

Nabeel Hussain charged over passport fraud

Rebecca Mundy, specialist prosecutor for the CPS Counter Terrorism Division, said:

“Following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service, we have today authorised charges against Nabeel Hussain and Michael Diamantis in connection with the alleged fraudulent use of a passport.

“Nabeel Hussain was arrested at Stansted Airport on 23 September 2013 where it is alleged he was attempting to take a flight out of the country on a passport that was not his. The charge is that Nabeel Hussain had in his possession a UK passport with the intention of using it to establish personal information about himself, which he knew or believed to be false, namely that it was his name on the ticket for the flight. This offence is contrary to section 4 of the Identity Documents Act 2010.

“It is also alleged that Michael Diamantis provided the means for Nabeel Hussain to leave the country by purchasing a plane ticket in another name. He has been charged with fraud by false representation, contrary to sections 1 and 2 of the Fraud Act 2006.

“This decision has been taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. We have determined that there is sufficient evidence to prosecute and that it is in the public interest to do so.

“Nabeel Hussain and Michael Diamantis will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 20 February 2014.

"May I remind all concerned that Nabeel Hussain and Michael Diamantis have a right to a fair trial. It is very important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings. For these reasons, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further."

Maintenance worker guilty of gross negligence manslaughter

Mark Auty, Specialist Prosecutor in the Crown Prosecution Service Special Crime Division, said:

“This terrible incident was caused by Robert Warner removing a glass panel from a fourth floor walkway of a residential apartment block.

“In order to replace a damaged panel in the garden area of the apartments, he deliberately removed a panel from a less obvious place, leaving an unprotected gap through which two-year-old Ryaheen Banimuslem tragically fell to her death.

“Robert Warner took no steps to prevent access to the gap in the panels and did nothing to warn others of the danger. Although he did not intend to cause the death of a child, today’s verdict has found that it is because of his gross negligence, and the obvious dangers he created, that Ryaheen is no longer with us.

“Our thoughts are with Ryaheen’s family at this time.”

Man convicted of £1.3m 'ponzi scheme' fraud

Matthew Ames has today been found guilty of two counts of fraudulent trading following a trial at The Old Bailey. Ames was the sole director of two companies which were found to have been operating a large scale ‘ponzi scheme’, defrauding investors out of more than £1.35m over a three year period.

Mr Ames set up two companies, Forestry for Life and The Investors’ Club, with the sole purpose of defrauding investors for personal profit; both companies claimed to invest money in teak tree plantations that generated carbon credits, which could then be traded for profit. Mr Ames’ method was to create an enticing prospectus which offered high and regular returns for investors, a good exit strategy should they need their capital back and the added attraction that they would be investing ethically and helping the environment. In truth there was no investment by the companies, simply the use of the monies to pay company expenses and support Ames’ lifestyle.

Specialist fraud lawyer from the Crown Prosecution Service, Antony Swift, said:

“Matthew Ames was a devious and conniving fraudster with no regard for his victims. He seemed to revel in his ability to exploit others for personal profit, and had no shame in spending his ill-gotten gains in an extravagant and ostentatious fashion.

“Out of the £1.6m that was invested across both companies, only £250,000 was ever returned to investors. The rest went directly into the pocket of Matthew Ames, funding his profligate spending habits. Among the extravagant purchases made by Mr Ames with other people’s money were £7,000 spent renting a villa on the Caribbean island of St Vincent as well as a substantial payment to fund the long-term hire of a Lamborghini.

“Any employees who questioned the legitimacy of Mr Ames’ companies quickly had their employment terminated, showing that Mr Ames would stop at nothing to try to ensure his fraudulent activity would continue undetected. Indeed, at the time of his arrest, with his existing businesses no longer attracting investment, Mr Ames was in the process of setting up a new company, the Carbon Neutral Business Directory.

“This case is very clear evidence that fraud is not a victimless crime; it is a crime that has a significant impact on victims whether they are individuals, businesses or the taxpayer. We are pleased to see that justice has been done for Matthew Ames’ many victims today.”

Men Convicted in Joanne Dennehy Murder Case

Two men accused of helping triple murderer Joanne Dennehy have been convicted today of multiple offences at Cambridge Crown Court.

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

“Today’s guilty verdicts prove that the two defendants were willing assistants in these murders and that they were not acting under duress, as they tried to claim. Both men willingly assisted Joanne Dennehy in disposing of the bodies of her three victims and in covering up the crimes she had committed.”

Dennehy pleaded guilty in November 2013 to killing Lukasz Slaboszewski, John Chapman and Kevin Lee, whose bodies were found in ditches in the Peterborough area in March and April 2013. She also admitted the attempted murders of Robin Bereza and John Rogers in Hereford.

Gary Stretch – also known as Gary Richards – was found guilty of the attempted murders of Mr Bereza and Mr Rogers and of three charges of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body.

Leslie Layton was convicted of one count of perverting the course of justice and two counts of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body. A third man, Robert Moore, pleaded guilty to two charges of assisting an offender at an earlier hearing.

Mr McCann said:

“Stretch, Layton and Moore were in the thrall of triple-murderer Joanne Dennehy. They revelled in bringing suffering and misery upon their victims and showed no remorse for their atrocious acts. The fact that Leslie Layton photographed one of the deceased victims is testament to the warped nature of these crimes and those that committed them.

“I would like to thank Mr Bereza and Mr Rogers for giving evidence in this trial and reliving what must have been a terrible experience for them.

“I hope the two victims and the families of Lukasz Slaboszewski, John Chapman and Kevin Lee can take some comfort from the fact that the perpetrators of these crimes have been brought to justice and will be punished for what they have done.”

Charging decision in the Claire Tiltman case

Nigel Pilkington, Head of the Complex Casework Unit for the Crown Prosecution Service South East said:

“In November 2012 I received a file of evidence from Kent Police relating to the murder of Claire Tiltman on 18 January 1993.

“The investigation by the police has been a lengthy and complex one. Following further investigation, my review of all the evidence in the case has now been completed. I have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to prosecute Colin Ash-Smith, 45, for the murder of Claire Tiltman on 18 January 1993 in Greenhithe, Kent.

“Mr Ash-Smith will appear at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court on 28 February 2014.

"May I remind all concerned that Colin Ash-Smith has a right to a fair trial. It is very important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings. For these reasons, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further."

Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Rob Vinson, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate Cold Case Team, said:

“Claire Tiltman’s unsolved death is one of the longest-running cases for Kent Police and has remained in the forefront of the minds of investigating officers for over two-decades. Colin Ash-Smith is now to be brought before a court following our investigations and subsequent consultation with the CPS.”