CPS News Brief

Ryan Kennedy convicted of three counts of rape against three women

Ryan Kennedy convicted of three counts of rape against three women

 

Ryan Kennedy has today been convicted of three counts of rape. He was found guilty at Gloucester Crown Court. The jury acquitted him of two other counts of rape and one count of attempted rape. They could not decide on the remaining eight counts alleging similar offences.

The case involved victims who had all been in relationships with Ryan Kennedy, which very quickly became controlling and abusive.

Ben Samples, senior prosecutor at the CPS said:

“Ryan Kennedy convinced his victims that they had no choice but to do as they were told. He was emotionally, sexually and physically abusive, putting his needs above all else.

“Kennedy controlled his victims by emotional manipulation and, in one case, raped his victim as a punishment.

“Consent must be freely given and can be taken back at any point. In this case the victims’ protests were ignored, and they then felt it would be futile or dangerous to do anything but submit to all that Kennedy demanded. I would like to thank the victims for their bravery in coming forward, which can often be difficult and daunting.”

Details of the convicted charges:

Three counts of rape, contrary to section 1 (1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003

Restaurant owner guilty of manslaughter

A restaurant owner has been convicted of manslaughter when a customer with a peanut allergy died after eating a meal containing peanut powder.

Martin Goldman, Chief Crown Prosecutor, CPS Yorkshire and Humberside said:

“This is a truly tragic case in which Paul Wilson lost his life entirely needlessly. Mohammed Zaman directly caused the death of Mr Wilson by causing him to be served a meal that he knew contained potentially lethal peanut powder.

“Zaman substituted almond powder with a cheaper ground nut mix, which contained peanuts. He failed to warn customers, failed to properly train his employees and failed to take any action following a previous serious allergic reaction. These failures led to Mr Wilson’ death.

“In this conviction, the CPS has sent a very clear message to the catering industry: there is a duty of care to your customers. If you ignore your responsibilities and regulations and put lives at real risk then we will not hesitate to prosecute.”

Company charged with corporate manslaughter after the death of two employees

The Director of Martinisation (London) Ltd, Martin Gutaj, has been charged with health and safety offences and the company has been charged with corporate manslaughter and health and safety offences after two men died whilst working for the company.  In November 2014, Tomasz Procko and Karol Symanski fell from a first floor balcony as they tried to hoist a sofa up from the pavement in Cadogan Square, SW1. 

Zoe Martin, Special Crime & Counter Terrorism Division, said: “I have today issued a written charge and requisition to Martinisation (London) Ltd in respect of two health and safety offences and offences of corporate manslaughter. I have also issued a written charge and requisition to company director Martin Gutaj in respect of two health and safety offences.

“The next hearing will take place on 6 June at Westminster Magistrates Court.

"Criminal proceedings against Mr Gutaj and the company will now begin and they have a right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings."

Man sentenced for 1990 attack on three young girls

William McMahon, 60, was sentenced today at Snaresbrook Crown Court to a total of 18 years and two months imprisonment for sexual offences committed on 29 June 1990. The victims were three girls, two aged 13 and one aged 12. McMahon pleaded guilty on 25^th April 2016, the first day of trial, to three counts of false imprisonment, three counts of indecent assault and one count of buggery.

Catherine Wear, CPS London reviewing lawyer, said:

“More than 25 years after this horrific attack on three young girls William McMahon has now been sentenced for his crimes.

“On 29^th June 1990 three girls had been innocently playing in an area known as Devil’s Canyon in Plaistow, a disused mortuary where young people would often meet up and play.

“The defendant trapped the girls in the abandoned building, telling them to face the wall. He did everything he could to disguise his identity, including making the girls put their clothes over their heads and giving them false information about himself. This made it very difficult for the police to identify him at the time of the attack.

“McMahon was identified as the perpetrator of this offence in 2015 when a DNA sample was taken from him for unrelated matters. Through painstaking police work and a strong prosecution case justice has at last been done.

“Sadly one of the victims died in 2004 from an unrelated illness. I would like to thank the other two women for their support of this prosecution and we would like to recognise the courage shown by all the victims in coming forward to report these offences.

“The overwhelming evidence in this case left McMahon no choice but to plead guilty and accept responsibility for his crimes.”