CPS News Brief

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:

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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.”