CPS News Brief

Businessman guilty of horsemeat fraud

A businessman who passed off horsemeat as beef in a bid to increase his profits has been convicted of fraud today (26 July).

Andronicos Sideras, owner of Dinos and Sons Ltd, conspired with Ulrich Nielsen and Alex Ostler-Beech, of Flexi Foods, to sell horsemeat as beef over a 10-month period in 2012.

On a number of occasions Sideras, of North London, mixed consignments of beef with horsemeat, repackaged the meat and attached the false labels, saying it originated from a Polish beef supplier. By doing so Sideras was able to inflate his profits as horsemeat was cheaper to purchase than beef.

He had denied one count of conspiracy to defraud but was convicted after a trial at the Inner London Crown Court. Nielsen and Ostler-Beech had already pleaded guilty to the same offence at an earlier hearing. 

Their crime was discovered after an environmental health officer visited a meat manufacturer in Newry, Northern Ireland. The inspector examined 12 pallets of meat and, of those, two pallets had horse meat as a major component.

Microchips from two Polish horses and one Irish horse were also recovered from within the meat blocks. 

An investigation found the meat had been sold by Flexi Foods and label alterations had taken place at Dinos. There were seven orders where this had taken place, involving a total of 83,000kgs of meat, of which more than a third (30,000kg) was horsemeat.

Nina Montalbano, from the CPS, said: 

“These men, motivated by greed, knowingly sold horsemeat to manufacturers so they could increase their profits. 

“Faced with the evidence put forward by the CPS Nielsen and Ostler-Beech pleaded guilty, whereas Sideras was convicted by a jury. 

“All three defendants knew full well this meat would enter the food chain through a number of leading supermarkets but continued their fraud with blatant disregard for the public’s right to know what is in their food.”

The men will be sentenced on Monday.

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Notes to Editors

• Nina Montalbano is a lawyer with the CPS Specialist Fraud Division

Convicted murderer Mark Dixie pleads guilty to serious sexual assaults

Convicted murderer Mark Dixie, 46, has today (26 July) admitted two serious sexual assaults on women committed 15 years apart.

Dixie, who is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 34 years for murdering Sally Anne Bowman in Croydon in 2005, pleaded guilty to three offences at Southwark Crown Court.

Rob Davis, from the CPS, said:

“These were serious crimes which followed the pattern of Mark Dixie’s offending both in the United Kingdom and abroad.

“These offences took place many years ago and we thank both victims for supporting this prosecution.”

Dixie raped one woman in 1987 in a Croydon car park when he was 16 years old, after grabbing and dragging her into the back of her car. He raped her, before tying up and gagging her.

The woman freed herself and ran for assistance nearby. At the time of the offence the victim did not feel able to support a prosecution. New evidence came to light in 2009 when fingerprints which had been found in the woman’s vehicle shortly after the offence, were linked to him.

The second incident took place in December 2002 in Croydon town centre, when Dixie attacked a second woman who was walking home in the early hours of the morning. He struck her on the head with a weapon, described as a small crowbar, before dragging her up some stairs and threatening “I am going to kill you”. He then indecently assaulted her. The attack was interrupted by a member of the public. 

Dixie will be sentenced on 22 September.

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Notes to Editors

• Rob Davis is a District Crown Prosecutor with CPS London homicide team

Charges:

- Rape (1987 incident)

- Causing grievous bodily harm (2002 incident)

- Indecent assault (2002 incident)

Men jailed for rail network corruption

Four men have been jailed today (21 July) for their parts in an operation to make and receive corrupt payments in order to win contracts as part of the Crossrail project. Alandale Rail Ltd, part of the Alandale Group, was also convicted of corruption by the jury and was fined £25,000.

Kevin McKee and John Zayya of Alandale Rail Ltd made corrupt payments and promised rewards to Innocent Obiekwe so they could secure the contract to supply safety critical staff as part of the Crossrail Project.

In return Obiekwe, a senior manager at CoLOR (Costain and Laing O’Rourke), nick-named by the co-conspirators as ‘our man in Havana’, provided confidential information during the tender process. 

After Alandale Rail won the Farringdon contract by corruption, McKee, Zayya and Obiekwe defrauded CoLOR by claiming for so-called ‘ghost worker’ shifts (non-existent shifts). The proceeds of this fraud was shared amongst them, with the lion’s share going to Obiekwe.

When this practice was uncovered Zayya continued to send money to Obiekwe by using William Waring. Zayya skimmed from the operatives’ rates of pay and used Waring and his company, Qualitas, to pay the cash to Obiekwe.

Their operation came to light after McKee told CoLOR and Transport for London of their dishonest practices, sparking an investigation. 

Jane Mitchell from the CPS said:

“McKee, Zayya and Obiekwe cheated their way to a significant contract and their level of ongoing dishonesty was uncovered only when one of their own came forward.

“The defendants could not hide from the overwhelming evidence put forward by the British Transport Police and CPS and all pleaded guilty, apart from the company that was found guilty unanimously by the jury.”

Notes to editors:

• Jane Mitchell is a Prosecutor for the CPS Specialist Fraud Division.

• Kevin McKee pleaded guilty in September 2016. He was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment and disqualified from being a director for eight years.

• Innocent Obiekwe pleaded guilty to corruption. He was sentenced to two years in prison and disqualified from being a director for eight years.

• John Zayya pleaded guilty to corruption. He was sentenced to two years in prison and disqualified from being a director for eight years.

• William Waring pleaded guilty at trial to corruption and money laundering. He was sentenced to two years in prison and disqualified from being a director for eight years.

• Alandale Rail Ltd was found guilty of corruption and was fined £25,000.

Man who beat a child to death for losing a trainer is guilty of murder

A man who beat his girlfriend’s five-year-old son to death for losing a trainer has been found guilty of murder.

Marvyn Iheanacho, 39, [01/06/1978] from Hounslow, was convicted of murdering Alex Malcolm today (21 July) at Woolwich Crown Court after a trial.

Alex suffered fatal head and stomach injuries after being attacked in Mountsfield Park, Hither Green, on the evening of 20 November 2016.  

He was taken home by Iheanacho and then to hospital but died two days later after an unsuccessful brain operation.

 

Rob Davis, of the CPS said:

“Only Marvyn Iheanacho knows how Alex was fatally wounded, but it is certain his anger boiled over at some point that day.

'The prosecution case was that a witness heard Iheanacho swearing at a child over a shoe that had been lost in the nearby park. He was heard repeatedly and violently punching a gate.

"Later in the park another witness saw Alex lying prone on a bench. CCTV showed Iheanacho carrying Alex’s body to a cab office.

"His actions that day tragically ended a young boy’s life, and deprived a mother of her son.

"His efforts to cover up what really happened, first to Alex’s mother by claiming Alex had simply fainted and hit his head, then by lying and repeatedly changing his story to police, show his greatest concern was for himself.

"Our thoughts go to Alex’s mother and family and we hope today’s conviction brings them some sense of justice."

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 Notes to editors:

• Rob Davis is district crown prosecutor, CPS London Homicide team.

• Iheanacho will be sentenced on 25 July.

   

Rogue builder jailed for tricking homeowners out of thousands of pounds

A rogue builder who tricked homeowners out of hundreds of thousands of pounds has today (20^th July) been jailed for fraud. 

Dennis Pickerden, 46, ran a number of building companies in north-east Lincolnshire.  He developed a sophisticated scam to convince his victims to part with over a quarter of a million pounds in total.

Pickerden approached potential customers by cold-calling or visiting their homes.  Homeowners were provided with references, portfolios of work and even DVDs to convince them he was reliable and trustworthy.  Then extremely low quotes were given so they entered into a contract.  

Pickerden undertook a variety of projects including extensions, loft conversions and paving driveways. Work would get underway, but before long problems would arise, progress would slow, and clients would be asked to make further payments.  Eventually he would ensure that there was a major disagreement and walk off the job leaving work unfinished and often in a dangerous state.

Many victims lost their life savings and their homes. Several were so distressed by their experiences they have been left with long-term health issues including depression and stress. 

Pickerden pleaded guilty to fraudulent trading at an earlier hearing, and was today sentenced to six years and nine months in prison at Sheffield Crown Court.

 

Arslan Khan of the CPS said:

“Dennis Pickerden started building projects with no intention of ever finishing them. The work his companies undertook was shoddy and often dangerous.  He repeated the same fraud over and over again, deliberately abusing homeowners’ trust.

“His victims were left out of pocket.  Some have lost their homes and others have serious health conditions that will need long-term treatment.

“Pickerden’s offending was carefully planned and so extensive that prosecutors were able to show that it amounted to serious fraud.  I hope today’s sentence will provide some sense of justice to those whose lives he affected.”

 

--ENDS—

Notes to editors

• Arslan Khan is a Specialist Prosecutor in the CPS Specialist Fraud Division
• Denis Pickerden pleaded guilty to one count of fraudulent trading and was sentenced to six years and nine months at Sheffield Crown Court.   He has been banned from being a company director for nine years and a proceeds of crime order was lodged.

Triathlete convicted after disability benefit fraud

A man who claimed thousands of pounds in disability benefits despite climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, winning a triathlon and competing at the Phoenix Winter Games, has been convicted of fraud on Wednesday (19 July).

Mark Lloyd, 33, from Pontypridd, claimed £6,551.80 in Personal Independence Payments (PIP) from October 2014 to February 2016 due to what he said were severe restrictions to his mobility and ability to care for himself after suffering a back injury and PTSD in the army.

Lloyd had denied one count of dishonestly failing to disclose information to make a gain for himself but was convicted following a trial at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard how Lloyd told benefits assessors that he could not bend or stretch, needed walking aids and suffered pain when walking short distances. However he was found to have overstated these needs and during the 18-month period of claiming benefits, he had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro over five days and walked for between eight and 12 hours a day. He also took part in the World Powerboat Championships in Malta, and competed in a triathlon. 

During the period, in July 2016, Lloyd also completed a further claim form in which he stated that his mobility and care needs had increased.

Laura Walters from the CPS said:

“Mark Lloyd flouted the system to claim thousands of pounds of disability benefits, all the while taking part in tough physical challenges.

“Lloyd vastly overstated his care needs in order to claim the cash but he could not hide from the overwhelming evidence put forward by the prosecution, including photos of his participation in a climb of Mount Kilimanjaro and his participation in a triathlon.”

Lloyd will be sentenced on 3rd August.

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• Laura Walters is a prosecutor in the Specialist Fraud Division.

Finance director jailed for part in £40 million tax avoidance scam

A company finance controller who deliberately falsified the accounts to help her company avoid £40 million in tax has been jailed for 3.5 years on Friday (14 July).

Louise Mbadugha, 59, an accountant, worked with company boss Livio Mazzarello, 57, in the Italian Wine Company which imported wines from Italy to the UK.

They were supposed to notify HMRC of each of their consignments but only a fraction of their imports were declared. Instead the company was selling thousands of bottles of wine under the counter and doctoring their accounting records.

The real accounts were kept on a server in Italy and delivery drivers were given two notes – one with the accurate quantity of their shipment and one with fake figures to give to HMRC. 

Mbadugha and Mazzarello denied fraudulent evasion of excise duty, fraudulent evasion of VAT and money laundering at the Central Criminal Court. Both were convicted after a trial in May during which Mazzarello absconded. He was earlier sentenced to 14 years in prison in his absence and a European arrest warrant is being obtained for him.

Frank Ferguson from the CPS said:

“Mbadugha and Mazzarello were behind this complex fraud for a number of years and went to great lengths to hide it. 

“Their failure to pay was not a mistake but a complicated operation to deceive and cheat in order to profit. As a result, they kept £40 million which should have been paid to HMRC and the public purse. 

“The evidence put forward by the prosecution demonstrated the individual role played by each defendant and resulted in the guilty verdicts returned by the jury.”

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Notes:

• Frank Ferguson is Deputy Head of the Specialist Fraud Division

Paedophile who encouraged abuse of boy in America jailed

A paedophile who encouraged the abuse of a young boy in America from his computer in Wales has been jailed today (July 12).

Darren Williams, 44, admitted encouraging or assisting the rape of a child and encouraging the distribution of indecent images at an earlier hearing at Cardiff Crown Court and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

The court heard how Williams used online conferencing software to view and discuss images of serious sexual abuse being perpetrated against children, including live abuse.

Transcripts from the chat room during the sexual abuse of a six-year-old boy in the United States showed how Williams encouraged the abuse.

Laura Tams, from the CPS, said:

“Darren Williams clearly took sadistic pleasure in the pain and horrendous sexual abuse being inflicted on very young children.

“The prosecution built a case which showed how by watching and encouraging the abuse from behind his computer screen, Williams was guilty of encouraging the rape thousands of miles away.

“This conviction was made possible through close partnership working with the authorities both in this country and around the world.”

Notes to Editors

• Darren Williams admitted one charge of encouraging rape and six of encouraging the distribution of indecent images of children
• Laura Tams is a Specialist Prosecutor with the CPS Organised Crime Division

Motorcyclists jailed after mass bike ride through city centre

Thirteen motorcyclists have been sentenced today (11 July) for taking part in a mass ride which caused widespread chaos in Leeds city centre.

Around 100 bikers were involved in the Halloween ‘ride-out’ in October 2016, which was arranged on social media. They split into two groups, driving en masse and at speed through red lights, on pavements and through a pedestrian precinct, busy with shoppers. Approximately 60 bikers drove through the Leeds central shopping arcade, a historic covered area, barely 16 feet wide.  

The police received over 160 complaints from members of the public. Emergency road closures were put in place to contain the disruption and a police helicopter was deployed.

The defendants pleaded guilty to causing a public nuisance and each received a prison sentence of at least 12 months. David Armitage, 26, who organised the event online, was sentenced to two years in prison.

Another rider, Nicholas Flaherty, 30, was sentenced to 12 months for causing a public nuisance and four months for perverting the course of justice, by encouraging the other participants to dispose of evidence such as their bikes and clothing in the aftermath of the incident.

Michael Quinn from the CPS said:

“These defendants set out to cause what they termed online as, ‘carnage’ and ‘mayhem’ in Leeds that day. Many of the public were extremely frightened by these criminal acts.  It is only by good fortune that no one was seriously injured or killed.

“The CPS worked with police to ensure that those responsible faced charges that reflected the danger and widespread alarm they caused. Today’s sentences should leave them in no doubt of the serious consequences of this type of criminal behaviour. They risk custody and driving bans.”

 

Notes:

Omar Ahmed was sentenced to 12 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months

David Ermitage was sentenced to two years in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months 

Ashley Benson was sentenced to 12 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months

Michael Clough was sentenced to 14 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months

Ben Colley was sentenced to 18 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months

Dean Fawcett was sentenced to 12 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months

Nicholas Flaherty was sentenced to 18 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months

Rachel Taylor was sentenced to 12 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months

Joshua Hawley was sentenced to 12 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months

Dylan Lockwood was sentenced to 12 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months

Adam Nicholson was sentenced to 12 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months

Anton Rojas was sentenced to 12 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months

Jamie Ayres was sentenced to 12 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 18 months

Men jailed for arranging distribution of indecent images via dark web

Two men who assisted the distribution of hundreds of thousands of indecent images of children via the dark web have been jailed today (10 Jul).

David Buckley, 54, and Brett McBain, 51, were sentenced to three years (Buckley) and five years (McBain) in prison at the Central Criminal Court.

McBain, of Balham, London, pleaded guilty to multiple charges relating to the distribution indecent images while Buckley, of Goole, East Yorkshire, admitted a single charge of conspiring to distribute images.

The court heard how McBain posted links to more than 200,000 indecent images on an area of the dark web he created with Buckley, who posted links to more than 30,000 indecent images. The sole purpose of the chat site was to share these images with subscribers.

Punam Chopra, from the CPS, said:

“By facilitating access to thousands of indecent images of children, these men helped to fuel a demand for further abuse on the dark web.

“McBain, helped by Buckley, set up and administrated the website over a two-year period. The CPS built an overwhelming case against both men with the result that both admitted their guilt in the face of the evidence."

--Ends--

Notes to editors

• Punam Chopra is a Specialist Prosecutor with the CPS International Justice and Organised Crime Division.
• Brett McBain pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute indecent images of children, three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possessing indecent images of children, three counts of possessing extreme pornography and two counts of possession of prohibited images on 8 March 2017 at the Central Criminal Court.
• David Buckley pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute indecent images of children on 15 May 2017 at the Central Criminal Court.

Golf company director jailed for gross negligence manslaughter

A golf company director has been jailed today (10 July) after a ball collector drowned in a lake on a Welsh course.

Father-of-one Gareth Pugh, 29, died on 11 February 2016 while collecting golf balls at Peterstone Lake Golf Course near Newport.

Dale Pike, of Boss Golf Balls, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by gross negligence at Cardiff Crown Court in May and was sentenced to 32 months in prison today.

The court heard how Pike had agreed to pay Gareth to retrieve balls from the lake but the measures in place to ensure his safety were inadequate.

Iwan Jenkins, from the CPS, said:

“Dale Pike stood by and watched as Gareth entered the water knowing that safety regulations were being breached and which resulted in Gareth losing his life.

“There was clear evidence Pike had made enquiries with legitimate dive operators to cost this activity but he chose not to use them, instead falsely claiming to the golf club that he was a qualified commercial diver with his own equipment.

“Our thoughts are with Gareth’s family and friends and we thank them for their support throughout the legal process.”

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Notes to editors

• Iwan Jenkins is Head of the Complex Casework Unit for CPS Wales

Man convicted of killing two women after claiming they had died in their sleep

A man has today (5^th July) been convicted of the murder and manslaughter of two partners, after claiming that each of them had died in their sleep, with him waking up next to them. 

Robert Trigg, 52, from Worthing, was found guilty at Lewes Crown Court of the murder of Susan Nicholson, aged 52, in 2011 and the manslaughter of Caroline Devlin, who was 35, in March 2006. 

Both women had been in a relationship with the defendant and their deaths were initially treated as being due to natural causes. 

 

Nigel Pilkington from the CPS said: 

“This was an extremely unusual case and required us to put together a compelling case in the face of initial pathology results that suggested the victims had died of natural causes.  With the benefit of the wider picture, the pathologist was able to reconsider what else could have happened on the night each victim died, with the results telling a very different story. 

“Aside from the new post mortem results, the prosecution case also relied on the striking similarities between the two deaths, as both victims were found in an unusual position and, in each case, Trigg failed to call the emergency services, getting other people to do it for him instead. His accounts then raised far more questions than they answered. 

“Bad character evidence, including incidents which took place the deaths of both Caroline and Susan, also supported our case as it helped to build a picture man with a history of violence and controlling behaviour towards his partners. 

“In the face of this, it was extremely unlikely that two of Trigg’s partners had each died of natural causes while sharing a bed with him, and today he has been brought to justice for both deaths.” 

--Ends--

 

Notes to Editors: 

• Nigel Pilkington is the Head of the Complex Casework Unit in CPS South East.