CPS News Brief

Woman imprisoned after dog attack

A woman whose dog attacked a dozen children in a vicious attack, leaving three in hospital, has today been sentenced to four years imprisonment at Newcastle Crown Court. 

Claire Neal, 39, pleaded guilty to owning the Staffordshire bull terrier which attacked 12 children in May last year after it was let out of her property by a visitor. 

The dog then began playing with a number of the children in a nearby park but suddenly became aggressive and attacked them, leaving all of the children with puncture wounds on their arms and legs. Three children had to remain in hospital overnight. 

Local residents captured the dog and police were called to the scene. The animal was transported to secure kennels by police and subsequently destroyed. 

Officers traced the dog back to Neal, and discovered that in February 2016 she had been ordered to destroy the same dog after another attack. A destruction order had been issued under the Dangerous Dogs Act and she had been banned from keeping dogs for five years. 

Neal pleaded guilty to the charge at an earlier hearing. 

Sharon Elves of the CPS said: 

“This was a terrifying and horrific attack on a group of young children by a known dangerous dog. Were it not for the heroic actions of two local people in subduing the dog, the significant injuries sustained by the children could have been much worse.

“All dog owners must ensure that their animals are under control at all times and there are significant penalties, including imprisonment, for those who are negligent in these responsibilities. Had the dog been destroyed in accordance with the earlier court order, then this attack would never have taken place.”

Bank employee who created fake accounts to launder money is jailed

Bank employee who created fake accounts to launder money is jailed

A bank employee who opened more than 100 fake accounts to launder hundreds of thousands of pounds in stolen money has been sentenced today (12 December).

Jinal Pethad, 29, of Edgware, worked for Barclays Bank and set up a number of accounts in false identities for the purposes of money laundering. He also used Barclays’ internal systems to assist criminals in controlling the accounts so that they could obtain stolen money paid into them.

Pavel Gincota contacted Pethad to get him to set up the accounts, facilitate transfers and assist him to control the accounts. Gincota, along with Ion Turcan, had already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to money launder. They received five years eight months and seven years’ imprisonment respectively.

Gincota and Turcan used the accounts set up by Pethad to receive stolen funds, moving them between the fake accounts before the money was withdrawn.

Pethad pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial and was sentenced to six years and four months in prison.

Tom Guest, of the CPS, said: “Pethad abused his position of trust in his job to set up more than 100 accounts, and to access further fake accounts, all for the purpose of hiding and obtaining money stolen from businesses and individuals.

“The CPS presented evidence which showed the network of accounts used, how those accounts were being controlled by Gincota and Turcan, and the important role of Pethad within the bank who facilitated this criminality and who benefitted personally from the conspiracy.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

• Tom Guest is a Specialist Prosecutor in the International Justice and Organised Crime Division at the CPS.
• Jinal Pethad pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conceal, disguise, transfer, convert and/or remove from England and Wales, contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.