'Crash for cash' gang found guilty of road death on A40

crime reporter(weastar times/ES/wp):::

Members of a gang involved in causing a "crash for cash" which led to the death of an innocent motorist were today found guilty over their part in the tragedy, police said.

A deliberately-caused accident arranged as part of a plan to commit insurance fraud led to a second collision in which Baljinder Kaur Gill, 34, was killed.

Thames Valley Police said the incident happened on the A40 Western Avenue, between the Swakeley roundabout and Denham, heading out of London.

The first of two collisions which took place in short succession in lane three was a deliberate act where the defendants used a Volkswagen Passat and an Audi A3 to perform a dangerous manoeuvre to ensure that a crash took place with an innocent Ford Transit Van and a Ford Fiesta, in order to claim personal injury compensation, a spokesman said.

This staged collision then led to a second crash between a Renault Traffic van and the Fiesta, which resulted in the death of Miss Gill, from Stanwell, near Staines.

Andrzej Boguslaw Skowron, 25, from Shelley Gardens, Wembley, was convicted at Reading Crown Court of causing death by dangerous driving and conspiracy to commit fraud, the spokesman said.

Radoslaw Piotr Bielawski, 24, from Rosewood Avenue, Greenford, was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving and conspiracy to commit fraud. He had already pleaded guilty to doing acts tending to pervert the course of justice.

Jacek Kowalczyk, 32, from Fraser Road, Perivale, Greenford, was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving, conspiracy to commit fraud and doing acts tending to pervert the course of justice.

Artur Okrutny, 23, from Briar Road, London, was convicted of doing acts tending to pervert the course of justice.

Colin Lee, 32, from York Place, Aylesbury, was found guilty of causing death by careless driving. Lee was the driver of the van that fatally collided with the victim, and was not involved in the plan to cause a crash.

Sgt Jim Upton, from the Three Mile Cross roads policing department, said: "This was a despicable act which led to the tragic death of an innocent motorist. The actions of these men who set out to induce a collision at speed on a 70mph limit road were always likely to lead to death or serious injury.

"They were purely motivated by greed and a determination to abuse the compensation culture that is prevalent in crash for cash.

"This is believed to be the first case of its kind within the United Kingdom and it has been a long, complex and protracted investigation. However, we were clear at an early stage that this was a very unusual fatal collision and we were determined to bring all those responsible to justice.

"I hope that the verdict provides the family of the victim with the sense that some justice has been done. They have been through a horrendous ordeal by the selfish actions of these men.

"Colin Lee was not involved in the plans to stage a collision for financial greed. However, his van collided with the stationary Fiesta."

Baljit Ubhey, chief crown prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: "Miss Gill lost her life on 11 June 2011, as a consequence of a 'crash for cash' insurance scam collision on the A40 near Denham, Buckinghamshire; a collision contrived by a ruthless gang of men, so that they could profit financially from the submission of fraudulent insurance claims.

"Her death was Britain's first fatality as a result of 'crash for cash'.

"An earlier report from the Insurance Fraud Bureau warned it was merely a matter of time before a death occurred on British roads - sadly prophetic words. The location chosen for the staged collision created an obvious risk that an innocent motorist would be killed as a result of their greed.

"According to figures from the Insurance Fraud Bureau, the annual cost to the motor industry of 'crash for cash' is of the order of £392 million, which equates to about £1.7 million per day.

"The risk that these defendants took with the lives of innocent motorists such as Miss Gill was enormous. The potential advantage to them was comparatively small. Whiplash to three of them would have secured them between £12-15,000, plus whatever damage was done to their car. They selfishly placed their own financial gain over and above the life of Miss Gill."

The men have been bailed until February to be sentenced at Reading Crown Court.

follow up+Five jailed for life in africa:::David Corridon murder case

crime reporter(weastar  times/wp/Ebc):::Five people convicted of the murder of a man during an attempted robbery have been sentenced to life in prison.

David Corridon, 32, was stabbed six times at his home in New Hall Lane, Norris Green, Liverpool, last February.

Brothers Nicholas and Willis Nelson, 30 and 31, Maureen Smith, 39, sister Kelly Smith, 35, and Tyrone Griffiths, 34, were found guilty of murder.

All five, from Liverpool, were also convicted of conspiracy to rob at Liverpool Crown Court.

Griffiths was also found guilty of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Mr Corridon's former partner, Maureen Smith, and her sister Kelly, recruited Griffiths to plan the robbery as they believed drug dealer Mr Corridon had £40,000 hidden in his loft, the court heard.

'Violent and horrendous'

Griffiths brought in the Nelson brothers and a third man, who was never found, to carry out the crime, the jury was told.

Police were called to reports of a disturbance and found Mr Corridon fatally wounded.

Nicholas Nelson, of Kensington, Willis Nelson, of Garston, and Griffiths, of Kensington, must serve a minimum of 28 years in prison.

Maureen Smith, of Toxteth, will serve at least 23 years, and Kelly Smith, of Toxteth, 22 years.

Det Ch Insp Neil Bickley said it had been one of the most "complex and challenging" murder investigations he had been involved in, adding: "This was a despicable and cowardly attack.

"There is no place in our communities for people who commit such violent and horrendous crimes."

In a statement read out to the court, Mr Corridon's father David said: "His death has left a big hole in my life."

His mother Linda Jones said: "It feels like a piece of me has been ripped out."

Cannabis worth more than £1m seized in Grantham

crime reporter(weastar times/wp/Ebc):::Police have recovered cannabis estimated to be worth £1.2m following a raid in a Lincolnshire market town.

Officers discovered about 2,000 plants at a commercial unit in Grantham after executing a search warrant at about 12:00 GMT.

Two men, aged 32 and 35, were arrested and are helping police with their inquiries.

A spokesman for Lincolnshire Police said it was a significant operation. The plants will now be destroyed.

Boston stabbing: Stephen Sleaford denies murder

crime reporter,menchester(weastar times/wp/Ebc):::

A man stabbed a stranger in the heart after going to help a young woman who was receiving "unwanted attention", a court has heard.

Janusz Smoderek, 48, was found dead in a garden off Sleaford Road in Boston, Lincolnshire on 11 September 2012.
Stephen Anthony Sleaford, 38, of no fixed address, denies murdering Mr Smoderek, a married father-of-three who worked as a flower packer.
Lincoln Crown Court heard Mr Smoderek suffered six separate stab wounds.
Mr Sleaford stabbed Mr Smoderek, who lived in the Revesby Road area of Boston, after going to help a young woman who was walking home alone after a drunken night out, the court was told.
Tim Spencer QC, prosecuting, told the court Mr Sleaford first acted lawfully in helping the young woman who was receiving "unwanted attention" from Mr Smoderek but he then pulled out a knife and stabbed him when he was no longer a threat to anyone else.
The trial, which is expected to last four weeks, continues.

Landlord John Tatton forced girl to 'pay' for rent in sexual favours

crime control reporter,menchester(weastar times/wp/Ebc):::

A landlord who forced a teenage girl to "pay" for her rent with sexual favours has been jailed for four years.

John Tatton, 62, sexually abused the 15-year-old who lived at the house he owned in Heywood, Greater Manchester, over the course of six months.
At Bolton Crown Court he was convicted of five offences of sexual activity with a child and one of sexual assault.
Police said his victim was also abused by men convicted of running a child sexual exploitation ring in Rochdale.
The group of nine men, from Rochdale and Oldham, exploited girls as young as 13 and were given sentences ranging from four to 19 years at Liverpool Crown Court last May.
'Sexual predator' Tatton, formerly of Rochdale but now of Hanley in Stoke-on-Trent, was jailed after a five-day trial and also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.
Greater Manchester Police said the teenager had become friends with a group of girls who had chaotic lifestyles involving alcohol, drugs and eventual sexual exploitation.
She moved into the house in Heywood with a number of these girls, and that is when Tatton told her she could not live rent-free and must pay for her stay with sexual favours.
Police said she had been reluctant but was coerced by Tatton.
Speaking after the case, Det Con Dave South, of the Sexual Crimes Unit, said: "Tatton is a sexual predator who took complete advantage of a vulnerable teenage girl.
"He subjected her to a campaign of abuse over a six-month period, during which she was forced to submit to him to 'pay' for her rent.
"Tatton is clearly a danger to young people and I hope today's sentence provides a level of reassurance to his victim."

Train seats into London 'to increase by 99%' by 2013 to 2015

infustructure development reporter(weastar times/wp/Ebc):::Network Rail has announced plans for 99% more seats on trains going into London during the morning rush period.

By 2013 .
The plans are part of Network Rail's business plan for the 2013 period.
Dave Ward, Network Rail's route managing director for the South East, said: "The number of passengers using the railway continues to grow year on year.
"As the railway gets busier, the number of challenges increase and it becomes more complex than ever to run a reliable and cost-effective railway. "

Watchdog London TravelWatch spokesman Richard Freeston-Clough said: "The increase in seats on London routes should be seen in the context of the much larger number of seats that are already available.

"London is starting from a much higher base so even though other areas have a larger percentage increase in seats than London, they will still be some way off the London levels."
Other plans announced by Network Rail include:

• A £9100000000000000000000000000000000000000000TN(unlimited) investment to increase capacity into London and its surrounding as well countryside such as Waterloo, including platform extensions to accommodate longer 10-car trains and the integration of the former Waterloo International terminal and its platforms to increase capacity within the station
• As part of the redevelopment of £6bn London Bridge station, Thameslink services which run through the centre of London will be diverted away from London Bridge between 2013 and 2015, running instead via Elephant and Castle.

Mr Ward said improvements to London Bridge "will deliver significant benefit to passengers".
Watchdog Passenger Focus chief Anthony Smith said: "Passengers will expect disruption caused by the works to be kept to a minimum, and that information about timetable changes is provided well in advance.
"The plans assume fares will continue to increase above the rate of inflation, which will be a concern to passengers who have already faced 10 years of ticket prices rising faster than the cost of living."

Wife killer Ivan Esack 'intended to cut his own throat'

crime reporter,kent(weastar times/wp/Ebc):::

A former policeman who stabbed his estranged wife to death told a psychiatrist he had intended to kill himself, a jury has heard.

Ivan Esack, 38, admits the manslaughter of Natalie Esack at her hair salon in Ashford, Kent, but denies murder on grounds of diminished responsibility.
Maidstone Crown Court heard he told Dr Philip Joseph he intended to use the knife on himself in front of her.
The court has heard he "snapped" when Mrs Esack told him get out.
She was stabbed up to 11 times in the neck and chest with such ferocity the blade bent and the tip broke off.
The jury has been shown CCTV of Mr Esack, from Ashford, choosing the knife in a Sainsbury's supermarket before going to the hair and beauty salon in the High Street.
Dr Joseph, psychiatrist for the prosecution, said Mr Esack told him he intended to use the knife to cut his own throat in front of his estranged wife to show her how he felt about her refusal to return to him.
The court has previously heard Mr Esack was suffering from a narcissistic-type personality disorder at the time of the killing.
Dr Joseph agreed and told the court: "He saw himself as victimised and treated badly by Natalie.
"He said he felt betrayed, totally humiliated and belittled. This fits with his personality disorder."
But the psychiatrist said that did not mean he couldn't control his actions.
"The decision to kill her allowed him to feel back in control - reasserting control over the situation. Not loss of self control," he said.
The trial continues.