five-year-old Alex Malcolm who died after 'beating' in London park

Pic:Alex Malcolm, who died in hospital 
Crime reporter(wp/es):

 The mother of a five-year-old boy who died after allegedly being beaten in a  park paid tribute today to her “little angel”.

Alex Malcolm was described as “beautiful, kind and gentle” by his mother Liliya Breha, 29, who wept as she said: “He shouldn’t have been taken away from me”.

Alex, a Year 1 pupil at Archbishop Sumner CofE primary school in Kennington, suffered head injuries while playing in Mountsfield Park, Catford, at about 6pm on November 20.

Police were called at 1.45am the following day when he was admitted to King’s College Hospital. He died the next day in intensive care.

A 38-year-old man has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Ms Breha, who lives in Bromley, said: “I’m heartbroken, I miss him. I really struggle because he shouldn’t have been taken away from me. He was my best friend.” She said that Alex, her only child, was popular among classmates and enjoyed going to parks and on trips around London. He appeared as an angel in a nativity play last year and had recently completed a portfolio to begin child modelling.

Ms Breha said: “He had so many friends — everybody knew Alex. He would always share all his toys and sweets. 

“Lots of my friends have newborns and he would feed them with their bottles — he was really soft and gentle. He would always care for me and compliment me and always say thank you. 

“He was too beautiful, people often thought he was a girl. He was doing a little modelling. We’d just done a  portfolio, he’d had lots of offers but we never had a chance to do proper modelling.”

She said he loved school, where he was always among the first at the gates, and enjoyed music and singing.

“If I was too tired he’d say ‘Miss told me you have to read me the book’ so I knew he was listening to his teachers,” she said. “He’d help me with the shopping and was very tidy. He was perfect. He would see what I was doing and copy me.

“I could see he was growing in confidence. He was beautiful. He was an angel in the nativity last year and we all called him little angel.”

Family friend Sarosé Burnley described Alex as a “stunning” little boy who was devoted to his mother. 

She added: “Her bond with Alex was super strong. She doted on him. 

“Despite everything she’s going through she’s been extremely strong but I know speaking to her on a day-to-day basis that she’s broken.”

Ms Breha hopes to set up a charity in memory of Alex and has agreed with his school to plant a tree in his memory. His family have not been able arrange his funeral as police have not yet released his body.

Marvyn Iheanacho, 38, of Hounslow, appeared in custody at Woolwich crown court yesterday charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He was remanded in custody until March 10.

Men who stabbed to death expectant father at illegal rave in south-east London

Pic: Renea Campbell was stabbed to death at an illegal rave in Abbey Wood 
Crime reporter(wp/es):

Two men have been jailed over the murder of a father-to-be who was stabbed to death at a rave in south-east London.

Renea Campbell was fatally injured when a fight broke out close to an industrial estate in Abbey Wood in June last year.

Police officers rushed to Felixstowe Road where Mr Campbell and three other men had been stabbed.

The 26-year-old was taken to an east London hospital where he died from a single stab wound.

Mr Campbell had been out celebrating the news he was to become father to a second son with his brother Rico.

The pair were also both celebrating getting new jobs, their mother Claudette Campbell said in a statement.

She said her world “came crashing down” after hearing “something bad” had happened to her sons.

The statement read: “I have been living in the worst nightmare ever since. 

"Renea and I shared a bond which was unique, he was my first child and I adored him from the moment he was born, he was my friend as well as my son and would regularly go out with me just to be with me, even on boring shopping trips. 

“He liked to be my protector and would always need to know where I was going and make sure that I was safe and ok. 

“I miss him and my heart hurts every single day. Renea was a loving, caring young man with genuinely good values, manners a bright future and a smile which always made me smile with him.”

She went on to describe her sorrow that her son never met his youngest child.

Mrs Campbell said: "My two grandsons will never see their dad and he was an amazing father who couldn't wait to meet his new son.

"Time has gone on, a year and a half later my grandson is a year older and the son Renea, never got to see is now a year old.

“Both his children have missed out on many things with their dad. The communication, the first steps. Renea would have been there for those special moments in his son’s life, but they were cut short.”

Damien Fraser, 27, from Somerfield Grove, Tottenham was jailed for 21 years at the Old Bailey on Monday.

Aiden Mcgowan, 25, of Northumberland Park, Tottenham, was jailed for 19 years.

He was found guilty of murder, GBH, violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon at the same court on December 14.

Rennae Henriques, 29, of Gillham Terrace, Tottenham, was jailed for two-and-a-half years for violent disorder immediately after the incident.

A charge of violent disorder Trimaine Laing, of Newington Green, Islington was dropped.

£20,000 reward to solve mystery of boy who vanished after going to buy eggs in Croydon 30 years ago

Pic:Kevin Hicks disappeared 30 years ago
Crime reporter(wp/es):

Detectives today announced a £20,000 reward to discover what happened to a 16-year-old boy who disappeared 30 years ago after going out to buy some eggs in south London.

Kevin Hicks told his mother he was heading to some shops a few minutes away. He did not return and was never seen again.

Today detectives said they believed he was assaulted and murdered by someone he met after he left his Croydon home and appealed for people in the local community to come forward.

Kevin had set out on Sunday, April 2, 1986 to buy ingredients for an O-level cookery exam the following day. 

It was a cold evening and he was carrying just £1 when he went to Sperrings community shop, a few minutes’ walk away in Lower Addiscombe Road.

He was last seen by someone who knew him at 10pm in Shirley Road, walking in the general direction of home.

His parents have both since died, but today his younger sister Alexandra Hicks, 45, from Sutton, told of her ongoing heartache, saying: “Christmas is always a particularly hard time of the year, especially now both my parents are gone. 

“It would be the best Christmas present to have Kevin back or to know what has happened to him. Someone somewhere knows something. It is time to let go of that secret.”

Detectives said they now believed the teenager had been murdered after a review of the case was carried out earlier this year.

Detective Inspector John McQuade, who is leading the inquiry, said: “Kevin simply disappeared that night and was never seen nor heard of again.

“Many enquiries have been carried out over the years but Kevin’s body has never been found yet there is no evidence he is still alive. 

“We believe Kevin must have met someone that night and been assaulted. Perhaps the suspect didn’t mean to kill him but it is clear Kevin’s body must have then been disposed of.”

He appealed to a person who called the Croydon Advertiser newspaper anonymously 10 years after Kevin’s disappearance, saying she knew the location of his body to get in touch with police again.

Mr McQuade said: “I truly believe people in the local Croydon community hold the answers to what happened to Kevin.”

Kevin was described as a happy teenager with no problems at school and had been applying for jobs in the weeks before his disappearance.

Teenager fighting for life after knife attack in west London

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A teenager was left fighting for life in hospital after he was stabbed in the chest in west London.

The 19-year-old was reportedly left in a coma after he was knifed in Queen’s Park on Saturday night.

Police and paramedics raced to the scene of the attack in Barfett Street at about 8.45pm.

The man was rushed to a central London hospital where he remained in a critical condition, police said on Tuesday. 

Karen Buck, Labour MP for Westminster North, posted on Twitter: “Overnight news of a 19-year-old in induced coma after Queen’s Park stabbing.

"Tackling serious youth violence still a priority. #endyouthviolence.”

O/night news of 19 yr old in induced coma after Queen's Park stabbing. Tackling serious youth violence still a priority #endyouthviolence

— Karen Buck (@KarenPBuckMP) December 18, 2016

A Met Police spokesman said: “Officers and London Ambulance Service attended and found a 19-year-old man suffering from stab wounds to the chest. 

“The man was taken to a central London hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

“Next-of-kin have been informed. 

“No arrests have been made. Enquiries continue.”

Police hunt man over string of 'terrifying' armed robberies at London betting shops

Pic:Police want to speak to this man in connection with a string of armed robberies 
icCrime reporter(wp/es):

Detectives are hunting a man suspected of carrying out a string of “terrifying” armed robberies at betting shops across London.

The man is alleged to have targeted betting shops in nine armed robberies in the Plaistow, Stepney and Whitechapel areas including two in the last week, police said. 

He is said to have entered the store, demanded cash and threatened staff with a suspected gun during each robbery.

Officers released a CCTV image of a man they want to speak to in connection with the incidents.

The Coral bookmakers in Barking Road, Plaistow, was targeted three times on February 10, November 21 and December 9.

On February 28, an attempted robbery took place at a Paddy Power shop in the same road in the afternoon. The suspect was challenged by a customer and left the shop with nothing, fleeing in the direction of Warmington Street.

The Betfred bookmakers in Mile End Road, Stepney, was targeted four times on March 21, October 27, November 23 and December 15.

On December 13, a man attempted to raid the Paddy Power store in Whitechapel Road but left empty-handed when a staff member raised the alarm and managed to safely leave the area. 

An estimated £1,600 was stolen during the robberies. The suspect was described as an Asian man, aged in his 30s, and of medium build.

Detective Constable Tom Boow, the investigating officer from the Met's Flying Squad, said: "These robberies have been terrifying for the victims, and it is very fortunate that no one has been physically injured."

101-year-old paedophile who is 'Britain's oldest convict' jailed for 13 years

Pic: Clarke is believed to be the oldest person ever convicted by a jury in Britain 

Crime reporter(wp/es):

committing a spate of sex offences against young children in the 1970s and 1980s.

Retired lorry driver Ralph Clarke had been warned to expect a significant custodial sentence after being found guilty of 21 counts of abusing two girls. 

He also admitted nine charges which related to a young boy mid-way through his trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

Clarke, believed to be the oldest person ever convicted by a jury in Britain, shook his head and said "no, no, no" as the judge delivered his sentence.

Passing sentencing today, Judge Richard Bond QC told him: "You present as a fragile old man; however, what was plain to see was that, despite your guilty pleas, you have no remorse whatsoever."

Mr Bond said his offending against three vulnerable youngsters, one as young as four, had been "repeated and sustained" over many years.

He said the children had been "powerless" to stop the former RAF serviceman, who would threaten and beat those who defied his word.

Mr Bond told him: "One of your victims remembers you as a nasty man, free with your fists, and he would get belted by you."

Clarke would also try to "bribe" his other young victims after abusing them, with sweet money of "10p or 20p".

Praising the victims for coming forward and giving evidence, he contrasted the emotional and psychological damage the offences had done to them with Clarke, who, he said, had been "able to lead your life without being punished for your dreadful acts".

Passengers hit by massive disruption again as capital faces holiday strike wave

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Massive  disruption was suffered by 300,000 Southern rail passengers today as last week’s drivers’ strike was followed by a walkout by conductors.

The RMT union claimed it had “solid support” for the 48-hour stoppage, the 25th strike this year on the franchise.

Post Office workers also stopped work in a wave of Christmas industrial action which is set to spread to British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and baggage handlers at several airports.

To crown a week of mayhem, the AA warned that there would be chaos on the roads from Friday when fog will hit 12 million drivers, and huge sections of the rail network will close from Christmas Eve as Network Rail begins 200 sets of engineering works.

With Tory MPs stepping up pressure on Theresa May to consider anti-strike laws next year, a London Labour MP warned unions they were in danger of “shooting themselves in the foot”.

Meg Hillier, chair of the powerful Public Accounts Committee, said: “I think all trade unions, even though they are fighting for their rights, need to really think about the impact on the people they are actually there to serve, their customers, or their passengers.”

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “Our guards on Southern Rail are taking up the fight for rail safety again today and the union salutes their incredible solidarity and determination after months of attacks from the employer and the Government.”

He called on Transport Secretary Chris Grayling “to get out of the bunker” and force rail operators GTR to fresh talks. Around half the usual number of trains were running today, with more than 1,000 cancelled and no service on some routes.

Southern warned of “significant disruption” today and tomorrow, with continued daily delays and cancellations due to the overtime ban. Chris Philp, the Croydon South MP who is leading calls for laws to ban strikes that are not “proportionate and reasonable”, said: “What we are seeing at Southern, where 300,000 cannot get to work because of a dispute over who pushes a button, is not proportionate or reasonable.”

Tory MP Sir Nicholas Soames, whose Mid Sussex constituents are among those hit, joined calls for anti-strike laws, but cautioned: “I wouldn’t do it in the heat of combat.” He added: “What has happened on the Brighton line is absolutely appalling, has caused unbelievable hardship, jobs ruined, lives ruined.”

Downing Street sources told the Standard that Theresa May was not focusing on proposals for fresh industrial legislation but sources said it had not been ruled out “in the future”. 

Postal workers plan five days of strikes over job security and pensions, although a Post Office spokesman said fewer than 300 out of 11,600 branches would be hit. Deliveries and collections will not be affected, they said.

Southern guards will walk out again from Saturday December 31 to Monday January 2 and 1,000 train drivers will stage a week-long strike from Monday January 9 until Saturday January 14. Other disputes and disruptions include: 

Talks to try to avert a strike by British Airways cabin crew on Christmas Day and Boxing Day are taking place at Acas, the conciliation service today.

Around 1,500 airport check-in staff, baggage handlers and cargo crew working for Swissport are planning strike action on Friday and Christmas Eve, threatening delays at Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.

Virgin Atlantic faces an overtime ban by some pilots from Friday in a complex row over union recognition. 

Network Rail engineering work means there will be no services in or out of Paddington from Christmas Eve until Thursday, December 29. All services, including the Heathrow Express, will start at Ealing Broadway.

There will be no Southeastern services to London Bridge and Charing Cross from Christmas Eve until Wednesday December 28 and no services into Cannon Street from Christmas Eve until Tuesday December 27.

Dozens of flights from Gatwick were delayed this morning as the fog that shrouded the South-East at the weekend continued to cause disruption. Heathrow returned to normal operations this morning after more than 150 flights were grounded at the weekend.