A OAP travelled from his home in Scotland to sexually abuse a vulnerable boy in St Helens after posing as a 13-year-old online.

Segart Garth Lochead, a former Scots Guard, was jailed for seven years, four months, after assaulting the boy.

Lochead was told by a judge that he had “exploited a young and vulnerable individual”.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that he began chatting to the 13-year-old boy, who lived in St Helens, via a website and they had Skype conversations during which Lochead pretended to be 13.

Judge Elizabeth Nicholls said: “He was no doubt on the cusp of discovering his own sexuality and you abused and exploited that for your own sexual gratification.”

Lochead, 69, of Cresswell Gardens, Dumfries, pleaded guilty to sexual grooming, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two of sexual activity with a child.

He was ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for life and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed.

The Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, Liverpool Crown Court. File picture. Photo by Ian Cooper

He has no convictions for sexual offences but has previous offences for downloading and distributing indecent images.

Martine Snowden, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court, that the offences happened in 2011 and 2012 when the boy, who has learning difficulties, was aged 13 and 14.

The offences came to light while police were investigating him for the indecent image offences in October 2014.

Lochead came down to meet the boy at locations including Sherdley Park in St Helens in his yellow car with blacked out windows and on one occasion he gave the boy, and his friend, £10 each.

During conversations Lochead spoke of a video showing him having sex with a nine-year-old boy.

Steven Swift, defending, said that Lochead, who has been married more than once, had been leading a solitary life and his two sons have no contact with him.

He was in the Scots Guards for 30 years and had been hard-working but at the time of the offences was “depressed and in a dark place”.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

A man who sold counterfeit adult porn films outside Liverpool’s Adelphi hotel was jailed.

Lie He Lin sold explicit X-rated films alongside a stash of bogus copies of Hollywood blockbusters.

Lin, 37, of Highgate Street, Edge Hill, was jailed for four weeks by magistrates.

He admitted having 448 counterfeit DVDs – two of which did not display age classification certificates – in his possession.

He was arrested outside the Adelphi Hotel in Lime Street in 2014 when he was found to be carrying 136 knock-off DVDs.

A police raid at his home uncovered the remaining stock, including counterfeit versions of Divergence, Gravity, American Hustle and 12 Years A Slave.

This image released by Fox Searchlight shows Michael Fassbender, left, Lupita Nyong’o and Chiwetel Ejiofor, right, in a scene from “12 Years A Slave.” (AP Photo/Fox Searchlight, Francois Duhamel)

Pictures shows Sandra Bullock in a scene from “Gravity.” (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, File)

Officers also uncovered pirated pornographic material.

Lin failed to attend a initial court hearing and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

He was arrested last week and prosecuted by Liverpool Trading Standards.

Councillor Steve Munby, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “Sale of pirated goods is not a victimless crime.

“It harms legitimate traders and can support organised crime. We will not hesitate to prosecute those who sell counterfeit goods.”

More stories from the courts

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A grassroots youth football supporter who claimed his drink might have been spiked after he threatened a police officer with a knife during an intoxicated rage has been spared jail.

Chester Crown Court heard today how officers were called to a ‘disturbance’ at the Brookvale home of Ian Pinnington, 51, on Redruth Close, on July 5 last year.

Recorder Rowena Goode, presiding, said the defendant was ‘thoroughly abusive’ to the first constable at the scene outside his house, then went inside and emerged with a knife, which ‘was used in a threatening manner’.

Ana Price, prosecuting, said a stand-off ensued as the policeman – who feared he was going to be stabbed – tried to persuade him to put down the knife.

Pinnington kept hold of the blade and the constable ‘screamed “put the f***ing knife down”.’

A second officer arrived and observed that the defendant ‘appeared very angry’.

The constable said he feared his colleague was going to be stabbed.

Pinnington threw the knife in a bush and the policemen bundled him to the floor while he ‘continued to be abusive’.

He apologised in interview, saying he had been drinking and now felt ‘ashamed’.

Pinnington later pleaded guilty to threatening a person with a blade.

The court heard that the defendant – a supporter of grassroots and youth football – had flipped after returning home from a junior football sports presentation evening, to which he had taken six cans of bitter.

Simon Parry, defending, said: “There’s no way six cans of bitter would have changed the behaviour of this man from the normal Ian Pinnington.”

Character references said he would usually ‘fall asleep in his chair’ after slightly too much alcohol.

This led to suspicions that ‘something had happened to his drinks’.

A tearful Pinnington sobbed in the dock as Mr Parry referred to 12 letters expressing support for Mr Pinnington’s usual character and his role supporting youth football, as a carer for his wife, and as a ‘breadwinner’ in his job as a security supervisor.

Recorder Rowena Goode, presiding, sentenced Pinnington to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

He must also pay an £80 victim surcharge.

She took into account his previously clean record, his ‘immediate and continuing’ remorse, his participation and support for grassroots and youth football and character references.

Recorder Goode said: “You behaved in a terribly abusive and threatening way towards two police officers, one police officer in particular who had been called to your home address.

“The police had been called as a result of some sort of disturbance at the address and when the police officer arrived you were thoroughly abusive towards him and went into the house and produced the knife, which was used in a threatening manner towards him and you clearly continued in that behaviour until another police officer arrived.”

The defendant is not to be confused with another Ian Pinnington, 42, of no fixed abode, who was recently sent down for two years for stealing £2,000 of snacks and drinks from Runcorn Ski Slope.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

An asylum seeker who raped a young woman as she walked to her boyfriend’s home in Toxteth was jailed for 10 years.

Mebrehtom Abrha, 25, was caught following a BBC Crimewatch appeal after the attack at around 6.30am on Sunday, July 19 last year.

Abrha, from Eritrea in East Africa, pursued his 21-year-old victim for 10 minutes as she headed towards Beaumont Street.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how he shoved her to the ground, ripped her dress and ignored her screams that she was a virgin.

He raped her twice before “chillingly and casually” walking away and fled the city when CCTV of the attack was released by police.

Judge David Aubrey, QC, said: “She would never have imagined in her darkest of nightmares that such an event would occur and she would lose her virginity in the manner described to this court.”

David McLachlan, prosecuting, said the victim had been out clubbing and was heading to her boyfriend’s home.

The woman, who described herself as “slightly drunk”, intended to catch a taxi but there were none around.

Mr McLachlan said she began walking the mile and a half route but ran most of the way in her heels as it was raining heavily.

She did not realise anybody was following her as she passed Crown Park and only spotted her attacker when he crept up from behind.

Mr McLachlan said: “All she remembered was ending up on the ground. She guessed she had been thrown over.

“She remembered being shocked and thinking ‘this can’t be happening’.

“She started screaming, she was shouting ‘please don’t’. She said ‘I’m a virgin, please don’t do this to me’.

“She described how he got up and walked away in a casual manner. He didn’t run away, he just walked off.”

Mebrehtom Abrha, 25, was caught following a BBC Crimewatch appeal after the attack

Mr McLachlan said Abrha did not speak during the four-minute ordeal “apart from the odd phrase ‘get a better number’.”

The victim, who was covered in dirt and suffered injuries to her back and neck, ran to her boyfriend’s home and he called police.

The woman had to undergo testing for sexually transmitted diseases, but fortunately these proved negative. She was only able to describe her attacker as black, tall and skinny.

Police watched CCTV and, spotting the rapist, traced his movements back to 4am, when he was thrown out of Modo bar in Concert Square.

He was seen drinking on his own in two bars in Slater Street, urinating against a wall in Wood Street, and following the woman near Crown Park.

His DNA did not match any known offenders and police arranged for a reconstruction to be shown on Crimewatch on October 12.

Crimewatch appeal to catch Toxteth rapist – Reconstruction Video

As a result of information received afterwards, officers arrested Abrha at his home in Dunsink Road in Aston, Birmingham.

He made no comment but a DNA sample linked him to the crime.

Abrha had been living in Egerton Road, Wavertree for a year, but fled the city after an initial Merseyside Police appeal.

He admitted two counts of rape through a Tigrinya interpreter in the dock. He has no previous convictions in this country.

The victim said the incident left her suffering sleepless nights, unable to trust others, terrified of having contracted HIV or of a further attack.

The woman said: “I felt ashamed, dirty, disgusting and unclean. I felt horrible in myself and always felt exposed, even when I was covered up.

“I couldn’t go to church for months as I was angry at God. It made me question my faith and religion and what makes it worse is it happened right next to a church.

“I love Liverpool but after this I want to get away from Liverpool. I felt after this incident it was now tarnished for me and isn’t the city I first fell in love with.”

Michael O’Brien, defending, said his client’s father had been imprisoned in Eritrea for opposing the country’s government.

He said the Abrha family lost their home, were forced to leave the city and he had to work to support his mother and sister.

Still from a Merseyside Police appeal. Police want to speak to this man in connection with a rape on Beaumont Street, Toxteth, on Sunday, 19 July 2015.

Mr O’Brien said: “He was conscripted into the army aged 18 but absconded, fled the country in conflict and entered this country in June 2014, seeking asylum. He was granted five year’s leave to remain.”

In a written letter Arbha told the court: “This was a deeply sad and unchristian act. I did a bad thing to this woman. I do recognise I left a scar on her life and all her family.

“I am very sorry for the crime I committed. From the bottom of my heart I ask forgiveness.”

Judge Aubrey said he doubted Abrha’s remorse was genuine and did not believe his claim that he did not remember the “terrifying and harrowing” attack.

He said he was seeking to minimise his actions and was a dangerous offender, who represented a significant risk to women of causing them serious harm.

The judge handed Abrha an extended sentence of 15 years.

It means he will serve at least two thirds of a 10-year custodial sentence behind bars, before serving an extended five-year period on licence.

Judge Aubrey paid tribute to the victim’s bravery, adding: “It is hoped ultimately she will come through the tunnel which she is currently travelling, but undoubtedly you have left your victim with deep psychological scars.”

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Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

A junior football club chairman who claimed his drink might have been spiked after he threatened a police officer with a knife during an intoxicated rage in Runcorn has been spared jail.

Chester Crown Court heard today how officers were called to a ‘disturbance’ at the Brookvale home of Ian Pinnington, 51, on Redruth Close, on July 5 last year.

Recorder Rowena Goode, presiding, said the defendant was ‘thoroughly abusive’ to the first constable at the scene outside his house, then went inside and emerged with a knife, which ‘was used in a threatening manner’.

Ana Price, prosecuting, said a stand-off ensued as the policeman – who feared he was going to be stabbed – tried to persuade him to put down the knife.

Pinnington kept hold of the blade and the constable ‘screamed “put the f***ing knife down”.’

A second officer arrived and observed that the defendant ‘appeared very angry’.

More stories from the courts

The constable said he feared his colleague was going to be stabbed.

Pinnington threw the knife in a bush and the policemen bundled him to the floor while he ‘continued to be abusive’.

He apologised in interview, saying he had been drinking and now felt ‘ashamed’.

Pinnington later pleaded guilty to threatening a person with a blade.

The court heard that the defendant – a supporter of grassroots and youth football – had flipped after returning home from a junior football sports presentation evening, to which he had taken six cans of bitter.

Simon Parry, defending, said: “There’s no way six cans of bitter would have changed the behaviour of this man from the normal Ian Pinnington.”

Character references said he would usually ‘fall asleep in his chair’ after slightly too much alcohol.

This led to suspicions that ‘something had happened to his drinks’.

A tearful Pinnington sobbed in the dock as Mr Parry referred to 12 letters expressing support for Mr Pinnington’s usual character and his role supporting youth football, as a carer for his wife, and as a ‘breadwinner’ in his job as a security supervisor.

Recorder Rowena Goode, presiding, sentenced Pinnington to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

He must also pay an £80 victim surcharge.

She took into account his previously clean record, his ‘immediate and continuing’ remorse, his participation and support for grassroots and youth football and character references.

Recorder Goode said: “You behaved in a terribly abusive and threatening way towards two police officers, one police officer in particular who had been called to your home address.

“The police had been called as a result of some sort of disturbance at the address and when the police officer arrived you were thoroughly abusive towards him and went into the house and produced the knife, which was used in a threatening manner towards him and you clearly continued in that behaviour until another police officer arrived.”

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

A drunken pervert was jailed after touching himself in front of shocked staff at Greggs and rubbing his private parts on a woman dancing in Modo.

Karim Ibrahim was locked up for 10 months today after admitting sexually assaulting his victim as she danced unaware at the nightclub in Concert Square, Liverpool city centre.

The failed asylum seeker, 24, was left in the UK for five years after his application was denied.

He was told he was not eligible for a Visa by the Home Office after coming to the UK in 2010, but was not deported to his native Palestine and left unable to claim benefits or legally work.

Ibrahim, of no fixed address but formerly of Windsor Road in Tuebrook, was also caught exposing himself in front of two bakery workers at Greggs and touching himself in front of another woman.

He pleaded guilty to sexual assault, exposure and outraging public decency at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court today.

James Hatton, representing Ibrahim, told the court his client came to the UK from Palestine.

Mr Hatton said: “I don’t want to get particularly political about this but the circumstances are that he has been signing on with the immigration authorities on a monthly basis since 2010, and his claim for asylum has failed. He has been without benefits and without a stable address.

“I understand the authorities have done little if indeed anything to remove him from the country. He has no family in this country and he has relied on hand-outs from friends.”

Modo in Concert Square

The Home Office has been contacted for comment.

Rosemary Tyrell, prosecuting, said the woman felt someone rubbing her from behind at around 2.20am.

She said: “She turned around and saw a male with a grey jumper, Mr Ibrahim, stood behind her.

“She saw that he had his genitals out and was in the process of closing his trousers. She tried to get away from him but he kept coming back and grabbing her bottom.”The woman alerted door staff who detained Ibrahim until police arrived.

The court also heard the two bakery staff had been on their way to work at 5am on October 16, and spotted Ibrahim touching himself in a doorway.

Ms Tyrrell said one of the woman shouted “F****** stop it you dirty b******.”

Ibrahim smirked and replied “why?” before leaving the area.

More stories from the courts

However at 4.30am on October 20, Ibrahim was spotted on CCTV touching himself through his clothing while standing closely behind a woman at the junction of Seel Street and Slater Street.

Mr Hatton said Ibrahim had been heavily drunk on all three occasions and could not remember the incidents.

He said: “It is right to say the common denominator is his abuse of alcohol. And what he has been at pains to point out is that his behaviour was significantly affected as a result of that alcohol consumption.”

Mr Hatton said Ibrahim had drunk nine cans of beer on the day of the sexual assault, and had headed to Modo on his own “for a dance.”

The court heard Ibrahim had no previous convictions but had been handed three fixed penalty notices for being drunk and disorderly.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

A man accused of an arson attack which saw an Army bomb squad called out to Wavertree is to face trial.

Military bomb disposal experts descended on Goswell Street at around 10.50pm on September 22 last year.

Police had attended the scene after a small fire – thought to have been caused by an improvised explosive device – damaged the front door of a home.

Officers called in the Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team, who removed it and made the area secure. No-one was injured in the incident.

Daniel Grant, 28, of Somerton Street, Wavertree, is charged with arson with intent to endanger life and arson reckless as to whether life is endangered.

The defendant appeared at Liverpool Crown Court this afternoon where he pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Grant spoke only to confirm his personal details and enter his pleas.

The court heard a trial estimated to last two days will be held on May 5 next year.

Judge David Aubrey, QC, remanded Grant on bail.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

A mum stuck a stiletto heel through a woman’s face outside a Liverpool nightclub after mistaking her for someone else.

Jody Modeste, 27, was jailed for 18 weeks today over the grim attack.

Modeste, from Huddersfield, was staying over in Liverpool with friends when she got into an argument with another group of women inside Camel Club, Wood Street.

Liverpool magistrates heard that victim Latisha Carter and friends were stood outside the club smoking when they noticed a group of around 15-20 women staring at them.

A statement from mum of one Miss Carter, read by David Maxwell, prosecuting, said: “They started coming towards me and shouting, but I can’t remember what they were saying because there were so many shouting across the group.

“One female in particular was shouting ‘I am going to kill you’. At that point I said I didn’t want to fight and I didn’t want to get involved in anything.”

“Don’t f****** smile at me”

The court heard two men who witnessed the incident tried to shield the victim, but Modeste got around them.

Miss Carter said: “I saw she was holding a stiletto shoe with a thin heel, around six inches long. She stabbed it into my left cheek and I felt an instant throbbing pain and burning, and I saw blood.”

The court heard Modeste shouted: “Don’t f****** smile at me,” before leaving the area.

Matthew O’Neill, defending Modeste, said her client had mistaken Miss Carter for one of the woman she had argued with inside the club.

Despite her pain, the victim called police and followed her attacker from a distance.

She saw the group attempting to get into another bar on Wood Street and managed to alert two mounted police officers, who arrested Modeste.

"My scar is a constant reminder that me or my four-year-old daughter could be randomly attacked"

Miss Carter was treated for a large cut which went through her cheek, leaving a scar, and cuts inside her gums.

Modeste has previous convictions for robbery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, battery and witness intimidation, although she had not been in trouble since 2008.

She pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

In a victim impact statement, read to the court, Miss Carter said: “My scar is a constant reminder that me or my four-year-old daughter could be randomly attacked.”

Mr O’Neill said Modeste “would never have committed the offence sober” and described his client as a “good mother”.

District Judge Wendy Lloyd, passing sentence, said: “The victim was just having a cigarette and this was an act of random street violence.”

More stories from the courts Man charged with Liverpool ‘bomb hoax’

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This is the face of a jealous Southport woman who left her love rival with permanent blurred vision after smashing a stiletto heel into her eye.

Julie Green, 46, battered defenceless Amy Urquhart as she cowered on the floor before striking her with the shoe in Lord Street, Southport.

Green, of Meadow Lane, was jailed for two-and-a-half years at Liverpool Crown Court while her friend and co-accused Carly Rendell, 26, of Ervington in Skelmersdale, was locked up for 18 months.

Green pleaded guilty to wounding without intent and common assault, while Rendell admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault.

Lee Bonner, prosecuting, told the court the incident began when Miss Urquhart and her partner Stephen McLoughlin were verbally abused at the Fox and Goose pub, in Cable Street, on March 8 last year.

He said: “The two complainants were in a relationship. The defendant Julie Green was Mr McLoughlin’s ex-partner, having split around two weeks before the incident, after being together three years.”

The court heard Green approached and accused Mr McLoughlin of owing her money, before telling Miss Urquhart: “You don’t know him, I was with him for three years you stupid f****** b****.”

The groups were separated by bouncers but met up again outside.

Mr Bonner said Miss Urquhart had removed her stilletos to avoid falling over when Green first launched her attack.

He told the court: “Mrs Urquhart looked up to see Green holding one of her stilettos in her hand. Green then struck her in the face with the heel of the shoe, striking her a number of times.

“On one occasion the heel of the shoe connected with Miss Urquhart in the eye, causing it to close up so she could not open it.”

The attack eventually stopped after Rendell pulled Green away, shouting: “Come on that’s enough, there’s cameras.”

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

A mum who glassed her next-door neighbour in an argument over their daughters was jailed for 20 months.

Tanya Case-Webb hit Zoe Taylor with a broken tumbler which left her victim needing three stitches for a cut on her forehead.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how Case-Webb, 27, of Baden Road, Old Swan, later told police her victim “deserved to be glassed”.

Kate Morley, prosecuting, said the pair had been friends and their young daughters often played together.

However, Ms Taylor said Case-Webb began asking her for money, cigarettes and food in June last year, so she distanced herself from the defendant.

Ms Morley said the victim became then became aware of bad feeling between Case-Webb and a woman called Chelsea Blackman.

The court heard they argued on Facebook about Ms Blackman, with both accusing the other of interfering.

The victim took her daughter to school on July 3 and came home just after 9am to see the defendant outside with her child.

Ms Blackman was also present and when Case-Webb went inside they heard the sound of glass smashing.

‘Police found the broken tumbler covered in blood’

Case-Webb came back out and another neighbour said he saw both women run at each other.

Ms Morley said a scuffle broke out and blows were exchanged as they rolled on the ground until they were separated.

A neighbour said Ms Taylor had “blood spurting out of her head” and Case-Webb had a broken glass tumbler in her right hand.

When police searched her home they found the broken tumbler covered in blood.

Ms Morley said: “She initially said the complainant deserved to be glassed but had said it was not intentional.”

Ms Taylor, who underwent treatment at hospital, said she now suffers from anxiety and is afraid in groups of people.

Case-Webb, who has no previous convictions, admitted unlawful wounding.

She pleaded guilty on the basis that Ms Blackman’s brother, Jack Blackman, had come to her house the day before and threatened to snap her jaw, in front of her daughter.

More stories from the courts

Case-Webb said she smashed the glass to try and scare Ms Blackman and Ms Taylor away, but admitted using it in the fight.

Rachel Oakdene, defending, said there was “a level of provocation” and Case-Webb felt her daughter was being excluded by her neighbour.

She said threats had been made against her client, which led to her acting out of fear.

Ms Oakdene said: “The defendant deeply regrets her conduct. She is ashamed.”

She said Case-Webb had moved home, changed her daughter’s school and was seeking help for problems including depression and cocaine abuse.

Judge Anil Murray said Case-Webb took the broken glass into the fight and used it as a weapon to cause “a nasty wound”.

He accepted there was provocation but said the offence was so serious that Case-Webb must go to jail.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

A mum-of-four sold her son’s bank card to fraudsters who were laundering the profits of a £100,000 Liverpool FC forged tickets scam .

Craig O’Donohue and Paul Murgatroyd conned hundreds of victims who paid inflated prices to watch the Reds play at Anfield.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how Stephanie Oliver, 33, was one of nine people who decided to ‘make easy money’ by allowing their bank accounts to be used by the pair.

Oliver, of Bedford Road, Walton, sold both her and her son’s bank cards to the pair, allowing them to channel around £4,500 through two accounts.

Arthur Gibson, prosecuting, said: “There is evidence from others at the same level as her that in effect they were being paid a few hundred pounds for this.”

(Left to right): Craig O’Donohue, 29; Paul Murgatroyd, 28.

O’Donohue, 29, and Murgatroyd, 28, advertised tickets for high-profile home games, including a fixture against Real Madrid, on the website Craiglist.

Many of those tricked were Liverpool fans from abroad who had also spent large sums of money on flights to Merseyside and booked hotels.

The conmen would meet their victims in the city centre and carry out the bogus transactions, with fans desperate to get inside Anfield paying as much as £260 for tickets.

The pair placed 1,315 website adverts between September 2014 and April last year, snaring victims who flew to Liverpool from countries including Italy and Iceland.

Merseyside Police became involved when a lawyer from Florida complained he had been duped when buying a ticket for a match against West Bromwich Albion.

Detectives launched an undercover operation to catch O’Donohue and Murgatroyd, putting them under surveillance and sending detectives to buy fake tickets.

More stories from the courts

The pair were watched by police going into a series of bookmakers, where they played on casino machines to launder cash.

When officers raided Murgatroyd’s house, they seized forged tickets and Hewlett Packard printers.

The fraudsters used blank ticket books, which they had intercepted and stolen from Liverpool FC , when they were being transported to a shredder.

In November, O’Donohue, of Harrow Road, Anfield, was jailed for four years. Murgatroyd, of Richmond Park, Anfield, was jailed for three and a half years.

Oliver, with her brown hair tied back in a ponytail and wearing a blue tracksuit in the dock, admitted converting criminal property.

Kenneth Grant, defending, asked for credit for his client’s guilty plea.

Judge Denis Watson, QC, said: “You sold two cards, yours and your son’s. You played an important and valuable role when you did that, because just short of £4,500 was channelled through your account in just over three weeks.

“You have four children, you’re on benefits, you struggle with your finances, you have an alcohol problem and you are registered as alcohol dependant with your doctor.”

He handed Oliver a nine-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and told her to attend Liverpool Women’s Turnaround Project for up to 20 sessions.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Two fraudsters who masterminded a £100,000 Liverpool FC forged ticket scam which hoodwinked fans across the world were jailed today for a total of seven-and-a-half years.

Craig O’Donohue, 29, and Paul Murgatroyd, 28, conned hundreds of victims who paid hugely-inflated prices to watch the Reds play at Anfield .

But when supporters tried to gain entry to the stadium, their tickets were revealed to be fake, leaving them thousands of pounds out of pocket.

Many of those tricked were Liverpool fans from abroad who’d also spent large sums of money on flights to Merseyside and booked hotel stays.

Ringleaders O’Donohue and Murgatroyd advertised tickets for high-profile games including fixtures against Real Madrid and Tottenham on the website Craiglist.

The pair would meet their victims in the city centre , sometimes on the steps of Lime Street Station or outside Schhu store on Church Street, and carry out the bogus transactions.

Fans desperate to get inside Anfield paid as much as £260 for tickets as the gang placed 1,315 website adverts during their spree between September, last year, and April, this year.

Victims who flew to Liverpool from countries including Italy and Iceland were caught up in the fraud, but Merseyside Police only got involved when a lawyer from Florida complained he’d been duped when buying a game for a Reds’ match against West Brom.

Detectives launched an undercover operation to catch O’Donohue and Murgatroyd, putting them under surveillance, and sending disguised detectives to buy fake tickets.

The ringleaders used nine other accomplices to complete their scam, whose bank accounts were used to initially obtain the cash, before the sums were almost immediately withdrawn from ATM machines by the two men in charge.

This was the money-laundering phase of the scam, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

After getting Liverpool fans’ money, O’Donohue, of Harrow Road, Anfield, and Murgatroyd, of Richmond Park, Anfield, were watched by police going into a series of bookies, playing on the casino machines to ‘put in cash and launder it through,’ prosecutors said.

When officers searched Murgatroyd’s house they seized forged tickets, including ones for Everton matches, and Hewlett Packard printers.

The fraudsters used blank ticket books which they’d intercepted and stolen from Liverpool FC as they were being transported to the shredder.

The crime was ‘sophisticated’, the court was told, with unregistered pay-as-you-go mobile phones and computers in internet cafes used to avoid detection.

Arthur Gibson, prosecuting, said: “The defendants are to be sentenced for their part in a fraud concerning football tickets in relation to Liverpool Football Club. One victim travelled from Italy with friends, at a cost of £90 a ticket, each paying £500 for flights and accommodation.

“This was typical of a number of the victims who’d come to Liverpool to watch a game. The offences were sophisticated and required serious planning and there a large number of victims.

“The loss to them was significant.”

Referring to the nine accomplices, who allowed their bank accounts to be used in the scam, Mr Gibson added: “Money laundering is an essential ingredient in fraud. The motive for allowing their accounts to be used was for financial gain.

The Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, Liverpool Crown Court

“They must have had a limited understanding of the true extent of the fraud. Without their association, the fraud could not have taken place at all.”

Judge Denis Watson, QC, jailed Murgatroyd for three and a half years and O’Donohue for four years.

The judge added that Alexandra Kirby, of Richmond Park – Murgatroyd’s girlfriend – knew what was going on, but accepted she was used by her boyfriend.

He handed her a 14-weeks in jail, suspended for 18 months, plus 160 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Watson said the other defendants were unaware of the true extent of the fraud but took a decision to ‘make easy money’, before handing them all one-year community orders.

Kercher, 19, of Frampton Road, Walton ; Clarke, 18, of Afton, Widnes and Wright, 19, of Havergal Street, Runcorn , were found guilty at trial.

Kercher received a three-month home curfew and was told to pay £500 costs.

Clarke was given 160 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £250 costs.

Wright received 180 hours of unpaid work and was told to pay £500 costs.

O’Donohue’s girlfriend Frances Ellicott, 23, of Farrow Road, Walton, was told to complete 60 hours of unpaid work.

Laura Green, 22, of Batley Street, Old Swan, was given 60 hours of unpaid work.

Emily Bakewell, 20, of Fulbeck, Widnes, must carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.

Siobhan Gazeley, 25, of Frank Street, Widnes, was handed 60 hours of unpaid work.

Kieran King, 22, of Snowberry Road, West Derby , must complete 160 hours of unpaid work.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Three teenagers were found guilty of laundering hundreds of pounds of cash from a Liverpool FC tickets scam.

Daniel Kercher, Jack Clarke and James Wright allowed two fraudsters to use their bank accounts to receive money from unsuspecting football fans.

Liverpool Crown Court heard they withdrew the money and passed it on to the scam’s ringleaders – Craig O’Donohue, 29, and Paul Murgatroyd, 28.

O’Donohue, of Dewsbury Road, and Murgatroyd, of Breck Road, both in Anfield, pleaded guilty to selling forged tickets between September 2014 and February this year.

Kercher, 19, of Frampton Road, Walton; Clarke, 18, of Afton, Widnes and Wright, 19, of Havergal Street, Runcorn , denied converting criminal property.

But they were found guilty by a jury after nearly an hour and a half of deliberations.

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found not guilty.

Judge Denis Watson, QC, previously directed the jury to find a fifth defendant, Robin Reis, 66, of South Drive, Wavertree, not guilty.

During the five-day trial the court heard how the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau received information about a ticketing scam involving the trading website Craigslist.

Anfield stadium

Arthur Gibson, prosecuting, said: “The fraud was quite straightforward. Tickets would be advertised on Craigslist. A customer would contact the number on the website and be given the bank details into which the price of the tickets was to be paid.

“Once the money was in the account it would be immediately withdrawn at an ATM using a cashcard.

“The only problem was that obviously sooner or later one or more of the customers would report the fraud, as a result of which the bank would be notified and the bank account closed.

“Thus the fraudsters could only use one bank account for a relatively short period of time before having to move on to another.”

The court heard Kercher converted £1,730 of cash; Clarke £1,272 and Wright £1,797.

An undercover investigation was launched into ticket sales on Craigslist by Merseyside Police , who identified Murgatroyd and O’Donoghue.

Mr Gibson said: “When their homes were searched blank pro forma tickets belonging to LFC, printers and other items used in the fraud were discovered.”

The defendants accepted their accounts were used but denied knowing what the fraudsters were up to.

All but one claimed their PIN numbers had been stolen. The 17-year-old said he agreed to allow a friend’s wages to be paid into his bank account after being told the pal was unable to use his own account.

Frances Ellicott, 23, of Farrow Road, Walton; Emily Bakewell, 20, of Fulbeck, Widnes; Kieran King, 22, of Snowberry Road, West Derby; and Stephanie Oliver, 33, of Bedford Road, Walton, also pleaded guilty to converting criminal property.

The group will be sentenced on November 12.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

A prisoner broke a fellow inmate’s skull at HMP Altcourse because he thought he had raped him when he was a child.

Jonathan Edwards, 31, attacked his victim – a pensioner suffering from lung cancer – on April 10 last year.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how he punched his fellow inmate twice in the head, causing him to fall to the floor.

Edwards, appearing in court via video link from HMP Liverpool , admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Henry Hills, defending, said: “The offence was motivated by the defendant’s perception that he was the man who raped him some 23 years ago.”

The court heard the victim has not been convicted of committing any sexual offences against Edwards.

Mike Stephenson, prosecuting, said the incident happened in an exercise area at the privately run G4S prison in Fazakerley at around 10am.

Another prisoner, who was trained in first aid, said the victim stopped breathing after the attack and that he gave him a jaw thrust manoeuvre to clear his airways.

The inmate suffered a prolonged fracture to the frontal bone of his skull, a black eye and a broken right rib.

Edwards, of Dovey Close, Flint, North Wales, was on remand at the time and is now serving a sentence for burglary. He was due to be released next month.

Mr Hills said: “I accept on his behalf that these were serious injuries, but fortunately there does not appear to have been any permanent disability as a result of this assault.

“This was a spontaneous assault involving two punches and not premeditated by Mr Edwards.

“He says at the time of the incident he was so distressed that he wet himself.”

Mr Hills accepted that his client had “a bad record” but said he had never been convicted for this level of violence.

Aerial pic of Altcourse Prison, Brookfield Drive, Liverpool.

He said Edwards’ life had been blighted by drug use and that a former girlfriend had died as a result of an overdose.

Judge David Aubrey, QC, said the injuries could easily have been “even more serious” and the second blow must have been particularly forceful.

He said: “This offence was motivated by your perception, rightly or wrongly it does not matter, that your victim had abused you many, many years ago.

“That of course is a factor that will be taken into account when assessing the duration of your sentence.

“But also it must be borne in mind that the incident itself occurred within Altcourse prison itself and that offences of this nature cause potential or even factual damage within the prison system.

“There may well be prisoners who are apprehensive for any reason whatsoever that they may be subjected to violence.

“There must be an element of deterrence in the sentence that this court passes upon you.”

Judge Aubrey sentenced Edwards to a further 20 months behind bars.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

The £2m alleged criminal fortune of two gangster brothers was profit from legitimate businesses, lawyers for the men argued.

Ex-army corporal Peter Clarke, 37, and his security boss brother Stephen, 48, headed up a dangerous drugs gang with access to firearms, machetes and samurai swords.

The pair were jailed for a combined 26 and-a-half-years in November 2013, along with the rest of the henchmen, over a plot to ship cocaine and cannabis from Merseyside to Northern Ireland.

Now the brothers are locked in a battle with prosecutors who say their alleged £2m fortune was amassed through drugs trafficking and is squirrelled away in murky web of hidden assets.

But Nigel Power, QC, defending, told Preston Crown Court today that scaffolding and security businesses linked to Stephen Clarke turned in a legitimate profit.

He said his companies did business with firms including McDonald’s, Holiday Inn, Odeon Cinemas, PC World, Redrow Homes and even Warrington Borough Council.

Mr Power, referring to one scaffolding company, CNL, said: “One can see legitimately transferred payments going in, and cash being withdrawn. This is the opposite of money laundering.”

He clashed with prosecution counsel Nick Johnson, QC, over the practice of “interim dividends” being paid from the company bank accounts to shareholders in the businesses, which he alleged to be the flow of drug money back into the pockets of the defendants.

Mr Power accused the prosecution of being “completely ignorant” of the practice, which he claimed was not unusual or illegal.

However Mr Johnson pointed to the flow of money from a company linked to developer Peter McInnes, who was a joint 50% shareholder with Stephen Clarke in scaffolding company, Pro Scaff Access.

Mr McInnes made monthly payments of £4,000 to a joint account held by Clarke and his wife Rachel Clarke, which amounted to £178,000 between 2009 and 2012.

Mr Johnson said Mr McInnes was director of a development company called Peckers Hill alongside a man called Anthony Quigley, who recently pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply heroin.

Payments linked to Mr McInnes’ wife, Sheila McInnes, were also found to have been made to accounts linked to the Clarkes.

Mr McInnes and his wife have not been charged with any criminal offence.

VIEW GALLERY

Yesterday, Mr Johnson outlined a series of Stephen Clarke’s conversations – recorded on secret police listening devices – which he claimed exposed the family’s true “dirty” fortune.

One chat, recorded on July 9, 2012 between Stephen Clarke and his wife Rachel, took place as they were under observation at the Queens Drive home of Rachel Clarke’s mum Veronica Maxwell.

It referred to a person “sweating” as they were believed to have misplaced a sum of cash, to which Clarke replied: “I always know where my dough is”.

Another recording between Stephen Clarke and an “underling” of his scaffolding firm heard him boast of registering his home, in Banks, near Southport, in his wife’s name.

He said that was “just in case the f***ing bizzies take it off me”.

Another recorded chat, the court was told, featured Clarke recounting being owed £100,000 by a man called ‘Dave’, and “hoping to recover” £140,000 from ‘Belly’, who Mr Johnson said was a Manchester-based drug dealer.

The court heard bank accounts in the name of Stephen and Rachel Clarke currently hold more than £315,000 in cash.

The complex Proceeds of Crime Act hearing is due to last several weeks.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

A “predatory” Merseyside PC went on trial accused of a string of sexual assaults while on duty.

Prosecutors claim married dad Christopher Hopkins, 41, was “unable to control his sexual urges” when he allegedly sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl, a 17-year-old girl and a work colleague at Merseyside Police .

He is also accused of misconduct in a public office after allegedly trying to arrange to meet a man for sex over the internet, using the pseudonym ‘Roxy,’ while on duty.

Hopkins, of Whickham Close, Widnes , is facing a retrial at Preston Crown Court after a jury failed to reach a verdict in June last year.

Richard Haworth, prosecuting, said: “The Crown’s case, in a nutshell, is that the defendant was unable to contain his sexual urges, and all of these alleged offences, spanning a not inconsiderable period of time, were committed to satisfy his predatory sexual nature.”

The first complainant, from Speke , came into contact with Hopkins in 2006 after she had been mistakenly reported missing.

The defendant visited the 13-year-old’s family home with another officer, before taking the girl into the kitchen and questioning her.

The court heard Hopkins said she “looked old for her age” and began looking her up and down.

Mr Haworth said: “She was wearing shorts at the time. She felt nervous and panicky, she felt intimidated by him.

“The defendant asked her for a kiss and she did not know what to say. He persisted, and so, in the end, she went to give him a kiss on the cheek. The defendant, however quickly turned his head and kissed her on the mouth.”

On another occasion, after the complainant was arrested on suspicion of breaching the peace, Hopkins told a colleague “How long to you think until she is pregnant?” before rifling through pictures on her mobile phone, one of which depicted her in her underwear.

The second offences relates to a former colleague of Hopkins, who was allegedly sexually harassed.

Hopkins allegedly told her: “If you want an affair, I’m your man,” before slapping her on the leg.

The jury heard Hopkins is also alleged to have pulled up to a 17-year-old girl in his patrol car on August 7, 2013, before asking her “what would you do for a lift home?”

Mr Haworth said the girl replied: “Nothing, I’d rather walk.”

The girl was persuaded to get in but texted a friend the registration number of the vehicle.

Mr Haworth said Hopkins pulled up at a “dark location” and touched the defendant between her legs before trying to kiss her on the lips.

After she rejected his advances he took her home, where she reported what happened to her mother.

Hopkins denies the offences.

(Proceeding)

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

A St Helens man was jailed for the horrific two-hour “systematic torture” of an elderly man partly filmed on a mobile phone.

Richard Finch, 25, was locked up for nine years alongside his accomplice Jaye Corcoran, 24.

The pair trussed up their 64-year-old victim, before subjecting him to the prolonged and brutal knife attack.

He was left with serious injuries to his face and chest, as well as numerous puncture wounds to his shins, and spent a number of days in intensive care.

Finch, of no fixed address but formerly from St Helens, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and false imprisonment.

Corcoran, of no fixed address but from Dublin, was convicted by a jury of the same charges.

The violence took place in the early hours of March 17, 2015, after police were called to a hostel in Westminster, central London, where the 64-year-old victim and the attackers lived.

DC Andy Kidd of the Westminster Serious Crime Unit said the motive for the attack remained unclear.

He said: “Richard Finch and Jaye Corcoran for reasons only known to themselves, subjected the elderly and vulnerable victim, who they had only just met, to a prolonged, sustained and brutal attack the like of which was akin to systematic torture.

“Their actions were totally inexcusable. Today they have been sentenced to a substantial period of imprisonment.”

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

A suspect has appeared in court charged with possessing an exploding bullet in Runcorn.

Kevin Bacon, 33, of Hershall Drive, Middlesbrough, attended Halton Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

He was given unconditional bail to appear at Chester Crown Court on February 9.

Bacon is charged with possessing prohibited ammunition, namely a cartridge with a bullet designed to explode on or immediately before impact, without authority from the secretary of state, in Runcorn on August 28, 2015.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Former Everton striker Marcus Bent could face jail after he admitted affray.

The 37-year-old today pleaded guilty to the charge, which arose from an incident at his Surrey home on September 13.

The ex-England U21 international had previously entered a guilty plea to one count of possessing a class A drug – cocaine .

Bent, dressed in a navy suit and white shirt, spoke only to confirm his name and enter his plea of guilty to affray.

He was charged after an incident in which he was reportedly Tasered by police responding to reports of a break-in at his home in Claremont Lane in Esher, Surrey, on September 13.

Marcus Bent when at Everton (centre)

The court heard that two charges of possessing bladed articles, namely a meat cleaver and a kitchen knife, would be left to lie on file.

Lee Harris, prosecuting, said: “The Crown take the view that his intention and what was in his mind at the time is not a matter of law.”

Judge Stephen Climie adjourned the case until next month, pending a probation report, but warned the former striker he is at risk of being jailed.

At the hearing, held at Guildford Magistrates’ Court, which was sitting as Guildford Crown Court, the judge said: “I adjourn your case for sentence on February 12.

"Between now and then, I expect the Probation Service to prepare a report on you which you are required to attend for interview to discuss in greater detail the background to what on paper is a disturbing set of events, which I’m sure you appreciate.

“On the face of it a custodial sentence is justified. Whether that is the right sentence in the context of this case is not a matter I will prejudge.”

Bent, from Esher, Surrey, was released on unconditional bail.

The retired footballer was David Moyes’ first summer signing for the 2004/5 season when he agreed a three-year-deal at Goodison Park, costing the Blues £450,000.

He scored Everton’s first goal of the 2005/06 season in the 1-0 win over Bolton before joining Charlton in the 2006 January transfer window for £2.5m.

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

This is the violent mum who stabbed a woman in the face with a stiletto heel outside a Liverpool club.

Jody Louise Modeste, 27, was jailed for 18 weeks at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Monday after admitting attacking the woman in a case of mistaken identity.

Modeste, from Huddersfield, was staying over in Liverpool with friends when she got into an argument with another group of women inside Camel Club, Wood Street.

David Maxwell, prosecuting, said victim Latisha Carter and friends were stood outside the club smoking when they noticed a group of around 15-20 women staring at them.

A statement from mum-of-one Miss Carter, read by Mr Maxwell, said: “They started coming towards me and shouting, but I can’t remember what they were saying because there were so many shouting across the group.

“One female in particular was shouting ‘I am going to kill you’. At that point I said I didn’t want to fight and I didn’t want to get involved in anything.”

The Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, Liverpool Magistrates’ Court

The court heard two men who witnessed the incident tried to shield the victim, but Modeste got around them.

Miss Carter said: “I saw she was holding a stiletto shoe with a thin heel, around six inches long. She stabbed it into my left cheek and I felt an instant throbbing pain and burning, and I saw blood.”

The court heard Modeste shouted: “Don’t f****** smile at me,” before leaving the area.

Matthew O’Neill, defending Modeste, said her client had mistaken Miss Carter for one of the woman she had argued with inside the club.

Despite her pain, the victim called police and followed her attacker from a distance.

She saw the group attempting to get into another bar on Wood Street and managed to alert two mounted police officers, who arrested the defendant.

Modeste answered no comment in interview, but later pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

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Miss Carter was treated for a large cut which went through her cheek, leaving a scar, and cuts inside her gums.

The court heard Modeste, of Curzon Street, has previous convictions for robbery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, battery and witness intimidation, although she had not been in trouble since 2008.

In a victim impact statement, read to the court, Miss Carter said: “My scar is a constant reminder that me or my four-year-old daughter could be randomly attacked.”

Mr O’Neill said Modeste “would never have committed the offence sober” and described his client as a “good mother”.

District Judge Wendy Lloyd, passing sentence, said: “The victim was just having a cigarette and this was an act of random street violence.”

Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/