Police thank witnesses who provided statements and gave evidence

UK: A man who murdered the 16 year old Wesley Sterling at a 16th birthday party has been jailed for life.

At the Old Bailey, the Judge ordered Carleto Salmons of Heath Road, Thornton Heath to serve a minimum of 20 years’ imprisonment.

Salmons, 27, was acting as a so-called appropriate adult at his girlfriends’ son’s birthday party, when he stabbed Wesley through the heart.

Wesley was an invited guest at the party on 17th April 2010 at the Croydon Sports Arena, Albert Road in South Norwood. The party was attended by some 200 young people.

Wesley arrived at the party with a friend shortly before 23:00hrs and told a female friend that he would not be staying long. With tragic irony she recalled telling him to ‘stay safe’ to which he responded, “I’m blessed.”

At about 23:00hrs a gang of uninvited youths tried to gatecrash the celebrations. Police attended and the trouble-makers were moved on without much fuss.

However shortly after midnight police began receiving 999 calls reporting a large disturbance at the Arena.

Wesley was amongst other party goers leaving the venue when they were rushed by a large group of youths, causing panic and a surge to get back inside.

At the door was Salmons who was dressed in a red jacket and was wearing a distinctive red baseball cap. He was brandishing the birthday cake knife he had taken from the kitchen.

Witnesses described how they saw him deliver a single blow to Wesley who fell in the foyer area.

A number of police officers responding to the calls of the disturbance were now at the scene and found Wesley lying on a ramp leading up to the venue. He had been moved and a number of guests were attempting Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him.

Officers took over the CPR until the Ambulance Service arrived but despite their best efforts he was dead.

After stabbing Wesley, Salmons was seen to wipe clean the knife and leave it in the kitchen. Mysteriously officers were to later find it near to Wesley’s body.

A witness trying to resuscitate Wesley recalled someone lifting the teenager’s top and trying to push a knife into his waistband. Detectives believe this could have been an attempt to plant the knife on Wesley.

At 00:30hrs, while the emergency services were still tending to Wesley, Salmons and his girlfriend (the mother of the birthday boy) were seen walking arm-in-arm past a mortally injured boy, through the police cordon and out of the car park.

The couple went to a nearby mini-cab office where they took a taxi back to the Arena. Salmons’ girlfriend got out and he continued to an address in Streatham.

Salmons was arrested in the home of his girlfriend’s mother, by detectives from the MPS Homicide and Serious Crime Command on 27th April 2010.

Enquiries revealed the murder weapon belonged to a set which was owned by the birthday boy’s grandmother and was brought to the party to cut the cake.

Officers also noted Salmons had shaved off a full beard and changed the style of his hair which on the night of Wesley’s murder he wore in distinctive cane rows.

When asked for the clothing he was wearing on the night, Salmons told officers he had lost his jacket after leaving it in a taxi; however his red baseball cap was found at his home address.

Salmons refused to answer any questions put to him in his police interviews but did provide a pre-prepared statement in which he denied at any stage having a knife, being involved in any fighting and murdering Wesley.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Scola said: “Wesley’s death has devastated his family and friends who cannot understand why he was murdered by an adult at a party where he was an invited guest.

“Whilst I appreciate there were violent scenes at the end of the party it is not an excuse for a grown man to deliberately arm himself with a knife and proactively seek to fight, injure and ultimately kill a teenage boy.

“Salmons’ response to the events of that night were totally disproportionate and his actions to cover-up what he had done following Wesley’s death were callous and cowardly. I would like to thank all the witnesses who provided statements or were courageous enough to come to court and give evidence. I have no doubt that their brave actions have led to the decision of the jury to find Salmons guilty of Wesley’s murder.”

They committed 40 offences during an eight week crime spree

A team of prolific armed robbers have been sentenced to 45 years imprisonment at Kingston Crown Court.

Jacob Bernard, 29, of Ballater Road, SW2; Francis Banya, 19, of Bedwell House, Stockwell Park Estate, SW9; Earljay Walters, 19, of Medwin Street, SW; Michael Lindo, 30, of no fixed address and a 17-year-old (who was 15 years old at the time of the offence) committed 40 offences during an eight week crime spree.

In the latter part of 2009 the gang engaged in a string of violent armed robberies across South London. Initially targeting off licences and bookmakers, the gang's offending diversified into attacks on public houses and restaurants culminating in 'old fashion' style bank robberies.

During the attacks the gang used masks or balaclavas to disguise their appearance, brandished a handgun and threatened to kill staff if their demands for money were not met. To further intimidate their victims the gun would be racked or used to strike staff, with several people hospitalised in the attacks.

On 6th November 2009 Lindo, Banya and Walters robbed The Falcon public house, SW4, storming the pub as it closed and holding a gun to the head of a member of staff. They violently assaulted another member of staff when they couldn't gain access to the safe, before fleeing with stolen mobile phones and bottles of wine.

During a robbery at The Queens Arms public house, SW8 on 22nd November 2009, Banya and Walters held a female member of staff at gunpoint. They assaulted her and stole a large amount of cash before escaping in a stolen car.

The offending escalated and on 4th December 2009 the gang committed an armed robbery at Barclays Bank, SE19. During the offence a customer was held at gunpoint and threats were made to kill her unless bank employees emptied the tills. The gang escaped with a large quantity of cash.

Following a pro-active operation by the Metropolitan Police Service's Flying Squad at Barnes four defendants were arrested on 17th December 2009 immediately after committing an armed robbery at the NatWest Bank on Balham High Road, SW12. Bernard, Banya, Lindo and Winters had entered the premises shortly before closing time wearing balaclavas and masks and brandishing an imitation firearm.

Winters took up position by the door of the bank acting as look-out whilst Bernard took a female customer hostage, pressed a gun to her head and threatened to kill her if their demands were not met. They stole a large quantity of cash before fleeing to two waiting getaway vehicles where they were arrested by Flying Squad officers.

During a six week period leading up to 17th December 2009 the gang were responsible for 40 armed robberies across South London. They pleaded guilty to a number of these offences at subsequent court hearings.

Banya was sentenced to 10 years for 16 robberies and possession of a firearm.

Walters was sentenced to 12 years for 14 robberies and possession of a firearm.

Bernard was sentenced to 14 years for 11 robberies and possession of a firearm.

Lindo pleaded guilty to 2 robbery offences and possession of a firearm and has been sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment.

The 17-year-old boy was sentenced to a youth rehabilitation order for one robbery and possession of an imitation firearm at Natwest Bank, SW12.

Detective Chief Inspector Pam Mace from the Flying Squad at Barnes said: "These defendants were extremely violent young men who used firearms to enforce their demands and intimidate people who were just doing their jobs or going about their daily life. This series of violent robberies must have been terrifying for all the victims. This was an outstanding investigation which has resulted in a ruthless team of robbers being removed from the streets of South London."

A man murdered in Brixton has been formally identified as 34-year-old Solomon Sarfo.
 
Police were called at approximately 23:35hrs on Sunday 27th February to reports of a man stabbed on Tilson Gardens, at the junction with Forster Road, SW2.

Mr. Sarfo was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem gave cause of death as stab wounds.

An incident room has opened under the Homicide and Serious Crime Command.

Detectives are asking anyone with information to contact the incident room on 020 8721 4005 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

He supplied forged documents including UK driving licences & foreign passports

An Algerian man living in London has been jailed for five-and-half years for running a forgery 'factory' producing false identity documents to help immigration offenders stay in the country illegally.

Kamel Bohat, 44, operated from a North London café from where he supplied forged National Insurance cards, UK driving licences, foreign passports and other identity documents which could have been used by immigrants to access jobs or services in the UK.

Blackfriars Crown Court heard that UK Border Agency officers and the Metropolitan Police, acting on intelligence received, visited the La Roma Café, Blackstock Road, N4, on 30th July 2008.

A search of the premises found numerous false documents, more than 100 passport-sized photographs and equipment used to make the documents.

Further investigations and forensic evidence identified Bohat as the lead person involved in the forgeries.

On 8th September 2010, Metropolitan police officers found Bohat at Dorchester House, Great Western Road, W11, where he was arrested.

Found with him were further false forged identity documents and items used in the making of forgeries.

He admitted seven counts of facilitating immigration offences and the production and possession of forged or counterfeit identity documents and was sentenced on 26th January.

Chris Foster, who leads the UK Border Agency Immigration Crime Teams, said: “We have successfully disrupted a significant criminal enterprise which was supplying fraudulent documents.

“There is no doubt that these documents would have ended up being used to create false identities, or help people work, claim benefits or stay illegally in the UK.”

Immigration Minister Damian Green said: “The UK Border Agency has undertaken two major enforcement campaigns to crack down on immigration crime, detaining, prosecuting and removing people and gangs who have been abusing the system through sham marriages, illegal working, people smuggling and document fraud.

“We are making more use of new technology both at the border and inland to enable officers to focus their efforts on people trying to cheat the system.”

Jailing Bohat, the Judge HH Hillen said he hoped the sentence would be a deterrent to people taking advantage of those in vulnerable positions and who sought to benefit from doing so.

The UK Border Agency will take action to deport Bohat at the end of his jail term.

Another man, Mohammed Hassani, an Algerian national who was arrested at the café on 30th July 2008, was convicted of possession of counterfeit documents and was sentenced to 24 months' imprisonment. He has since been deported.