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Please click here to read about how we process your data in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) By Charlie Moloney2025-03-18T12:01:00+00:00 A trial has been adjourned for over three and a half years in what is thought to be the longest delay in a case due to the Crown court backlog The figure stood at a record low of 33,290 in March 2019 but the cumulative impact of cuts to the criminal justice system including a reduction of judges’ sitting days and a shortage of criminal barristers Reports of defendants appearing for jury trial two years after their first appearance before magistrates are now commonplace.  But investigative court reporting blog Mouse in The Court revealed this week that one defendant in Snaresbrook Crown Court (pictured) has had their case delayed by 43 months had been charged with threatening members of the public with a machete in the Tower Hamlets area of London He denies the allegations. Having been granted conditional bail - with a requirement to wear a GPS tag - he was told the next available trial date for non-custody cases was the 16 October 2028 The trial is expected to last two to three days The defendant’s counsel was asked if they were available for trial on that date Judge Charles Falk said 'wow' and added: 'That is the furthest away I have ever set a trial date but that is the position the Crown court is in.' The judge told the defendant: ‘I am so sorry we can’t try you in what is a serious matter for three and a half years… I recognise you’re going to have your life on hold ‘We will have to have a pre-trial-review to ensure everyone is still alive.’ Asylum seeker claimant failed to show there was a threat to his family from address being disclosed Transatlantic firm announces 'strategic initiatives to streamline operations and appropriately reshape teams' Former BBC production assistant became the Law Society’s first head of public relations and then ‘invented crisis PR’ Charity Explorer provides a reputable reference tool for solicitors will-writers and their clients who want to leave a legacy or charitable gift Whether you are looking for legal expert witnesses barristers chambers or any other general legal service the Legal Services Directory will provide a suitable option Site powered by Webvision Cloud This weekend, people in Redbridge will come together on Remembrance Day to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Remembrance parades and services will be held across the borough, providing a poignant opportunity for us to stand united in our remembrance. Remembrance Day, a significant memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War is a solemn occasion to honour armed forces members who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. It is also known as Poppy Day, a tradition that symbolises our collective remembrance.  Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Two men will face trial over allegations they helped former soldier Daniel Khalife after he escaped from prison Adeel Khan, 30, from Waltham Forest, east London, and Imran Chowdhury, 25, of Chingford are accused of helping Khalife after he escaped from HMP Wandsworth by tying himself to the underside of a food delivery truck in September 2023 Khan and Chowdhury both denied the charge at a hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday and a trial date was fixed for July 13 2026 Khan admitted one count of possession of a phone in prison contrary to Section 40 D(1) of the Prisons Act 1952 was sentenced for spying for Iran after a trial in November 2024 Jurors at Woolwich Crown Court found he had breached the Official Secrets and Terrorism Acts. He had already admitted escaping from Wandsworth prison, but was cleared of carrying out a bomb hoax at the Army barracks where he had been based. Khalife was sentenced to 14 years and three months in prison at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday. Barnet appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday News | Crime Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice. A man has been jailed for 14 years after police officers proved he removed a condom during sex without consent. Laurence Rafter, 43, of Bittacy Hill, Barnet appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, February 28. He was convicted at the same court on October 18, 2024 for all offences in a unanimous verdict by the jury. He also pleaded guilty last year to harassment against the same victim. The court heard that on July 15, 2021, the 32-year-old woman was contacted by the defendant on a dating app, in which he posed as a man called "Jay Lincoln" and met the victim at her home address in Islington. Celebrity osteopath who admitted voyeurism had camera and telescope in car Covid inquiry evidence on Mone-linked PPE firm to be heard in closed session Woman wore 'array of wigs' to complete fraudulent UK citizenship tests for others Woman who used ‘array of wigs’ admits taking UK citizenship tests for 13 people The defendant then raped the victim and removed a condom, knowing she had requested him to wear one before any sexual encounter. As he left the address, he stated that he was HIV positive which was later revealed to be a lie. The victim reported the incident to the Met who launched an immediate investigation and supported the victim. Detectives were able to identify Rafter through a distinctive tattoo on his arm recorded by police on a previous arrest which matched photos he had sent to the victim in this case. Enquiries showed the level of pre-planning that Rafter had done to commit his offences, creating an alias, setting up a false address and bank statement and using a disposable ‘pre-paid’ mobile phone in a bid to avoid police detection. His false driving licence included a pseudonym and he claimed to live in a prosperous area of London in a multi-million pound house. In reality he was employed as an HGV driver and lived in a flat. The court also heard that Rafter had a history of sexual predatory behaviour towards women. In February 2022 he was jailed for six months after pleading guilty to malicious communications and threats to disclose a private image relating to two separate victims. In those cases he also used an online alias, met the women and became abusive and threatening towards both women via text messages as well as demanding explicit images. After appearing in court on Friday, February 28, Rafter was sentenced to 14 years in prison. He was ordered to serve two thirds of his sentence before being eligible for parole. Detective Chief Inspector Paul Ridley said: “I would like to commend this survivor for the bravery she demonstrated in this case and the evidence she provided. The robust sentence delivered by the judge clearly demonstrates the significant dangerousness that this man poses to women. “The investigation team carried out an expansive, diligent and relentless investigation to identify Rafter and secured the evidence to bring him to justice ensuring that the victim was supported throughout. “Rafter is a predatory offender who exploited social media to facilitate his violent and abusive behaviour. He devised a fictitious profile posing as a wealthy businessman with multiple businesses around the world in a calculated campaign to violate, threaten and harm the women he met.” Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Lady Victoria Starmer VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Royals watch historic flypast as huge crowds turns out for VE Day 80th anniversary  Royals watch historic Red Arrows flypast for VE Day 80th anniversary David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in London 'shut down' by council over noise complaints David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' over noise complaints Stacey Solomon 'regrets doing reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Stacey Solomon 'regrets reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason A husband and wife landlord team rented out a “grossly overcrowded” east London flat where an e-bike fire led to the death of a tenant died from the effects of smoke inhalation after the fire in the early hours of March 5 2023 at Maddocks House in Shadwell had previously pleaded guilty to a total of nine housing offences said she was looking at sentencing the couple but on the housing offences which they pleaded guilty to in November 2023 told the court: “It is clear that the property was “The information available suggests that some 23 people were in occupation of the flat One of the occupants was taken to hospital and subsequently died.” Tenants were told not to use the flat as a postal address as it could get the couple in trouble Former residents of the flat have said they paid about £90 a week where some shared beds or slept on the floor of the two-bedroom ex-council flat The blaze was started accidentally by a faulty lithium ion e-bike battery that was charging at the time Investigations are still ongoing and a civil matter has already been lodged has pleaded guilty to six offences including knowingly permitting unlicensed occupation four counts of failing to comply with licence conditions and failing to comply with the requirements of a licence notice who collected the rent and was the person responsible for the property has pleaded guilty to one count of each of these three offences did not have a current gas certificate and did not produce the documents required of them as the controller or manager of a the property Rahman told a liaison officer that he rented the flat to two people and he did not know who the others were But one of the residents told liaison officers that he paid rent to Rahman Mr Rahman claimed not to speak English and the conversation ended.” She said the “overall picture was of a property of longer term occupiers and transient individuals” The property has been repossessed by the bank The judge noted that a month after the fire Begum made an application for an extension of the lost space which did not mention the fire or that the property was uninhabitable and said she was living at the flat and it was overcrowded The judge also noted that this event took place after the charges she was dealing with helped them with the property but prosecutors say this person is Rahman are living at a relative’s home and are being both “emotionally and financially supported” by their adult children This was during Covid and they found it easier for this third party to help with the property.” Mr Matin added: “What the two defendants put forward is that they knew there were more people than permitted to be – however they had no knowledge of the actual number of people staying “They have become aware since that some residents were effectively renting out their space “There were things happening and people staying in the property that they did not have knowledge of.” Begum lost her job helping children with special needs after her conviction and Rahman She was described as being of “low education” and British-born by Mr Matin while Rahman has been living in the UK since he was a teenager Mr Matin said “it is clear Ms Begum and Mr Rahman accept that they failed in their obligations” as he suggested that their behaviour was not due to deliberate deception The judge called for more information about the impact a confiscation order might have on any civil claims The couple were unconditionally bailed to appear at the same court for sentencing on March 6 Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.. a typical day at Snaresbrook show why 68,125 cases are waiting to be heard in England and Wales a judge is taking the rare step of apologising to a defendant people should not be waiting over two years to be tried,” he says addressing the man directly from the bench please stay in contact with your lawyers.” The court has just been told that October 2026 is the earliest possible date the case can be heard “It’s awful,” the judge remarks after confirming the situation with officials It’s the end of a long day at Snaresbrook crown court in east London where this has been far from the only trial set for 2026 Its 20 courtrooms were due to hear more than 100 cases today but were frequently derailed by missing defendants dodgy video links and botched communications with prisons and police As wigged barristers and a judge convene for one ­hearing He was unexpectedly arrested and held overnight but could not be located in time to be brought to court the man due to stand trial has not appeared on the video link from HMP Pentonville and prison guards are not answering the phone When the defendant pops up on screen 10 minutes later the ­hearing is put off again because he has not been able to speak to his legal team I’ve been sat here for the last 20 minutes,” he tells the judge who closes the courtroom so they can speak in private Video screens needed to display evidence in one courtroom have stopped working and proceedings have to be moved to a different building while another trial has to be paused when a defendant begins vomiting violently in the dock At those hearings that do manage to convene trial dates at Snaresbrook are set far in the future A man charged with indecent exposure is bailed until a jury can consider his case – in July 2026 The judge says it’s the “earliest the court can offer” allegedly found on a London street with a machete cannabis and thousands of pounds in criminal cash is freed with a trial scheduled for September 2026 the judge says it is the earliest date possible and sets new bail conditions attempting to make him inform lawyers if he moves house or changes his phone number Leading legal professionals and victims’ campaigners say the extraordinary scenes are a symptom of a spiralling crisis in Britain’s “crumbling” criminal justice system Snaresbrook itself acts as an apt metaphor Housed in an imposing Grade II-listed Victorian building it appears pristine from a distance in its beautiful But it doesn’t take long to see the cracks Someone knocks into a fire extinguisher between courtrooms and it immediately crashes to the ground as its bracket gives way A member of staff tries to push it back into place but quickly gives up leaving chunks of plaster on the floor and two holes in the wall Critics have described recent ­government justice policies as ­“sticking plasters” there is duct tape holding down the carpets The Observer’s visit came as the Ministry of Justice published figures showing backlogs at a record high with 68,125 crown court cases waiting to be heard in England and Wales almost 700 trials are unable to go ahead on their scheduled day and fall back into the queue because of myriad logistical problems including defendants not being transported from prison a shortage of barristers and overbooked courts running out of time to hear cases Almost 8,000 such “ineffective” trials were recorded last year – making up over a quarter of the total – and the figure is expected to rise further Waiting times are worsening the prison overcrowding ­crisis as more and more people are held on remand Cases are more likely ­to ­collapse as ­victims and witnesses pull out Free daily newsletterMake sense of the UK election campaign with Archie Bland's daily briefing it is victims and families that suffer in this cruel and traumatising systemClaire Waxman London Victims’ CommissionerRichard Miller head of justice at the Law Society of England and Wales says the physical state of courts is just one factor causing hearings to be cancelled and delayed He describes cases where “there is no judge adding: “Years ago we were saying the system was in crisis but the government didn’t do anything and now it’s fallen over completely.” A damning report issued by the National Audit Office last month said that the Ministry of Justice was warning internally that half of crown courtrooms were “at risk of closure at any time” With an estimated £1bn backlog of maintenance and repair issues problems are expected to become critical in the coming years Of the 7,966 ­“ineffective” trials in 2023 the main reason was defendants and witnesses not attending – frequently because ­prisoners had not been transported from jail amid overcrowding and staff shortages The National Audit Office found the second-most common factor was “poor case preparation” A factor prompting fresh alarm is the unavailability of legal professionals which stopped more than 1,400 cases in 2023 The government blames barristers for driving up backlogs with strikes over legal aid fees in 2022 But the Criminal Bar Association says the shortage of lawyers would be worse if it did not force the ­government to increase pay says: “Justice is not being delivered in an effective or timely way and sadly it is victims and families that suffer in this cruel and traumatising system.” Waxman says “failings in each part of the system” must be addressed with investment but no political party appears keen on making the issue core to the election campaign The Conservatives quietly scrapped their 2019 pledge to set up a royal commission on the criminal justice system after a tenure in government that saw crimes recorded by police hit record highs while the proportion prosecuted ­plunged to record lows Their new manifesto promises a “justice system that delivers for ­victims and the public” Labour has pledged to “stop the Conservative chaos and return law and order to our streets” with a wide range of crime and justice policies including fast-tracking rape cases in new specialist courts Bar Council chair Sam Townend KC says there is already a “lack of barristers to do the work” after an exodus from the legal profession attributed partly to a decline in business during the pandemic and partly to poor pay and conditions “Everyone is doing what they can to assist the situation but still the backlog goes up This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media Charles Ling was handed a 15-month suspended sentence after he used part of a £30,000 Covid Bounce Back Loan for a mortgage payment and cash withdrawals Charles Ling applied for a second Covid Bounce Back loan for Bradcon (Bespoke) Joinery Ltd Ling falsely stated that it was his first loan and that it would be used wholly for business purposes He was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 2 April 2025 for fraud by false representation and has repaid the loan A Romford man who ran a joinery business in Essex has been handed a 15-month suspended sentence after he claimed a second Covid Bounce Back Loan and used some of the money for personal spending had already received a £20,000 Bounce Back Loan in May 2020 which was both valid and used legitimately to support Bradcon (Bespoke) Joinery Ltd But the 57-year-old then successfully applied to a bank for a second Covid loan of £30,000 in June 2020 he withdrew £9,000 in cash and transferred a £2,500 mortgage payment from the loan The Insolvency Service investigation found that he had falsely claimed it was his first Bounce Back Loan and none of the £11,500 was used for business purposes Ling was charged with one count of fraud by false representation and sentenced to 15 months in custody at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Wednesday 2 April He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work He paid back the £30,000 loan after prosecution action began Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service Charles Ling stated that this was his first Covid Bounce Back Loan and that it would be spent wholly on his joinery business These loans were designed to help support businesses through the pandemic not for personal use at the expense of the public purse We are committed to investigating these cases and bringing those responsible to justice The Insolvency Service investigation did not find any wrongdoing with the use of Ling's first Covid Bounce Back Loan of £20,000 which he was entitled to and was used entirely for business purposes The maximum loan under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme was £50,000 Any loan must be paid back over six to 10 years then the Insolvency Service can investigate a company even if it has been dissolved The information on this page is intended for journalists If you click NO you will come back to Mynewsdesk.com A former accountant of a national children’s charity has been jailed for 10 years for using his knowledge of the sector to steal £1.5 million through fraudulent Gift Aid claims Kwabena Duodu conspired with a crooked preacher and used the details of other churches as part of the criminal Gift Aid operation used the details of 10 evangelical churches across the north and east of London to submit false claims used his share of the stolen money to help buy a £550,000 house He also sent stolen money to his accomplice was head pastor of Praise Harvest Community Church and he used his position to convince other churches into trusting him to make claims on their behalf He received £320,000 from Duodu and used some of the money to act as a loan shark to members of his own congregation charging them an eye-watering 120 per cent interest head pastor of Heaven Light Ministry International was found guilty of furnishing false information Assistant Director in HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service “These men presented themselves as upstanding they were just criminals cynically abusing their positions to steal The men were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on December 2 Duodu was jailed for 10 years; Asare was jailed for 7 years and Quansah received a suspended 15-month sentence Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is the UK’s tax authority HMRC is responsible for making sure that the money is available to fund the UK’s public services and for helping families and individuals with targeted financial support When you choose 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Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Mountford Chambers delivers a nationwide and international service to clients View more The defendant was party to a conspiracy to launder some £55 million through a sophisticated international network of money laundering via Chinese underground banking Operation Campine was a three-year investigation led by Stoke Newington Police Officers discovered that £55 million was laundered between February 2020 and June 2023 The scheme was aimed at students trying to bypass foreign currency controls A 2019 report from the National Crime Agency (NCA) said its use was probably “widespread among the Chinese diaspora in the UK” Will was instructed by Nick Jennaway of ITN Solicitors CoverageThe GuardianDaily MailMy London Tom Edwards looks at the impact of the shift from Joint Enterprise to Common Purpose in the five years since… Ben Hargreaves explores the inherent challenges in the admissibility of sexual history in sex cases reviews the statutory regime on witness anonymity Anonymous witness orders are most commonly sought by the… An analysis of the law on fitness to plead and stand trial in the magistrates’ courts: Silas Lee reviews the… © 2025 - Authorised and regulated by the Bar Standards Board Select the practice areas that you would like to download or add to the portfolio Remove All Download Click here to share this shortlist.(It will expire after 30 days.) Need more information about the above People and Practice Areas?Talk to one of our clerks: 020 7936 6300 A husband and wife landlord team who rented out a “grossly overcrowded” east London flat where an e-bike fire led to the death of a tenant have been fined more than £90,000 Judge Emma Smith, sitting at Snaresbrook Crown Court previously said she was looking at sentencing the couple Judge Smith ordered Begum to pay a fine of £10,000 and £2,000 in prosecution costs She was also told to pay a confiscation order of £78,049 was ordered to pay a fine of £2,000 and a confiscation order of £1.1p The court heard the pair had no source of income other than the value of the Maddocks House property which stood at £155,000 Judge Smith said: “I am satisfied the two of you were equally involved in the criminality and shared financial gain… You showed a blatant disregard for the law and the occupants.” which was licenced for three people from two households is believed to have been occupied by 23 people previously told the court: “It is clear that the property was Tenants were told not to use the flat as a postal address as it could get the couple in trouble The blaze was started accidentally by a faulty lithium ion e-bike battery that was charging at the time, the London Fire Brigade have said previously pleaded guilty to six offences including knowingly permitting unlicensed occupation pleaded guilty to one count of each of these three offences did not have a current gas certificate and did not produce the documents required of them as the controller or manager of the property The Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, said: “It is completely unacceptable that some landlords continue to exploit tenants by allowing overcrowding, flouting essential safety regulations, and putting people’s lives at risk. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of Mizanur Rahman, who tragically lost his life in the fire, caused by a faulty e-bike battery, at Maddocks House, and with all those affected by this devastating incident. “We are clamping down on rogue landlords who operate in our borough. We pursued this prosecution and the court’s decision sends a clear message: we will not tolerate criminal landlords who endanger lives for profit. We will continue to do everything we can to ensure such cases are brought to justice in order to protect our community and we urge all local authorities to do the same. “National action is urgently needed and we welcome the Government’s announcement that it will set out new measures to help protect renters across the country.” I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice A mother-of-three has denied owning a banned pit bull terrier that mauled her friend to death at her flat Leanne McDonnell, 33, is accused of owning or being in charge of a dog called Prince that attacked Akif Mustaq on December 4 in Stratford thumb and thigh and died the following day McDonnell, of Shirley Road, Stratford, appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Monday wearing a long green coat and using a crutch Last month, officers were called at 4.53am to reports that a 42-year-old man had been seriously wounded, the Metropolitan Police said Man charged with assisting escaped prisoner Daniel Khalife ‘Increased security’ at Golden Globes after New Orleans attack and Tesla blast King and Queen brave wintry weather to attend church in Sandringham Mr Mustaq later died of his injuries in hospital who faces further charges in relation to the dog and was granted conditional bail to appear at the same court on June 2 VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day A woman has admitted committing fraud to complete UK citizenship tests on behalf of 13 applicants Josephine Maurice appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court via video link from HMP Bronzefield where she admitted pretending to be 13 different people in order to undertake the Life in the UK Test between June 1 2022 and August 14 2023 The Home Office previously said that the 61-year-old had used an “array of wigs” and other disguises in order to pass herself off as the true applicants in an attempt to fraudulently obtain them leave to remain Maurice also admitted to conspiring to commit fraud with others over the scheme and to possessing two people’s identity documents namely two UK provisional driving licences without reasonable excuse on January 27 2025 The Life in the UK Test is a requirement for anyone seeking to obtain indefinite leave to remain or naturalisation as a British citizen it consists of 24 questions aimed at “proving the applicant has sufficient knowledge of British values spoke to enter guilty pleas for all charges The Home Office previously said fraudsters completing the test for others could “lead to people wrongly being granted the right to remain in the country without the proper due diligence” Queen reveals she has adopted rescue puppy Health Secretary insists he did not ask NHS boss to leave her job London's top five bike theft hotspots revealed Minor delays on the Victoria line due to a faulty train - live Home Office immigration enforcement criminal and financial investigation inspector Phillip Parr said in a previous statement: “This individual is believed to have orchestrated a pre-meditated plan to avoid detection meticulously selecting disguises and test centre locations across the country to evade the authorities “As with many criminals who commit this type of crime we believe her motive was financial gain.” Maurice, of Enstone Road in Enfield was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at the same court on May 20 Authorised Local Preacher at St Mary’s Church in Woodford is part of the Chaplaincy Team at Snaresbrook Crown Court Mark writes about his chaplaincy role which involves supporting those who visit and work at the Crown Court “It often comes as a surprise for people to learn that Snaresbrook Crown Court is the biggest Crown Court in the country The complex was originally an orphanage but the only aspect remaining as it was originally is the Chapel and the Chaplaincy is run by the four parishes in the West Roding Mission and Ministry Unit (MMU)." For about 90 minutes in the middle of the day we provide a quiet space in a very busy building And visitors use it for all sorts of reasons Some are looking for somewhere they can pause and think and some are looking for someone to talk to An essential quality in members of the Chaplaincy team is the capacity for non-judgemental listening." “We have a table at the far end of the Chapel from the main door so that visitors can see us when they come in and also so that we can see from the body-language whether someone wants to be left alone or would like some contact Sometimes there are very few visitors but there are also many occasions when we feel humbled and privileged to hear them sharing their experiences and feelings “The Crown Court can be a very stressful place There are many reasons for this but recently the delay in cases reaching trial is a major factor." “Regular services of Holy Communion are held with the MMU incumbents as celebrants “We are hoping to develop the Chaplaincy into an ecumenical one – building strong relationships with our ecumenical partners through this important ministry Following an approach to other churches in January we had expressions of interest in joining the Chaplaincy from 12 new potential volunteers: a most appropriate end to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.” SALT was a day of encouragement and encounter for women across Chelmsford Diocese that took place at Holy Trinity South Woodford Bishop Guli is walking St Peter’s Way for her Lenten Pilgrimage Bishop Guli met with farmers to gain first-hand insights into the impact of the autumn budget and recent withdrawal of the Sustainable Farming Incentives on the farming communities of the Diocese A gang of moped robbers armed with a machete made a botched attempt to steal a judge’s motorbike in an audacious raid on the car park of one of London’s crown courts Shay Hollis, 18, and Deon-Dre Rogers-Barrett, 19, rode with a third unidentified man into the grounds of Snaresbrookcrown court in broad-daylight to try to steal Judge Paul Southern’s £20,000 BMW motorbike They circled the historic court building until reaching the staff car park where Hollis wrestled the steering lock off the bike However the robbery plan started to go awry when Hollis struggled with the weight of the motorbike and dropped it costing the thieves valuable seconds to make their escape Renewed call for action on dangerous section of A10 Three jailed over death of kidnapped and 'horrifically tortured' DJ in Tottenham Rob Beckett ‘microwaved every single key’ he owns in holiday gaffe Reckless driver in horror 92mph crash in north London ‘devastated passenger’s life’ Quick-thinking security guards ran to the front gate to close off the exit route leaving the robbers trapped inside the sprawling grounds of the east London court Hollis is seen brandishing a foot-long machete at the guards while CCTV shows the thieves abandoning the stolen BMW bike riding around in a failed attempt to escape helmets and gloves to climb over a court perimeter wall Judge Andrew Holmes agreed to defer the sentencing hearing for six months after seeing glowing reports on both defendants “You have a golden opportunity now to turn your lives around,” he said Both had committed further crimes after the crown court raid but are now said to be making “exceptional” progress Prosecutor Dickon Reid said the three thieves arrive “in convoy” at around 2.15pm on April 16 last year with Rogers-Barrett on his own moped and Hollis riding pillion on a stolen bike “Both mopeds drive to the rear of the car park and approached the BMW motorbike that belongs to the judge,” he said “The footage shows Mr Hollis wrestling the steering lock with sufficient force used to cause that to give Mr Hollis began to push the motorcycle away spotted the robbery in progress and ran outside to try to thwart it Mr Hollis drew something out of the right hand side of his waistband,” said Mr Reid “Mr Hollis threatened security guards with what later transpired to be a machete.” Mr Sweeney went to arm himself with a metal pole as his colleagues dashed to shut the front gates and blocked off the escape route causing irreparable damage to the frame,” said the prosecutor “As the three robbers tried to get out of the complex described Mr Hollis pulling a one-foot machete from his waistband.” When a sweep of the grounds was later conducted and an angle grinder – all covered in DNA evidence – were discovered Rogers-Barrett called 999 to report his moped But he gave himself away by using the phone he claimed was taken to make the emergency call Hollis and Rogers-Barrett, both from Enfield They are set to be sentenced on December 2 and are likely to be spared a prison sentence if they stay out of trouble Snaresbrook Crown Court: Barrister clashed with judge A barrister who described a judge’s summary of a witness’s evidence as “absolute rubbish” and asked if the judge was giving evidence has been suspended for four months A Bar disciplinary tribunal said Jacqueline Vallejo adopted “an abrupt attitude and approach” in her dealings with the unnamed judge at Snaresbrook Crown Court back in 2016 The comments indicate that the Garden Court Chambers barrister considered the judge was leaning in favour of the prosecution Their first of their Rumpole-like clashes came when she refused the judge’s order to engage with prosecution counsel to agree a schedule She told the judge that “if your Honour wants to report me When the judge said they were not going to delay the trial that’s exactly what your Honour is doing.” Further Ms Vallejo said in submissions: “Don’t try and make me sound like an idiot.” when the judge sought clarification about a witness’s statement Ms Vallejo said in front of the jury: “Well if your Honour wants to conduct the cross-examination The judge invited her to continue but she said: “No She went on to criticise the judge in front of the jury by saying: “When Mr X gave evidence yesterday he gave evidence in relation to hearsay and your Honour of course didn’t stop him and of course there’s been no hearsay application from the Crown.” The next charge was that Ms Vallejo had been “unduly argumentative” with the judge When asked to clarify the issues in relation to certain evidence and then that she had accepted the “whole of the prosecution case… because I’m being forced to by the learned judge” She also told the judge: “I cannot force my client to provide a defence statement What part of that does your Honour not understand?” when Ms Vallego talked over and interrupted the judge when the judge summarised evidence that had been given by a witness she said in front of the jury that it was “absolute rubbish” She also asked: “Is your Honour giving evidence?” Ms Vallejo was ordered to pay costs of £2,000 The decision is still open to appeal and the tribunal’s full reasons will be published in the coming weeks A Bar Standards Board spokesman said: “Hearings can often be stressful and challenging and barristers must be able to defend their clients robustly the conduct of the barrister in this case went beyond robustness and interfered with the administration of justice “The seriousness of this behaviour is reflected in the Tribunal’s sanction of suspension from practice.” Although the name of the case involving Ms Vallejo has not been confirmed she was representing another defendant in the same case as Ms Russell Lady Justice Hallett noted that the judge had complained to the BSB and said the appeal court too had “a number of very real concerns about counsel’s behaviour” In my experience from Magistrates’ to Crown Court there are judges who lean towards the Crown The repartee between counsel and the Judge herein was hardly Rumpold it was not subtle or intelligent and resistance at times was unnecessary it is preferred to extreme cases when counsel say nothing when they should at least seek a void dire If there’s one thing the legal profession could do today it would be to make domestic abuse and safeguarding training mandatory for all family lawyers and mediators The traditional lawyer in me – and one who increasingly finds technology more confusing with each passing day – is resistant but it doesn’t take a lot to surmise that AI will likely become a very important tool New SRA guidance on transparency issued last autumn – thinly disguised as continued support for COLPs firms and individuals – was without doubt also borne out of regulatory frustration A developer has won permission to build 74 “affordable” homes in a Redbridge tube station car park. The homes proposed by developer Pocket Living are small flats aimed at single, first-time buyers that will be sold 20 per cent cheaper than the average price locally. However, Pocket Living’s plans for a tall building “squeezed” onto a TfL-owned car park at Snaresbrook Station faced a coordinated backlash from campaign group Real Snaresbrook. The group, which has now taken down its website, argued that the building’s height of up to six storeys would “tower over” neighbouring two and three-storey homes. They also raised concerns about emergency access along the narrow station approach and the pressure new residents could put on surrounding roads, given the development will be car-free. However, a Redbridge Council planning committee approved the plans last week, in a narrow vote that saw four members vote in favour, three against and one abstention. Redbridge’s planning department recommended approval, arguing the building’s size and shape had been “carefully considered” to minimise the impact on surrounding houses. The car park is also considered an “opportunity area” for new housing in the council’s Local Plan, although the suggested number of homes was only 44. The committee’s decision comes two months after it backed 100 new “affordable” homes on another TfL-owned plot of land overlooking Barkingside Station, Speaking at the meeting, Pocket Living’s senior development manager Alex Shillito read out a letter from local resident “Laura” who argued she would likely leave London “altogether” if she cannot buy an affordable home. Councillors Shanelle Johnson and Bayo Alabo both voted against the scheme, citing concerns about the height and size of the homes. Cllr Johnson said the scheme was “rather large” and questioned why the developers refused to lower the building heights, despite concerns raised in their consultation. Wanstead Village councillor Jo Blackman also attended the meeting to object, saying she was “not opposed” to affordable homes but had concerns “in relation to height and impact to neighbours”. However, the committee approved the plans after a warning from council planning officer Richard McAllister, who said they should only reject plans if their negative aspects “significantly outweigh the benefits. He added: “[Redbridge’s planning team] wouldn’t be able to defend the council’s position. “It may be ultimately up to you to justify to the secretary of state or Planning Inspectorate why you refused this scheme. “Unless you employ an expert you need to rely on the experts in the [planning] report, so you really need to focus on good reasons to reject this”. Liz Calvert, of Real Snaresbrook, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the group was “saddened and disappointed” at the committee’s decision. About Latest Posts Josh Mellor Local Democracy Reporter Latest posts by Josh Mellor (see all) Waltham Forest tenant slams council Tel: 07765530245 Email: sales@yellowad.co.uk Yellow Advertiser68 Crowhill,Godmanchester,Huntingdon,PE29 9NR Tel: 07765530245 Email: mickferris@yellowad.co.uk Judges' lunches at Snaresbrook crown court were allegedly spiked with urine, according to a report in the Sun newspaper on Friday The report said it was feared someone with a grudge against the justice system had launched a revenge campaign Traces of urine were believed to have been found in soups A private dining room known as the advocates' lounge has been shut until further notice Staff working there are believed to have been suspended while the investigation goes on, it said, adding that all are thought to have been supplied to the court by Eurest Services A spokeswoman for Eurest Services said it was "aware of a suspected case of food contamination" She said: "We are currently investigating the matter and therefore cannot comment further at this stage Health and safety is our number one operational priority we have robust policies in place and take such matters extremely seriously." A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: "Police were called at approximately 4pm on Tuesday 17 January and are jointly investigating an allegation of food contamination with Redbridge council News | UK Courtrooms at one of London’s crown courts were left unusable for jury trials when the installation of plexiglass screens was botched Screens have been added to 223 courtrooms and 143 jury deliberation rooms around the country in a bid to increase the number of trials being heard in “covid-secure” conditions The Ministry of Justice measures are designed to allow jurors to sit closer to each other than 2m without fear of breaching social distancing guidelines However Snaresbrook crown court reported that “insufficient space” had been left around its newly-installed screens rendering courtrooms unusable without emergency remedial work “Jury plexiglass screens have been installed in nine courtrooms and deliberation rooms” according to a ‘Covid-19 assessment’ at Snaresbrook conducted on October 22 “Screens have been put in place but pose a health and safety issue due to the insufficient space available around the screens “Ricoh - the company who provided the screens have been on site to reassess and improvement works are expected to take place to reduce the size of the screen’s legs and/or adapt the size of the jury boxes asap Snaresbrook was one of three London crown courts given an “amber” rating in the routine assessments carried out two weeks ago Despite having 20 courtrooms across a sprawling estate there were just two trials sitting at Snaresbrook last Monday following the assessment William to view art exhibition offering fresh perspective on homelessness Ministers consider next steps after damning end to Grenfell inquiry Nearly a fifth of homes on the market have previously been rented – Rightmove Mountaineer Bonita Norris reveals how to overcome everyday obstacles Inner London crown court reported the need for “water testing” work to fix social distancing measures on public seating and an update to jury packs to include social distancing guidance “remedial work” has been ordered on the ventilation system for two of its eight courtrooms and in jury retiring rooms The other seven crown courts in London were given “green” ratings in the assessments with only minor improvement works identified at some Plexiglass screens are being installed in eight courtrooms at the Old Bailey to enable jury boxes to be used normally again All trials around the country had to be stopped in late March when the pandemic first struck adding to a mounting crisis in the criminal justice system and the rapid growth in the backlog of cases The Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett confirmed this weekend that courts will continue to operate during the second national lockdown due to come into effect on Thursday As part of the Players’ Project the pair participated in a Premier League Primary Stars session for Key Stage 2 pupils at the school delivered in partnership with the West Ham United Foundation Author Alex Bellos and illustrator Spike Gerrell were on hand to use football to teach subjects ranging from biology and geography to drama as seen in their Football School series of books The players then answered questions on their careers from the youngsters before telling West Ham TV how rewarding they found the experience Fornals said: “I think this is good for the children “I loved reading growing up and I continue to read now every time I take a book because I love to read.” “It’s great to use football to learn these subjects in school but meeting other people and being good with your friends and classmates too.” “You could see their faces and they were very happy and very excited To give time to the children and learn was very enjoyable.” World Book Day took place on Thursday 5 March with a mission to give every child and young person a book of their own.  designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading and marked in over 100 countries all over the world Read more about World Book Day by clicking here Site designed & built by Other Media, powered by Clubcast Innovative affordable housing developer Pocket Living’s proposals to deliver 74 affordable homes on land adjacent to Snaresbrook station have been approved by Redbridge Planning Committee which received more than 120 letters of support prior to committee will deliver 74 new homes; all of which will be available to first-time buyers who live or work in Redbridge at a 20% discount compared to the local market Research shows that the proposals will price an estimated 17,000 Redbridge households intohome ownership It will also deliver a new pathway and mews space for the local community on the land adjacent to Snaresbrook station The scheme is effectively car-free for residents and encompasses land that is currently used as a car park to deliver a 100% affordable scheme the scheme will be the second development Pocket Living has delivered in Redbridge to date Pocket completed its 100% affordable scheme at Gardner Close All 20 homes were sold to local people; 40% of whom were key or third-sector workers More than 400 local people registered to buy a home at Gardner Close meaning there were 20 buyers for every one Pocket home The scheme forms part of the wider work being undertaken to deliver more affordable homes by TTL Properties Ltd (TTLP) – Transport for London’s wholly owned commercial property company and represents the second success for Pocket Living working with TTLP Pocket received planning for 86 discounted homes at Woodside Park in Barnet on former TfL land and they are now launching to the market this month The homes at Snaresbrook are expected to be complete by 2026 and will deliver 15% of the council’s annual affordable housing targets Senior Development Manager at Pocket Living said: “We are delighted that the planning committee decided in favour of our 100% affordable housing application young people on middle incomes are too often overlooked and these homes will play a vital role in pricing in 17,000 Redbridge households into home ownership.” Senior Property Development Manager at TTL Properties Ltd we are pleased that this planning application to deliver a new affordable housing scheme in Snaresbrook has been given the green light by Redbridge Council We strongly believe in using our land to help tackle the housing crisis and deliver the new homes that the capital urgently needs while also generating vital revenue to invest into London’s transport network.” Download our 2023 events calendar to plan the year ahead – simply complete the details below: …the meeting tables were a great way to meet many delegates and strengthen relationships within the industry This was a new concept for us and was very valuable in making the most out of the networking opportunities during the conference "The content of your online event was really good and helpful for me to find out what developers are looking at to change in the future." 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