A drug lord who had made millions and lived a lavish lifestyle, filling his £1.3m London home with artworks by Banksy and Andy Warhol has lost an appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Aram Sheibani, now 43, from Bowdon, Trafford, was jailed for 37 years in June 2021 for his involvement in a 'high-level' cocaine conspiracy over almost a decade.

READ MORE: Met Police officers ram boy, 13, off bike and handcuff him over water gun

Using money made from fraud and drugs, he was found to have amassed a £5m property empire, including an exclusive £1.74 million apartment in Kensington, London, where he had original artworks by Banksy and Andy Warhol.

The criminal travelled around the world and drove top-of-the-range cars such as a Bentley and a Porsche all whilst masquerading as a legitimate businessman, the Manchester Evening News has reported.

Police also found he had more than £1 million in cash, cryptocurrency valued at £1.3 million, and that he had paid for cosmetic surgery including veneers, hair transplants and a nose job.

Sheibani claimed his wealth had come from legitimate sources but following an eight-week trial, jurors took just five hours to convict him of 20 fraud, money laundering and drug offences.

His 'greed knew no boundaries'

A judge said his 'greed knew no boundaries' and that he was satisfied Sheibani was 'at the very head of a large-scale, international drugs conspiracy' and was 'very close to the very source of production in Colombia'.

However, on Wednesday, October 18, Sheibani tried to appeal against both his conviction and his sentence at the Court of Appeal in London. Sheibani's barrister labelled evidence of drug dealing against him as 'circumstantial' as he argued his conviction was unsafe. He also said there was 'no evidential basis' for him receiving the lengthy sentence he did.

Simon Csoka KC, representing Sheibani, said it 'was not a case where there was an identified conspiracy' but that the prosecution's case consisted of 'circumstantial evidence' which 'could have been concluded to be consistent with drug dealing'.

He said his client was not given an opportunity to bid to have the charges dismissed, and went on to say that 'evidence that related to drug dealing was put forward into what might be termed a Frankenstein conspiracy – consisting of the parts of more than one conspiracy'.

He added that in order to convict the jury had to be sure Sheibani was guilty of the offence as set out on the indictment and that they are "considering the same conspiracy together." He said the judge had 'not directed the jury about that issue.'

Lady Justice Macur agreed, saying: "If half the jury think it is one conspiracy and half the jury think its more than one it should have been a not guilty verdict." However, she added: "But the closing speeches and the directions of the judge to the jury were to the effect that this was a single conspiracy."

In relation to Sheibani's sentence, Mr Csoka said it "wasn't a case where the prosecution identified a quantity of the drugs" which was "accepted by the judge in his sentencing remarks". Mr Csoka said it was the 'top quarter' of cases which attracted sentences of more than 30 years and claimed there was 'no evidential basis' for the judge to conclude that the conspiracy was 'of the very highest level.'

He said it was a 'wholly exceptional case which has produced a sentence which is completely out of scope with other cases.' However, Lady Justice Macur said: "This wasn't an ordinary drugs conspiracy case."

She added: "There was evidence that this applicant had over a very long period of time concerned himself in such a high level of expenditure that it suggested, and I am paraphrasing, the extent and scope of the conspiracy.

"There was evidence of eye-watering wealth that this applicant could not explain beyond the mortgage frauds, and so was the judge wrong to say that this money, on that evidence, emanated to a significant degree from drug dealing?"

Both appeals were thrown out by a panel of three judges. Lady Justice Macur said the full reasons for their decision would be published in writing in due course.

"That is the end of the matter as far as this court is concerned unless anyone finds other evidence to put before the CCRC (Criminal Cases Review Commission)," she said.

Sheibani, then of Delemar Road, Bowdon, was found guilty of five counts of obtaining a money transfer by deception; three offences of possession of criminal property; two offences of failing to comply with a notice; two offences of converting criminal property; two offences of fraud; forgery; using false instruments; conspiracy to supply controlled drugs; possession of a controlled drug of class A and perverting the course of justice.

Passing sentence at the time of his conviction, Judge Anthony Cross KC said it was 'impossible' to determine the exact involvement of Sheibani's involvement in drug dealing, but he was satisfied he was involved at a high level internationally. "I don't believe that the police have been able to uncover all your dealings, the evidence is plainly to the contrary," Judge Cross said.

Sergeant Lucy Pearson, of GMP's Economic Crime Unit, said after his sentence that Sheibani was a 'calculated, deceitful and scheming criminal." She said: "He is a dishonest individual who has not shown any remorse for his actions throughout this entire investigation, refusing to cooperate with police and attempting to destroy evidence.

"The extent of Sheibani's criminality should not be underestimated; not only is he involved in tax evasion and money laundering which has a detrimental effect on the economy and society, resulting in honest taxpayers feeling that burden, but the source of his tainted income is as a result of a class A drugs conspiracy."

Got a story for us? Email anna.willis@reachplc.com.

Don't miss out on the latest crime stories from across London. Sign up to MyLondon's Court & Crime newsletter HERE.

Adblock test (Why?)

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for the capital this Friday (October 20). The warning lasts from am up until 8pm, and ‘there is a chance that a period of heavy rainfall, on top of recent rain, could bring some disruption on Friday.’

Some people should expect flooding at home, as well as adverse driving conditions which could lead to road closures. The weather could also lead to reduced public transport services.

The weather warning covers the South East, all of England’s east coast, and the vast majority of Scotland - some which have a red weather warning. This means rain could be so intense that it poses a threat to life.

READ MORE: 'I dropped 10lbs without trying - now I have 4 years to live'

The Met Office also warns that the rainfall could lead to flooding, making driving difficult, and may even result in some homes being hit by water damage.

London’s weather is set to be tumultuous over the next few days. You can find it below.

London weather

Today (October 18) should be ‘some early bright spells but cloud gradually thickening from the south. Outbreaks of heavy rain reaching the south coast around midday, then all areas turning wet into the afternoon and evening. Windy, with coastal gales developing. Maximum temperature 17C’.

Tonight will see ‘outbreaks of heavy rain, accompanied by windy conditions, will clear away north by midnight. Less windy and drier conditions following, although some further showery rain later. Minimum temperature 13C’.

Tomorrow (October 19) will be ‘often rather cloudy but also some bright or sunny spells. There will also be scattered showers, some heavy and thundery, but winds lighter winds than Wednesday. Maximum temperature 19C’.

From Friday (October 20) through to Sunday (October 22) won’t be very pleasant. On ‘Friday and Saturday, further showers or perhaps longer spells of rain are likely, some heavy. Sunday, probably turning drier and brighter with lighter winds’.

If you or another family member are experiencing long waiting times for an autism assessment, please email rafi.benady@reachplc.com.

Don't miss out on the biggest local stories. Sign up to our MySouthLondon newsletter HERE for all the latest daily news and more.

Adblock test (Why?)

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

North London residents are concerned over "absurd" plans to build three new tower blocks containing more than 500 flats overlooking the North Circular. Neighbours fear infrastructure, such as roads and public transport, will struggle to cope with the influx of new people when the high rise development looms over the surrounding area.

Developers Wembley Tower Ltd are looking to build a £250m development at Wembley Point, including 515 new homes, a boxing gym, retail space, and a new cycle way. It is part of a wider redevelopment of the area, which has already seen the existing 21-storey 'WEM Tower' turned into 439 studio flats.

The plan has received a number of objections from residents who feel the scheme will adversely affect their quality of life. People living in the nearby WEM Tower have suggested they were unaware of the plans before they moved in and are "concerned about the inconvenience".

READ NEXT: The 'nightmare' South London street where traffic chaos is so bad 'five cars have been hit and written off'

One said: "Due to the changed ways of working during the pandemic, I intentionally chose this place to rent based on what's offered here (far from city noises, sunlight, a high-rise building that is not surrounded by any obstructions, etc.). This construction changes all of these factors based on which I made my decision."

Designs show the three buildings would be made up of one 32-storey skyscraper with 266 flats, comprising 84 one-bedroom, 178 two-bedroom and four three-bedroom apartments - all of which are earmarked for private sales. 'Building B' is a three-storey low-rise block containing a gym, currently intended to be used by Stonebridge Boxing Club.

The third building would be a part 16, part 20-storey tower block containing a mixture of private and affordable homes. The total 249 apartments would comprise 16 one-bedroom, 58 two-bedroom and 75 three-bedroom, as well as four commercial units on the ground floor.

Nearby residents are fearful the development will drastically impact their quality of life by resulting in a loss of sunlight and privacy, as well as the flats adversely affecting the "feeling of community and neighbourliness". There are also concerns about the impact on local infrastructure, particularly the nearby Stonebridge Park station which serves the London Underground, London Overground and National Rail.

One resident said: "The train station nearby is small and already struggles during peak hours for the existing number of residents in the area. Ditto for bus stops and buses that serve the area - the number of new residents being proposed is absurd for such an area."

If the plans are approved, the developer has pledged to provide £1.02m towards station improvements at Stonebridge Park and bus service enhancements. This will be essential as the proposal is ‘car free’, with the exception of blue badge parking, meaning more strain will be put on local public transport. Cycle parking and a new cycle lane has been proposed along the southern boundary.

A total of 116 affordable units, on a 70:30 split of London Affordable Rent to London Shared Ownership, would be provided. Officers suggest evidence shows this is the "maximum amount of affordable housing that can be viably provided on site", and would, therefore, be policy compliant. The plan has been recommended for approval by planning officers but it will come before Brent Council's planning committee next week (October 24) for a final decision.

Don't miss out on the biggest stories from across the city. Sign up to MyLondon's The 12 HERE for the 12 biggest stories each day.

Adblock test (Why?)

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

A 26-storey South London student tower has been approved despite a councillor’s fears that bedrooms like “rabbit hutches” are damaging young people’s mental health. The building in Deptford was waved through by a Lewisham Council planning committee on October 12 after a three and a half hour meeting.

The site on Surrey Canal Road is currently home to scrap metal dealer Southwark Metals Ltd, which is relocating to Thamesmead. Under the plans the existing buildings on the site will be demolished and replaced with a 484-room student block, 42 flats, shops and studio space.

During the meeting, Councillor James-J Walsh, a member of the planning committee, said he had concerns about the amount of space for students to hang out in the building. Cllr Walsh, Labour member for Rushey Green, told the council’s planning team: "There's a massive mental health crisis amongst young people. Them being kept in rabbit hutches as their bedroom and study space is exacerbating that problem.

READ MORE: Cash ticket machines at major London Underground station to be closed for 2 years

"There needs to be a good level of communal space for them to interact with each other, develop relationships and connect with one another. And I haven’t been assured that’s the case in this scheme yet."

David Robinson, the council’s major and strategic project manager, said there would be communal space on the 25th floor of the building, as well as a roof terrace for students. He added that there was also a place in the basement for students to do their laundry.

Cllr Walsh also raised concerns about the lack of measures to deal with traffic from students arriving at the start of the university term and the end of the academic year in the design. He added: "I'm worried about getting 500 families driving their son or daughter down from a shire, which you can’t cycle from, you can’t walk, with all their worldly belongings in the back of a car. That’s not coming on a train and it’s not coming on the back of a bike. What I’m really worried about is we’re going to have queuing for miles down our very small roads in this area for the weekend and it’s going to be chaos at the site."

A representative for the applicant, Fosfel Apollo Limited, said he believed not all students would be arriving by car, with some expected to take the bus. He added that students would be moved into the building over several weekends, rather than just a single one.

Of the 484 planned student rooms, 81 (17 per cent) will be available at affordable rents. All of the 42 residential flats are classified as affordable, with 70 per cent of them at the cheapest social rents. A planning committee made up of five Labour councillors approved the plans with amendments unanimously.

Got a story? Email robert.firth@reachplc.com.

Don't miss out on the biggest local stories. Sign up to our MySouthLondon newsletter HERE for all the latest daily news and more.

Adblock test (Why?)

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

A woman was filmed shouting at pro-Palestine protesters holding a Palestinian flag. In the shocking video filmed at Bakerloo Station yesterday (October 15) the woman repeatedly shouts ‘terrorist, this is a terrorist flag’ at the man holding a Palestine flag, before yelling ‘Pakistan’.

She was corrected by other travellers who told her that Pakistan’s and Palestine’s flags are completely different. The Palestine flag is of vertical black, white and green stripes, with a red chevron on the left, while Pakistan’s flag is dark green white a white crescent moon and star on it.

The woman also appears to hit the man with her bag but then accuses one of the men of "touching" her, which is contested by the person filming the incident. The video came on the same day that thousands of pro-Palestine protesters took to the streets of London, beginning at the BBC's Marylebone headquarters, before making their way down Whitehall to the gates of Downing Street.

READ MORE: London man living in Israel facetimed daughter as Hamas murdered his wife, her son and grandchildren

CONTENT WARNING: RACIST ABUSE

Seven arrests were made with over 1,000 officers deployed. The protest was in light of the ‘dire’ situation in Gaza which risks being 'pushed into abyss', despite Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the ‘targeted’ airstrikes being ‘only the beginning’.

There has been shocking violence in the Middle East over the last week after Hamas raided Israel and Israeli homes, killing 1,300 and wounding 3,000. Israel’s response killed 1,900 Palestinians, and injured over 7,700.

As Israel prepares itself for a ground offensive, it has told 1.1million Gazans to evacuate to the south. The BBC reports that the evacuation would require 18,334 60-seater coaches.

There are three exits out of Gaza, the Erez crossing in the north, the Kerem Shalom goods crossing in the south-east, and the Rafah crossing to Egypt, in the south.

Got a story? Please get in touch at rafi.benady@reachplc.com

Don't miss out on the biggest stories from across the city. Sign up to MyLondon's The 12 HERE for the 12 biggest stories each day.

Adblock test (Why?)

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

It can be impossible picking somewhere to eat from the wealth of incredible options London has to offer. With thousands of delicious choices scattered all over the city, reviews and ratings are a handy tool to narrow things down.

We're a nation of curry lovers, and just recently it was National Curry Week (October 2 to 8). We don't need an excuse to try all the different regional cuisines that make up London's Indian restaurant scene, and Saturdays are the perfect time for a treat.

We've compiled a list of the best- rated Indian restaurants in the capital, so you can try them out and vote for your favourite. Maybe somewhere on the list is already your local! We've included an option to add in your favourite Indian restaurant if you aren't familiar with any on the list, so shout out what you think the best curry in London is.

Read more:

The beautiful walk named London’s prettiest in a completely unexpected part of the city

The best restaurants in the UK have been announced and only 2 are in London

Making the top 10 are places including Bombay Bicycle chef in Balham, and The Famous Curry Bazaar on Brick Lane. You can take part in the poll below.

Adblock test (Why?)

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

Women going through the menopause are raving about menopause patches that have 'drastically reduced hot flushes and anxiety'. Menopause has wide-reaching affects on your body, typically (but not always) starting with a disruption to periods and then manifesting into hot flushes, mental health problems, and sleep disruption.

While it's advised to speak to a GP or nurse if you are experiencing symptoms of menopause or perimenopause, natural remedies can help ease symptoms when you really need it. One such product is Kloris' menopause patches, which are currently on sale for £30 down to £35.

The discreet patches can be worn daily and slowly release the ingredients to ease the symptoms. They can be used alongside hormone replacement therapy (HRT) - a common medical treatment for menopausal women, but is also used for trans people who can experience similar symptoms.

READ MORE: Portable dehumidifier now £35 that makes a 'significant difference' and costs less than 1p to run

Each pack comes with 30 patches (so a month's worth of treatment) and contain several ingredients to help with symptoms: gotu kola, damiana, black cohosh, valerian, blue skullcap, common oat and ginger.

Gotu kola is a traditional treatment for the menopause, helping with hot flushes, anxiety and joint pain. Black cohosh is also used for the hot flushes, while common oat, blue skullcap, and valerian are all used to help with anxiety.

On their website, Kloris' patches have received a 4.48 out of 113 reviews. One person wrote: "Wasn't sure if these would work. Feel like I might be having peri-meno symptoms and have had on/off disturbed sleep, anxiety, irregular periods, up and down moods etc. and thought I'd give these a go. So pleased I did. I feel so much better in myself and I think/hope these are doing the trick and working so I'll be ordering more." Another added: "These patches have really helped me with my sleeping, hot sweats and general mood."

On Amazon - where it has received a 4 star rating from just 10 reviews - one person said: "After 2 days and 2 patches I slept peacefully through the night and the hot flushes were drastically reduced I was shocked. I have been taking these now for nearly 3 weeks and I feel human again. My hot flushes are one day I am sleeping so well and moods have lifted . I reccomend these to anyone who is suffering please try and see for yourself, I will not be without these now and really good to know all herbal goodness and no chemicals."

These did not work for everyone, with one person saying: "Not easy to get of paper but for me this was just a waste of my money as did nothing for me." Another added: "These did absolutely nothing to help with menopause symptoms. If anything the hot flushes and sleepless nights got worse."

Whilst I personally haven't tried the menopause patches (cis man so no menopause), I did try their CBD balm (£45, down from £62) to on my restless legs to help me get to sleep.

I wrote in my review: "It uses CBD from the marijuana plant, which is the chemical that makes you calm rather than the chemical that makes you trip balls (THC, which it does not include, making it 100% legal). All the other ingredients are natural, being composed of shea butter, coconut oil, mango butter, as well as a few more...

"This balm is a lifesaver for me. I go to the gym, walk everywhere, do stretches, yet this has been the most effective at eliminating those pesky aches. I cannot recommend this CBD balm more if you have any sort of muscle aches or pains. My next experiment will be the next time I injure myself at the gym. Hopefully that's not for the next million years, but it will be interesting to see if it's just as effective at those acute aches. Stay tuned."

Meanwhile, my best friend uses the CBD Oil Drops (£64) to get help with her anxiety and sleep - and says it 'really helps'. For alternatives to Kloris, you can speak to your GP about HRT patches. You can also speak to specialists through Boots.

You can check out all of Kloris' products on their website. They are also available on Amazon.

Adblock test (Why?)

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)