A 39-year-old man has been charged with running a scam pretending to be an Italian fashion designer to lure in students and steal their cash. Police arrested him last Sunday (March 3) and are now looking for possible victims of his crimes to help convict him.
The man would target students and often strike up a conversation by asking for directions to an airport. He would then thank the students and offer them clothing that he had ‘designed’.
After gaining their trust, he would ask for money, sometimes claiming he had been the victim of a robbery, and promising to pay them back when he returned to Italy. However, no victim was ever paid back once the cash was handed over.
The man will appear at Wood Green Crown Court (Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)
Detective Inspector James Allsopp from Central North Command Unit which covers Islington and Camden where some of the students were targeted said: “We are appealing to members of the public, in particular university students who may have been targeted in similar circumstances. The offences took place between Tuesday, February 6 and Saturday, March 2 - if you think you may have met this man and been defrauded, please come forward to police by calling 101 and quoting CAD3410/04MAR24.”
The man was charged with five counts of fraud by false representation and one count of robbery – he has been remanded in custody to next appear at Wood Green Crown Court on Monday, 8 April.
Many elaborate scams are run in the city. Recently, Rob Mobile became a victim of one of them when his phone was stolen in Stockwell. The scammer said he had dropped it and asked him to punch in the code to prove it was his which Rob did and pocketed it, thinking nothing of it.
He then checked for his phone again to find it had disappeared again. The scammer was nowhere to be seen and it had been an elaborate ruse to get his passcode from him. Rob ended up having thousands of pounds stolen from his bank account on the phone.
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Croydon Council has approved a 4.99 per cent council tax increase as part of its budget for the upcoming financial year. This increase, approved at a meeting on Wednesday (March 6), means council tax is at its highest-ever level for the borough. Ahead of voting on the budget Croydon Mayor Jason Perry also announced the council had secured a £53.8 million grant to redevelop the notorious Regina Road flats in South Norwood.
Despite council-wide concerns around the viability of council tax, the Conservative Council thought it essential to include it to provide a balanced budget. It also forms part of the council’s plan to address the £1.4 billion of debt currently hanging over it. In his speech to the chamber, Mayor Jason Perry said: “Shockingly, we spend £62 million, equivalent to 11 pence in every pound servicing the £1.4 billion debt which was run up by the previous administration. It was their mismanagement, poor investments and overspends, which make it our third largest expenditure.”
The budget also proposed £141 million to support vulnerable adults, while £98 million will go to supporting children, young people and their education. These two represent the council’s largest and second-largest expenditures respectively.
Protestors gathered outside the budget meeting at the town hall for two weeks in a row (Image: David White)
The budget, which must be balanced every year by law, was due to be approved the previous Wednesday. However, the rejection of amendments made by the Labour and Green groups meant councillors had to return a week later to set a budget.
The Labour group, who abstained from the latest vote, criticised the Mayor’s budget as being ‘unfair’ to Croydon residents. Speaking to the local democracy reporting service (LDRS), Labour’s leader of the opposition, Stuart King said: "Croydon’s Conservative Mayor is once again raising council tax by the maximum amount.
“On his watch council tax in Croydon is now at its highest level ever as he looks to force through what will amount to a 20 per cent increase in council tax in his two years as Mayor. All of this on top of £60 million of cuts to services – from library closures to millions less in hardship payments to families hit by his own Government’s cost of living crisis. Thanks to Croydon Conservatives residents are paying more but getting less."
Outside on the steps of the town hall, protestors returned to express their dissatisfaction with the council tax increases and general governance of the borough. David White, a TUC member who led the pre-budget protest last week, told the LDRS of his concerns regarding the Council’s budget.
Protestors gathered outside Croydon town hall last night in opposition to the council tax rises and service cuts (Image: Harrison Galliven/LDRS)
He said: “The budget means that once again Croydon residents are paying more and getting less. Council tax will rise by a further 5 per cent, following a 15 per cent rise last year. Council services and jobs will be further cut. Any of the Council’s landholdings and other assets which can be sold will be sold, probably at bargain prices.
“Despite all this Croydon will not in the longer term be able to balance its books. This is because of the large amount of interest it has to pay on its borrowings. 20p of every £1 that residents pay in council tax already goes into interest payments.
“The only answer is for the Government to fund Croydon more fairly and pay off a large proportion of Croydon’s accumulated debt. Mayor Perry says he has been trying to get a government agreement for a debt write-off.
“But for two years he has failed to do this. I don’t believe his heart is in it. Fundamentally he supports the Tory Government’s mission to drive down the public sector.
“Croydon TUC is disgusted by Croydon’s Tories who have brought in this budget and by Labour’s acquiescence in it. There is a huge disconnect between the views of most of Croydon’s councillors and what the public want.”
Jeavon Leopold owns his home next to area that could be demolished - he is not sure how surrounding homes will be impacted (Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon)
Before voting on the budget, Mayor Perry announced that the council had secured a £53.8 million grant for the Regina Road redevelopment. This grant from the Mayor of London will allow for the demolition and eventual rebuild of the controversial high-rise flats.
The flats gained national attention in 2021, following a highly publicised report into the squalid conditions residents were living in. Rampant damp and mould as well as negligent repairs from Croydon’s former repairs contractor Axis were just some of the complaints made by residents.
In 2022, council reports stated the buildings were ‘no longer fit for purpose’ and confirmation of its intention to eventually demolish the building came last October. The Council have already begun rehoming residents, with demolition work expected to begin in 2025.
The Newham police station has been badly damaged and officers are scattered without their equipment but the Met says patrols and normal operations in East London will continue
New photos of a fire at an East London police station show a raging inferno ripping through the building as it's revealed the many officers may have lost personal possessions. The fire started at around 4.15pm on Wednesday (March 6) and has destroyed the mansard roof of Forest Gate Police Station in Newham.
Hundreds of Met Police officers and staff have been working through the night to ensure a normal policing service continues whilst dealing with the impact of the blaze, the cause of which is still under investigation. London Fire Brigade, Newham Council and other partners have been working with police.
Romford Road remains closed on Thursday morning (March 7) and is likely to stay shut until the afternoon due to the complexity of the fire and aftermath. A Met spokesperson said the force "continues to provide a full police service to our communities with a combination of local units and support from London-wide teams".
Officers based at Forest Gate have been severely affected with many unable to access their police equipment and personal possessions, and it's unclear what has been destroyed in the fire. Replacement equipment is being sourced from alternative stores, other buildings are being used as patrol bases and teams from neighbouring areas are being redeployed.
Commander Kyle Gordon, who is overseeing the recovery operation, said:"We know Newham residents may be concerned but I want to reassure them our local teams continue to provide a full service to keep them safe. This was a difficult night for Met officers and staff, many of whom have lost their workplace and face uncertainty about their possessions but thankfully no-one based at Forest Gate Police Station was hurt. This shows just how well the Met family and partners can support each other during a really challenging time and I would like to say thank you to everyone involved."
See below for a selection of photos showing how fierce the fire was at its height.
A 24-year-old woman has been convicted on murder after killing her friend in her own home.
Deka Omar was found guilty of murdering Susan Ioannou yesterday (Tuesday, March 5), and will be sentenced next month.
Police were first called to Susan's Edmonton home in February 2022, where paramedics pronounced Susan dead. Her cause of death was found to be traumatic head and chest injuries, with compression of the neck.
Police were able to track Omar using CCTV that showed her movements to Susan's address the night before her body was found. They were also able to gather evidence of Omar speaking with people after the attack, saying that 'something may have happened' to Susan and someone should head round to check on her.
Police were able to track Omar's movements using CCTV
She was arrested the day after the attack.
Omar had befriended Susan, and had visited her at home several times before. Police found that she had preyed on Susan's good heart to fund a drug habit.
It's still unclear why exactly Omar attacked her, but the attack was incredibly violent, involving strangulation, stamping on her and a blows to the face. Omar had also made off with Susan's phone after the attack.
DI Jim Barry said: “Susan was kind and generous, supporting those around her, even though she had little. One of those she helped was Omar, who wanted more and violently killed Susan whilst she was in her place of safety, her home.”
He later added: "I would like to thank Susan’s friends who helped throughout the investigation ensuring that she finally had justice. This verdict will bring some comfort to those who knew Susan, including her family, and I hope, reassure the public at large.
“Murder is not a common crime, but the effects on loved ones when a life is taken by violence is devastating. We will continue to work hard to get justice for the victims and their families and to make our city a safer place.”
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The fake tan is customisable, and you can achieve different depths of tan by waiting anywhere between one to three hours for it to develop. The streak-free and non sticky tanner dries quickly and comes with St Tropez's signature scent.
The mousse applies with a tanning mitt, and St Tropez have their own. It's £4.50 on Amazon, and has 4.5 stars from 8,356 reviews.
The tanner itself has 4.7 stars at Superdrug and 4.6 stars at Boots. On Amazon, it holds a 4.5-star rating from 12,825 reviews. One person said "Love this product. Great colour and super confident. I leave mine on for 1.5 hours and it gives a beautiful holiday glow."
You can customise the tan by leaving it on for longer (Image: St Tropez)
Another wrote "Believe me, I have tried more than my fair share of self tanners, but I have finally found my perfect match and I pray they never discontinue it! This is ideal for me, I can put it on and leave it for one, two, or three hours depending on how deep I want the tan to be, then wash it off (just water, no soap) and the colour continues to develop after that.
"It is a lovely warm tan rather than orangey, is not patch in the slightest and wears off like a dream. It lasts me a good week and then wears off evenly, so I don't get the tiger loaf effect! I use a tan removing mitt to clear the remainder off my skin before doing my next weeks worth, it's now my Sunday routine!"
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"One of the best fake tans," a third gushed. " The colour develops as a gorgeous natural glow which is neither green or orange like other tans tend to appear. It’s fast drying and has a pleasant smell to it, really easy to apply with a mitt is also fades evenly and naturally as long as you moisturise daily."
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Of the negative reviews, one person said "The smell from this is intoxicating, and not in a good way at all. Smells like very cheap lotion. It does stay on though and doesn’t run off on clothes or sheets."
Is the dust in your home making you feel poorly? The chances are it might be.
Keeping your house completely free from dust might seem like a never-ending, boring job. But could those dusty surfaces and skirting boards be making you sick?
Just like pollen, dust is a common substance that can cause allergies, and those dust bunnies hiding in forgotten corners of our homes could be secretly causing us health problems. So, if you're wondering whether it's time for a good spring clean, your lungs and eyes could thank you for it.
When it comes to 'hidden' dust, Nicola Alexander-Cross, an optometrist and co-founder of eyecare brand, Peep Club, says tricky areas include "the kitchen or bath/shower since it's where we spend a lot of our time and because of the added humidity. And after that, the bedroom especially if sheets aren't washed regularly enough," she adds.
Emma Rubach, head of health advice at the charity Asthma + Lung UK, says dust can be really difficult to tackle in the home. She said: "There's dust everywhere. Dust is usually the product of shedding skin from humans and pets, as well as dust found in soft furnishing, and even if you cleaned all the time, it would be really hard to get rid of it. This can become more a problem at certain times of the year, as first turning on your heating in October will trigger dust mites to mate, meaning there will be more in the house to cause an allergic reaction."
Some parts of your home might not get cleaned as much, like kids' toys or things you only use once a year, like Christmas decorations. Remember this if dust makes you sneeze or have other problems.
It's pretty common to be allergic to dust, and it can make you sneeze, have a runny nose, watery eyes, and sometimes an itchy feeling. Dust might also make asthma worse.
If you already have trouble with your lungs or asthma, too much dust at home could make it worse. You might cough more, find it hard to breathe, and have more of the usual asthma troubles.
Ms Rubach said: "It's actually really important if you know that you've got a dust allergy and that dust is triggering your lung health symptoms, to make sure you're regularly taking your prescribed medicine, because it's very hard to avoid dust unfortunately. Make sure you're ventilating your home, make sure you're cleaning but it's very difficult to get your home clear of dust so it's really, really important to make sure you're taking your medicines as prescribed. If you have asthma, it's really important to make sure that you've got a blue reliever inhaler, which will help you if your symptoms do flare up."
Your eyes can get irritated by too much dust
Dust particles can often get trapped in eyelashes and may cause irritation to the eye until they're cleaned off. If you notice your eyes are red, itchy or watering after you've swept the house or vacuumed, then it could well be that you have a dust allergy or particularly sensitive eyes. When this happens, it's important not to rub your eyes which can cause micro scratches to your cornea and will make the symptoms worse."
If this happens, apply a cool compress or take a cool shower, as heat can cause the blood vessels to dilate, which may make the irritation worse. Other tips include ventilating the house as much as possible by opening windows to let in fresh air, and also cleansing your eyes to remove the dust particles from your eyelashes. If symptoms continue or are getting worse, see your doctor for advice.
The Northern Line has been part suspended this morning (Sunday March 3) as emergency services are attending to a casualty on the track. There is no service between two major Tube stations.
In an update, TfL wrote: "Northern Line: No service between Battersea Power Station and Camden Town via Charing Cross northbound only while emergency services deal with a casualty on the track. GOOD SERVICE on the rest of the line. London Buses and Southeastern are accepting tickets."
This is a breaking news story, more to follow.
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