Croydon Crown Court Sentencing Results

Chanelle Poku fraudulently obtained a senior position with NHS Croydon’s Clinical Commissioning Group by falsely claiming she had a Master’s degree in molecular biology and experience leading a charity. She applied for the role in December 2019, invented qualifications and references, and was put in charge of urgent care programmes. When her performance was challenged, she made false accusations of bullying, assault, and racism, and attempted to obstruct the investigation with a bogus letter from a lawyer. This left an unqualified person in a critical role within the local NHS infrastructure.

Joshua Plunkett befriended young teenage girls online by lying about his age, then sexually and physically assaulted them between 2016 and 2020. He coerced victims into sending nude photos, used strangle holds, broke one victim's finger, bit another leaving a mouth impression, and shared explicit images online as punishment. He exercised control by accessing social media accounts, sending abusive messages, and even assaulted a victim in her bedroom, causing severe injuries in front of her sister. His actions ruined victims' lives, including damaging one's modelling career and self-esteem.

Jamie Rayner, a Metropolitan Police officer, engaged in a pattern of abuse against his partner, Bonnie Hudson, another officer, during their ten-month relationship. He repeatedly pinned her down, throttled her, kicked and punched her, causing bruises and a bloodied lip, and slammed a door into her stomach in incidents occurring in February and March 2021. The abuse included controlling and coercive behaviour, such as threatening to fabricate allegations against her when she reported the incidents.

Patrick Beckley, while suspected to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, burst into the home of Michael Lavery off Reddown Road, Coulsdon, and stabbed him to death in a random attack on October 16, 2020. Michael Lavery suffered head injuries and stab wounds, leading to his death from blunt force trauma and stab wounds. Beckley also attacked another man and an emergency worker, with no known motive or prior connection to the victims.

Nigel Clayton, posing as a doctor and an expert on child development, sexually abused young boys and adults over four decades from 1976 to 2017. He preyed on vulnerable individuals by offering gifts, hiring them for jobs, and promising modelling careers, while taking naked pictures and carrying out assaults in locations such as a car garage office. He used threats, held debts over victims, and resorted to physical force. The abuse occurred around south London, including at a funeral, and involved seven known victims, with one enduring assaults for over 30 years. Clayton was arrested in February 2020 after victims came forward.

Vicente Forde, disguised as an Amazon delivery driver wearing a hi-vis jacket and carrying an empty parcel, arrived at the home of victim Rashid Ben-Mhamedi in East Dulwich on July 13, 2020. He brandished a loaded sawn-off shotgun, charged at the victim, and engaged in a violent struggle on the doorstep. The victim managed to disarm Forde and throw the gun under a car, with assistance from nearby builders to restrain him. Forde had conducted surveillance on the victim's home prior to the incident and later claimed he was sending a message, though he apologised in a letter to the court.

Dean Edmunds committed multiple sex offences against children, including three counts of rape of a girl under 13, four counts of taking indecent images of a child, and intercourse with an animal. The abuse occurred when the victim was between three and seven years old. Investigators seized 11 devices containing 1.5 million files, uncovering 6,700 illegal images. He groomed the victim, making her too terrified to disclose the abuse, and detectives travelled overseas to interview the victim and her family.

Jay Baptiste, 32, from Crystal Palace, was caught breaking into a home in West Wickham on September 14, 2020, with another man after a neighbour alerted the police. Officers PC Alex Gray and PC Matt Lockie arrived and confronted the burglars. Baptiste ignored orders, picked up a shovel, and struck PC Gray multiple times on the head and face, causing serious lacerations that required hospital treatment and resulted in permanent scarring. He attempted to escape but was apprehended by the officers.

On July 3, 2020, police were called to a fast-food restaurant on High Street in Harlesden due to a report of criminal damage. Officers found Samir Fouad injured and screaming in pain in an upstairs flat. While they attempted to assist him and arrange medical help, he acted erratically, tried to jump from a window, and was restrained. During the restraint, he shouted 'corona' and spat at two officers, then racially abused one officer before being arrested.

Tony Cook was under police surveillance for supplying cocaine. On October 8, 2020, he was spotted overlooking an exchange where Dean Osmon was carrying a black bag with four 1kg blocks of cocaine valued between £320,000 and £400,000. His involvement included conspiracy to supply drugs and possession of firearms, leading to his arrest in Greenwich.

Tracey Cook was observed leaving her house with two rucksacks, which she disposed of in a nearby park. The rucksacks contained 447 wraps of cocaine valued at £22,350 and several firearms, including a revolver, a sawn-off shotgun, a loaded Inglis Browning 9mm automatic pistol, along with a large quantity of ammunition. This occurred on October 8, 2020, in Greenwich, as part of a police operation targeting drug and firearm offences.

Kevin Whelan was involved in a drug exchange on October 8, 2020, where he was in a car with Dean Osmon, who had a black bag containing four 1kg blocks of cocaine. Whelan attempted to flee the scene but was detained. A search of his home revealed £19,720 in cash, which was linked to criminal activity, in Medway.

Dean Osmon was arrested on October 8, 2020, after being seen exiting Kevin Whelan's car with a black bag containing four individually wrapped 1kg blocks of cocaine, with an estimated street value of £320,000 to £400,000. This occurred during a police surveillance operation in south London targeting cocaine supply.

Bobby Garande, 27, of Melfort Road, Thornton Heath, exposed himself on a Route 50 bus from Croydon to Norbury on May 27, while staring at women passengers and in the presence of children. He touched himself inappropriately over his trousers before exposing himself, then left the bus at Norbury Railway Station around 4pm. He was identified through CCTV evidence.

Aman Vyas, known as the 'E17 night stalker', prowled the streets of Walthamstow, east London, in the spring of 2009, committing a series of violent rapes. He murdered 35-year-old Michelle Samaraweera by raping and strangling her in a children's playground on May 30, 2009, after she fought back. He also raped three other women aged between 35 and 59 in March and April 2009, and was convicted of grievous bodily harm. Vyas fled to India two days after a Crimewatch appeal and was arrested in 2011, leading to an eight-year extradition process before being returned to the UK in 2019.