Woolwich Crown Court Sentencing Results

James Kang, 30, from Northfleet, pretended to be a teenage boy to befriend multiple girls as young as 13 in chat rooms between 2018 and 2021. He gained their trust and coaxed or bullied them into performing indecent acts while he watched. Police seized his devices on 26 May 2020, finding 12,475 indecent images of children (2,141 most serious category, many under 10). Charged with causing or inciting a girl aged 13-15 to commit a sexual act, making or attempting to possess an indecent image of a child, and encouraging or assisting offences under the Serious Crime Act 2007.

Hamza Alam, 22, from Chadwell Heath in Romford, used social media platforms such as TikTok to encourage terrorism by posting videos that included hostile references to Jewish people and encouraged viewers to attack and kill Jews following the Gaza and Israel conflict. Another post celebrated the 9/11 attacks. One of his public TikTok accounts had 126 videos that amassed 31,000 likes. He also created a shareable folder with Islamic State propaganda and videos containing images of public floggings. He disguised himself in videos and superimposed his face onto Islamic State fighters. He was arrested on 29 June 2022 following an investigation into a Telegram discussion group where he was a main contributor. His phones were seized, revealing warnings from TikTok moderators about breaches of community guidelines.

On the evening of 8 February 2024, Alex Moore, 47, from Vigo, threatened and attacked a former partner and a child using physical force and a knife. He was charged with possession of a bladed article in a public place, threats to kill, intentional strangulation, assault of an emergency worker, drink driving, dangerous driving, failing to stop, and destroying property with intent to endanger life. After police arrived, he fled in his vehicle, clipped a police car, then reversed and rammed it on Lower Rainham Road, deploying airbags, filling the cabin with smoke, writing off the vehicle, and causing minor injuries to an officer.

Martin Asolo-Agogua, a 23-year-old bus driver, attended his shift on August 3, 2023, after staying up all night at a party and smoking cannabis. He was seen yawning and nodding off while driving a double-decker bus in Bexleyheath, which swerved erratically onto the pavement on Watling Street, striking and killing the nine-year-old victim, who was cycling with her five-year-old brother and father. The incident occurred as she was heading to her gymnastics class. Asolo-Agogua had obtained his driving licence in January 2023 and was employed by Arriva by January 2024, during which time there were multiple complaints about his driving, including a brief suspension that was later lifted.

Ben Worden, from Welling, sent sexual messages and videos to decoy accounts posing as 13 and 14-year-old girls on Facebook in late 2023. He encouraged one to masturbate, expressed a desire to have sex with her, and requested explicit photos. The messages were reported to the police, leading to his arrest and guilty plea.

Gareth Waite, a 47-year-old man from the Cardigan area of Ceredigion, was sentenced following a thorough investigation led by Counter Terrorism Policing Wales. He was found guilty of multiple terrorism-related offences involving dissemination of terrorist publications and possession of useful materials, as well as prior guilty plea to supporting the proscribed organisation National Action.

Anjem Choudary, a radical preacher from Ilford, was involved in directing the terrorist organisation Al-Muhajiroun (ALM). He took on the role of 'caretaker emir' in 2014 and continued to influence and radicalise a new generation of extremists through online lectures on encrypted platforms. He encouraged and assisted numerous individuals to join and fight for Daesh (also known as ISIL or ISIS). Choudary was arrested at his home on July 17, 2023, following investigations by the Metropolitan Police, MI5, and international partners in New York and Canada. The crimes spanned several years and involved covert recordings of his activities.

Cavan Hanna, along with his brother Jamie, ran a £3.5 million cocaine empire from Dartford, orchestrating the distribution of cocaine across the UK using encrypted phones and laundering over £1 million in cash. They were central figures in one of the biggest drug networks in the region.

Jamie Hanna, along with his brother Cavan, ran a £3.5 million cocaine empire from Dartford, orchestrating the distribution of cocaine across the UK using encrypted phones and laundering over £1 million in cash. They were central figures in one of the biggest drug networks in the region.

Daniel Boakye, a drill rapper who performs under the name Dsavv, escaped from custody twice in the space of a week before fleeing to France. He first escaped on February 9 after being taken from HMP Feltham to West Middlesex University Hospital, where he slipped free from an escort handcuff and ran from the hospital. He was found two days later in Thamesmead. He escaped again on February 15 at Lewisham Hospital, fleeing from a wheelchair while being returned from an X-ray. He was arrested in La Bouëxière, Brittany, France, on March 3 after an Interpol Red Notice was issued.

Danny Mackney, from Sidcup, Greater London, groomed his young victim before bombarding them with sexually explicit messages and images, demanding they send some in return. Subjected his victim to countless instances of sexual abuse between 2018 and 2020. Arrested in November 2020.

Glyn Walters, 60, from North London, was linked to a roofing scam between March and September 2021 that fleeced homeowners in Bexley, Greenwich, Sutton and Croydon of almost £245,000. Victims paid for roof repairs that were either never done or shoddily completed. Walters lent his name to fake roofing businesses and had bank accounts set up under his identity to receive fraudulent payments.

Fatema Rajwani took part in the raid on the Elbit Systems factory near Bristol in August 2024, which resulted in £1.2 million of damage. The raid was livestreamed and shared on social media. Rajwani was convicted of criminal damage following a retrial.

Foo Khong Heow, 49, from Lewisham, abused three children in his and Chan’s care. On 1 September 2017, police discovered a three-year-old girl with extensive bruising. CCTV footage showed Heow beating the two younger children with a stick and forcing his feet into the three-year-old’s mouth. The abuse was captured over 170 hours, revealing almost daily violence. He pleaded guilty to cruelty against the children.

Freddie Bell, from Patterdale Road, Dartford, hid a self-loading pistol and ten bullets inside a drawstring sports bag. He locked the bag in a locker in the men’s changing room at a gym on Darenth Road. Gym staff cut the padlock after he broke the no-overnight locker policy and found the weapon. On 1 November 2019, Bell came to the gym asking about his missing property, described the bag accurately, and was later arrested on 18 November. He pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court.

On 20 May 2020, Billy Hibberd confronted a group of young people on North Cray Road in Erith, having earlier challenged them in a park over comments he believed were about his relative. A 19-year-old woman asked him to leave them alone. He punched her in the face, knocking her unconscious and causing a broken collarbone and cracked skull. Police released CCTV images, leading to his arrest and conviction.

Chao Xu targeted women, many of them students or acquaintances, by inviting them to his home or workplace under the guise of social or professional events. He prepared a cocktail called 'The Spirit of Life' containing alcohol, Chinese herbal substances and stupefying drugs such as GHB and Scopolamine. Once incapacitated, victims were filmed and sexually assaulted. Hidden cameras were discovered inside everyday household objects including air fresheners and packets of sanitary pads, and officers uncovered hundreds of covert recordings, including upskirting on the London Underground. The offending spanned approximately three years.

Charlotte Head drove a prison van into the compound of the Elbit Systems factory near Bristol in August 2024 during a planned raid by Palestine Action activists. The group caused £1.2 million worth of damage. The raid was livestreamed and posted on social media. Head was convicted of criminal damage.

Carla Russ drove her Mercedes at over 100mph on the A2 near Darenth at dawn on 17 February 2018, struck a motorcyclist, and dragged him nearly 200 metres. The victim suffered horrific life-altering injuries, was hospitalised for three months, and has undergone numerous surgeries with ongoing difficulties returning to work. Russ fled the scene and was tracked down by police 36 hours later but refused to answer questions.

Brennan Mongan drove at speed on Harrow Manorway in Abbey Wood on March 8, striking a woman in her 20s and sending her across the street before driving off. The incident was captured in widely shared footage. The victim was taken to hospital; her injuries were not deemed life-threatening or life-changing. Mongan was arrested in Scotland two weeks later.

Ahmed Alsyed, 20, from west London, was part of an ISIS-inspired plot with his brother Yousif to travel to Syria and join Daesh as fighters. He communicated on Telegram under the alias 'Abu Ibrahim', carried out physical training at a paintballing camp and gym, and shared violent extremist videos. Police stopped the pair at Heathrow Airport on 10 August 2016 and seized phones containing terrorist propaganda and travel plans. He was later charged with collecting information, preparing terrorist acts, and spreading extremist material.

On a night in February 2018, Adam Fisher drove at nearly double the 40mph speed limit down Gore Road in Dartford, having consumed alcohol over the legal limit. He swerved into the wrong lane, narrowly missing one oncoming car, then collided head-on with a vehicle driven by a man in his 40s. The victim's car was forced into a ditch; he suffered life-changing injuries and drifted in and out of consciousness. Both vehicles and the road were in good condition, ruling out any other cause.

Leona Kamio participated in the raid on the Elbit Systems factory near Bristol in August 2024, which caused £1.2 million in criminal damage. The raid was livestreamed and posted online. Kamio was convicted of criminal damage following a retrial.

RSPCA officers and police found four emaciated dogs and two dead puppies at his Bexleyheath home in February 2024. A vet confirmed the animals had suffered neglect for at least three weeks. While on bail he was found with more dogs, breaching his ban.