Ex-Teacher Paul Clifton Groomed and Abused Pupils Over 11 Years
Paul Clifton, 55, a former English teacher from Sidcup, preyed on vulnerable schoolgirls more than a decade apart. He sexually abused a 16-year-old in South East London in 2006, then targeted a 15-year-old in Surrey in 2017. Clifton used gifts and special attention to groom the girls before coercing them into long-term sexual abuse. One victim said:
“The age I was when this happened is such a pivotal age… The defendant robbed that from me.”
Another added:
“Paul Clifton made me feel stupid and unworthy… I had a panic attack when he messaged me years later claiming what we had was real.”
Clifton admitted nine child sex offences and was locked up for five years.
Speeding Biker Daniel Redpath Kills Elderly Pedestrian
Daniel Redpath, 25, of Orpington, was racing his classic Aprilia RX 125 at 64mph on a 40mph road when he struck 86-year-old Kunwar Singh on a pedestrian crossing in Keston last April. Mr Singh died instantly. Redpath was riding without L plates and only held a provisional licence. He was jailed for 21 months and banned from driving for three years. The judge condemned his “clear disregard for the rules of the road” and described the victim’s impact as “heart-rending.”
Lewis Benjamin & Jamal Ali-Richards Jailed for Manslaughter of Missing Man
Lewis Benjamin and Jamal Ali-Richards were jailed over the death of Justin Henry, 34, last seen alive at a McDonald’s drive-thru. His bloodied body was found dumped in a car boot just two hours later. Police found Benjamin’s flat stripped and soaked in blood. Benjamin was sentenced to 20 years, Ali-Richards to eight and a half years behind bars.
Osama Alkhair Faces Deportation After Attempted Rape Conviction
Osama Alkhair, 37, tried to rape a passed-out woman in Croydon in December. Caught in the act and convicted of attempted rape, he was sentenced to seven years and four months. Due to his asylum seeker status, Alkhair will serve two-thirds of his sentence before automatic deportation.
Judge: “You took advantage of a woman who was clearly incapable of consenting.”
Mark Weatherley Jailed for Brutally Attacking Female Police Officers
Sidcup man Mark Weatherley, 43, left two female officers unconscious with serious facial injuries after a savage, unprovoked assault during his arrest in June. He punched, kicked, and verbally abused the officers before being restrained. Weatherley showed zero remorse, saying the officers “deserved it” and he’d do it again. He was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Voyeur Finlay Riley Caught Filming Woman at Wimbledon Station
Finlay Riley, 22, was busted trying to secretly film a woman in toilets at Wimbledon station last May. Spotted lurking for 45 minutes, Riley fled when confronted but was later arrested. He pleaded guilty and received a six-week jail sentence.
Salah Ahmed Jailed for Life Over Fatal Stabbing
Balham resident Salah Ahmed, 22, stabbed neighbour Issa Ali Musa Abdularaman-Baracat, 18, to death during a dispute over a phone. Ahmed even filmed the attack. Issa’s family described him as “generous” and “full of ambition,” devastated by his senseless murder.
South London Duo Caught Using Drones to Smuggle Drugs and Weapons into Prisons
Bradley Scott and Jevonte White, both from Thornton Heath, were caught flying drones loaded with drugs, weapons, and phones into 17 prisons across the UK. Scott was locked up for six years, while White received a suspended sentence. Police warned this smuggling poses serious risks to inmates and staff.
Photographer Errol McCardo Weir Jailed for £2.4m Cocaine Smuggling
Errol McCardo Weir, 49, from Forest Hill, helped smuggle 30kg of cocaine hidden in a small plane that landed in Epping. Weir pleaded guilty and got seven years. The pilot, Anastasios Balian, was sentenced to nine years.
Lewisham Drug Dealer Shevane Collins Sent Down for County Lines
Shevane Collins, 32, ran a county line trafficking crack cocaine and heroin from London to Eastbourne’s Hampden Park. Arrested twice with drugs and £3,000 cash seized, Collins was sentenced to five years behind bars.
Serial Shoplifter Wesley Maughan Jailed for Stealing £34,000 of Stock
Wesley Maughan, 25, targeted Boots stores across Surrey and London, stealing over £34,000 worth of goods. Caught trying to flee the country on a false identity, he pled guilty to 13 theft charges and was jailed for 22 months.
