Gangland's Jimmy Tippett Jailed For Nicking Young Designer's £50K Diamond Ring

A notorious gangland criminal, who has penned two books and served multiple jail terms, received two-and-a-half years yesterday for scamming a young jewellery designer out of a  £50,000 diamond ring.

The copycat con, almost identical to an audacious jewellery heist carried out by Jimmy Tippett, 46, several years ago triggered the designer’s, mental health collapse.

Tippett - author of ‘Kill or be Killed’ and ‘Born Gangster’ - is the son of late bare-knuckle boxer Jimmy Tippett Snr. aka ‘The Guv’nor of Lewisham’.

Tippett Jnr. was born into a criminal aristocracy and friends of his family included gangland A-listers Ron and Reggie Kray and ‘Mad’ Frankie Fraser.

“You are a practiced and experienced fraudster, who exploits the weaknesses of others for your own selfish rewards,” Blackfriars Crown Court Judge Deva Pillay told him.

“Despite the eloquent mitigation advanced on your behalf I’m afraid the time has come for the public to receive a respite from your actions.”

Now living in Arundel Place, Brighton he pleaded guilty to stealing the diamond ring from 23 year-old designer Tatiana Sieff on March 14, last year during an elaborate con that involved a Hatton Garden jewellers, a trip to the East End and finally a swish Mayfair casino.

He asked the court to defer sentence for six months so he can secure two more book advances, totalling £20,000, and negotiate a film rights payment so he can pay compensation.

However, Judge Pillay announced: “That is not going to happen. It is custody today.”

The judge also wants to ensure Tatiana is paid £10,032 compensation by Tippett - the raw cost of the diamonds she used.

Prosecutor Mr. Shub Banerjee told the court the ring has a Bond Street retail value of £40-50,000, but Tatiana’s mother, Joanne Stoller, had contacted Tippett on facebook to secure a knock-down £14,000 sale.

She knew Tippett’s late father and believed the defendant may have Hatton Garden contacts who would buy the ring.

The young designer had invested £7,632 of her own money into a large emerald-cut diamond, plus £2,400 on ten smaller surrounding diamonds on top of her time and skill designing and manufacturing the ring.

Her mother met Tippett and an unknown accomplice driving a VW in Baker Street and the trio travelled to Hatton Garden - the centre of London’s jewellery trade.

‘They arrived and the defendant got out of the car and went into a nearby jewellers and whilst the defendant was in the jewellers Mrs Stoller remained in the car with the other man.

“The defendant returned to the car in ten minutes and said they needed to go to Bethnal Green Road to get the money and after another ten minutes there he said the money was being couriered to the Palm Beach Casino, Mayfair,” said the prosecutor.

Tippett then made an excuse that he needed to use the lavatory and told Mrs Stoller he would meet her in the May Fair Hotel bar with the money.

“She called him and he said he was signing for the money and twenty minutes later she called him again and he said he was counting the money.

“That was the last time she spoke to him and further calls went to voicemail. She went into the Palm Beach Casino and asked the staff if anybody had been in and Mrs Stoller felt that she had been blocked by the defendant on facebook.”

Tippett was arrested in Brighton on June 9 and taken to Islington Police Station, where he tried to lie his way out of trouble. “He said he had gone into the jewellers to buy a watch.”

In her victim impact statement Tatiana said: “After the theft my mood plummeted, I stopped sleeping, I had terrifying nightmares of other possessions being stolen.”

She was admitted to the private Nightingale psychiatric hospital on May 23, where she remained until August 19 and then received five-day a week out-patient care.

Tatiana was prescribed anti-depressants and was diagnosed with OCD, PTSD, panic disorder, agoraphobia, depression and psychosis.

“This took over my whole existence, I heard voices in my head and had suicidal ideas,” she said. “I feel I’ve lost six months of my life in mental health as a reaction to the crime.”

She stopped seeing family and friends, including her beloved grandmother. “I am not in the right frame of mind.”

Tatiana said she was left with a “£11,500 hole in my pocket” adding: “It was all the funds I had invested into my little business.

“Psychologically I have not been able to work and the agoraphobia prevents me seeing clients.”

The court heard Tippett had a conviction for theft and assault in 1990; received six months for theft in 1993; a suspended sentence for burglary and handling three years later; twelve months for theft in 1997; eight months for theft in 1999; 33 months for affray and GBH in 2005 and 27 months for a similar jewellery scam in 2013.

He has paid the full £30,450 compensation in that case after stealing jewellery from a woman dealer during a meeting at the Bromley Court Hotel in August, 2012.

“The circumstances are remarkably similar,” said Mr. Banerjee. Tippett claimed he was buying expensive pieces on behalf of a Saudi businessman, who wanted to treat his nieces.

“She had with her several hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of jewellery and the defendant asked to take two-hundred thousand pounds worth outside to photograph it in better light and he did not return.”

Tippett’s lawyer Mr. Thomas Quinton told the court: “He has some small celebrity from the book that he’s published in regard to his background.

“He identifies with his father very strongly, they share the same name.

“ His father’s background in boxing and connections with the Kray brothers meant he grew up with a sense of growing up in a gangsters world.

“In his teens and twenties he was definitely embarking on a career as a criminal. The world in which he grew up in had certainly left its mark on him.”

Tippett ended up living in Kingston-upon-Hull under the witness protection programme after giving prosecution evidence at a 2006 murder trial.

His latest publication of those experiences had helped Tippett keep out of crime. “That book (Born Gangster) was published in 2014 and through successful sales of that book he’s been able to develop the prerequisites to develop film rights and two more books.

“He is, to use the vernacular, a complete ‘coke head’. The way he talks, he’s all over the place, his life spirals out of control.

“He got back on cocaine and the trigger for that was the death of his father in 2016, a man who was a celebrity because of his boxing  and had a rather unfortunate connection with the Krays, an identity the defendant has grown up with.

“He is keen to use his own success through his books and he film rights to repay the victim in this case.”

After his client was jailed Mr. Quinton told the court: “The fact he is in prison means he will not be able to bring off the deals and will not be able to pay.

“He finds it impossible to say because he has no assets and has no job. Being in prison is going to make compensation impossible to pay.”

Not Guilty: PC Cleared Of Domestic Assault

Wimbledon Magistrates Court

A policeman, accused of attacking his girlfriend and smashing a window while aggressively trying to get into her home, had the charges dropped yesterday.

PC Damian Carlin, 41, of Allum Court, Surbiton, Kingston-upon-Thames appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court, where the CPS offered no evidence.

The officer, attached to Westminster, was off-duty at the time of the alleged incident at the two-bedroom cottage.

PC Carlin had already pleaded not guilty to assaulting Adrienne Coe at the address on December 1, last year.

He also denied a charge of causing £100 worth of criminal damage to a window and using violence to secure entry to the premises, knowing that was opposed.

Ms Coe responded to a witness summons and attended court for the trial, but insisted she did not want to give evidence.

Kids Publishing Boss Gets Suspended Sentence For Downloading Child Porn

A publishing boss was raided and arrested by police hunting child pornography while responsible for websites including Nursery World and Children & Young People Now.

Stovin Hayter, 59, was head of online content for publishing giants Haymarket Media, having previously been editor of their magazine Children Now.

On Thursday he was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for 2 years and must complete 200 hours community service work.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing child pornography he had downloaded at his home of twenty years that he shares with his husband in High Street, Acton.

Hayter, a graduate of South Africa’s University of KwaZulu-Natal, joined Haymarket in 2001 and also edited the magazine Young People Now before becoming online chief in 2006.

Isleworth Crown Court heard he downloaded 109 of the most serious hardcore movies, plus two stills; another 48 movies and two stills in the medium range and one still at the lowest range.

The material involved young boys, some as young as twelve years-old, and the court made Hayter subject to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and he must sign the sex offender register for the same period.

“His husband describes him as a broken man,” said Mr. Alistair Polson. “For people who know him well for a long period of his life they are shocked and appalled by his behaviour.”

Prosecutor Mr. Bill McGivern said police raided Hayter’s home on November 22, 2016 while he was there with his husband and when asked if he knew anything about underage indecent images he replied: “I do.”

Computers and other electrical devices were seized, with Hayter giving police his passwords to access the disgusting images of child abuse.

“There had been deliberate online searches of images of young or adolescent boys, some as young as twelve years-old,” said Mr. McGivern.

When quizzed by police Hayter told them: “I do not deny these devices belong to me. I am truly sorry for my actions, I don’t dispute these allegations.”

Hayter had been downloading the indecent images from 2003 to a month before his arrest, describing it as an “addiction.”

He sought counselling after his arrest, but due to the extent of his behaviour had to move on to a psychotherapist.

“Although broken he is a man who can be put together again,” said Mr. Polson.

Judge John Denniss told Hayter: “These offences are very serious. It is said one can make their way to the open prison gates with six clicks of a computer mouse.

“The courts must try to halt the industrial abuse of children and their evil exploitation of children as young as twelve, which you watched.

“You were addicted to pornography and have taken every step you can to deal with that addiction and offending,” he added, ordering Hayter to also pay £300 costs.

Suspended Sentence For Secret Camera Live Nation Exec

A Vice President with global concert giants Live Nation, whose sordid double-life was exposed by a Scotland Yard detective who saw him filming up female commuters’ skirts, received a suspended prison sentence on Friday.

The officer, Driss Hayoukane, exposed the seemingly respectable £180,000-a year Andrew MacRae, 43, who had been also filming his female neighbour, a house guest, work colleague and random holidaymakers.

When officers searched his £550,000 matrimonial home they discovered the married dad-of-one eight year-old boy had been secretly filming the neighbour sunbathing while receiving regular intimate waxing.

The house guest was recorded on his motion-detection camera undressing for bed, wearing a “revealing” nightdress and bathrobe.

Inner London Crown Court Judge Jeremy Donne QC told him: “This was undoubtedly a sophisticated, organised, planned and long-running campaign of voyeurism, albeit executed sporadically.”

MacRae was sentenced to twenty months imprisonment, suspended for two years and must participate in a 60-day Sexual Offenders Programme. 

The charity and school coach volunteer he had hoarded approximately 49,000 images and is now receiving sex addiction counselling.

MacRae, of Hartfield, Caynham, Ludlow, Shropshire pleaded guilty to three counts of outraging public decency on July 19, last year, the day of his arrest, and on trains between July 12 and August 21, 2013 and between May 2 and July 4, last year.

He also pleaded guilty to seven counts of voyeurism for the purpose of sexual gratification at his former marital home at in Holmesdale Avenue, Redhill between January 2, 2013 and February 28, last year.

The University of Exeter graduate, who was VP of Finance & Strategic Initiatives, until his sacking was also accused of stealing three items of underwear from a female work colleague, but this charge was dropped.

However, he did admit taking and trying on her underwear and filming himself when she left her gym bag near her desk.

“These offences are rightly considered with revulsion by the public in general and women in particular,” the judge told balding MacRae.

“Women will undoubtedly feel a need to be protected from such behaviour by the knowledge that the courts will deal with offenders severely and men will thereby be deterred from committing such offences.

“On the other hand, you suffer from an illness that can be treated and you have submitted to that treatment.”

Prosecutor Miss Kate Blumgart told the court of his arrest: “On that day a Detective Inspector was on his way to work travelling on Southern Rail from Mersham to Clapham Junction.

“He was off-duty and arrived at Clapham Junction at 7.15am to catch a train to Vauxhall.

“As he was waiting for his train to Vauxhall his attention was drawn to Mr. MacRae standing behind a blonde female in a light summer dress.

 “His laptop bag was placed behind her, near her legs and a gold-topped pen visible at the top of the bag grabbed his attention.

“Mr. MacRae seemed to be changing the angle of the bag and the pen. The female got on the train and Mr. MacRae made his way through an open door and stood next to another female, wearing a red dress.

“He stood very close and again positioned his bag on the floor between the female’s legs, with the pen pointing towards the victim.

“He was holding the straps of the laptop bag and was repositioning it while holding an iPhone in his left hand.”

The officer confronted MacRae while the woman protested the defendant had done nothing. “He said: ‘Yes it is a camera’ and she was visibly shocked.” 

He claimed he bought the pen as a “gadget” and had filmed two female commuters a day for a fortnight for sexual gratification and downloaded the footage when he returned home.

“He said he felt disgusted with himself and felt pressure at home to: ‘Keep up with the Jones’s’” added Miss Blumgart.

Police searched MacRae’s matrimonial home and seized a hard drive from a first-floor office. “There were a large number, thousands of pornographic files.”

Folders had been carefully arranged and included 160 semi-naked shots of unsuspecting women labelled ‘Ibiza 2014.’

In ‘Amazon’ were 50 recordings of his female neighbour, who he had filmed from an upstairs window and through a gap in the garden fence.

“She was wearing a dress siting on the lawn, her knickers are visible and there is another of her receiving an intimate waxing and performing yoga.”

There were 9 recordings he made of trying on her underwear when she trusted him with her house key during a vacation and 21 frolicking semi-naked in her bedroom.

There were recordings of him wearing his work colleague’s underwear, plus a recording of the woman at work and recordings of himself wearing the houseguest’s underwear.

On some occasions MacRae “slowed down” the footage made compilations and used techniques to enhance the quality of the pictures.

He made further multiple train recordings of female commuters’ legs and busts, including one unsuspecting female, who found herself in his ‘Eurostar’ file.

MacRae told police he filmed his neighbour being waxed when spotting the firm’s van parked outside her home, describing that as his “trigger.”

“She feels her privacy has been completely invaded and that she respected and trusted the defendant,” explained Miss Blumgart. “She feels extremely angry at the thought of him taking photographs of her.

“She feels violated, she is in disbelief and shock and feels embarrassment at such an invasion of her privacy.”

The woman MacRae was filming when arrested no longer travels on public transport alone. “She feels the incident was incredibly scary and is violated and embarrassed.”

His lawyer Sarah Elliott said: “His marriage has broken down although his wife does consider reconciliation. He’s lost his employment, it was terminated.

“No doubt it will make lurid headlines and that will bring great shame on him.”

Live Nation sacked MacRae after his arrest and the company say they condemn his behaviour.

The judge even ordered MacRae to pay £102 compensation to his former neighbour to cover the cost of changing her locks.

He was also made subject to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, banning him from owning secret cameras and taking photos on public transport and he must sign the sex offenders register for the same period.

Judge Donne added: “There has been a certain amount of comment in the media in the past year of police being unwilling or unable to pursue allegations of the type in this case, in particular so-called up-skirting.

“As this case clearly demonstrates, a well-trained, diligent police officer is perfectly capable of detecting criminal activity of this kind and dealing with it appropriately.

“Detective Inspector Hayoukane behaved in an exemplary manner and is to be complimented for his actions.”

Sir Samuel Brittan's 'Trusted Friend' Denies Taking £90,000-Plus From The Alzheimer-Sufferer

A ‘trusted friend’ and assistant to veteran business journalist Sir Samuel Brittan, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to taking approximately £90,000 from the Alzheimer-sufferer. 

Michelle Braithwaite, 47, of

Whitstable House, Silchester Road, North Kensington, will return to Inner London Crown Court for a trial on June 11.

Sir Samuel, 83, is the elder brother of the late Sir Leon Brittan, who died in January, 2015 aged seventy-five and was the former Home Secretary to Margaret Thatcher.

He was the first economics correspondent for the Financial Times, where he still writes a column and was the economics editor at The Observer.

Cambridge graduate Sir Samuel is also a member of the Academic Advisory Council of the Global Warming Policy Foundation. 

Today prosecutor Mr. John Cammegh told the court: “Sir Samuel was diagnosed with early signs of Alzheimer’s on December 20, 2016.”

There was a recent doctor’s report. “The GP noted no signs of deterioration and he was still taking medication.” 

Braithwaite pleaded not guilty to one count of fraud by abuse of position between August 1, 2016 and April 30, in that as a trusted friend and helper she withdrew unauthorised sums of money from Sir Samuel’s Coutts & Co. bank account.

She also faces another count of fraud by false representation on dates between September 1, 2016 and March 31, last year, that she had permission to use Sir Samuel’s American Express card.

Braithwaite also denied that on October 17, 2016 she dishonestly made a false representation in a false document that she had third-party authorisation to use Sir Samuel’s American Express card.

Braithwaite also denied stealing money from from Sir Samuel between August 1, 2016 and April 13, last year.

Judge Jeremy Donne QC set a five-day trial, announcing: “The financial transactions are not going to be disputed, it is what lies behind them.

“The case is she took the money and used these cards either with claim of right or permission.”

Sir Samuel may need the assistance of an intermediary if giving evidence via a video link. “That will be inevitable if Sir Samuel gives evidence,” said Mr. Cammegh.

Braithwaite’s lawyer Mr. Dale Beeson said the trial would take longer than usual. “There is a complainant (Sir Samuel) with a vulnerability issue.”

Old Harrovian Entrepreneur Admits Attacking Girlfriend In Bedroom

Split: Justin Beckett & Aubrey Fernandez

An Old Harrovian business consultant smothered his girlfriend until she thought she was going to die, a court heard.

Justin Beckett, 32, an old boy of the £38,000-a year public school will return to Westminster Magistrates Court for sentencing on January 16.

Beckett, the co-founder of JAV Digital Solutions Ltd, pleaded guilty to assaulting eyelash entrepreneur Aubrey Fernandez, causing her actual bodily harm, on December 9, last year at her home at 22 Devonshire Street, Marylebone.

The property doubles as the address for SpecialEyes, Aubrey’s eyelash extension business, for which she charges up to £90.00 per fitting.

She previously studied hospitality and tourism at Harrow International Business School.

He lives at a £1.6m flat at nearby 4 Nottingham Street and is banned from contacting his ex as a condition of bail until his sentencing after probation reports are prepared.

Prosecutor Mr. Jonathan Bryan told the court: “The defendant placed the bedcover over her head and she felt she could not breathe.

“She said: ‘I thought I was going to die,’ and he would not let her out of the flat.

“He grabbed her again and pushed her back and she banged her head against the wall and then pushed her down the stairs.

“It was a sustained serious incident and there are previous unreported incidents she refers to, but there were no reports to the police at the time.”

Beckett is also the founder of Just B Digital and describes himself in his business profile as a “seasoned entrepreneur” advising on software and technology.

Live Nation Accounts Exec Was Obsessed With Secretly Filming Women

A Vice President with global concert giants Live Nation had his sordid double-life exposed when caught by a Scotland Yard detective filming up female commuters’ skirts, a court heard yesterday.

The officer exposed the seemingly respectable £180,000-a year Andrew MacRae, 43, who had been also filming his female neighbour, a house guest, work colleague and random holidaymakers.

When officers searched his £550,000 matrimonial home they discovered the married dad-of-one eight year-old boy had been secretly filming the neighbour sunbathing and receiving regular intimate waxing.

The house guest was recorded on his motion-detection camera undressing for bed, wearing a “revealing” nightdress and bathrobe.

The charity and school coach volunteer he had hoarded approximately 49,000 images and is now receiving sex addiction counselling.

MacRae, of Hartfield, Caynham, Ludlow, Shropshire pleaded guilty to three counts of outraging public decency on July 19, last year, the day of his arrest, and on trains between July 12 and August 21, 2013 and between May 2 and July 4, last year.

He also pleaded guilty to seven counts of voyeurism for the purpose of sexual gratification at his former marital home at 33 Holmesdale Avenue, Redhill between January 2, 2013 and February 28, last year.

The University of Exeter graduate, who was VP of Finance & Strategic Initiatives, until his sacking was also accused of stealing three items of underwear from a female work colleague, but this charge was dropped.

However, he did admit taking and trying on her underwear and filming himself when she left her gym bag near her desk.

MacRae will return to Inner London Crown Court on Friday for sentencing. 

Prosecutor Miss Kate Blumgart told the court of his arrest: “On that day a Detective Inspector was on his way to work travelling on Southern Rail from Mersham to Clapham Junction.

Feeling Guilty: MacRae Leaving Court After Plea

“He was off-duty and arrived at Clapham Junction at 7.15am to catch a train to Vauxhall.

“As he was waiting for his train to Vauxhall his attention was drawn to Mr. MacRae standing behind a blonde female in a light summer dress.

 “His laptop bag was placed behind her, near her legs and a gold-topped pen visible at the top of the bag grabbed his attention.

“Mr. MacRae seemed to be changing the angle of the bag and the pen. The female got on the train and Mr. MacRae made his way through an open door and stood next to another female, wearing a red dress.

“He stood very close and again positioned his bag on the floor between the female’s legs, with the pen pointing towards the victim.

“He was holding the straps of the laptop bag and was repositioning it while holding an iPhone in his left hand.”

The officer confronted MacRae while the woman protested the defendant had done nothing. “He said: ‘Yes it is a camera’ and she was visibly shocked.” 

He claimed he bought the pen as a “gadget” and had filmed two female commuters a day for a fortnight for sexual gratification and downloaded the footage when he returned home.

“He said he felt disgusted with himself and felt pressure at home to: ‘Keep up with the Jones’s’” added Miss Blumgart.

Police searched MacRae’s matrimonial home and seized a hard drive from a first-floor office. “There were a large number, thousands of pornographic files.”

Folders had been carefully arranged and included 160 semi-naked shots of unsuspecting women labelled ‘Ibiza 2014.’

In ‘Amazon’ were 50 recordings of his female neighbour, who he had filmed from an upstairs window and through a gap in the garden fence.

“She was wearing a dress siting on the lawn, her knickers are visible and there is another of her receiving an intimate waxing and performing yoga.”

There were 9 recordings he made of trying on her underwear when she trusted him with her house key during a vacation and 21 frolicking semi-naked in her bedroom.

There were recordings of him wearing his work colleague’s underwear, plus a recording of the woman at work and recordings of himself wearing the houseguest’s underwear.

On some occasions MacRae “slowed down” the footage made compilations and used techniques to enhance the quality of the pictures.

He made further multiple train recordings of female commuters’ legs and busts, including one unsuspecting female, who found herself in his ‘Eurostar’ file.

MacRae told police he filmed his neighbour being waxed when spotting the firm’s van parked outside her home, describing that as his “trigger.”

“She feels her privacy has been completely invaded and that she respected and trusted the defendant,” explained Miss Blumgart. “She feels extremely angry at the thought of him taking photographs of her.

“She feels violated, she is in disbelief and shock and feels embarrassment at such an invasion of her privacy.”

The woman MacRae was filming when arrested no longer travels on public transport alone. “She feels the incident was incredibly scary and is violated and embarrassed.”

His lawyer Sarah Elliott said: “His marriage has broken down although his wife does consider reconciliation. He’s lost his employment, it was terminated.

“No doubt it will make lurid headlines and that will bring great shame on him.”

Live Nation sacked MacRae after his arrest and the company say they condemn his behaviour.

Gunner Get A Driving Ban: Arsenal FC Star Caught Behind Wheel After Boozy Night Out

A young Arsenal star crashed through signs and a wooden fence in his brand-new Range Rover Sport while twice the drink-drive limit after birthday vodka celebrations.

Chuba Amechi Akpom, 22, who has 45 England Youth caps, lost control at a roundabout near his home at 4.50am and mounted a grass verge as an off-duty policeman watched.

The six-foot centre-forward, of Wayside, Barnet Road, Barnet, was fined £9,350, with £85 costs and disqualified for seventeen months on Tuesday.

He pleaded guilty at Willesden Magistrates Court to driving the black 3-litre diesel automatic with 72 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on December 17, last year.

The legal limit is 35.

Akpom has made ten first-team appearances for Arsenal and had loan spells with Brentford; Coventry City; Nottingham Forest; Hull City and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Prosecutor Mr. Zahid Hussain told the court Akpom, who signed his first pro contract with the Gunners the day after his seventeenth birthday, was driving near his home in Barnet Road.

“His driving was erratic and he was observed by an off-duty police officer. He was parallel to a Shell petrol station and lost control, mounting the grass verge.

“He crashed into roadside furniture then drove back towards the road and into a heavy-duty fencing, knocking it down and out of the ground.

“He caused extensive damage to his Range Rover and left considerable debris strewn around the road.”

Akpom failed a roadside breath-test and was taken to Colindale Police Station, from where he returned home by taxi.

His lawyer Mr. Aki Achillea told the court Akpom’s father feared the worst when he saw the damaged vehicle near the family home.

“His father woke up later and found the crashed car outside the gate with no driver and for a moment he was seriously concerned about what had happened to his son.

“He was about to ring hospitals and the police, fearing his son, being a high-profile footballer, had been abducted so this has effected the family as well.

“He has let himself down and made a dreadful mistake for a boy that has always been so disciplined.

“He succumbed to temptation. He went out with friends and they had a meal in the West End and after drinking only cranberry juice he drove to a club in Watford.

“Celebrating a friend’s twenty-first birthday he was drinking cranberry juice when he stupidly agreed for vodka to be put into his glass.

“He tells me he had two glasses and the cranberry juice disguised the taste of the vodka. For someone who does not drink alcohol it does have an effect.

“He clearly should have taken a taxi home, but it is not anything he considered because he has not done this before.

“He accepts he was not in a fit state to drive and lost control at a roundabout near his home.

“He lives very close to the club’s training ground and there have been discussions with Arsene Wenger about loaning him out and that could be anywhere in England.

“He will be in a place he doesn’t know and will be unable to drive. He will have to ensure there is someone who can drive him around and his movements will be curtailed by that burden.

“It will have an onerous effect on him, considering the risk to his safety and well-being.” 

The court heard Akpom has been with Arsenal since he was seven years-old . “The dream of most young children is to grow up and become a professional footballer,” added the lawyer.

“Very few achieve that dream and even less to the extent that they become part of a Premier League football squad as this defendant is.

“In the days of billion pound deals, where a football club can recruit footballers from all over the world it is a fact this defendant is part of the first team squad at Arsenal.

“This defendant goes to work with international footballers as he makes his way to joining these players.

“He has made enormous sacrifices, as has his family, and his father sits in court today. There were considerable burdens for the family to get their young protege to matches.

“Football has dominated his entire life and with those great rewards he realises there comes responsibility.”

Cocaine Teen's Custody Blow

A drug-dealing teenager has been locked-up for three-and-a-half years after he was caught with cocaine in north London.

Matthew Shrubsole, 19, of Campion Road, Hatfield, Hertfordshire also had a large quantity of incriminating cash on him and a small knife.

He was arrested on the busy Mays Lane, Barnet on April 13, 2016 and there was a police appeal for his whereabouts after he went to ground three months later.

Once located he appeared at Hendon Magistrates Court charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine; possession of cocaine with intent to supply and simple posession of the drug.

Shrubsole was also charged with possessing criminal property, namely a quantity of money and the knife.

The case was sent to Harrow Crown Court, where he was sentenced to serve time at a Young Offenders Institution.