A gangster who stabbed a father-of-two to death for straying into his 'turf' was jailed for at least 14 years Friday.

Simeon Smith, 34, attacked 33-year-old Sylvester Senyah as he left a Caribbean restaurant in Leyton, East London and stabbed him three times.

The Old Bailey heard that Simeon, an old gang rival stabbed Senyah, a British gentleman of Ghanaian origin on November 29, 2010, outside the restaurant.

The parents of Sylvester Senyah, who have maintained a dignified silence since the murder shed tears as the jury returned a verdict of GUILTY, yesterday, 23 June, 2011.

Sylvester Senyah, also known as "Twiggy", was attacked by two men as he carried his food back to his parked car in Capworth Street, Leyton, East London. The court heard that he was on his way to pick up his 10 year old son from school.

Simeon Smith admitted causing the injury but denied murder on the basis of self defence. The court heard that Simeon and his younger brother had been a member of the Beaumont Crew during his teenage years and had a criminal record.

Simeon gave evidence in court, often in a tense atmosphere, admitting that Sylvester had been his friend. They were all the same age. He did not know how what he claimed was a verbal argument escalated into the death of a human being. He waited 4 days and handed himself in to the Metropolitan Police.

He believed that Sylvester's parents needed to know what happened that day. He stated sometimes bursting in tears that he set out that morning to open a bank account. He had put his life back on track and was looking forward to a career in Music Production and Football managing. He even said he could have been a boxer. His life now was in ruins.

However, on that fatal day, he was hungry and had no money to buy the curry goat and rice at Annie's. It was freezing cold and he had gone outside with a friend, Mr Sharon to smoke some cannabis.

Charlie Kray whispering to younger brother Reggie at 1995 funeral of Ronnie Kray... Charlie later died in April, 2000, followed by Reggie six months later

The first book to reveal what the East End’s notorious Kray twins were like behind bars is published  written by an ex-Fleet Street journalist who penetrated the gangland family’s inner circle.

Charlie Kray whispering to younger brother Reggie at 1995 funeral of Ronnie Kray... Charlie later died in April, 2000, followed by Reggie six months later
Author Robin McGibbon was welcomed into the Krays’ ‘inner sanctum’ and saw the brothers at close quarters—Reggie in top-security prisons, his bisexual brother Ron in Broadmoor.

He had already ghost-written older brother Charlie Kray’s memoirs and was treated by the Kray clan as a trusted friend.

The Krays who were brought up in Bethnal Green were jailed in 1969 at the end of 20 years of gangland murder, extortion and protection racketeering.

McGibbon spoke to the twins on prison visits, on the phone and a series of letters while they were ‘inside’, advising on personal matters and negotiating media rights to Ronnie’s funeral.

He describes in his book, ‘The Krays: Their Life Behind Bars,’ the twins’ contrasting personalities with previously-unseen correspondence.

The letters show up the maddening mood swings and egomania of the aggressive Reggie and the old-fashioned courtesy and extraordinary generosity of his schizophrenic twin who revealed personal memories he had never shared with anyone but family.

McGibbon, a former national newspaper journalist who also ‘ghosted’ East End celebrity Barbara Windsor’s autobiography ‘All of Me’, has written a revealing narrative of the Krays, the ‘inside’ story of two underworld folk legends whose terrifying legacy continues to fascinate people today, including those who weren’t even born during their reign of terror of the 1950s and 60s.

‘The Krays: Their Life Behind Bars’, published by Great Northern Books

'Amateur' assassins are becoming increasingly common,

'Amateur' assassins are becoming increasingly common, Irish police say, as addicts are being forced into shooting people in order to discharge debts to drug dealers.

Although there have been only five murders in Dublin this year, police say that dozens of attacks have been planned or attempted but have failed or been thwarted for various reasons. However, gang feuds and inter-gang rivalries are escalating and the violence is increasing, according to the Independent.

The murder of Continuity IRA man Liam Kenny early last Thursday in Clondalkin is the fourth gang-related murder in four weeks.

Heroin gang jailed for total of 68 years 10 months

organised gang who were involved in one of the biggest heroin supply operations ever uncovered in Wales were jailed for a total of 68 years 10 months by Judge Rhys Rowlands at Cardiff Crown Court.

The 10 men, were given the sentences following an intelligence-led operation by officers from the Tarian Regional Task Force supported by Gwent Police, South Wales police, Nottinghamshire police, Greater Manchester Police and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA).

During the arrest operation, which involved arrests being made in Newport, Cardiff, Llanbradach, Manchester and Nottingham on June 17th 2010 (a year to today's sentencing), officers made the largest single seizure of heroin in Welsh Policing history.

The 17.6kg of Heroin had an approximate street value of £1.76 million. The investigation led to the discovery of a drugs network stretching from Wales to the North West of England. In addition to the heroin, discovered in the Stockport area of Manchester, a hydraulic press, and around 300kg of substances used as cutting agents were seized by officers. When cut together the substances recovered could have lead to the supply of half a ton of heroin with an approximate street value of £50 million.

Also recovered was a total of £150,000 in cash.

Detective Superintendent Chris Dodd, the Tarian Co-ordinator, said:"This was a highly organised criminal network who believed they were above the law and able to distribute drugs on an industrial scale with impunity. The Tarian operation brought together partners from other law enforcement agencies and showed that when working together, no-one is beyond our reach.

"This gang can reflect on that as they serve their sentences. The convictions should also serve as a warning to anyone thinking that drug dealing in our region is a way to make money. Criminals involved in drug supply to Wales should expect to be arrested and face prosecution, wherever they are based. The Wales Regional Asset Recovery Team (RART) has been involved from the outset and will now work to confiscate the assets of all those involved with this gang.

"Today’s result is a further example of the TARIAN commitment to tackling the threat, harm and risk caused by serious and organised crime involving drugs. We will continue to work with our partners and with the wider Criminal Justice system to attack this poisonous trade, prosecute the offenders and also ensure that those involved do not retain any profit from their criminality."

The senior Police Officer in Newport ,Superintendent David Johnson added:"The gang attained a certain status in the area as dealers, and their criminality created a significant negative impact on the local community. I’m delighted that they are no longer able to cause misery in our City.

"Drug dealers like these have no regard for the harm they inflict. It’s has been said many times before that drug dealing is a vile trade which has catastrophic effects on people, families and communities, and I echo that again today.

"Drugs destroy the lives of those who not only abuse the drug, but also those who are victims of drug related crime.

"I want to reassure the local community that we will continue to work towards making Newport a safer and better place people to live and work

."If anyone has any information about drug dealing or suspected drug dealing in their community I would urge them to get in touch with us. It’s only by working together that we can reduce the supply, and in turn help to reduce demand and reduce harm.

"Anyone who has any information on drug dealing should contact the Police by ringing 101. Information can also be passed on anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

SOCA's Gerry Smyth said:"Drug trafficking gangs do not respect geographical jurisdictions, so they should be aware of the strength of collaboration between law enforcement bodies to ensure they are tracked down, taken out of action, and prevented from profiting from their crimes. The benefits of this investigation will be tangible throughout Wales and in the north of England, and SOCA will continue to work at home and internationally to protect UK communities from being damaged by the Class A drugs trade."

 

TEENAGER who was arrested in a high profile anti-gangs raid involving 100 police has been released without charge.

The dramatic dawn operation involving two properties in Leytonstone and Walthamstow back in February was hailed by the Met as sending a strong message to violent gang members in the borough.

The raids were attended by borough commander Steve Wisbey and deputy mayor for policing in London Kit Malthouse and were widely covered by the media.

But now it has emerged that the 16-year-old youth arrested in the Leytonstone raid has been cleared.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been released on bail three times before officers decided to take no further action.

The second person to be arrested, a 17-year-old youth who was seized at the Walthamstow raid in Higham Hill, has been bailed for a fourth time to return to police in August.

Both youths were suspected of possessing a high tech gun disguised as a pen.

Police found the weapon on a pavement in West Street, Leytonstone, in November last year after a group of teenagers were seen running away from officers.

At the time of the raid, Detective Superintendent Ellie O'Connor from Waltham Forest Police said the doors of the properties broken into by officers would not be replaced or repaired by the force.

officers smashed into four properties linked to members of a notorious Shepherd's Bush gang, which is believed to be responsible for a string of robberies and firearms offences.

Dawn raids on Friday morning saw police arrest four people on suspicion of the murder on the West Kensington Estate of Polish chef Krzysztof Rusek.

And, in a double whammy, officers smashed into four properties linked to members of a notorious Shepherd's Bush gang, which is believed to be responsible for a string of robberies and firearms offences.

The double raids formed part of Operation Tain, which is targeting violent robbers. Mr Rusek, murdered in cold blood in a garden area of the estate by Lillie Road on Tuesday, was robbed by up to five suspects, some masked, before his killing. A friend and colleague from the Ibis Hotel in Lillie Road escaped injury after his wallet took the force of a knife to his thigh. The suspects escaped with just £12.


Police had been concerned in the lead up to the murder with an increase in knife-point robberies in the area, including in nearby Star Road and Hammersmith Road the weekend before.

During their early morning swoop they raided four properties on or near the estate and arrested four boys, three aged 17 and one 16, on suspicion of murder.


In separate raids they targeted a gang, which the Chronicle is not naming to stop them getting publicity, that has been terrorising people in Shepherd's Bush specifically near Westfield shopping centre and around Goldhawk Road.

They are notoriously violent and use Youtube to post inflammatory, home-made music videos about their crimes, while its leader was jailed last year.

They are thought to have access to firearms and police are linking them to a number of incidents in Shepherd's Bush last year where shots were fired.

In a simultaneous operation, officers raided properties in Weltje Road, Hammersmith, Avonmore Road, West Kensington, Edith Villas, West Kensington, and a home in Shepherd's Bush Green. No weapons were found and no arrests were made.


The raids came at the end of a week of action by the New Crime Squad, formed last week to prioritise the capture of violent criminals and robbers.

So far it has made 19 arrests, including eight for robbery, three for burglary and seven for theft from vehicles. In total five people have been charged.

Detective Inspector Kevin Foley said: " Hammersmith & Fulham police will never be complacent in the fight against violent crimes. The new squad of 24 officers is testament to the borough's commitment to targeting offenders and continuing our success in reducing crime.

"We will be proactive and vigilant in both preventing and detecting all crime. I want to reassure the people of Hammersmith and Fulham we will continue our pledge in keeping our borough a safer place for all."

Rival gangs have been battling for control of Croydon’s London Road, leaving residents and shopkeepers terrified.

Two incidents within a week of each other last month left several men with serious injuries after clashes between rival Tamil gangs.

Up to 40 members of the Tooting Boys and Jaffna Boys battled it out in a mass brawl at about 1am on Sunday, May 15.

Two men, a 19-year-old and a 27-year-old, were found with head wounds and taken to hospital where the teenager was left fighting for his life.

The previous attack on May 10 saw more than 20 gang members fighting a running battle along London Road into Handcroft Road.

Fence posts were ripped out and used to beat a man who was almost blinded in the attack.

A witness, too terrified to be named, saw the attack from her window.

She said: “I looked down and saw men running around with baseball bats, fence posts and bottles. I saw them smashing a young guy over the head with the bottles and bats.

“I would say there have been four or five incidents in the past week.

“I can’t sleep. I’m terrified. They’re like animals.”

London Road traders said they were living in fear of the gangs, who constantly stole and threatened extreme violence if the police were alerted.

One store owner, who again was too afraid to be named said: “They come and take what they want.

“They take booze and food and tell us if we call police they will come back and destroy our business – or worse, kill us.

“We just let them do it now because it is an easier way to live.”

A restaurant worker who was also too scared to be identified in fear of reprisal attacks, said: “These people do not care about the police.

“In my country they would run as fast as they can from the police but here they just laugh at them.”

Detective Superintendent Gerry Campbell of Wandsworth police said: “It’s a job we are aware of and we will be working with partners in Croydon with a view to tackle some of the problems brought up by Tamil gang members.

“We are relying on the Tamil community to come forward and tell us who are the people causing violence, making threats and committing crimes against other Tamil community members.

"We want to take on these people who cause violence in Tamil communities “But what we haven’t seen is an ongoing pattern of very regular serious offences being committed.

“There may be a case of under-reporting crime in the Tamil community.

“We recognise most of the people in the Tamil community are law-abiding members. It’s a small number of people, young men, who are causing serious violence.”

The latest gang rivalry is a reminder of the hatred between the two gangs.

Four members of the Tamil gang the Jaffna Boys were jailed for life in 2008 after stabbing to death a rival from the Tooting Boys in a takeaway the previous year.

The gang of masked attackers chased Prabaskaran Kannan, 28, into Chicken Cottage restaurant where he was stabbed in front of horrified staff in 2007.

Aziz Miah, 20, of Sumner Road, West Croydon, Asif Kumbay, 20, of Grasmere Road, Purley, Kirush Nanthankumar, 18, of Purley Way, Croydon, and Vabeesan Shivarajah, 22, of no fixed address, were all jailed for murder at the Old Bailey.

Four men have been arrested in connection with the incident on May 15.

A 17-year-old and a 25-year-old have been bailed to return to a south London police station on June 30 and two other men have been charged with causing grievous bodily harm.

Prashad Suthilingam, 20, from Edgehill Road, Mitcham and Babiharan Balamurali, 19, of Hawkes Road, Mitcham, were remanded into custody at Croydon Magistrates Court on May 17.

Police pledged to crack down on corrupt prison officers after a male officer was jailed for smuggling drugs to inmates.

Richard Carew, 34, "abused his position of authority" by taking cannabis and mobile phones into Pentonville Prison inside hidden compartments in clocks and cans of drink, Scotland Yard said.

The former officer at the north London prison was jailed for five years at Southwark Crown Court on Friday, a police spokesman said.

Acting Detective Inspector Neil Smithson, of the London Prisons Anti-Corruption Team, said: "Carew abused his position of authority in a prison and assisted in setting up a drug dealing gang with willing participants both inside and outside the cells.

"We take this kind of misconduct very seriously and will always seek to prosecute anyone who attempts to exploit the prison service in this way.

"As the judge in this case said, Carew committed a gross breach of trust."

Carew was arrested at his home in Celt Close, Sittingbourne, Kent, in June last year.

Officers found 12 mobile phones ready to be smuggled into the prison and while looking at his computer they discovered that he had searched on the internet for 'hidden compartment hideaway wall clock', 'hidden compartment walking shoes' and 'diet coke can safe - stash tin'.

In December, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B drugs, conspiracy to take mobile phones into prison, unauthorised electronic communication from within a prison and conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.

Murder squad detectives were quizzing three men last night after two friends were gunned down in an execution-style shooting.

They were arrested almost 24 hours after Mohammed Farah, 19, and Amin Ahmed Ismail, 18, were blasted with a volley of shots to the head in a street ambush in Milton Keynes, Bucks, on Thursday night.

The two teenagers were killed in what was believed to be a gangland reprisal after members of rival gangs fell out.



Mohammed, who had five brothers and sisters, lived in Milton Keynes but had fled to Birmingham several months ago to avoid clashing with gang members.

It was believed he had returned to the town to see his family and was with Amin, a friend who had travelled from London to see him. The pair had been chased into an alleyway where they were repeatedly shot in the head.

Both men were found lying in the alley, with Amin - who was still alive at the time - slumped over his friend's bloodstained body.

The 18-year-old was taken to Milton Keynes General Hospital but died 14 hours later in the intensive care unit, without ever regaining conscious-ness. A neighbour who ran outside when he heard shots had to retreat back into his home when he heard further gunfire and dialled 999.

A large area of notorious Fishermead Boulevard housing estate in Milton Keynes was sealed off following the double murder.

Detective Superintendent Rob Mason, leading the investigation, said: "Although we have made a number of arrests, I am keen to stress that we are still in the very early stages of the investigation. "I would continue to urge anyone with information to contact police urgently.

"We have made significant progress and we are continuing to follow up a number of leads.

"I would like to emphasise that this is still very much a live investigation."

A spokeswoman for Thames Valley Police said the three suspects were being held in separate police stations and would be interviewed later in the day.

She added that the ages of the three men in custody were being witheld due to concerns around identification, suggesting some might be juveniles.

Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to £5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the shooting.

Midland gangsters and hardmen featured in new Faces book

HE dark lines etched on their world weary faces only hint at the colourful lives they once led.
These days most are pensioners, enjoying the twilight years of their retirement.
But in their heyday they were some of Britain’s most feared gangsters and hardmen.
Now they have been recorded for history in two new books by a Birmingham author, himself a former feared criminal.
Bernard O’Mahoney has highlighted key figures from the days of the infamous Kray Twins in the swinging 60s, to the mean streets of modern-day Glasgow.
The author, 51, has written numerous previous books lifting the lid on his own experiences as a gangster during the 1990s ecstasy boom, including Essex Boys which was made into a film.
In his latest project – simply called Faces – he has convinced former gangsters, criminals or hardmen to pose for an incredible rogues gallery.
Dad-of-six Bernard, who lives in Harborne, said: “I don’t really like to blow my own trumpet, but these books are pretty impressive items.
“These villains, or Faces, as they prefer to be called, have been making headlines for more than 50 years.
“A few of them like the Krays, or ‘Mad’ Frankie Fraser, were so well-known that just the mention of their names could strike fear into whole communities.
“But there are many more of our most notorious criminals or hardmen who have gone largely unknown, I wanted to bring them altogether in one place.
“I don’t mean to glorify or glamorise crime, but there have always been criminals and always will be, so these books serve as an important social record.”