Crime

Two women arrested on suspicion of killing missing Wealdstone pensioner Don Banfield have been bailed by police.
The pair, aged 62 and 38, were arrested on Tuesday over murder and fraud offences at a property in Canterbury, Kent, and have been released on condition they report back to police on an undisclosed date.

SIX train passengers were caught with cannabis in two hours by police officers searching customers at Harrow and Wealdstone Station.
Specialist dog handlers and a drugs dog joined British Transport Police's Bakerloo Line North Neighbourhood Policing Team to carry out the operation between 7pm and 9pm at the Tube stop in The Bridge, Wealdstone, on January 21.

KRISHNAPALLAI Rajamohan, 50, of Locket Road, Harrow, admitted to possession of an illegal pit bull terrier type dog at Harrow Magistrates' Court on Thursday (21-01) and was fined £250 with costs of £250.
The dog - which has to be tattooed and microchipped and kept on a lead and a muzzle at all times in public - will be destroyed under the Dangerous Dogs Act in two months unless Rajamohan obtains an exemption certificate.

A TEENAGER was stabbed in the back in a public park in Wealdstone and now detectives are asking for the public's help in finding his attackers.
The victim, 17, was set upon in Byron Recreation Ground behind Harrow Leisure Centre in Christchurch Avenue on Saturday evening at 8.30pm.

Police have issued another plea to speak to anyone who witnessed an assault on a man outside the Wealdstone Inn, High Road, Harrow Weald on Tuesday, October 13.
The man, aged 44, was allegedly hit with a stick and sustained a deep cut to his forehead, and is thought to have been attacked at around 11.40pm.

Three men were arrested by police and have been bailed pending further enquiries to a date in November.

EXCAVATORS who dug up the patio of a Wealdstone house from which a pensioner disappeared eight years ago have found "nothing of note", it has emerged.
Don Banfield, a 71-year-old retired betting shop manager, was last seen leaving his home in Locket Road eight years ago, on May 13 2001.
Forensics officers took shovels to the property's garden last Thursday and a Metropolitan Police spokeswoman confirmed at the time the possibility of finding the Mr Banfield's remains had not been ruled out.
However, she said today: "Our search has finished at the address. Officers are going to be leaving that address in the next 24 hours.
"Nothing of note was discovered but our enquiries do continue. They're exploring other avenues of investigation. We cannot discount that Don Banfield is alive and well."
The search of the pensioner's former residence, which he is understood to have shared with his wife, came a week after a fresh witness appeal was made through the media.
It appears a tip-off received by the police as a result of this - the nature of which the force is not prepared to divulge - sparked the week-long patio dig.
The spokeswoman said: "This missing person enquiry, like others which are older, has been continually reviewed and it was decided that further avenues of exploration could made. It is an extension of the original enquiry."
Mr Banfield is described as a slim 5ft 6in tall black man with brown eyes and receding grey hair. He has a tattoo of a heart on his left hand.
Trindadian Mr Banfield speaks with a prominent West Indian accent and is known to be a heavy smoker.
Prior to his disappearance, Mr Banfield frequented areas within west London, in particular Shepherds Bush and Wealdstone.
n Anyone with information is asked to call the Harrow Missing Persons Unit on 020 733 4335 or call the confidential National Missing Persons Helpline on 0500 700 700.

A second man has been accused of murdering 19-year-old student Hassan Kul Hawadleh at a Wealdstone petrol station last month.

Onochie Madekwe, 33, of no fixed abode, appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday charged with murder, the attempted murder of the victim's 19-year-old friend, unlawful killing, causing grievous bodily harm and violent disorder.

The case was sent to Southwark Crown Court in south-east London and Mr Madekwe was remanded back into custody.

Mr Hawadleh, from Colindale, north-west London - son of a former Prime Minister of Somalia - died on February 19 of a stab wound to the heart at High Weald Service Station in High Road, Harrow Weald.

One of eight siblings, he was a former Alperton Community School and Harrow College student before enrolling on a construction engineering course at the University of East London.

The first man to be charged in connection with the fatal stabbing was Andrew Spence, 21, of Freeland Court, Freeland Road, Ealing.

Mr Spence was brought from custody to Brent Magistrates' Court on February 28 charged with murdering Mr Hawadleh, the attempted murder of the friend, and violent disorder.

A 20-year-old man was found stabbed to death at a service station in Wealdstone tonight.

The young man suffered fatal knife wounds to the body at High Weald Service Station in Wealdstone, shortly before 9pm.

Another 20-year-old man also suffered stab wounds and was said to be in a stable condition, said a Scotland Yard spokesman.

A police officer has been labelled a concern after receiving six complaints in 12 months.

The Harrow officer is one of only 34 across London who has had five or more complaints about his conduct.

A spokeswoman from the Met said: "Following a series of thorough investigations, only one of the six complaints made against the officer in question was substantiated.

"This complaint was categorised as Òother neglect or failure in duty.

"Any instance where the conduct of our staff falls below the expected standards of professional conduct is treated extremely seriously in line with Metropolitan Police Service policy and as part of our policing pledge to Londoners."

Other neglect or failure in duty could include failure to record or investigate matters and keep interested parties informed or failure to comply with orders, instructions or policy.

Following the complaint the officer was given a written warning which will stay on his file for a year and has remained in his post.

Peter Symthe, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation said: "People seem to have more confidence in the complaints system now.

"All complaints are investigated, but depending what the complaints are they are dealt with differently."

Sonoo Malkani, chair of the Harrow Police and Community Consultative Group, said: "It is a concern there is a particular officer who has so many complaints against him, but if they have given him a written warning then clearly it can't be a very serious matter.

"If it was serious I suspect they would have done more."

Ross Simpson, vice-president of the Harrow Crime Prevention Panel, said: "It is always a concern to hear of an officer who fails in their duty and receives an official warning.

"If it has been dealt with by the police it is a step in the right direction."

The report from the Metropolitan Police Directorate of Professional Standards records events - which are public complaints or conduct matters against staff members - from December 2007 until December 2008.

In Harrow there was also one officer with four complaints and four officers with three complaints each.

Passengers can quiz British Transport Police (BTP) officers next week about crime and safety on the Jubilee line.

The Jubilee Line Neighbourhood Policing Team - comprising one sergeant, two constables and two PCSOs - has been patrolling the line and stations between Stanmore and St Jonh's Wood stops since its launch in August.

They will take questions at the conference room at Wembley Park London Underground Station, Bridge Road, Wembley, on Thursday 5 February from 7pm onwards. It will the second such public Q&A the team has held.

PC Matt Dobbs said: "The neighbourhood team means we can respond to issues and needs more easily, as well as making people feel safer using the Tube.

"We are easy to contact and always welcome feedback from the community.

"These meetings give passengers the opportunity to highlight issues of concern and discuss them with us. ItÕs always very helpful to speak to people face-to-face."

Tunde Taiwo, group station manager for the London Underground's Willesden Green Group, said: "Our staff work closely with the BTP Neighbourhood Policing Teams and whilst crime remains low on our network we know it's important to talk with our passengers as well as the communities that live and work close to our Tube station.

"We are fully supportive of these meetings and hope they'll help everyone move around more confidently and safely across our network."

n Anyone who is unable to attend but would like to share comments can email the Jubilee Line NPT by email at Jubileelinenorth.npt@btp.pnn.police.uk