SECRETARY BRENDA FRANCIS, CHARGED WITH CONNING THE

SECRETARY BRENDA FRANCIS, CHARGED WITH CONNING THE
CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION BOARD OUT OF OVER #3,500, WAS
ACCUSED OF CASHING IN ON FALSE KNIFE ATTACK CLAIMS BY ACCEPTING A

#20,000 DEAL WITH THE NEWS OF THE WORLD FOR HER EXCLUSIVE STORY.

THE 34-YEAR-OLD MOTHER OF ONE, FACES CHARGES OF MAKING
SIX BOGUS CLAIMS TO THE CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION BOARD BY

CLAIMING SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS WERE THE RESULT OF ATTACKS BY

MUGGERS.

AND AS WELL AS CREAMING OFF MONEY FROM THE C.

I.

C.

B.

SHE
AGREED TO THE MASSIVE PAY OFF FROM THE NEWSPAPER, IT WAS ALLEGED.

AT INNER LONDON CROWN COURT.

FRANCIS, OF GROSVENOR TERRACE, CAMBERWELL, DENIED THE
OFFER WAS CONNECTED WITH THE ALLEGEDLY NON-EXISTENT MUGGINGS.

‘IT WAS AGREED THAT I WOULD TELL THE PAPER ABOUT THE
TERRIBLE CONDITIONS ON THE GLOUCESTER GROVE ESTATE, WHERE I WAS
LIVING AT THE TIME.

THE LIVING CONDITIONS THERE ARE MUCH WORSE
THAN ANY OTHER ESTATE IN LONDON.

‘ SHE SAID.

PROSECUTOR MR DAVID PAGET SUGGESTED THE NEWSPAPER
WAS ONLY INTERESTED IN HER VERSION BECAUSE OF THE REPEATED

FICTITIOUS ATTACKS.

BUT FRANCIS REPLIED: ‘I WAS ONLY GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE

CONDITIONS.

THE NUMBER OF MUGGINGS, THE BAD ARCHITECTURE AND THE

FACT THAT THE ESTATE’S ARCHITECT HAS SINCE COMMITTED SUICIDE.

THERE

WAS NO REASON OTHER THAN I KNEW THE ESTATE WELL.

‘
MR PAGET THEN PUT IT TO MRS FRANCIS SHE WAS LYING ABOUT
BEING THE VICTIM OF A STRING OF ATTACKS BETWEEN DECEMBER 1981
AND APRIL 1985.

‘I AM THE ONE WHO GOT CONTINUOUSLY CUT ABOUT MY BODY AND
YOU’RE SAYING I’M LYING,’ SHE RETORTED.

SHE DID HOWEVER ADMIT GIVING FALSE EVIDENCE AT A

MAGISTRATES COMMITTAL HEARING DURING WHICH SHE ACCUSED AN INNOCENT

MAN, GARY ABORO, 20, OF ST GEORGES WAY, PECKHAM OF ATTACKING HER ON

SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

FRANCIS CLAIMED SHE LIED ‘UNDER PRESSURE’ FROM THE POLICE.

‘I WAS FRIGHTENED BY ONE OF THE OFFICERS WHO SAID ABORO HAD
BEEN INVOLVED IN MUGGINGS ON THE ESTATE BUT THE VICTIMS WERE TOO
SCARED TO GIVE EVIDENCE.

‘ HE WANTED ME TO STICK TO MY STORY SO THEY COULD TAKE HIM
TO COURT.

I KNEW IT WASN’T ABORO WHO ATTACKED ON THAT DAY, BUT
HE DID ATTACK ME TWO WEEKS LATER.

‘ SHE ADDED.

JUDGE PETER MASON THEN TURNED TO FRANCIS SAYING.

‘ YOU KNEW
THAT IF THAT COMMITTAL HAD GONE THROUGH MR ABORO WOULD BE ON
TRIAL AT THE OLD BAILEY.

WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN WILLING TO MAKE THE
SAME FALSE CLAIMS THEN?’
‘NO BECAUSE IT WAS ALL UNTRUE,’ REPLIED FRANCIS.

FRANCIS DENIES SIX CHARGES OF OBTAINING AND ATTEMPTING TO
OBTAIN PROPERTY BE DECEPTION.

SHE FURTHER DENIES TWO CHARGES OF PERVERTING THE COURSE OF

JUSTICE AND PERJURY IN RESPECT OF THE GARY ABORO ALLEGATIONS.

THE TRIAL CONTINUES.

ENDS