A ruthless mugger was recognised by all his victim

A ruthless mugger was recognised by all his victims
because of the acid burns on his face, the Old Bailey heard.

Peter Graham, 27, suffered terrible disfigurement in
an acid attack several years ago.

The horrific scars could even been seen behind the
balaclava he wore to diguise himself whilst terrorising his
targets on the Gloucester Grove Estate in Peckham, the jury
was told.

‘Graham was very well known on the estate because of his
highly distinctive appearance,’ said prosecutor Mr Richard
MacGregor-Johnson.

‘He has severe scarring on his face from an acid attack.

‘
In the space of just over a month Graham, it is alleged,
staged seven robberies and attempted another.

He carried out his first mugging on February 21 last year
with three other men, counsel told the jury.

Booking clerk Mr Raymond Vandy got out of the lift on the
third floor of his block on the estate to be confronted by the
balaclava clad gang.

Graham, it is said, threatened him with a knife while his
accomplices manhandled Mr Vandy against the wall and rifled
his pockets.

‘
Mr MacGregor-Johnson told the court: ‘Mr Vandy could see
there was scarring around one of the eyelids.

He recognised his
assailant as a man he had seen many times.

‘
The gang fled with Mr Vandy’s jewellery, calculator and
pnds stlg 40 in cash.

On April 2 mini-cab driver Mr Sunny Zannu was walking
towards his home on the nearby Camden Estate when he was
approached by Graham, the court heard.

As he was robbed of pnds stlg 142 and his jacket Mr Zannu
recognised his attacker as a customer who had been in his office
several times, said counsel.

On April 8 another cab driver Mr Cojo Adaah was returning to
his home on the Gloucester Grove Estate when he was cornered in
a spiral stairway.

Knife wielding Graham was again wearing a balaclava and
had tried to cover the marks on his neck with a scarf, the jury
was told.

But the scarf slipped during the attack revealing the deep
scars and Mr Adaah realised he had seen the attacker several times
before.

The robber fled with pnds stlg 88 and was in back action
again three days later.

This time Graham and another man pulled a gun on the attendant
at the Texaco garage on Denmark Hill and made off with cigarettes
and pnds stlg 268.

But the cashier noticed what looked like burn marks on
Graham’s face, the jury was told.

A second petrol station, the Elf garage on Herne Hill,
was targetted for a raid on April 23 which netted a pair of
bandits pnds stlg 124.

Again the cashier noticed heavy scarring on the face
of one of the bandits.

The followiing day a third cab driver, Mr Vernon Seymour
was ambushed on his stairs by the robber and fleeced on pnds
stlg 400.

Mr Seymour bravely kicked out at the knifeman before he
fled with his money.

Graham picked the wrong victim on May 1 for his intended
target was Det Sgt John Bull, on his way to take a statement.

When Graham pulled out a knife the officer flashed his warrant
card and the villain ran off, said counsel.

Even the police officer was able to identify his attacker
as Graham who he knew previously, continued Mr MacGregor-Johnson.

Undeterred later that day Graham and other men struck again.

This time they audaciously threatened an entire family as they
got out of a lift in one of the blocks on the estate.

The father Mr Mehmet Muhorren, who had known Graham for
several years, was forced to hand over cash and valuables.

But by now the net was closing on Graham and he was
arrested in at his home in Willsbridge Court on the Estate.

A pair of keys he is alleged to have dropped during one
of the attacks was found to fitt his front door, said counsel.

Graham denies seven robberies, one attempt and one charge of
possessing a firearm or imitation with intent.

The trial continues.

ENDS