OJJEH: ACCUSED RIOTER IS ESTATE AGENT

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11 August 2011

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An estate agent was part of a gang that broke into a computer store looking for goods, a court heard today (Thurs).

Gassam Ojjeh (CORR), 22, denied burgling PC World at the Priory Road Retail Park in Colliers Wood, when he appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Students Saffron Armstrong and Kairo Lawson, both 21, pleaded guilty to the same offence.

Prosecutor Lisa Brown said the gang had been discovered by police dogs inside the store at around 10.40pm on Monday.

‘Clearly these riots were some of the worst that took place,’ she said.

‘Substantial damage had been caused and properties had been looted.

‘These offences took place against that backdrop.

‘The men were discovered by police dogs in a property that had been substantially vandalised and looted over the past 24 hours.

‘It is not clear the full extent of the damage, but let’s just say it was clearly substantial.’

Armstrong claimed to be a freelance journalist when he was caught, she added, while Lawson, a civil engineering student at South Bank University, had to be forcibly restrained by police.

‘Mr Lawson struggled,’ she said. ‘The officers had to resort to punching him in the back several times.

Ojjeh, of (33) Neals Mead, Mitcham, denied burglary while Lawson, of (25) Belgrave Walk, Mitcham, and Armstrong, of (Flat 2, Taplow Court, 468) London Road, Mitcham, both deny the same charge.

District Judge Elizabeth Roscoe declined jurisdiction and remanded the three defendants in custody.

They will next appear at the same court for committal to Wood Green Crown Court.
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