AN AFGHANISTANI selling phone accessories on the Crystal Palace Triangle was arrested on suspicion of being in the country illegally during a licensing operation last month.

The joint operation was being conducted jointly by both Croydon and Lambeth Metropolitan Police services, the UK Border Agency and Croydon Council's licensing team in Upper Norwood on Thursday, November 27.

The Advertiser was invited out with the Crystal Palace Triangle Safer Neighbourhood Team and saw checks being carried out on a number of off-licences in the area.

Despite us being told the checks were unlikely to bring up any real issues, a man working from a kiosk in the corner of the Post Office, in Westow Street, was questioned by officers as to his status in the country.

The man failed to answer the UKBA immigration officer's questions appropriately, leading to further checks from the officer.

He said he was 48 but gave his year of birth as 1972, making him 42, and he was unable to tell them his address, despite claiming to have been in the country since 2002.

The man was cuffed and placed in a police van and taken to the Windmill Road Custody Centre.

He had been working in the phone accessories section of the Post Office which was rented by another businessman. The owner of the phone business, who was not there on the day, was to be checked at a later date.

A licensing officer from the council also carried out checks of other licensed premises to see whether duty had been paid on stock.

He found cans of beer with Polish writing on it sitting on the shelves of the Post Office, but rather than handing out a fine, gave them a warning and advised them to take it off the shelves.

Officers also carried out checks of a woman of who smelled strongly of cannabis as she walked down Westow Hill, but they let her go after a brief search.

Sergeant Diane Hill, of the Crystal Palace Triangle SNT, said this approach is a vital part of policing these matters.

She said: "We have always got that discretion. We can't arrest everyone all the time for minor offences."

Although today the area is well-staffed by police, this type of joint operation and pooling of resources is becoming more common in the Metropolitan Police. Operations like Bigwing have targeted certain types of crime on certain days because of the resourcing.

Sgt Hill admits this has been a problem. She said: "We are very under-resourced in Croydon, it's such a large borough that we are very busy. But on a positive note, we are recruiting a lot of officers and we will see a big increase in the next six months or so."

She added: "This type of operation works well because obviously Crystal Palace is an area which covers a number of boroughs. So it makes sense to pool the resources."

The Afghanistani man was bailed to return to a police station next week and also on the conditions he reports weekly regarding his immigration status.

X FACTOR winner Ben Haenow is number one in the iTunes download chart with his first single, Something I Need.

The Shirley van-driver won the ITV talent competition last night after getting 57% of the 10 million votes cast to beat fellow finalist Fleur East and win a £1 million record deal.

Ben's single, originally by One Republic, has made the top spot of the download chart in less than 24 hours since its release yesterday despite the X Factor final hitting a ten year low in viewer numbers with just over nine million people tuning in.

The tweeted after the show saying: "Hahahhaa it's real!! I'm actually holding my new single. This is crazy! Thank you everyone."

Ed Sheeran is at number three in the chart with Thinking Out Loud after Ben performed the song first in week eight and then as a duet with Sheeran in part one of the final on Saturday.

After the duet Sheeran said: "I came back to say thank you because he made me number one again last week."

Mark Ronson's Uptown Funk is number two in the iTune's chart after Fleur's performance of the track in the X Factor semi-final saw Ronson release it five weeks early to get his first number one.

All proceeds from Ben's single sales will go to charity Together for Short Lives, and last week Ben visited Shooting Star Chase, a children's hospice charity which will benefit from some of the money raised.

Something I Need was released for download at the end of yesteday's X Factor final. It will be available to buy in stores on Wednesday (December 17).

Hahahhaa it's real!! I'm actually holding my new single. This is crazy! Thank you everyone ������ http://t.co/aeWgZeRcVlpic.twitter.com/i9fyobNiED

— Ben Haenow (@Bhaenow) December 15, 2014

CRYSTAL Palace duo Adrian Mariappa and Jonny Williams could be fit for Christmas following injury.

Both have stepped up their rehabilitation this week and manager Neil Warnock is fairly optimistic of their recovery chances.

Williams was on loan at Ipswich Town until he was on the end of crude challenge against Watford, and it is not known whether the Wales international will return to Portman Road. 

"Adrian did some running on Monday and then some gym work on Tuesday," Warnock told the Advertiser on Friday last week.

"The swelling has gone down on his knee but he's feeling it a bit as he does some sideways running.

"He has to be pain-free before he steps up in doing anything. I know he did some running on Wednesday and he didn't feel anything bad.

"He said he felt a lot better. If I could get him back for the Christmas programme I'd be very happy.

"Jonny was a lot happier on Wednesday and he's another one who isn't far away, hopefully by Christmas."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

A 26-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested after an assault in Waddon which put three people in hospital with head injuries.

Police and London Ambulance Service found two men, aged 60 and 35, and a woman, aged 50, at a house in Borough Hill, Waddon after they were called to reports of an assault just before 8.30am yesterday.

A police spokesman said all three were taken to a south London hospital where the 60-year-old man and woman are in a stable condition. The 35-year-old man has been discharged.

A 26-year-old man was arrested yesterday evening on suspicion of GBH and is in police custody at a south London police station.

Officers from Croydon CID are investigating the incident and enquiries continue.

A TEENAGER has been found guilty of attempting to abduct a child from a primary school in Thornton Heath.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age, called at Beulah Junior School, in Thornton Heath, on July 21 and told staff he was there to collect a child.

Teachers spoke to the boy who told them he did not recognise the teenager, who left before staff could question him further.

They contacted the police and the 17-year-old was arrested and later charged.

He was found guilty of attempted abduction last Wednesday following a trial at Croydon Youth Court and will be sentenced on December 31. 

ARMED police were called out to Croydon after reports of an air gun being fired from a house window on Saturday afternoon.

However, the officers found an unattended 11-year-old boy and six-year-old girl at the house on Alpha Road, Addiscombe just before 2.30pm.

One of the children had been throwing objects out of the window, but no air weapons were found.

A spokesman said: "Officers attended, and as is routine with calls of this nature, some of the officers that attended the scene were armed."

He said both children were looked after by police before being placed with a family member. Detectives from a Child Abuse Investigation Team, as well as Social Services, are investigating suspected child neglect.

No arrests have been made.

JOE Ledley has vented his frustration at the state of the Selhurst Park pitch following Saturday's 1-1 draw with Stoke City.

Prior to kick-off, the sprinklers were utilised and may have had an influence on the way the Eagles were looking to play, but Ledley is hoping the problem is resolved as soon as possible.

"It was a scrappy game and we always knew it was going to be difficult against them," the central midfielder said.

"The pitch didn't help us. I'm not trying make excuses but it was scrappy for both teams.

"The pitch is giving way a little bit. Every time you plant your foot, it sort of gives way.

"Hopefully it can be sorted out after Boxing Day, but it was hard to play on a surface like that.

"Maybe they put the sprinklers on before the match to try and get the surface ready to play football.

"It was all about the second ball but it was a point at the end of the day and we need to start winning."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

A SERIAL domestic offender will spend his twelfth Christmas behind bars after pleading guilty to punching his partner in the face as many as 18 times in a prolonged attack which left her fearful for her life.

Steven Bennett, 41, of Seneca Road Thornton Heath, was jailed for 30 months today, at Croydon Crown Court after he admitted causing the girl, who is now 20, actual bodily harm in the living room of his flat.

"I was praying that I'd make it out alive with all my limbs. I thought that he was going to kill me," his victim told police after the attack.

Prosecutor Brian Stork told the court that on July 10 this year, Bennett had become angry with his victim, who he had been seeing for several weeks, after she forgot her Oyster card and he wanted to go out.

"The defendant threw one of her black high heel shoes at her, leaving her with two bruises on her chest, he said.

"He then threw a broken lighter which struck her on the forehead and threw her black and white handbag at her which hit her on the body.

"The defendant got up from a computer chair right next to the sofa and started hitting her. He hit her repeatedly in the face, she says 18 times.

"He accepts that he did punch her in the face and that he was wearing a ring when he struck those blows, but he said it was more like three times than 18.

"But he does accept that he caused all the injuries that she suffered, there's no doubt it was a prolonged attack in the defendant's flat. She was very frightened and felt dazed as a result.

Mr Stork also said Bennett had made threats as she lay crying after the attack.

"At one point she was crying and he told her to stop. He threatened her and members of her family."

At that point, Mr Stork said, Bennett's demeanour "completely changed", he put an arm around his victim, trying to hug and kiss her.

He also took a towel to "mop up blood from her bleeding eyebrow". As well as the cut, the attack had left her with damage to her top and bottom lip and loosened some of her teeth.

She later left the house, returning to her home after Bennett had fallen asleep. On seeing her condition, her mother called the police, Mr Stork said.

Beth Crocker, defending, said of her client: "He hasn't spent a Christmas outside of custody in the last 11 years."

Bennett admitted he had problems with anger and violence when drinking alcohol, she added, though he had been working to address those while on remand at HM Prison Thameside. He told police he had a drink on the night of the attack, but was not drunk.

The court heard how Bennett had a lengthy string of more than 60 convictions, the majority of which for similar offences, including another attack in 2009 when he threw a lighter at and punched a young female partner.

Addressing the discrepancy between Bennett and the victim's account of the number of punches thrown, Judge Daniel Flahive said:

"Whatever is the position it's clear that there were a number of blows on her when she was in a vulnerable position. At the time she thought that you were going to kill her. Your response was to simply make threats to her and her family."

The Advertiser reported in July that a police officer was hit by a ricochet when an armed colleague shot dead a pitbull-type dog outside Bennett's home as they went to arrest him on July 10.

CRYSTAL Palace midfielder Joe Ledley has admitted he's unable to train every day due to an injury he's had to deal with in recent months.

The Wales international is managing the problem well with the club's physiotherapists but that is only due to plenty of rest and not training regularly.

Ledley has started the last two games against Stoke City and Tottenham Hotspur but missed the midweek game against Aston Villa recently after the injury flared up following the 1-1 draw at Swansea City.

The problem really came to light at the start of the season against West Ham in the warm-up and he was out of action for three weeks.

"It's a little bit of a pelvis sort of thing, going into the groin area," Ledley told the Advertiser.

"It's just about managing it over the next couple of days and not training every day and giving it a rest to calm it down and then going again.

"I just don't think I need to train every single day, it's just more rest with myself. It is inflamed so the best thing to do is rest and make sure it looks after itself.

"We have managed it brilliantly and I've been fit for games."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

BY NOT shooting more at goal, Crystal Palace are only shooting themselves in the foot, according to columnist DAN GIBBS...

CREATIVITY leads to chances, movement creates goalscoring opportunities, openings create goals, goals create wins and a win means an all-important three points.

It's been three weeks since Palace managed that simple formula to come away with victory. Of late, we've been struggling to convert the chances we create but more so, we aren't shooting enough in my opinion.

A common shout I hear from sitting in the Holmesdale is your ordinary football fan yelling "just bloody hit it!" Not the world's best advice, but frustrated fans can't help it as another touch once again proves one too many.

Sometimes, particularly against Stoke and Aston Villa, we tend to adopt Arsenal-like tendencies. We try to literally walk the ball into the goal. In reality we aren't Arsenal, we don't have the technical ability in the box to pass it between the back-four which ultimately leads to a tap in from two yards.

The answer to that problem? Have some more shots from distance. The amount of times I watch Match of the Day and The Football League Show and see teams scoring goals from long range; goals that make you sit up and want to watch the replay. We don't score many goals like that.

We had Mile Jedinak's free-kick, Yannick Bolasie's first Premier League goal against Everton and perhaps Jason Puncheon and Wilfried Zaha's strikes up at Newcastle, but no other goals of shots hit first-time or from distance stand out to me this season.

I'm not suggesting next time Brede Hangeland gets within 25 yards of the opposition's goal he tries a rabona, but if he lays it off to either one of McJedley who hits it first time, it could go in.

Those three have all got a fairly decent strike on them as do Puncheon and Marouane Chamakh. Bolasie is hit and miss. If he were to have five attempts in a game, three would rattle the crossbar and two would end up out for a throw-in but at least he has a go – although he also falls victim to the one too many touches syndrome.

At the end of the day, a goal is a goal and I don't care if it comes off Scott Dann's backside or the strip of orange hair on Yannick's head, they are all worthy to the cause.

I just feel if we stopped trying to play the clever stuff around the box sometimes and just had an effort instead of taking another touch and losing possession, we could have had a lot more goals this season.

Basically Palace players, when you get an opportunity to have a shot, just bloody hit it!

THIRTEEN people have been charged with drug dealing offences after dawn raids by police across Croydon and neighbouring boroughs last week in an operation to tackle gang crime in the London Road area.

They were arrested last Wednesday during a major police operation to crack down on gangs selling heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis in West Croydon.

Around 150 police took part in the raids, with officers from Croydon joined by those from the Met's Trident Gang Command, City of London Police and the Territorial Support Group.

Nine of those arrested are from the borough of Croydon, while five of the thirteen are teenagers.

The full list of those charged:

Ali Karimi, 19, of Alton Road, Waddon, was charged with supply of Class B drugs and offering to supply Class B drugs. Remanded in custody to appear at Croydon Crown Court on December 23.

Scott Taylor, 35, of Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood, was charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine. Remanded in custody to appear at Croydon Crown Court on December 22.

Elijah Smith, 19, of Stonecroft Way, charged with three counts of supplying cannabis. Remanded in custody to appear at Croydon Crown Court on December 23.

Greg Fraser, 21, Heath Road, Thornton Heath, charged with four counts of supplying cannabis and two counts of offering to supply cocaine. Remanded in custody to appear at Croydon Crown Court on December 22.

Lewis Adams, 23, of Ridges Yard, Waddon, charged with two counts of offering to supply cocaine, two counts of supplying cannabis, one count of offering to supply cannabis and one count of attempting to supply crack cocaine. Remanded in custody to appear at Croydon Crown Court on Monday 22 December.

Rasheed White, 18, of Sumner Road, Broad Green, charged with three counts of supplying cannabis. Remanded in custody to appear at Croydon Crown Court on December 22.

Tapiwa Sachikunda, 19, of Lower Addiscombe Road, Addiscombe, charged with supplying cannabis. Bailed to appear at Croydon Crown Court on January 7.

Andrew Ogbeide, 46, of Lodge Road, charged with supplying cannabis. Bailed to appear at Croydon Crown Court on January 16.

Karwan Abdullahi, 18, of no fixed abode, charged with three counts of supplying cannabis. Remanded in custody to appear at Croydon Crown Court on December 22.

A 16-year-old boy from Croydon accused of conspiring to supply cannabis. Bailed to appear at Croydon Crown Court on December 22.

A 15-year-old boy from Lambeth accused of conspiring to supply cannabis. Bailed to appear at Croydon Crown Court on December 22.

Jason Kissi-Brown, 34, of Bromley was charged with three counts of supplying heroin and three counts of supplying crack cocaine. Remanded in custody to appear at Croydon Crown Court on December 22.

Earle Hutchinson, 27, of Tankerville Road, Streatham was charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin. Remanded in custody to appear at Croydon Crown Court on December 23.

A 14-year-old boy and a 33-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of drugs offences and bailed to return to a south London police station in late January pending further enquiries.

A 37-year-old man arrested during the operation was taken to hospital for treatment to a leg injury. He has been discharged from hospital and remains in police custody at a south London police station.

YANNICK Bolasie could miss out on facing Dover Athletic in the FA Cup as he prepares for the African Cup of Nations tournament but also due to the birth of his second child.

The winger, who played in non-league football in his younger years, recently proposed to his girlfriend, and the couple were initially expecting a Christmas Eve delivery.

However, Bolasie admitted it's now looking like the baby is coming at the start of 2015, and with the FA Cup clash on the Kent coast coinciding with the day he's set to meet up with his Democratic Republic of Congo team, the 25-year-old has a busy schedule ahead.

But the former Plymouth Argyle and Bristol City man will not be leaving the country until the baby has arrived.

"I believe I could be leaving on January 4, but I've got a little one coming, and she hasn't come yet so it might be a while," said Bolasie.

"I will wait for the baby to be born, 100 per cent. I'm not going to go to Africa and try to fly back.

"The due date is meant to be December 24, but it doesn't like the baby is coming for then.

"The tournament starts on January 18 and I think we're supposed to report for duty on January 4 or 5.

"If the baby isn't there though, I'm not going to be thinking about going any time soon."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

POLICE are appealing for help to find a missing woman last seen in South Croydon.

Michaela Cordice, 28, has been missing since yesterday (December 15). 

She is described as black, around 5ft 8ins tall and slim with short black hair.

She was last seen wearing a black full length puffa coat, black leggings and carrying a black Nike rucksack.

Cordice is also wanted by police for failing to appear at Croydon Magistrates' Court on November 20 after being charged with harassment and actual bodily harm. She was named in a police appeal to find absconders last week.

A police spokeswoman said officers had been informed she was missing and, fearing for her welfare, they have issued the missing persons appeal as a priority.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts can call police on 101.

QPR charging up to £50 for Crystal Palace fans to watch the upcoming game at Loftus Road shows the contempt some clubs have for modern football fans, according to ALISDAIR KEMP...

NEWS of Crystal Palace fans fulfilling the away allocation for the match at QPR stirred a variety of emotions within me – all stemming from the preposterous pricing imposed by those suffering delusions of grandeur at Loftus Road.

First and foremost I was immensely proud of the Palace fanbase for following the team in the face of such abhorrent greed from the West London club. However, I could not help but pity and feel sorry for those that have been forced to part with between £40 and £50 of their hard-earned money, for the undeniable privilege of sitting in a jaded old relic of a stadium lacking legroom and abysmal acoustics.

My emotions then veered somewhat towards frustration at these dedicated fans for simply stumping up the eye-watering sums of cash without question; thereby fuelling the inexcusable greed ubiquitous in modern football – and the inevitable continued inflation of ticket prices.

An avid lover of away days myself, I nevertheless could not ditch my principles and justify the expense of this particular game. Of course some will argue, quite rightly, that a longer trip up north will always overall be more costly because of travel, but the idea of paying directly to a club like QPR 50 pence for every minute of football was just too ghastly to act on.

What is needed is a universal boycott among Eagles fans of games with the most financially audacious and gluttonous tickets. When I first saw the prices for QPR, I was hoping such unified and demonstrative action may be incited but alas the fans' loyalty and commitment in following the team proved just too strong.

The problem is the fat cats at Premier League clubs are fully aware of this dedication when deciding upon ticket prices and shamelessly seek to capitalise upon it.

It is lamentable aspects of Premier League football like the palpable feeling of being permanently ripped off as a fan that lead me to pine once more for Championship football.

Relegation would yield at least one season of cheaper away days and visits to far more characterful stadiums whose atmospheres have not been sanitised by expectation and the pricing out of true, working class fans.

I cannot express enough my respect and admiration for the fans whose loyalties to Crystal Palace enable them to inexplicably hand over such vast sums of money for one away game. However, it is difficult not to feel that an opportunity has been missed here to take a stand against the worrying direction in which football as an entertainment sport is heading.

Until fans agree to boycott matches and hit clubs in the only place it truly hurts – their pockets – club directors with their heads in the clouds will continue to get away with highway robbery in ticket sales. 

BEN Haenow's girlfriend said despite talk of wedding bells she wants to take things one step at a time and hopes to move in with her man in the New Year.

Jessica Jones, Ben's girlfriend of six-and-a-half years, told the Advertiser today there is no pressure on the X Factor winner to pop the question.

The 27-year-old said: "It's quite odd watching everyone ask him about a proposal because I've never put pressure on him. As much as it is lovely to speak about it there is no pressure and it will happen when it happens."

Jess, a dance teacher from Shirley, said Ben, 29, should focus on himself following his X Factor victory on Sunday.

"It's not selfish for him to think about himself and his career, and I'm happy because I am there to support him. I'm never not going to be there," she said.

Jess lives with her mum, Janette, and before moving into the x Factor house Ben lived with his mum, Rosanna. She said the next step for the couple will be to get a place of their own.

"Living together would be so lovely," she said. "But again he's going to be so busy so if that's not something he can actually spend time doing then that might be the case.

"I really do hope that's something we can do next year."

Jess revealed Ben can be romantic and sends texts of song names for her to listen to when the couple are apart.

She said: "We went on holiday to Amsterdam last year and he laid out lots of lovely things like candles and made it a really lovely evening. I can't wait to be able to have some of those moments again."

But Ben has never written a song for Jess that she knows of. She said before X Factor Ben's confidence was dented by the split of his band, Lost Audio, after brother and bandmate Alex developed a condition that affected his hearing and they had to stop gigging.

"It's lovely to not have to be pressed up against the bathroom wall to hear him sing," she said.

"He's sung in front of me and his family more since X Factor purely because of the confidence he has gained."

Jess said the foodie couple's favourite thing to do is go out for dinner and she is looking forward to treating Ben for his 30^th birthday in the New Year.

"I'd love to take him out for a meal, just me and him to somewhere like the Shard, because we haven't done that for a long time now," she said. "It will be nice to just do normal things like that."

Ben's family are looking forward to having him home for Christmas next week and Jess said the X Factor has made everyone closer than ever.

"He knows we're all so close and that's helped him, and it has helped us while he's been away," said Jess.

"He's got a unit at home, a support network that will be behind him through the X Factor and beyond," she added.

Jess said she is excited to have a duvet day and a big family meal with Ben.

"There are things we must have missed in Ben's life and he's missed so much from our lives, and we just need to talk, talk, talk!" said Jess.

"We need to let him have a few days of really relaxing and doing what he wants. I want to see him back in the living room with his brother and his guitar, having a jam and doing the normal things he hasn't been able to."

Ben has been praised for being a normal, funny guy throughout the competition, and Jess said she thinks he has a lot more still to give.

"I think Ben's humour is going to come out more and more, that's one of the things I absolutely love about him he's very witty," she said.

"I can't wait for him to get in the studio and start writing again because it's been a while for him. I think once he gets into a studio he's going to wow people because I don't think everyone has seen everything Ben Haenow can do."

The highlight of the X Factor for Jess was Ben's homecoming gig in Croydon on December 9.

"He just rocked it!" said Jess. "He went up on that stage and was in his element. He was gobsmacked by the amount of people that turned out.

"He couldn't believe people were standing out there for all those hours waiting for him to go on stage. He said, "I can't believe it they're out there in the rain and they're all here for me!"

"He's been living in the X Factor bubble and it's been very low key when he's come back before. He's heard of all the support but when you see it like that I think that blew him away."

Jess has spent the two nights since the X Factor final on Sunday with Ben, and she his win still hsan't sunk in.

"When he got through, I mean when he won!" she corrected herself. "It was just disbelief."

"Within two minutes of getting home yesterday Ben was almost asleep. He was feeling poorly from being so tired but all he needed was a bath, a good meal and a good night's sleep."

Jess she spent an hour with Ben and his family on in the VIP area of the X Factor after party on Sunday and has only just recovered from getting one hour of sleep.

"As if winning isn't enough his single is now number one, it couldn't have gone better," said Jess. "Every time I heard the winner's single yesterday me and my mum just burst into tears."

And Jess had a message for the Croydon Advertiser following the paper's Vote for Ben poster front page last week.

"I want to say the biggest, hugest, most massive thank you to the Croydon Advertiser. That paper last week, it was brilliant. Everyone has not stopped talking about. Everyone's saying "have you seen the Croydon advertiser?" and telling me they have their posters up in their windows."

X FACTOR winner Ben Haenow will receive a civic reception from the Mayor of Croydon when he comes home.

Council leader Tony Newman said the mayor will host a celebration for Ben and his friends and family in the town hall in the New Year, and Simon Cowell may even get an invite.

There will be refreshments, a speech from the mayor and Ben will be invited to sing,

Cllr Newman said: "In the new year at a time that is convenient to him and, dare one say, Mr Cowell, we will make that happen. It will be an official recognition from the borough about what a fantastic and remarkable contribution Ben has already made to a very powerful message about Croydon."

Ben and Cowell met cllr Newman at the Ben's X Factor homecoming gig outside the Whitgift shopping centre last week (December 9) and said the pair were the "last people to leave the building having spent time meeting event staff.

"Simon was extraordinarily positive and gracious about Croydon and the reception he and Ben had received," said cllr Newman.

"It's been a really positive story. I was at the gig last week when there were 4000 people in the centre of Croydon and it was a great event with a great atmosphere.

"He's brought out all that's good about Croydon."

And cllr Newman is not the only politician Ben Haenow fan. Ahead of last weekend's X Factor final Tory MP Gavin Barwell, Labour MP Steve Reed, and Labour candidate Sarah Jones joined cllr Newman to put the Croydon Advertiser Vote for Ben posters in their windows.

Time to get behind #Croydon's @Bhaenow - he needs your votes tonight! #XFactorFinalResultspic.twitter.com/UTcQeIdWCn

— Gavin Barwell MP (@GavinBarwellMP) December 14, 2014

Mr Barwell said: "It's an incredible achievement for him personally I'm really delighted for him but I think it's great for the town as well.

"One of the things I see in my job all the time is the number of talented young people we have in the borough.

"Often young people today don't get a great write up but actually most young people I meet are full of energy and are a great advert for the town."

Mr Reed said: "To come as he does from an ordinary Croydon family and go on to do something so big is inspirational to a lot of our young people and other people living in the borough.

"He's just an ordinary young bloke living in Shirley, who works hard for a living and suddenly he's got a big break and he's going to become a star. It's such a wonderful story.

"He's Croydon boy through and through and he's very proud of it and I think it's fair to say Croydon is immensely proud of him too."

THE traditional family Boxing Day walk will get a hi-tech upgrade in two of the borough's largest parks after the launch of a digital nature trail.

New interactive nature trails were launched at Happy Valley and Farthing Downs parks this week, where walkers can scan QR code with their smartphones or tablets to get information about nearby wildlife and history.

Visitors can learn about the burial mounds of Saxon chiefs, rare wildflowers and orchids, butterflies, birds and more.

Using a QR (quick response) reader app, visitors can scan the distinctive codes which direct them to a web page with background information in text and pictures about what they can be seen around them.

Councillor Timothy Godfrey, cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport, said: "This is a terrific use of modern technology, giving people the means of finding out all sorts of interesting facts about two of Croydon's most beautiful spots.

"It will probably be of particular interest to younger people who might not have been so inclined to read the previously available guide booklets.

"This brings the nature trail firmly into the twenty-first century, and, as owner of Happy Valley, the council would like to thank the City of London Corporation, which owns Farthing Downs, and the Friends of Farthing Downs for their work in helping to bring this project to life.

"It's a great Christmas gift for the many, many people who enjoy walking there."

Dominic North, the countryside warden for Happy Valley, and project coordinator, said: "There's simply so much wildlife and historical interest in these two areas that we wanted to help visitors appreciate just how special they are, and how lucky we are to have them on our doorstep in Croydon."

THE General Medical Council interviewed a senior nurse at Croydon University Hospital today as it continued its investigation into Dr Kevin Beatt.

The consultant cardiologist was referred to the GMC by Croydon Health Services (CHS), the trust which runs the hospital, after it sacked him in 2012 alleged gross misconduct.

An employment tribunal subsequently found he had been unfairly dismissed for raising concerns about safety following the death of a patient during a routine operation.

Despite its findings, which CHS is appealing, the GMC investigation into the trust's allegations has continued.

Today (Tuesday) on of its lawyers interviewed nurse Rebecca Sandow Ali, who runs the catheter laboratory in which Dr Beatt used to work and gave evidence on his behalf during the tribunal.

CHS declined to comment on the visit and has not said on what grounds it complained to the GMC about Dr Beatt.

Its reasons for sacking Dr Beatt, including that he made "unsubstantiated and unproven allegations of unsafe service" to a coroner and "failed to establish and maintain effective working relationships" with senior members of staff, were dismissed by the tribunal, which issued its verdict in October. 

Instead it noted that the coroner had agreed with Dr Beatt that the trust's decision to suspend a senior nurse on the day of Gerald Storey's operation had been a factor in his death.

In a statement sent to the Advertiser, the GMC said it does not comment on individual investigations.

Dr Beatt is listed as registered with a licence to practice on the GMC's website. 

TWO police officers have been cleared of gross misconduct in relation to the death of a woman stabbed by her husband 58 times.

Rebecca Sessacar, 25, was subjected to a frenzied attack in front of a six-year-old girl at the couple's home in Duppas Hill Terrace, Croydon, on December 20, 2012.

Police were called to reports of screaming coming from the flat but the two constables left after looking through the letterbox, claiming not to have seen anything of concern.

They later returned after receiving another call from a neighbour and broke the door down after noticing a trail of blood. Rebecca, a trainee nursery nurse, was found lying in a pool of blood in the front room next to two kitchen knives.

Bulent Sessacar, 28, was jailed for nearly 11 years in February after pleading guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) into the actions of the police in the lead up to the killing found "some evidence of individual failing" and recommended two constables should attend gross incompetence meetings.

In a statement provided to the Advertiser today the IPCC said a Metropolitan Police disciplinary panel did not uphold the allegation against either officer.

"It concluded that the two constables conducted an investigation that was appropriate to the circumstances they were presented with," a spokeswoman said.

Bulent Sessacar, who was abusing steroids, cocaine and had a personality disorder, had a history of violence and a police caution for attacking his wife.

Two days before he stabbed her to death he was arrested after pulling her head back by her hair but was released on bail after a community psychiatric nurse found him to be in "good health".

The IPCC recommended three other officers face unsatisfactory performance procedures in relation to his bail.

It said a detective constable had received "management action" for failing to carry out sufficient enquiries on Mr Sessacar's bail address on December 19.

The inspectorate also said a sergeant should face an unsatisfactory performance meeting for failing to complete a bail address check form and for not ensuring checks were done by the investigating officer.

A police inspector was also recommended for disciplinary proceedings and to receive "retraining" for failing to ensure the checks were carried out.

An IPCC spokeswoman said the Met had yet to confirm whether the two officers had faced disciplinary hearings but that it had accepted the recommendation when it was made.

The coroner is considering whether to reopen the inquest into Mrs Sessacar's death. 

CRYSTAL Palace skipper Mile Jedinak may have shaved his beard off but has hinted it could make a return sooner than fans expect.

The 30-year-old decided it was time for a smooth finish after months of staying well clear of a razor blade, and he surprised his team-mates at the squad's Christmas outing in fancy dress last week.

"The beard has gone - I have my own reasons but it's nothing too drastic!," Jedinak joked.

"I just thought it was time for a bit of a change. Maybe when I return from Australia (for the Asian Cup tournament) I might give it another go.

"I was Batman for the Christmas do. That was nice to be part of away from the field with the boys.

"That team camaraderie, you could see it in full force. I won't say who had the best outfit though, we'll leave it at that!"

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)