A MAN has appeared in court charged with murder following an incident in Waterloo. 

Menelaos Aligizakis, 43, suffered serious head injuries after being attacked at a bus stop in Waterloo Road, near the train station, at 2.45am on Saturday (January 3).

Paramedics were called but Mr Aligizakis, originally from Athens, Greece, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post mortem the following day gave his cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head.

Police have appealed for information, particularly from passengers on a route 139 bus that was opposite the stop at the time of the attack.

Mark Dwayne Patten, 30, of Galpins Road, Thornton Heath, has been charged with murder and appeared in custody at Camberwell Magistrates' Court today (Monday)

He is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Wednesday.

The investigation is being led by Detective Chief Inspector Will Reynolds, of the Met's homicide and major crime command.

"My condolences are with the family of Mr Aligzakis at this very difficult time," he said. 

"We have previously said this is a very busy part of London frequented by both commuters and those on a night out. We are keen to hear from people who were in the area or passing by at the time of this incident who may have seen or heard something that could help our investigation.

"A number of witnesses have already come forward and we are grateful to them for doing so.

"However, there was a route 139 bus that pulled up on the opposite side of the road to where the attack took place at about 2.45am. A number of passengers are known to have left the bus at this point. I am appealing to those passengers in particular to contact police."

Any witnesses and or anyone with information are urged call the incident room on 020 8721 4205 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. 

A 13-YEAR-OLD boy is to appear in court accused of raping a 13-year-old girl on a path in Coulsdon. 

The boy, from Banstead, Surrey, allegedly raped the girl on a bridle path off Woodmansterne Road,on the border of Croydon and Surrey, on March 5, 2014.

He is due to appear at Croydon Magistrates' Court tomorrow (Tuesday) and cannot be named for legal reasons. 

CRYSTAL Palace midfielder Barry Bannan says he and his team-mates were given a boost by Alan Pardew's arrival ahead of Sunday's FA Cup win at Dover Athletic.

The Eagles bossed the contest throughout, coming away with a 4-0 win – and Dover failed to have a shot on target in 90 minutes.

Bannan admitted Palace didn't want to let Dover have a sniff after seeing the likes of Blyth Spartans and Southport go close against Birmingham City and Derby County on Saturday.

"It was a case of getting the job done, everything went to plan," he told the Advertiser.

"We had an early gameplan of pressing them up high. Sometimes teams see a glimmer of hope.

"But we nipped that in the bud straight away with an early goal which was brilliant and then it was a professional performance from everyone.

"We scored the goals at the right times. We were just really professional and I don't think you can say too much about Dover.

"Sometimes you give teams an early incentive but we took the game to them right from the off.

"Obviously with a new manager coming in for us, it gave us a kickstart and a good boost.

"We saw that from everyone. Dover probably gave their all but we showed we were the Premier League team."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

TRAMS could run to and from New Addington through the night to avoid the estate known as "little Siberia" being cut off if the cold snap intensifies this winter.

Heavy snow in the winters of 2011/12 and 2012/13 meant the area was, at times, inaccessible by car, as the one, main road – Lodge Lane – going to and from the estate was gridlocked.

Now, as the weather turns colder at the start of 2015, Transport for London (TfL) is being asked to take action to reconsider a previous policy of running trams for 24-hours, to keep a link open between New Addington and the rest of Croydon.

Fieldway councillor Simon Hall says he is approaching Transport for London (TfL) through the public transport liaison committee – a joint council/TfL committee – asking it to reconsider a decision made three years ago to stop running empty trams through the night to ensure the lines did not freeze.

He told the Advertiser: "New Addington is known as Little Siberia because it is generally two degrees colder up here than in the centre of Croydon.

"Because there is only one road in and out it is absolutely critical that in terms of preventative gritting and clearing any ice and

snow that New Addington is seen as a priority."

On the tram idea, he added: "A couple of years ago TfL decided it was no longer worth the money to keep doing that. The tram is a lifeline for people living in the area and we don't want that happening again."

Gritting lorries were out in force during the week across the borough, as night-time temperatures dipped below freezing. The council has more than 4,000 tonnes of salt ready to deal with any further deterioration in the weather.

Councillor Kathy Bee, the council's cabinet member for transport and environment, said: "We have the grit in place and we can bring in more if it needed.

"New Addington has had problems during bad winters in the past and I have had discussions with officers to reassure myself it will be accessible this year."

DOVER Athletic boss Chris Kinnear says he was disappointed with his players for not testing Crystal Palace on Sunday in the FA Cup but couldn't fault their efforts for getting to that stage of the competition.

The Eagles romped to a 4-0 win on the south coast, but Kinnear's team, who were on a 16-game unbeaten run in all competitions before the match, have already silenced their critics.

"People were saying we were going to get relegated this season, but we have reached the third round of the FA Cup and are four points off the play offs," said the manager.

"We started nervous and they went for us. When a new manager comes in like Alan Pardew has at Palace, players have something to prove.

"I am disappointed that we did not play as well as we could do. The lads may have their heads down, but I have said to them that they have achieved a lot.

"We have come a long way in the two years that I have been here, so I can't be disappointed with the players and what they have achieved recently."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

A PALACE fan was assaulted by two men during a fight at a pub near Dover Athletic's ground after yesterday's FA Cup win.

Kent Police was alerted by security staff at The Cricketers pub, in Crabble Avenue, at around 3.15pm to reports a 34-year-old man from Croydon had been assaulted by two men.

Reports on social media suggest the victim was a Palace fan.

A Kent Police spokesman said: "Witnesses report they saw the man being punched in the face. He fell to the ground and was kicked in the head.

"He told police he did not wish to make a statement or allegation. He also declined medical treatment."

One of the offenders is described as being a white unshaven man of stocky build aged between 30 and 40, 5ft 10in tall wearing a blue jumper and jeans.

The police spokesman added: "He and the other offender were with a group of women. The description was circulated but the offenders were not found."

An ambulance spokesman said crews were called to the pub, near Whites' home ground, at 2.45pm and again at 3.15pm. Both calls are believed to relate to the same incident.

Darren Bough, manager of The Cricketers, told the Dover Express two men involved in the fight had fallen through the bar hatch and ended up on top of each other.

He added: "Apart from that incident it was a great atmosphere at the pub all day. The Palace fans were all very well behaved."

Anyone with information is asked to call Kent Police on 101, quoting crime reference ZY/424/15.

Palace won the game, which kicked-off at at 1pm, 4-0.

DOVER Athletic have gained approximately £250,000 following their FA Cup third round clash with Crystal Palace, say BBC South East.

Taking into account the money from television, ticket sales, the amount spent by supporters on the day and from the Football Association, Dover's coffers have been boosted quite considerably.

The Advertiser was told that the Crabble outfit were in "desperate need" for the money after the clash, which housed a sell-out crowd.

The Eagles came away with a 4-0 win but that won't upset too many Dover fans, with the club pushing on in the Conference Premier and hoping for a potential play-off place.

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

PALACE centre-back Scott Dann has insisted getting a hat-trick wasn't his top priority after he had grabbed Palace's first two goals against Dover Athletic on Sunday.

Dann, who only scored his first goal of the season recently against Southampton, got the ball rolling with a close range finish before sending a powerful header home from a corner.

And the 27-year-old says he wants to find the back of the net more regularly in the Premier League now until May.

"I had a few more chances after the first two, getting my head on one or two, but I was obviously delighted to get a couple to help the team out," Dann told the Advertiser.

"It's something I want to do a bit more. I thought the delivery from out wide was spot on – Barry Bannan's is always great – and I thought it was put on a plate.

"I wasn't thinking too much about scoring a hat-trick, but near the end we had a corner and I said to Damien Delaney to try and block off my marker.

"It was just nice to score two goals but the main thing was to get the win and a thorough performance.

"I am hoping to score a few more from now until the end of the season. I probably should have scored with one chance before I scored by second.

"If the balls come into the box like Barry Bannan's delivery, then myself and the other lads need to make sure we get on the end of them."

Dann hailed the performance against Palace's FA Cup opponents, describing it as "professional" and says the squad wanted to show new manager Alan Pardew what they could do.

"I just felt from the very whistle we showed what we're about," he said.

"We could have scored inside the first minute when Glenn Murray had a header at the back post, and having the new manager coming in, players who haven't been playing recently put in a good performance.

"They showed what they could do, but the way we passed the ball was really good at times. It was a professional performance."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

LONDON overground trains out of West Croydon should run through the night, to complement the launch of 24-hour tube services.

This is the view of Croydon's Greater London Authority member Steve O'Connell, who spoke at a recent Mayor's Question Time at City Hall.

Mr O'Connell said: "The introduction of the night tube from next year will provide a cheap and safe way of getting home after a night out or indeed a night of shift work.

"However it must also benefit the areas of outer London which don't have tube stations. People living in areas such as Croydon need integrated bus and taxi services to get them home quickly late at night."

Mr O'Connell said an all-night service on the overground, which runs through Norwood Junction and into south-east and east London, would complete a "seamless service for outer Londoners".

Mayor Boris Johnson responded by saying he was in discussions with transport bosses in outer London boroughs, to expanding late-night transport.

From September 2015, tube trains will run through the night - but only at weekends. The 24-hour service will initially run on five lines; Jubilee, Victoria, Piccadilly, Central and Northern.

CRYSTAL Palace will play Southampton or Ipswich Town away from home in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The Saints and the Tractor Boys drew 1-1 at the weekend on the south coast. 

The tie will be played on the weekend of January 23/24.

The Eagles eased through to the next stage of the competition following an easy win at Dover Athletic on Sunday.

CROYDON commuters were left fuming and frustrated after rail chaos delayed their morning and evening rush-hour journeys on the first day back after Christmas for many workers. Engineering works at London Bridge Station led to delays and cancellations while, this evening, commuters spoke of "dangerous" overcrowding at the station. Southern and Thameslink services were the worst affected, right from the morning rush-hour, where confused travellers crowded onto the platforms at East Croydon, unable to catch their usual services to the capital. Platforms are being rebuilt at London Bridge in improvement works costing millions of pounds, but today's experiences have prompted fears that rush hour disruption will be a common occurence over the coming few months. Passengers weren't shy in expressing their anger on social media throughout the day.

@SouthernRailUK 2.5 hours to get from London bridge to norbury via West croydon. What a joke!

— Sharleen Lyseight (@Sharbean1988) January 5, 2015

@TfL Every Monday = train problems between London Bridge and West croydon. Shocking service #tfl

— Jenny Illmann (@JennyIllmann) January 5, 2015

@SouthernRailUK this service is horrific...55 minutes from East Croydon to London Bridge and you have the ordasity to charge more

— Natalie Wall (@Natalie_Wall22) January 5, 2015

Forty minutes to get from Blackfriars to East Croydon today when it used to take 15 from London Bridge. Sigh.

— Matt Baines (@mbainesy) January 5, 2015

Also on Twitter, Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell promised to take up commuters' complaints with Southern, describing the situation as "not good enough". As of 10.30pm on Monday, Southern was still warning passengers to expect delays of up to an hour through London Bridge.

Due to congestion the 20:40 London Bridge to West Croydon has been delayed by 12mins from London Bridge

— SouthernMalachi (@SouthernMalachi) January 5, 2015

(1/2) The 00:14 London Victoria to Gatwick Airport will not call at Coulsdon South, Merstham and Redhill. Customers change at Purley ...

— SouthernMalachi (@SouthernMalachi) January 5, 2015

CANCELLED Due to congestion the 23:10 London Bridge to West Croydon has been cancelled

— SouthernMalachi (@SouthernMalachi) January 5, 2015

Due to congestion the 20:55 West Croydon to London Bridge has been delayed by 5mins from West Croydon

— SouthernMalachi (@SouthernMalachi) January 5, 2015

Due to congestion the 20:40 London Bridge to West Croydon has been delayed by 22mins from London Bridge

— SouthernMalachi (@SouthernMalachi) January 5, 2015

Due to congestion the 20:38 London Bridge to Horsham has been delayed by 13mins from Norwood Junction

— SouthernMalachi (@SouthernMalachi) January 5, 2015

Due to congestion the 20:32 London Victoria to Southampton Central and Bognor Regis has been delayed by 5mins from East Croydon

— SouthernMalachi (@SouthernMalachi) January 5, 2015

Due to congestion the 19:11 London Bridge to West Croydon has been delayed by 33mins

— SouthernMalachi (@SouthernMalachi) January 5, 2015

CANCELLED Due to congestion the 18:10 London Bridge to West Croydon has been delayed 1hour 7mins

— SouthernMalachi (@SouthernMalachi) January 5, 2015

Due to congestion the 20:40 London Bridge to West Croydon has been delayed by 12mins from London Bridge

— SouthernMalachi (@SouthernMalachi) January 5, 2015

CANCELLED Due to congestion the 20:36 London Bridge to Caterham will start from Norwood Junction at 21:00

— SouthernMalachi (@SouthernMalachi) January 5, 2015

Due to congestion the 19:27 Brighton to London Victoria has been delayed by 7mins from East Croydon

— SouthernMalachi (@SouthernMalachi) January 5, 2015

ARMED police descended on a house today after a man tweeted a 'come and get me' plea which made death threats to "jihadis".

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said they had sent armed officers to his address, in Reddown Road, Coulsdon, as a precaution to ensure the man's welfare, though they made no arrests.

The Advertiser understands the Twitter user had invited "jihadis" to "come and get me" in a series of tweets which mentioned his address and that "he was a good shot and he'd take people out".

The messages were sent before the atrocity in Paris, where 12 people were shot dead at the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

Police, who arrived on the scene at 11am, did not find any firearms in the house, though they did discover the man had an air rifle.

A neighbour who spotted police outside the house at midday said an armed officer had hidden in a tree as they surrounded the front of the house.

"There was one standing pointing his gun at the house, two with great full-sized riot shields either side of the front door at the windows, and about three or four others with big guns pointing at the house," they said.

"A man opened the door and the police steadily went in, they were in and out a lot, with plain clothes police. I didn't see them arrest anyone.

"There were around seven vehicles from police cars to vans, an ambulance and paramedics."

The Met spokesman said: "Police were called this morning with reports of concern for the welfare of a man, following recent tweets linked to an address in Reddown Road.

"Local officers attended the address at approximately 11am and were accompanied by armed officers as a precautionary measure, due to nature of the tweets.

"London Ambulance Service also attended and the occupant was found safe and well at the address. He was spoken to by officers and given advice about information he was tweeting. No offences were identified and no arrests were made."

A PENSIONER was taken to hospital this afternoon after he was burned by a toilet roll which caught fire while he was having a cigarette on the loo. 

Firefighters were called to a house in Stonecroft Way, Croydon, at 2.20pm and found the 75-year-old had suffered burns to his left hand during the unfortunate accident. 

It is understood he had been smoking when the toilet tissue was set alight, causing a small fire. 

London Ambulance Service, a crew from Croydon fire station, and police attended the scene and the man was taken to Croydon University Hospital to be treated for burns and smoke inhalation. 

Spurs are the visitors to what looks likely to be a sell-out Selhurst Park on Saturday evening with the Eagles looking for their first Premier League win in nine.

The Eagles are 27/10 to keep all three points with Spurs 11/10 and the draw at 12/5. It is a game I can't see the Eagles losing and the recommendation is the 8/5 for the Eagles draw no bet although the most popular bet on the game to date with punters has been a 1-1 draw priced at 13/2.

Glenn Murray is available for the Eagles despite not being in the club's initial 25-man PL squad and it will be interesting to see who Pardew starts with up front.

Murray is 15/2 to score the first goal at Selhurst Park and 5/2 to find the back of the net during the 90 minutes.

Murray has been reintroduced into our betting to be the top Eagles' PL goalscorer at 8/1.

Palace are 5/4 to lose their PL status at the end of the campaign and 8/13 to beat the drop after Pardew's appointment.

With Burnley at Turf Moor and struggling Everton at home before the end of January this is a big month for Palace and I expect them to pick up a minimum of five points.

For all your football odds check out BetVictor.com.

THE transfer rumour mill is in full swing and a number of names are being linked to Crystal Palace.

Swansea City striker Bafetimbi Gomis has been tipped for a move to the Eagles in recent weeks, but on Wednesday it emerged that the Eagles could be ready to offer a staggering £9m for the Frenchman.

That figure sounds astronomical for someone who has only scored once in the Premier League this season. His other three goals have come in the Capital One Cup and FA Cup against Football League opposition.

Gomis joined the Swans in the summer, but with Wilfried Bony looking likely to join Manchester City, the south Wales club are unlikely to part company with another striker, surely?

Palace have previously been linked with Peter Crouch and Yaya Sanogo, while Rickie Lambert has been reported as a target in a number of national newspapers.

TURNING East Croydon into a more welcoming gateway to the town is behind a £5.4 million improvement project which gets under way in just over a week's time.

The overall project is part of the Connected Croydon programme and takes in the area around East Croydon Station and along George Street to Wellesley Road.

The work is a collaboration between Croydon Council, the Mayor of London, Transport for London (TfL) and Network Rail.

The first phase will include improving pedestrian access to the station and enhancing the street environment with new pavements along George Street, between the station and Wellesley Road.

It is also intended to improve crossings at the junction of George Street and Wellesley Road, making it easier for pedestrians to reach the town centre.

The work, starting on January 19, is expected to last until December and the council is warning pedestrians will face disruption, with one side of the George Street pavements being closed at a time while renovation work takes place.

The second phase of the work, starting later in the year, will include the creation of a new pedestrian area on Billinton Hill, next to the station, and improved connections between the station and tram and bus stops.

The taxi rank and public drop-off and pick-up points are also to be upgraded.

Councillor Kathy Bee, the council's cabinet member for environment and transport, said: "At the moment, people are coming out of what is not exactly a brilliant station to an area of congestion and confusion, and that does not create a good impression.

"East Croydon is the number one entrance to the town and with most people arriving on foot we need that to be a more positive experience than it is at the moment.

"This project is about making it more comfortable and easier for people when they arrive in Croydon and less of a chore to use George Street."

Cllr Bee added: "While we appreciate there will be some short-term disruption for those using the station, the long-term benefits are huge, and will see vast improvements to the area around the station."

David Rowe, head of borough projects and programmes at TfL, said: "We are delighted that our funding will help transform the areas around the main entrance to East Croydon Station, making it more attractive and easier for passengers to use.

"Improved pedestrian ways and better connections between the train, bus and tram will significantly improve access to the station, as well as help to boost the local economy."

People will be able to get more information about the plans at an open event being held on the East Croydon Station forecourt on Monday (January 12).

The event runs from 4pm to 8pm.

A WEST Croydon nursery criticised by Ofsted after a cupboard door fell off and landed on a child continues to make progress.

Mini VIP's Montessori Nursery and Pre-school was rated "inadequate" - the lowest category - following the incident in March 2013 and then "requires improvement" - one better - when inspectors returned later that year.

The nursery, in Campbell Road, was inspected for the fourth time in less than two years in December and its latest report was published on Ofsted's website this week. 

Inspector Gillian Cubitt found staff have a "high degree of quality of interaction" with children and have a good understanding of child protection procedures.

She said the nursery was not yet "outstanding" because children do not "fully explore the life of plans and wildlife during autumn and winter months".

Staff were also asked to be more consistent in introducing simple mathematical words during children's play, to enhance their problem-solving skills. 

POLICE have issued an appeal for public help to find three youngsters after a spate of burglaries have been making "life a misery" for residents in the Selsdon area.

Heathfield's safer neighbourhood team has asked for anyone with information about three youngsters who were seen acting suspiciously on Monday (January 5) in the Bowens Wood, Newlands Wood and Hartscroft areas of Forestdale.

The first male was described as 6ft tall and aged between 17 and 20. He was wearing a black jumper, blue jeans and was holding a small bag.

The second, also described as being aged between 17 and 20, was wearing a red jumper, while police said the third was 14 or 15 and could have been of Asian or mixed race.

They were seen,along with two bicycles, between 3.30pm and 6.30pm.

Anyone with information can contact the Heathfield safer neighbourhood team on 0208 721 2468 or email croydonheathfield.snt@met.police.uk.

Officers also urged anyone witnessing a burglary to dial 999.

PALACE legend Geoff Thomas says new boss Alan Pardew and Eagles co-chairman Steve Parish must have a good working relationship if they're to be successful in the transfer market this month and beyond.

The club are expected to be fairly busy in recruiting fresh faces to boost the squad in a bid to move up the Premier League table .

And Thomas remembers his playing days at Palace, pointing to Steve Coppell and the late Ron Noades as an example to follow perhaps.

"The most important thing for Alan and Steve is that there is a clear direction where both of them identify what is needed and what both parties are going to deliver," he said.

"I think what we saw with Tony Pulis was there was a misunderstanding, and that relationship broke down really quickly.

"Steve and Al need to get a really good working relationship, very similar to the way Steve Coppell and Ron Noades worked.

"They were very, very close, and I think Palace is a club where the chairman and the manager needs to be close."

For the full interview with Thomas, don't miss Friday's Croydon Advertiser.

Geoff talks exclusively to the Advertiser each week.

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)