HARRIET Harman's pink bus campaign is to host a meeting tomorrow at a venue in Croydon the Labour council said could not be used for political purposes.

The Addington Community Association was due to host a meeting last August organised by the British National Party railing against the possibility of a mosque opening in the area.

But the council warned the ACA its licence did not permit them to rent the building for political meetings and that the licence may be reviewed if the meeting went ahead.

Labour, who were vehement in their opposition of the BNP campaign against the mosque, has now booked the ACA for tomorrow's leg of deputy Leader Ms Harman's Woman to Woman tour.

She will be joined by Labour's Croydon Central candidate Sarah Jones, Gloria De Piero, shadow minister for women and equalities, and Tessa Jowell MP, widely tipped to run for Labour as their next London mayoral candidate.

It hopes to use the tour to find out what women want from a Labour government and highlight the party's offer to women.

Mrs Jones said the party had booked the building for political meetings in the past and that everything had been "fine" and that the meeting was set to go ahead.

She added: "You will have to ask the council."

Former BNP council candidate John Clarke, one of those forced to hold their meeting outside the ACA, said it seemed like "one rule for them and another for us".

He added: "It just seems like double standards to me."

In August, a council spokesman explained their stance on political meetings at the ACA, saying: "The council drew it to the attention of the managers of the ACA their licence does not permit them to rent the building for political meetings.

"We explained if the meeting went ahead it may be necessary to review the agreement."

The council is yet to respond to the Advertiser's request for comment.

CRYSTAL Palace have released a statement insisting that the people who threw coins in recent matches against Newcastle United and Liverpool will receive a indefinite ban.

Last Wednesday, Newcastle captain Fabricio Collocini was struck as he went to celebrate with team-mates and Papiss Cisse, who had given the Magpies the lead.

And on Saturday, another incident was reported against Liverpool.

Palace have released a statement via their PR agency, stating: "We have conducted our own investigation into the incidents at our last two home matches, as well as making our CCTV footage available to the police.

"We take a zero tolerance approach to this sort of behaviour and, if the perpetrators are identified, they will be banned indefinitely from the stadium. If they are season ticket holders their cards will be made void without a refund.

"The stupid behaviour of a few supporters risks creating a negative image of our club and we would appreciate the help of Palace fans in identifying the culprits, who are not welcome at Selhurst Park.

"The club already has extensive security measures in place, including body cameras for stewards, and will continue to improve CCTV coverage at the ground."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

A SELECTION of random musings from the past couple of weeks, from Croydon's Twitter users...

@VikkiJane: I think everyone in Croydon eats their meals on the bus

@chrismads: Dear Capt. Charming on the train headed into East Croydon. The F-word and the C-word are not necessary adjectives on a full train!

@LizSheppardJone: Surprised #Croydon Town Centre disruption during Westfield build is causing astonishment. What part of 'very big building site' was unclear?

@clarkspo: Did i just witness a dude rollerblading down the middle of the road in Thornton heath? Is this guy ok? Lol

@Britalianissima: Feb 2 Man in front of me at the checkout in Sainsburys looks like Vladimir Putin, with a cap

@twiabprecipice: 50 Shades of will this train ever actually leave East Croydon or should I pitch up a tent?

@CEO4TAG: When we took over we just avoided going to the third tier. Yesterday #LFC beat us. They are celebrating like they won the league #progress

@Ian_Ladyman_DM: Interesting Steve Parish believes #LFC celebrated like they had won lge on Sat, given #CPFC reacted like Pardew was Mourinho when he joined

@vintageauntie: Pah! That's all I can say Croydon Council. Just PAH!!!!

@HighburyJD: "Vanilla" benefit fraud would be not telling the council instantly when a partner moved in. Croydon families suffered dawn raids for this.

@peterbrowning: Is this a joke? Where are the #hsbc fraudster raids? Suspected benefit cheats arrested in early morning Croydon raids

FIRE crews are working to free a person trapped in an overturned vehicle after a collision this evening (February 17).

A spokesman for London Fire Brigade said they received a call at 5pm to reports of a road traffic collision in Pollards Hill North.

He said a car was on its roof following the collision, while one person was confirmed trapped inside. Two engines have been sent from Norbury fire station and a rescue unit has attended the scene from Croydon fire station.

AFTER Crystal Palace released an official statement on the coin-throwing incidents against Newcastle United and Liverpool, co-chairman Stephen Browett says those responsible are "most definitely not welcome at Selhurst Park".

Browett took the Palace BBS online forum to air views and says the perpetrators run the risk of a criminal record and a lifeftime stadium ban.

Furthermore, club stewards will now have small video cameras attached to them in SE25.

He wrote, via the owners' online account CPFC2010,: "Crystal Palace FC is immensely proud of the lively and vibrant atmosphere at Selhurst Park.

"The support that our fans give to the team is outstanding. It is hugely appreciated by the players and widely commented on in the press and even by fans of opposing clubs.

"Unfortunately, a few supporters have behaved stupidly in our two most recent home matches by throwing items onto the field of play after we have conceded a goal. Such behaviour creates a negative image of our club and its fans, which is very disappointing for us all.

"The throwing of any object is totally unacceptable and we wish to make it clear that any supporter who does this will be banned from the stadium indefinitely, as well as risking prosecution for a criminal offence.

"We would appreciate the help of other supporters in identifying the culprits – all true Palace fans will agree they are most definitely not welcome at Selhurst Park.

"Maybe the coin throwers will think twice about doing it again now. It's a bit sad that we have to put out a statement and attach video cameras to stewards, but between the cameras and the 99.9% decent supporters in the stands, anyone doing this is taking a big risk of getting a criminal record, never mind not seeing Palace again."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

THE council has declined to reveal key details of top-level meetings between senior officers and big business discussing the future of the town centre.

The Croydon Strategic Metropolitan Board (CSMB) was formed last year to oversee multi-million pound developments, including Westfield and Hammerson's £1.5 billion Whitgift Centre scheme.

The Advertiser asked the council this week for information about the board - including who its members are - only to be told many of the questions would have to be submitted under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

They include which dates the board has met, whether the meetings are minuted, if those documents are publicly accessible and what outside groups or individuals, if any, have attended.

A week ago Jo Negrini, executive director of development and environment, told the Whigift public CPO inquiry that John Lewis had been an active member of the board, adding that the company wanted to be "assured by the council that we are doing everything we can to promote regeneration".

"They are clear about their vision for what they would like Croydon to be," she said. "They want a fantastic place which is safe and secure, well-maintained and of high quality."

The Advertiser believes people in Croydon have the right to know which businesses have direct access to the town's most senior public officials and how these meetings have influenced Town Hall policy.

Save for a single line in a brochure published last May, there is no information about the CSMB on the council's website. That document said the board was established to "oversee" the "transformation" of Croydon into a "modern European city" and to consider where and how people "live and work", "visit and shop", and "use the wide range of cultural and leisure facilities".

So, a week ago, we submitted a list of questions to the council befitting a group which has a remit to "oversee" almost every aspect of the town centre.

On Monday, we received a response from the council which said the CSMB is a "consultative forum comprising public and private sector partners within the Croydon Metropolitan area".

It does not have any formal status or decision-making powers, the statement continued. It first met on May 16, 2014, and there have been six meetings in total. To date the meetings have been held at the council's offices in Bernard Weatherill House and have been chaired by chief executive Nathan Elvery.

Despite the involvement of senior council officials, the statement continued: "The board does not have council documents before they are published or private knowledge of developing council policy or decisions.

"The aim of the consultative forum is to enable a free and frank exchange of views from participants with different perspectives concerning the redevelopment of Croydon town centre."

As for other details, many of which could have been provided with yes or no answers, the press office said they would have to be submitted by FOI because of the "number of questions" the Advertiser had asked.

So we were forced to look elsewhere for information about the CSMB. The Advertiser approached John Lewis only to be told our questions should be directed to the council. The statement the retailer later provided did not mention the board but said its interest in being part of the new shopping centre was dependent on a "major step change" in the town centre.

It is far from clear how John Lewis, and other businesses involved in the CSMB, such as Stanhope/Schroders, are influencing the policies needed to bring about such a "step change".

Gavin Barwell, MP for Croydon Central, was involved in the meetings before the group was formally created and named.

He told the Advertiser there were "regular diarised meetings" involving the Croydon Partnership, the name given to Westfield and Hammerson's joint plan, Transport for London, the Mayor's Office and the council.

At that point the meetings were chaired by politicians such as then council leader Mike Fisher or Sir Edward Lister, the Deputy Mayor of London, policy and planning. The meetings, said Mr Barwell, were "led by politicians".

That all changed following last year's local elections, he explained. "My understanding is they have now moved to a model where they are now officer-led meetings and they have broadened the people who are present to include others who have a significant stake or interest in the town centre.

"I don't have a problem with that. Given we want John Lewis to come to the town centre it is very good to have them present so they can see all the things that are going on and what's planned. That may give them the reassurance they need to come here.

"What I think is important is any decisions that are being taken are discussed in an open and democratic way."

Mr Barwell said that did not mean releasing minutes or giving the public access to what was said during CSMB meetings.

"I think the council should be transparent about who they are meeting with but I don't think the meetings should be formally minuted," he said.

"There's nothing wrong with the leader of the council meeting privately with people who are thinking about investing in the town to find out what their concerns are and what they would like to see happen.

"But, if the council is doing things as a result of these meetings, it should be open about it. If it has been influenced it should just say that."

There is no public record of CSMB meetings or who senior council officers and elected members have met, nor any formal indication of how these meetings have shaped public policy. At no point has any politician, Labour or Conservative, admitted in the council chambers that a policy they were about to vote through had begun life as the concern of a private company.

In short there is currently very little opportunity to scrutinise the political influence of big businesses in Croydon.

What of Mr Barwell, himself a governor of the Whitgift Foundation, which has a major stake in the plans being discussed at the CSMB? In the past he has called for the relocation of drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres away from the town centre. Did that follow pressure put on him during these high-level discussions?

He replied: "At these meetings no, but it's certainly the result of feedback I've had from a number of people I've spoken to about investing in Croydon. It's also from constituents who've told me why they don't shop in Croydon."

Mr Barwell gave a hypothetical example and, while the situation may not have happened exactly as described, a glance at some of the policies introduced in the town centre in recent years - the introduction of tougher controls to restrict the spread of off-licences for one - would suggest there is more than a little fact to the fiction.

He explained: "Hypothetically, I could sit down with John Lewis and they could say the main concerns they have about investing in Croydon are about safety and the visual appearance of the town when you come into the main gateways.

"You might come back to them in a month's time and say right, we're going to spend some money to improve the public realm around East Croydon station, we're going to do this in relation to [safety] and this in relation to licensing.

"You might get their views but actually, in signing off those policies, they have to be done in public meetings."

Mr Barwell said it would be "perverse" for the process to work any differently. He said the council was currently going through the same steps with "a number of major employers" looking to relocate to Croydon.

"I think that's an entirely proper thing to do because it's for the public benefit of Croydon," he added.

Asked whether the process was transparent enough, Mr Barwell said: "People should be aware these meetings are taking place. If that's not happening then I think it should be exposed."

As for the council use of Freedom of Information laws, he said the decision "seemed silly".

"If they worry about what will be said [about these meetings] they should just be up front about it. If they believe it's the right thing to do then what's to be embarrassed about?

"Just say we're meeting with these people because we want to come and invest here." 

A TEACHER has been cleared of assaulting a nine-year-old pupil at a Croydon primary school.

Mfon Itauma, 33, has accused the school of "scapegoating" her to hide its own failings after she was cleared of common assault against the boy at Croydon Magistrates' Court today (Tuesday).

Prosecuting, Ms Warner said on July 8 last year Itauma's Year Four class were coming back from a swimming lesson when the nine-year-old was tormented by another boy.

He reacted and pushed the boy to the floor, when Itauma, who started teaching at the school in December 2013, stepped in to try and separate them.

Ms Warner said Itauma grabbed the boy by the arm and took him down the corridor but he tried to run past her, and she again grabbed him and dragged him along before throwing him to the floor.

In a video of a police interview shown in court, the pupil, who the Advertiser cannot name for legal reasons, said: "We came back from swimming. I was coming upstairs and boys were being rude to me so I went downstairs to talk to the head teacher. And the teacher [Ms Itauma] pushed me right next to the stairs so I fell. I was walking the other way then and she picked me up and dropped me very hard."

CCTV footage of the incident was shown in court. The fact that the boy had challenging behaviour, but does not have a statement of special needs, was agreed by prosecution and defence. As were the facts that the fight took place and that Itauma grabbed the boy's arm.

But Ms Warner said Itauma was in a position of trust and there were other ways in which she could have dispersed the confrontation between the pupils.

"It is possible that a different tactic could have been used than the force used on that day," she said.

"The force used was in excess," she added.

Ms Warner added the pupil was distressed when he went to see the head teacher after the incident and had a red mark on his arm.

But defending Itauma, Ms Timan said the pupil had a history of violence. She said he had hurt a teaching assistant in the past, as well as the other boy in the fight.

"That was a realistic risk," said Ms Timan.

Giving evidence, Itauma said she had agreed to take over the pupil's class in April 2014. She said there were five boys in the class, including the nine-year-old, who were "infamous" in the school for having problems and "always fighting".

She agreed to take the class on the condition one of the boys moved classes and the pupil in question had a one- to-one teaching assistant. But the school struggled to arrange this.

Itauma said this happened on the day of the swimming lesson, with the boys arguing on the way to and from the lesson and fighting in the changing room.

As they returned to school, a fight broke out.

"I've got a good idea of what he is like when he is angry," said Itauma. "There's no talking to him. He is very reckless. He has no idea of his own or other safety."

Itauma said she took the pupil by the arm "to get him away" but he was wrestling with her and let his body fall to the floor.

District Judge Vanessa Baraitser found Miss Itauma not guilty of common assault, saying she could not know how hard Itauma held the boy's arm, or if he threw himself on the floor.

She said: "You did act with good intentions… I have no doubt you took hold of him not as an act of aggression but to stop him going back to the fight.

"I find the case against you not proved and dismiss the charges against you. I find you not guilty."

Speaking after the verdict, Itauma branded the trial a "complete waste of time and money" and said the resources spent on the case should have gone to helping the nine-year-old.

She told the Advertiser: "He needs a lot of help and he hasn't been given that help, and I have been scapegoated because the school can't deal with him.

"He [the pupil] has had no consequences. When he is 18 and smacking people over the head with chairs he will go to prison. We haven't taught him anything."

Itauma said the school initially called the police, but have only brought a case which has "exposed their failings".

"I feel very let down by them," she said. "If he [the headteacher] got out of his office he would have known what was happening.

"I'm a newly qualified teacher it would have been okay if they had given the things they promised.

"Most of the time it's me and the teaching assistant in the class. It's all nice for everybody to get involved afterwards but then it was just me. Where was everybody then?"

Although Itauma has been legally able to work since the incident, she said no one would take her on because of the impending trial. Now her name has been cleared, she is looking forward to returning to teaching.

"It's been a very hard few months," she said.

The Advertiser has contacted the school involved in the case, for a comment on today's verdict.

CRYSTAL Palace defensive duo Brede Hangeland and Scott Dann felt new signing Pape Souare did well on his debut against Liverpool and expect him to settle into his new surroundings soon.

The left-back showed his athleticism down the flank but may have to adapt on a few things before the fans see the very best of him.

To be fair to Souare, it was a start against tough opposition in a new league and a lack of the English language may have been a barrier – but his willingness to communicate with the back four was evident throughout.

"I remember my debut in England and you feel like the game is 100mph and it's totally different to anything else you've done," said Hangeland.

"He had the added challenge of not speaking the language, but I felt did all right considering all that.

"Hopefully he will improve his English quickly."

Dann added: "Pape will get better once he settles in more. He's come in from France and it was his first game so it's going to take some time.

"I thought he did well, he got cramp in the second half, and hopefully in the coming weeks he'll get used to playing with the lads and the way we play."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

U21 Development League 2

Crystal Palace 1-0 Ipswich Town

PALACE U21s came away with a solid 1-0 win against Ipswich Town on Tuesday, thanks to Connor Dymond's early header.

The midfielder, deployed in defence for this game, rose to nod home the only goal of the game as Palace continued their push for a play-off position.

First team striker Glenn Murray got game time, as did Adrian Mariappa, and it was the former won the corner from which Dymond scored.

Hiram Boateng supplied the delivery and Dymond got up to head down into the bottom corner after 13 minutes.

Soom after, Reise Allassani had a shot saved by the Ipswich goalkeeper, before the hosts finally got into the game more and winger Cameron Stewart went close with a looping effort off Paddy McCarthy but thankfully Chris Kettings watched it all the way and tipped over.

Murray thought he had got on the scoresheet when he lobbed the goalkepeeper but he had been penalised for a push, before McCarthy went extremely close from a corner, only for the custodian to pull over a great save.

In the second half, Murray went close again, as did Dymond from a corner before midfielder Kyle de Silva volleyed wide.

The Ipswich goalkeeper continued to have a fine afternoon when he denied de Silva, as the Eagles had to settle for just a single goal but a deserved win.

Palace: Kettings, Dymond, McCarthy, Croll, Mariappa, Gray, Boateng, Black (N'Diane 46), Allassani (Anderson 54), Murray (Adarabioyo 85), de Silva. Subs not used: Gregory, Magri.

A NURSERY in Addiscombe has been criticised by Ofsted after an inspection exposed safety failings.

Sandilands Pre-School could not guarantee the safety of children on its books because staff had "failed to identify" the possible hazards they faced, inspectors said.

A report, published this week, said the nursery was "inadequate" - the lowest possible grade - and needed to make rapid improvements.

Sandilands Pre-School, based in Addiscombe Cricket Club, has space for 25 children but has only ten on roll.

It was inspected on February 2, a year after being told it "requires improvement" following its last Ofsted visit.

Inspector Geetha Ramesh said teaching at the nursery was "variable" because activities though varied, were often poorly planned.

She reserved her strongest criticism for failings in safeguarding.

"The provider does not ensure children's safety," said the report.

"Staff do not robustly assess risks in the environment, and they fail to identify all possible hazards to children.

"For example, staff do not always keep the kitchen door closed to prevent children from accessing unsafe areas."

Ofsted found staff had a good knowledge of child protection procedures but their performance was not evaluated by management, in breach of legal requirements.

It described partnerships with other schools as "weak" and said children were not always provided with healthy options at snack time.

Ofsted did, however, praise staff for listening to and challenging the children.

The nursery will now be subject to regular monitoring visits ahead of a full reinspection.

Owner Wendy Emond declined to comment when contacted by the Advertiser.

A primary school in Upper Norwood is advertising for a new head teacher.

The position of head at All Saints CE Primary, Upper Beulah Hill, has been vacant since Jane Elliott stepped down last term.

A school spokesperson said she had left for "personal reasons". 

All Saints is current being led by a deputy head until a replacement is found, a recruitment process being overseen by Arthur Williams, chair of governors.

An advert on the Times Education Supplement (TES) website says the governing body is looking for a "forward thinking, inspirational leader who has a proven track record of successful leadership and management".

The successful applicant will earn between £61,131 and £70,321, though an "exceptional candidate" could receive 25 per cent extra.

The deadline for applications is Monday (February 23) with the new head to start the role September.

Whoever gets the job will hope to reverse a slump in SATs results which saw the proportion of pupils achieving Level 4 or above in reading fall from 73 per cent in 2013 to 58 per cent last summer. 

A WOMAN was held hostage by a man with a blowtorch at a house in a six-hour stand-off with armed police that ended in the early hours of this morning (February 18).

Police say the man had made threats to harm the woman and set fire to the property when they were called to the incident in Hurlstone Road, South Norwood at 10pm last night.

Negotiators managed to talk the man down and he was arrested at 4.20am this morning.

Police say he will undergo a mental health assessment. The woman was uninjured.

A spokesman for the met said: "Police were called at approximately 10pm on Tuesday, 17 February to reports of a man holding a woman against her will at a residential address in Hurlstone Road, South Norwood.

"The man, who was in possession of a blowtorch, made threats to set fire to the property and harm the woman.

"Officers, including firearms officers, attended and engaged with the man.

"At approximately 4.20am on Wednesday, 18 February the man was arrested by officers. He will undergo a mental health assessment. The woman was not injured in the incident"

Fire crews from Norbury and Woodside were called to the scene as a contingency, though were not called into action.

DO YOU own the area's cutest cat, most delightful dog or ravishing rabbit?

Or perhaps you have a more unusual animal friend – an iguana, a snake, a gorilla (okay, maybe not that).

The Croydon Advertiser this week launches the search to find the area's top pet.

Over the coming weeks, we want you to send in photos of your animals, to enter the competition.

Then, the photos will appear on a gallery on our website with you, our readers, given the chance to vote for your favourite and help crown the winner of Croydon Advertiser Top Pet.

Entering couldn't be simpler. Just go to CLICK HERE to fill out the entry form and upload a photo of your pretty pet.

The website is open for entries until Sunday, March 1. Voting will take place from March 4, with more details to follow.

Good luck – and may the best pet win!

CONFIDENCE is still high at Palace despite last weekend's FA Cup defeat to Liverpool, says defender Scott Dann.

Had the Eagles won, they would have been into the quarter-finals and one game away from featuring at Wembley.

Dann and his team-mates have been on a fantastic run of form since Alan Pardew's arrival at the start of January, and the centre-back can see light at the end of the tunnel, 13 points away from that magical 40-point mark in the Premier League.

"The league is the bread and butter, we know that with another 13 games and we know we're not safe with some massive games coming up," he said.

"We need to make sure we're on it against Arsenal and better than we were against Liverpool. It doesn't matter what competition you're in, you always want to win.

"The gaffer has brought a lot of confidence and that has showed since he's been here. There's a bit more freedom, players get forward and he wants crosses into the box and get shots off."

For more from Dann, don't miss Friday's Croydon Advertiser.

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

PROTESTORS claiming to be from New Fathers 4 Justice disrupted Harriet Harman's visit to New Addington this morning (Wednesday).

The Labour deputy leader was visiting the estate's Addington Community Association centre in her much talked about 'woman to woman' pink battle bus, to address female voters and back the party's Croydon Central candidate Sarah Jones.

But when the bus arrived, the politicians were greeted by one of the rooftop protests the dad's rights group has become famous for.

The protest was staged by a group called 'Give Me Back Elmo' - a campaign led by Bobby Smith, a parent who says he has been denied proper access to his children.

His website shows this is not the first time Mr Smith has ambushed the pink bus, having already gatecrashed the launch of Mrs Harman's venture in Stevenage last week.

Mr Smith has also confronted Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband, and has a section on his website titled 'my restraining order'.

He said: "She [Harriet Harman] is trying to get women together away from men. She shouldn't be trying to divide people whether their black, white, women or men.

"Because of my gender I don't see my kids. I blame this sentiment for that."

But Sarah Jones said Labour would not be distracted from discussing issues important to women.

She said: "We will not be put off by politics of hate."

A Labour spokesman confirmed that while the event was aimed at women, interested men were welcome to attend.

People claiming to be members of the BNP and National Front also turned up outside the event, which was attended by Harman, Jones, and fellow Labour MP Diane Abbott.

Once inside the ACA, the politicians spoke to female voters and took part in an exercise, asking them to write down on pieces of paper what they want from the next Government.

POLICE have told victims of a conwoman she will not be prosecuted - because she does not have any money to confiscate. 

Neelam Desai, 34, tricked men out of tens out thousands of pounds through a dating website scam which included pretending she was raising money to fund life-saving surgery for a sick child.

Those men, one of whom contemplated suicide after losing £35,500, have been informed she will face no further action.

Desai, of Beulah Grove, Selhurst, was arrested in April last year on suspicion of ten counts of fraud by false representation following an Advertiser investigation.

Weeks later she was jailed for 30 months after pleading guilty to a series of frauds separate to those this paper had linked her to.

Desai answered bail earlier this month in relation to our allegations, which she denies, and was told she would not be charged.

The police declined to comment on the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decision, which has been formally challenged by at least two of her outraged victims.

Amar, 33, who was tricked out of £17,176 in a scam that continued while Desai was on bail awaiting sentencing, has passed the Advertiser an email he received from police informing him his case had been dropped.

The email police sent to one of Desai's victims

Detective Constable Stephen Hall wrote: "It is with sadness I bring you news of the final decision from the Crown Prosecution Service. They have decided there will be no further action against Neelam Desai on all matters."

Summarising the reasons, DC Hall added: "She received a 30 month custodial sentence, and was unlikely to receive any more should these new offences have been tried.

"A financial investigation revealed she has no assets whatsoever, and therefore no punitive punishment was possible either."

Amar, of west London, said: "What sort of message does this send out to victims of crime?

"How can it be right that she cannot be prosecuted because she has already gone to prison for something else?

"I think they want to save money. They don't want to pay to go back to court and hold her responsible for what she did. It's all about the money.

"After what happened to me I was told [by the police] that I wouldn't get my money back. I took that on the chin because I thought she would at least get punished for it. Now I'm told she's going to get away with it.

"This has opened my eyes about the legal system in this country. Even if you do know who the criminal is, they don't do anything. It's going to deter victims from coming forward."

The Advertiser began to unravel Desai's lies in March last year after being contacted by a 36-year-old man from Leicester who had been conned out of £35,500 by a woman calling herself Nisha Patel, who first contacted him in December 2012 through Shaadi.com, an Asian marriage website.

He emptied the joint £15,000 life-savings he held with his father and took out a bank loan of £9,000 in belief he was paying for holidays with the woman he had fallen for - trips that never happened.

Bank statements passed to the Advertiser show the vast majority of the cash was paid into an account under the name N. Desai, who "Nisha" said was her travel agent.

Neelam Desai arrives at court last May ahead of being sentenced

In fact, "Nisha Patel" was the name Desai did business under after being declared bankrupt in 2009, and she was sending the man photographs taken from another woman's Facebook page.

The scam, which cost him his business, lasted more than a year and was only investigated by the police when the Advertiser became involved.

Desai attempted to block our investigating by alleging our reporter was "persecuting" her. The police gave him a harassment warning and, after they rejected our complaint, he has now appealed to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

The Advertiser spoke to a second man who was conned during the same period, again after being approached by a woman on Shaadi.com.

He was offered the opportunity to buy an iPhone, an iPad and Currys vouchers by a woman calling herself Rima Vaghela. He made payments totalling £950 to 'N Desouza' but the items never arrived. While demanding his money back the woman accidentally emailed him from the email Neelam.Desai. Both men were sent pictures of the same woman.

The Advertiser then traced that woman to an address in London. It transpired her husband was in the same year group as Desai in John Ruskin College, Selsdon.

We then tracked down a third victim who handed £4,000 to a woman who called herself Rima Vaghela, who claimed she was raising money for homeless children after contacting him on Shaadi.com. The woman he spoke to over several months was not real and neither was the charity appeal. The hospital she said she was employed by could find no record she had worked there.

The 30-year-old realised he was being conned when he Googled 'Rima Vaghela' and found stories about Desai on our website.

Amar, the fourth victim to contact the Advertiser, passed us extensive evidence showing how he was conned out of £17,176 after being contacted by Desai, posing as another woman, on Shaadi.com on January 6.

Her scam included pretending to raise money for a children's charity and that a friend needed £1,900 to fund surgery for a seriously ill child.

His evidence included a transcript of hundreds of messages sent to him from Desai's mobile phone, which showed that, on the morning Desai pleaded guilty to a series of travel business frauds totalling more than £230,000, she contacted Amar and asked for more money.

Texts Desai sent to one victim under the name "Nisha Patel"

To date police have not asked to see any of the evidence the Advertiser has collected, including a tape recording of a conversation between Amar and Desai in which she promises to repay the money she took. A Metropolitan Police spokesman could only say the investigating officer was "aware" of our material.

It is not known for certain what Desai did with the money she stole from the men she contacted through Shaadi.com but it is likely she used it to try and pay back victims of her travel business scam.

She was jailed for 30 months last May after pleading guilty to fraud, handling stolen goods, doing business while bankrupt and breaching a suspended sentence.

Desai offered customers of her discount travel business cheap flights and holidays but when those trips fell through she tried to pay them back by ripping off two businessmen and writing fraudulent cheques from her mother's bank account.

She had already been convicted of dishonestly using her mother's home to obtain security on two loans. 

Police confiscated just £320 from her following a hearing at Croydon Crown Court in December last year after an investigation found she had no assets to seize.

At least two victims of Desai's honey trap con have asked the CPS to review its decision.

A CPS spokeswoman said : "Criminal charges can only be brought against a person if there is sufficient evidence against them to provide a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest to prosecute.

"Following the original decision to take no further action this case has been reviewed under the Victim's Right to Review scheme and this process has not yet been exhausted.

"Consequently there remains a potential for an appeal against the decision in this case therefore we are not able to comment further until the process has been completed."

The case against Desai 

THE Advertiser has compelling evidence that Neelam Desai was behind the dating website scams. The police have not, to date, asked to see any of it.

- Transcripts of hundreds of text messages sent to two victims from a mobile phone number given to the Press Complaints Commission by Desai

- A third victim received text messages from that number

- Recordings of telephone calls made to the Advertiser, and a victim, by a woman who admitted to being Neelam Desai

- Four victims listened to recordings of calls the Advertiser has received and independently confirmed the voice on the phone is the same woman who conned them

- Bank statements from a 36-year-old from Leicester who was conned out of £35,500 by a woman calling herself Nisha Patel, the name Desai was convicted of doing business under while bankrupt

- In his case, the man transferred money to an account under the name N. Desai

- The man later hired a private detective who traced the mobile number "Nisha" was using to Desai and her Selhurst home address

- Another victim, from London, was conned by a woman calling herself "Rima Vaghela", who accidentally sent him an email from the account "Neelam.Desai"

- Three of the victims were sent pictures of the same woman, who was we identified as the wife of a man Desai was in the same year at John Ruskin College, Selsdon

- A victim was told Niraj Dhokia, from Nationwide, would sort one transaction. Desai pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods, namely Mr Dhokia's chequebook

JULIAN Speroni was delighted he was given the nod in the FA Cup against Liverpool last weekend.

Wayne Hennessey had been deployed in cup competitions previously but Speroni retained his place instead, which may have surprised a few fans.

"I always want to play. Maybe I was a little surprised as Wayne has played in the cup games before and thought he would play again," said the Argentine.

"But we're professionals and have to do what the managers asks. I always prepare myself and always ready to go.

"I was really pleased when I was told I was going to play. You always have to adapt and accept decisions in football."

Despite losing 2-1 and going out of the FA Cup, Speroni felt the squad adapted well without James McArthur, who has been an important player so far this season.

"It's not just about the 11 players, I always say you're going to do well with the squad you have," said the shot-stopper.

"Every player has a chance, every club has injuries through the season and suspensions.

"I think people stepped in and did a job against a top team like Liverpool.

"We may have struggled with people like James McArthur but it was just one of those games."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

THE council says a mysterious incident involving a member of staff and a "burglary" at a town centre business was a "simple misunderstanding".

Saif Bonar, owner of Matthews Yard, complained to the council after one of its employees turned up unannounced at the cafe and work space and said he was "investigating" police reports of a burglary.

When the council officer was informed there had been no burglary he left, leaving Mr Bonar confused and concerned.

He raised the issue with councillors and was later told by council chief executive Nathan Elvery by email that he had "instigated an investigation".

The plot thickened when the Advertiser started asking questions about the incident last week only for the council to refuse to comment on the record, even to confirm whether the employee - Dayo Ogunmuyiwa - had visited Matthews Yard on January 26, the day in question.

That was until last Friday when the Advertiser published a story about what had happened, prompting the council to take the unusual step of uploading a press release to its website responding to the article.

The council responded to the story in a press release

To date this press release has not been sent to the Advertiser - unlike every other announcement the council makes - or Mr Bonar.

It said: "In response to today's report in the Croydon Advertiser...the council investigated the matter after it was brought to our attention by Mr Bonar.

"It was quickly established that the situation was a simple misunderstanding and that there was no cause for any further action."

Mr Bonar has yet to receive a response from Mr Elvery but did receive an explanation from Lisa McCance, head of economic development, who said Mr Ogunmuyiwa had received a voicemail from the police about a break-in at Matthews Yard in 2014.

She offered to share the voicemail with Mr Bonar but this has yet to happen.

Unsatisfied, Mr Bonar has submitted a Freedom of Information request to the council to try and get to the bottom of the incident.

He also plans to escalate his complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman.

"The facts surrounding the event remain unexplained and the voicemail from the police which reportedly proves beyond any doubt the purpose of Dayo's visit has never been produced," he said in a further email to Mr Elvery.

"While it may be your opinion that the matter is now closed, I do not feel the response has been satisfactory and I feel I have no alternative but to escalate the issue.

"I'm sorry the council has responded in such a strange way to a simple request and that an issue which could have been resolved in ten minutes continues to drag on.

"Please be under no illusion that I will continue to seek answers on this issue." 

AN ADDISCOMBE man who overturned his car onto train tracks in Whyteleafe and caused serious injuries to one of his passengers has been jailed.

Adam Hmimssa, of Vincent Road, 27, lost control of his black Vauxhall Astra at around 4.40am on Saturday, November 9 ,2013 at a level crossing along the A22 Godstone Road at its junction with Salmons Lane.

His car left the road and went up a steep bank before overturning and eventually coming to a stop on the railway line close to Whyteleafe South train station.

Hmimssa and two passengers in the vehicle suffered minor injuries in the collision but a third passenger suffered serious injuries and was taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting for further treatment.

Hmimssa had denied causing serious injury by dangerous driving, endangering the safety of a person conveyed in or upon the railway and driving with no insurance.

He was found guilty of all offences yesterday (Tuesday) following a trial at Guildford Crown Court and jailed for 30 months.

He was also disqualified from driving for three years and will have to undertake an extended driving test before he is eligible to get his licence back.

Sergeant Eddie Ryan, of Surrey Police's Collision Investigation Unit, said: "I welcome the lengthy custodial sentence for Hmimssa which clearly reflects the reckless and highly dangerous nature of his driving on the night of the incident.

"As a result of the collision one of the passengers in the vehicle suffered serious injuries which have left him dependant on medication for the rest of his life.

"The fact that the car came to a stop on the railway lines demonstrates how easily this incident could have had an even more tragic outcome and it is fortunate that the collision took place at a time of day when trains were not using the railway line.

"Hmimssa's irresponsible actions caused significant disruption and put the lives of others at risk. I hope the sentence highlights that we will do everything possible to ensure that those who ignore the rules of the road are put before the courts."

TV PRESENTER and former star of The Only Way is Essex, Mark Wright, is set to attend the opening of a new nightclub in the town centre next Friday (February 27).

Wright will be playing a DJ set and meeting and greeting revellers at Club 88 Degrees, under the flyover in High Street, Croydon.

The following night (Saturday) DJ Skt, who plays a house and garage, will perform a set at the new club.