Wimbledon Man Jailed For Harassing Woman In Her 80s

---

Court hears he was part of gang which demanded money

A Wimbledon man who was part of a gang which turned up at the address of a woman in her 80s and aggressively asked for money has been jailed for his part in the harassment.

Joseph Carlisle, aged 27, from Wimbledon Hill Road, was one of three men who constantly turned up at the home of the victim at all times of day and night, and harassed her into giving them money.

The victim was scared to refuse and felt frightened and distressed in her own home during the seven month period in which they continued to visit her.

When the victim reported the harassment, an enquiry began by officers from Kensington and Chelsea police.

The following men have been convicted:

• Joseph Carlisle who pleaded guilty to harassment and three counts of fraud on Wednesday, 3 August at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court.

He was kept in custody and sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Wednesday, 31 August to 11 and a half months' imprisonment.

Carlisle was also part of the group who harassed the victim, in his case to buy drugs, but he also made fraudulent claims that he needed money for various other fraudulent reasons, including for taxi fare.

He was also arrested by Kensington and Chelsea detectives and charged on 2 August.

• Tom Lonsdale, 44, of Cromwell Road, Kensington was charged on 26 July 2016 with one count of harassment on an elderly woman.

He pleaded guilty on Wednesday, 17 August at City of London Magistrates' Court, on the first day of trial, and was sentenced to seven weeks in prison and a restraining order was issued to protect the victim.

The court heard how between the 1 January and 11 July Lonsdale had repeatedly attended the victim's home in Kensington. Lonsdale was told by the victim not to come back to her address and to leave her alone.

However, he ignored her pleas and continued to turn up asking for yet even more money. He was subsequently arrested by detectives from Kensington and Chelsea police and charged on 26 July.

• Andrew McCrae, 44, of Warwick Road, SW5 was arrested on Saturday, 27 August and charged on the 28 August with one count of harassment.

He was kept in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on the 29 August and was sentenced 17 weeks' imprisonment and a restraining order was issued to protect the victim.

McCrae was the first one to take advantage of the victim. He met her when he was begging in the street and the victim gave him £5. When they subsequently met again he offered to carry her shopping saying it was because she had been nice.

However when he discovered where the victim lived he constantly called and harassed her for money, telling her it was for tools and clothes - however he spent the money to buy drugs.

Further enquires are in hand to trace others involved.

Anyone experiencing any harassment should call police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

September 1, 2016