This week 10, 20, 30 years ago

10 Years ago

An MP praised the spirit of a 112-year-old “living legend” as the man who burgled her was jailed.

Grace Jones, the UK’s oldest person, had suffered three break-ins at her Bermondsey home within weeks.

Jesse Coker, 46, of Floyd Road, Charlton, admitted one count of burglary at Woolwich Crown Court and was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail.

Prosecutor Vivian Walters said Coker rang Miss Jones’ doorbell on January 24 at around 10.45am “pretending to be a delivery driver”.

Coker was caught after two neighbours recognised him in the Old Kent Road the following day and flagged down a passing police car.

A teenager accused of taking part in a murder in an Old Kent Road betting shop told jurors he thought that the victim “deserved a kicking.”

The 17-year-old boy, who could not be identified because of his age, said he was told 22-year-old Jerry Iyiku had stolen a car belonging to his friend Dagazau Ali, 23.

He was one of a gang of eight men caught on CCTV bursting into E Coomes bookmaker’s in the Old Kent Road, Peckham, to attack Mr Iyiku on July 19, 2011, jurors at the Old Bailey heard.

Mr Iyiku was stabbed in the heart and bled to death on the floor of the shop.

A top horseman who honed his talents riding donkeys at a South London farm inspired youngsters at an Olympic themed event.

Dressage rider Sam Martin talked about his incredible journey at John Roan School, Maze Hill, Blackheath.

He told pupils how horses transformed his life from being a teenager living rough and getting in regular trouble with the police.

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20 Years ago

Bobbies on buses looked set to become a familiar sight on buses after a South London pilot scheme was hailed a success.

A two-week trial on the 185 bus route between Victoria and Lewisham, and a second route in north London saw officers arresting 23 people for offences including robbery and theft.

Police also dished out 750 road traffic fines after catching motorists blocking bus lanes.

Plans were announced by London Mayor Ken Livingstone to roll out the project over 24 bus routes as part of a £25million-a-year transport policing initiative.

Controversial plans to introduce a Congestion Charging Zone in London began to take shape, with cameras and masts being put up on all access roads to central London.

The 8m tall masts were put up in around 200 roads.

In South London, the boundary was set to run along Tower Bridge, Elephant & Castle, Kennington Lane and Vauxhall Bridge Road.

A cannabis experiment which critics said turned a blind eye to people caught with the drug came under heavy criticism from the shadow Health Secretary.

Oliver Letwin MP slammed the practice of not prosecuting people for being caught with small amounts of the drug in Brixton, introduced by Lambeth Borough Commander Brian Paddick.

But Mr Letwin said that Brixton was becoming a “magnet” for users and dealers and called on the commander to take a tougher stance against people caught with the drug.

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30 Years ago

A letter urging schools to opt out of council control was branded as “political bribery” by a union boss.

The letter from the Grant Maintained Schools Foundation (GMSF) offered cash sweeteners to schools who opted to break free from local authority control, boasting start-up grants from the Government plus £30 per student for schools with more than 200 youngsters on their books.

But the missive, from GSMF chairman Bob Balchin came under fire from union members in South London’s Labour-run boroughs.

Lambeth’s National Union of Teachers rep Dick North said he was appalled that a large amount of Government cash was being offered to a minority of schools during a period of cuts to education budgets.

Almost 90 drivers competed for the London Bus Driver of the Year prize at Battersea Park.

The 87 drivers pitted their wits against each other in a series of tests designed to test their abilities at manoeuvring their machines around obstacles.

John Lowe of the East London Bus Company took the top place and a £500 prize while Stephen Burgess from New Cross garage took home a £120 runners-up prize.

Developers bulldozed a disputed wildlife site days before Government inspectors were due to visit the site.

Furious environmentalists had claimed that the three-acre site in Sydenham Hill, was worth preserving as a natural havan.

The London Wildlife Trust was locked in a bitter row with Dulwich Estates Governors for six years. Southwark council said developers were entitled to build on the land,

The developers argued that the site was not a nature reserve to be protected, but a piece of residential wasteland ripe for developing.

 

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