Matthew Steeples reports on the sale of a rare 1992 Range Rover convertible created for the alleged sex pest playboy Prince Jefri of Brunei and comments on this shamed royal’s similarities to the Range Rover driving alleged sex pest formerly known as Prince Andrew
Both alleged sex pest Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and alleged sex pest Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei have owned rather large and rather gaudy houses that curiously shared the same name, Sunninghill.
The first, Sunninghill Park, situated on the edge Windsor Great Park in Berkshire, England was sold by Queen Elizabeth II’s now disgraced second son in 2007 for a totally overinflated price to a Kazakh billionaire. It was mockingly nicknamed ‘South York’ and ‘Tesco Towers’ and ended up flattened. The second, plainer-without-the-‘Park’ Sunninghill, in Glen Head, Long Island, New York, escaped the wrecking ball, but sold most recently for just £5.5 million ($7.5 million) in 2024 against the £8.7 million ($11.8 million) the renegade Brunei royal had most definitely overpaid for it back in 2006. The 28-acre estate has thankfully been long stripped of the sickening ‘sex statues’ that Prince Jefri ended up in an expensive court case in regard to.
The former Sunninghill, Long Island, USA residence of Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei and the since demolished Sunninghill Park, Berkshire, UK residence of the now former Duke of York and the now former Duchess of York, the money motivated proven liar Sarah Ferguson. Both homes became tainted by their associations with ostentation and grubby excess.Sunninghill, Glenhead, NY – which is just 26 miles from Manhattan – came to public attention in a 2010 court case Prince Jefri brought against former advisers when he unsuccessfully asked a judge to bar a jury from seeing photographs of pornographic statutes of himself and his former personal assistant and former fiancée, Micha Raines. Prince Jefri ultimately lost the case and had to pay out £16.5 million ($21 million) in damages.The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanl Bolkiah, with his since estranged spendaholic brother Prince Jefri.Whilst driving a green Range Rover, the then still Prince Andrew nearly ran over a dog on the Long Walk in Windsor in April 2024. ‘The Sun’ observed: “Andrew took the kerfuffle in good humour and laughed as the dog’s mortified owner sprinted to retrieve it.”On another occasion in December 2021, a woman “of no fixed abode… sprinted up to the [then still] Duke of York’s Range Rover” and “thumped on the window.”The ex-Prince Jefri of Brunei 1992 Land Rover Range Rover Chamois by Vantagefield to be offered for sale by auction by RM Sotheby’s on 23rd January 2026.
Equally, also connecting this pair of dastardly degenerates is that both have owned multiple Land Rover Range Rovers over many decades. Whilst the rotten royal formerly known as Prince Andrew’s Range Rovers have only been adapted with discrete security features such as covert police lighting, Prince Jefri and also his brother the Sultan of Brunei’s examples are on another level in terms of opulence.
Going to auction on 23rd January at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 206 sale is a 1992 Range Rover described as a “Chamois convertible.” It was coachbuilt by Vantagefield of London – a firm that subsequently went out of business due to non-paying Kuwaitis during the Gulf War not coughing up for similarly ostentatious conversions – and is presented in black with “sumptuous” white leather. It comes with a fully lined, power-operated soft-top and a black removable hardtop also.
Of this fancy 4×4 that was supposedly delivered new to the Brunei royal family at their residence in Beverly Hills, California, RM Sotheby’s remark:
“Designed with hunting in mind, they could be fitted with hydraulic mechanisms to lift the seats above the roofline for unparalleled views of the quarry… An excellent choice for Range Rover enthusiasts seeking a unique variation of a timeless classic, this fascinating, rare convertible will surely stand out wherever it goes, be it cruising beaches or chasing quarry.”
It has 41,406-miles on the clock, but comes without any imagery of Prince Jefri ‘in-action’ in pursuit of “quarry” on the streets of Los Angeles. Offered this coming January without reserve and a guide of £74,000 to £111,000 ($100,000 to $150,000), the vehicle was last sold alongside a second similar example, a 1995 P38-A Range Rover 4.0 SE convertible coupé by German firm Styling Garage in September 1999 to a Southern Californian owner. The latter example was auctioned by RM Sotheby’s in the summer of 2025 and achieved a hammer price of £85,500 ($115,500).
The 1995 Land Rover Range Rover 4.0 SE Convertible coupé by Styling GarageThe “sexually charged” 1994 Range Rover LSE limousine by Townley Cross Country Vehicles. It was sold with a ‘Brucie bonus’ in the form of an invitation to the Cartier ‘Style at Lux’ Concours D’Elegance at the 2020 Goodwood Festival of Speed and innocently described as being perfect for simply “taking your extended family out to lunch” in.
On a flashier scale and also used by Mike Tyson in its later existence, The Steeple Times featured another of Prince Jefri’s Range Rovers in November 2019 when it was auctioned by H&H Classics in the UK. The 1994 Range Rover Classic LSE had been stretched by 40” and had its roof raised by 8” by Townley Cross Country Vehicles; it featured a lavish interior in oxblood Connolly hide, full electric centre division with glass panel; three rear seats (two electrically operated); full air conditioning; stereo/CD player and two remote control 8″ television monitors with a VHS recorder. The lavish limousine reportedly had cost £165,000 ($223,000) new or the equivalent of £351,000 ($474,000) today; it sold for just £33,200 ($45,000).
Unlike with the late Queen Elizabeth II’s former Range Rovers, those owned by alleged sex pest princes most definitely are not in the top league of car porn. A 2006 Land Rover Range Rover 4.2 Supercharged Vogue SE owned by the late monarch hammered down at the Iconic Auctioneers sale at Silverstone in August 2025 for an astonishing £175,500 ($237,000); an example without royal heritage is currently worth around £10,000 ($13,500).
Rosie Marple looks into how AI tools are changing processes in the small claims court system in the UK and explores how it can provide those involved in legal disputes with clear guidance, organised workflows and efficient ways to prepare affordably
The small claims process in the UK was designed to be straightforward, but many people still find it challenging to navigate legal terminology, document requirements and strict procedural deadlines. Now, as more aspects of the justice system begin to move online, artificial intelligence is emerging as a useful tool and making these steps more accessible to the general public.
AI-based solutions can help individuals prepare claims and defences with greater accuracy, offering guided workflows and provide clarity that reduce the risk of avoidable errors. This evolution reflects a broader trend toward digital transformation in legal services, aimed at improving access and confidence for self-represented parties.
Why AI is playing a growing role in small claims
The shift toward digital justice services has created a need for tools that support users who may not have legal experience. Many people prefer to handle small disputes themselves, but appreciate some form of structured assistance. AI tools fill this gap by providing:
Clear explanations of each procedural stage.
Intelligent prompts to ensure key information is included.
Templates that follow court expectations.
Automated checks for inconsistencies or missing details.
More organised workflows for preparing evidence.
These improvements help individuals present their case more clearly, be they a claimant or a defendant.
An example of such can be found in the increasingly used AI small claims platform UK with CaseCraft, which provides structured digital support without replacing the role of legal professionals.
How AI tools can assist claimants and defendants
AI-driven platforms are especially useful for breaking down complex tasks into straightforward steps. This makes a significant difference for users who may not be comfortable with legal writing or technical requirements.
For claimants, AI tools help with:
Preparing a clear narrative of the dispute.
Identifying relevant facts and evidence.
Ensuring the correct defendant is named.
Formatting documents for court submission.
For defendants, these platforms support:
Understanding each point made in the claim.
Drafting a structured response.
Addressing allegations in a logical order.
Organising supporting evidence.
By guiding users through the process, AI reduces confusion and increases the likelihood of well-prepared submissions.
Automation and smart guidance: Key features
Modern AI-driven platforms often incorporate automation that improves both quality and efficiency. Typical features include:
Error detection: Flagging missing or inconsistent information.
Smart suggestions: Indicating where more detail may be needed.
Document generation: Producing court-ready forms and statements.
These tools do not provide legal advice but create a more predictable and manageable experience for individuals who choose to represent themselves.
When professional input may still be necessary
AI support is beneficial for most routine small claims under £10,000, particularly those involving unpaid invoices, service disputes, or straightforward contract issues. However, some cases still require professional legal guidance, such as:
Disputes involving technical or expert evidence.
Complex contractual disagreements.
Multi-party claims or counterclaims.
Cases close to the small claims financial limit.
In these situations, a solicitor can provide insights that go beyond procedural support. Even then, AI tools remain useful for document preparation and evidence organisation.
The future of AI in the UK small claims system
As technology continues to develop, AI is likely to play an even more significant role in making the small claims process more accessible. The trend is moving toward clearer procedures, fewer administrative obstacles, and greater confidence for individuals managing their disputes independently.
While AI cannot replicate the depth of human legal advice, it offers practical, user-friendly guidance that helps people navigate small claims with less stress and more certainty.
Frequently asked questions about AI in small claims
Is it legal to use AI to assist with small claims?
Yes, AI can help users structure information, understand procedures, and prepare documents. It cannot provide legal advice in the same way as a qualified legal professional, but it can offer general guidance and organisational support.
How accurate are AI tools for small claims preparation?
They are typically very accurate in identifying missing information, inconsistencies, and procedural gaps. Accuracy depends on user input, so the more complete the information, the more effective the tool.
Do I still need a solicitor if I use an AI platform?
Not always. For standard disputes involving invoices, deposits, services, or property damage, AI support is often sufficient. For complex cases, professional advice may still be necessary.
Can AI help with both filing and defending a small claim?
Yes. AI tools are designed to guide both claimants and defendants, adapting questions and structure depending on the user’s role in the dispute.
Is my personal information secure when using AI tools?
Reputable platforms use encryption and comply with data protection laws (including UK GDPR). Users should always check a platform’s privacy policy before uploading documents.
Can AI help me decide whether I have a strong case?
AI tools do not give legal opinions or predictions. They can highlight missing details or unclear statements, but assessing legal merit requires human judgment.
What documents can AI help me prepare?
Typical outputs include claim forms, defence statements, witness statements, evidence bundles, and timelines of events — all formatted for court use.
Does AI work for all types of small claims?
AI is most effective for straightforward disputes involving money claims, services, goods, contracts, or property damage. Highly technical or specialist claims may require additional human input.
Will the courts accept documents generated by AI?
Yes, provided they meet procedural requirements. AI-generated documents follow standard formatting and structure, but the user remains responsible for accuracy.
What happens if my case becomes too complex for an AI tool?
Users can export their documents and share them with a solicitor. AI tools can significantly reduce the time a professional needs to review or prepare the case.
Rosie Marple studied law at the London School of Economics and aside from her interest in technology, given her surname, enjoys sleuthing and problem solving Agatha Christie-style in her spare time. Follow her on X at @RosieMarple.
As he faces a £400 million fraud trial, coffin dodging skinflint Bernie Ecclestone has slashed the price of one his gin palaces, Petara; the 190-foot yacht is now on sale for the bargain basement price of ‘just’ £16 million
Previously valued at a rather punchy sum of £30 million ($37.32 million, €34.50 million or درهم137.6 million), ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone’s 190.9-foot motor yacht ‘Petara II’ – named using a combination of the names of his two daughters by ex-wife Slavica Radić, Petra and Tamara – is now been hawked for ‘just’ £16.95 million ($21.09 million, €19.50 million or درهم77.46 million) with EU VAT paid.
Offered by Burgess Yachts, the diminutive, dwarf-like businessman’s ‘gin palace’ was built in 2005 by Protesksan Turquoise in Turkey and is described as having “one owner from new” and subject to “very light private use only.” It has six cabins for upto twelve guests and includes a large full-beam garage complete with a hydraulic car lift, city car, toys and tenders.
‘Petara’ is capable of a maximum speed of 18 knots and has a range of 5,000 nautical miles; it has a crew of fourteen and currently lies in the West Mediterranean under a United Kingdom flag.
92-year-old Ecclestone – whose family supposedly nicknamed him ‘The Grinch’ – currently awaits trial for allegedly orchestrating a £400 million ($497 million, €460 million or درهم1.8 billion) fraud against His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC). It is due to begin in London on 15th November 2023.
Editor’s Note – Unlike as is the case in many publications, this article was NOT sponsored or supported by a third-party. Follow Matthew Steeples on Twitter at @M_Steeples.
In reducing the price of his £30m yacht 'Petara' to 'just' £16m, is skinflint Bernie Ecclestone playing an 'ace' card or is he showing desperation as he prepares for his £400m HMRC fraud case on 15th Nov 2023? #BernieEcclestone#yacht#ginpalace#fraud#HMRC#crime#truecrime#F1
This morning on Twitter, Matthew Steeples asked: “In reducing the price of his £30m yacht ‘Petara’ to ‘just’ £16m, is skinflint Bernie Ecclestone playing an ‘ace’ card or is he showing desperation as he prepares for his £400m HMRC fraud case on 15th Nov 2023?” By 11:30am on Thursday 18th May 2023, the majority of respondents favoured the answer: “Yes; time is up jail next.”92-year-old Bernie Ecclestone arriving at court on 19th April 2023; the bungling buffoon and apologist for the evil tyrant President Vladimir Putin looked in worse condition than even at his last appearance back in January 2023.92-year-old Bernie Ecclestone’s third wife and latest ‘baby mama’ Fabiana Flosi-Ecclestone accompanied him that day; the current Mrs Ecclestone curiously chose the name ‘Ace’ for her child – one is left wondering if the billionaire former F1 chief will be hoping for an ace in the pack when he faces his trial for allegedly orchestrating a £400 million fraud against His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on the 15th November 2023.In February 2020, ‘The Steeple Times’ reported on croaked paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s chum (and his wife Sarah, Duchess of York’s financial sponsor) Prince Andrew having Bernie Ecclestone over to Royal Lodge, Windsor to celebrate his birthday. Whether this man “with qualities that would make Leona Helmsley look generous” brought Sloppy Giuseppes from Pizza Express (Woking branch) for the bash remains still unknown and whether he has entertained the Duke of York on ‘Petara’ is unknown.At the 31st birthday party hosted for Naomi Campbell by her then lover Flavio Briatore on 19th May 2001 in St Tropez, France, Bernie Ecclestone (pictured top right) got to hang out on a gin palace with not only the since convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell but also the woman Prince Andrew paid £12 million to in spite of having never met – Virginia Roberts (now known as Virginia Giuffre). The now former F1 boss and alleged fraudster featured in the infamous address book credited to Epstein but most likely was actually a contact of the mucky madam Maxwell primarily.The 91-year-old father of four and son of a Suffolk fisherman has previously been quite rightly deservedly slammed for his support for the world’s worst living leader, President Vladimir Putin. Calling such a tyrant “a good guy” and someone he’d “take a bullet for” about sums this nasty little piece of toerag up for what he is – an utter braindead berk.
BOG OFF BERNIE! BERNIE ECCLESTONE’S WORST MOMENTS
A poisonous penny-pinching dwarf and well-known as a “coffin dodger,” Bernie Ecclestone – a bestie of the man who paid £12 million to a woman he claims never to have met Prince Andrew – couldn’t give a damn about anything other than money. He’ll mouth off in support of anyone who might help him get just a little bit more, but really should just be told to bog off!
On President Vladimir Putin:
“[He] should be running Europe… He should be in Brussels running Europe… We should get rid of Brussels and he should just be in charge.”
“Honestly, I think the guy who be running Europe, impressed me more than anything, is Mr Putin because he’s a guy that says he’s going to do something and does it… [He’s] a first-class person.”
“He does what he says he’s gonna do, he gets the job done. I mean people don’t understand exactly what he wants to do… He wants to put Russia back to what it was.”
“I was with [Putin] after the [2014 Sochi Winter] Olympics on the top of the bloody mountain… We had a meeting, just the two of us, and we came out and we were walking along and people were coming up to him asking for an autograph… That’s what people think of him.”
“If someone had a machine gun and was prepared to shoot Putin, I would stand in front of him because he’s a good guy. He’s never done anything that isn’t doing good things for people.”
On President Putin’s intolerance to gay people in Russia:
“When I was at school, if you did something wrong, the teacher used to say: ‘Go and get the punishment book and the cane. Go to your headmistress and get a few whacks or something.’ That’s what he does.”
On President Donald Trump:
“I think he’d be fantastic [as President of the United States of America]. I’m sure he’s much more flexible than most of them. If he’s made a mistake, he’s more likely to say: ‘It was a good idea at the time.’”
“He has done a lot of good things for the world.”
On Adolf Hitler:
“Apart from the fact that Hitler got taken away and persuaded to do things that I have no idea whether he wanted to do or not, he was in the way that he could command a lot of people, able to get things done… He wasn’t a dictator.”
On Jewish people:
“They have a lot of influence everywhere.”
On black people:
“In a lot of cases, black people are more racist than what white people are.”
Of democracy in the United Kingdom:
“If you have a look at a democracy it hasn’t done a lot of good for many countries – including this one.”
Of his crackpot suggestion that the now late Max Mosley, son of the late Fascist Oswald Mosley, might have been Prime Minister of Great Britain:
“[He would have done] a super job… I don’t think his background would [have been] a problem.”
On Brexit:
“I’m 100% an outer.”
On his wealth:
“I’ve got enough I can do with my money.”
On following the rules:
“I never stopped breaking the rules.”
Asked if immigrants had made a contribution to the UK:
“They have not.”
On who is worth speaking to:
“Anyone who doesn’t speak English isn’t worth speaking to… I’d rather get to the 70-year-old guy who has a lot of cash.”
On journalists:
“I can’t remember a single occasion when I have been kind to a journalist.”
On social media:
“I think the change that is currently taking place is very short-lived, as these social media people are starting to think it is not as good as they thought.”
On waiters and prostitutes:
“Waiters are like hookers, never around when you want them.”
On women:
“You know, I’ve got one of those wonderful ideas… Women should be all dressed in white like all the other domestic appliances.”
“What I would really like to see happen is to find the right girl, perhaps a black girl with super looks, preferably Jewish or Muslim, who speaks Spanish.”
On women participating in Formula 1:
“I don’t know whether a woman would physically be able to drive an F1 car quickly, and they wouldn’t be taken seriously.”
On Lewis Hamilton:
“I don’t find him particularly engaging… He’s not particularly you would say black.”
On the corrupt criminal and disgraced banker Gerhard Gribkowsky:
“Dear old Gribkowsky… I don’t blame him because I would have probably done the same if I could have done it. He found the weak spot, found some leverage and used it. You can’t blame somebody for doing that.”
On the individuals who kidnapped his mother-in-law:
“If I get upset, how could it help?”
On his business career and his family’s Bambino Holdings offshore trust:
“I’ve got the highest position there is. So high that when I look down, I can’t see anything.”
“Maybe the most serious thing I regret was giving my shares to my ex [Slavica Radić], because when she them all in a trust for her and the kids, I lost control.”
A year-to-the-day on Matthew Steeples asks: “Whatever became of the libel suit of gobby Jack Monroe v gobby Lee Anderson MP?”
Exactly a year ago to the day, on the 16th May 2022, the nauseatingly noxious ‘food poverty campaigner’ Jack Monroe promised to sue the nauseatingly noxious Tory twerp ‘30p Lee’ Lee Anderson MP for libel.
In the time since, using crowdfunding platforms and most likely the ‘tip jar’ ‘she/it’ continually bangs on about, Monroe has supposedly raked in funds to ‘support’ such an action. In one way, that would be understandable as Anderson – now quite ridiculously elevated to the position of deputy chairman of the Conservative Party – is quite frankly one of the deservedly most hated politicians in Britain; in another way, it most definitely isn’t given Monroe is equally grating and grim. Here is a case where, most definitely, both sides deserve to lose.
As she trended this morning on Twitter, I asked: “Exactly a year ago, gobby campaigner Jack Monroe promised legal against gobby Tory MP ‘30p Lee’ Lee Anderson. She supposedly crowdfunded to aid her in this ‘endeavour’ but no filing appears to have been made. Should she come clean and return funds raised?” By 11:30am on Tuesday 16th May 2023, the very, very clear majority of the 536 responses to date, 65.1% in fact, were unsurprisingly: “Yes; outrageous behaviour.” Another 25.7% took the view: “Yes; it was just a stunt.”
I’m left with just one question: “Isn’t it time Jack Monroe explained herself and isn’t it time ‘she/it’ explained what has happened to money given in good faith towards a libel action against Lee Anderson that has still failed to materialise?”
Editor’s Note – Unlike as is the case in many publications, this article was NOT sponsored or supported by a third-party. Follow Matthew Steeples on Twitter at @M_Steeples.
Exactly a year ago, gobby campaigner Jack Monroe promised legal against gobby Tory MP '30p Lee' Lee Anderson. She supposedly crowdfunded to aid her in this 'endeavour' but no filing appears to have been made. Should she come clean and return funds raised? https://t.co/5Olbmwq2PS
This morning on Twitter, Matthew Steeples asked: “Exactly a year ago, gobby campaigner Jack Monroe promised legal against gobby Tory MP ‘30p Lee’ Lee Anderson. She supposedly crowdfunded to aid her in this ‘endeavour’ but no filing appears to have been made. Should she come clean and return funds raised?” By 11:30am on Tuesday 16th May 2023, the very, very clear majority of responses were unsurprisingly: “Yes; outrageous behaviour.”
In a video uploaded to YouTube on 20th May 2022 by the media outlet ‘Tortoise’ featuring an interview with her, Monroe enthusiastically declared: “I have instructed libel proceedings. I am limited to what I can say in public about that whole situation now… It is on the record… I am, I am sending a legal letter letting him know that what he said was libelous and defamatory and has contributed to the downfall of what I have, what I have of a ‘reputation.’ And that he might want to reconsider his stance publicly and to all the agitators and instigators of that… I have instructed lawyers and we are in touch. Unfortunately, my lawyer decided to go off and get married this week; it’s a bit rude. Yeah, it’s been being planned for a few years, but he could have timed it better.”Social media users reacted to the threat of the libel action issued during the ‘Tortoise’ interview by making comments that included: “So, Jack Monroe has initiated legal action against Anderson and Daubney? (11 min) Yet they confirm receiving no letter before action. She’s a complete fraud and should run out of the charitable sector, as well as the media.” Others added: “What a charlatan” and “I hope Lee Anderson wipes the floor with her.”Yesterday, ‘GB News’ presenter Martin Daubney stated: “Jack now needs to answer questions about the missing funds for her non-existent legal case against us.” Within two minutes, Monroe had responded: “They’re not missing; they’re exactly where they’ve always been, and I’m doing exactly what I said I’d do with it. (I’m quiet because I have a very full and pleasant life outside of Twitter!)Is there anyone Monroe doesn’t want to have a pop at? Her own family even are ‘fair game’ for her bile, it seems. In July 2020, ‘she’ declared: “My brother was in the RAF last time we spoke, a couple of Christmases ago, when he described Iain Duncan Smith as the best thing to happen to this country and told me I had chosen to have a baby outside of marriage so deserved everything I got. It’s fair to describe us as ‘estranged’ these days” in a bizarre rant about potatoes and their link to suicide.In August last year, a Monroe recipe that involved rinsing canned spaghetti hoops of their accompanying tomato sauce, microwaving, microwaving a bit more and adding butter, oil, cheese and a pinch of pepper trended on Twitter. It was hardly revolutionary, helpful or intelligently thought out and though the mouth of the south thought it amusing to call it the work of a ‘Tin Can Cook,’ all it did was make her look like a buffoon and a berk.Michael Portillo very effectively shut down the ‘Thrifty Kitchen’ author in May 2019 when he forced her to step down from supporting ‘milkshaking’ right-wing politicians by asking if she’d do the same to centrist and left-wing figures. She had to pathetically concede: “Oh, OK… I condemn it.”‘Thrifty Kitchen’ was torn to shreds when it was published in January 2023 and mocked as “complete drivel.” Ideas for using fluff and water from tumble dryers – devices that anyone cutting back on costs would have already have stopped using during the cost-of-living crisis given how expensive they are to operate – were slammed as were Monroe’s thoughts on towels. To save money, the whack job stated: “Both me and my son can dry our entire bodies after a shower with a hand towel and a bit of vigorous application.” She laughably then added: “I have actually already perfected this down to the humble flannel.” Quite frankly, this nonsense was called out for the gibberish it truly was and will forever remain.“Cooks cook” Jamie Oliver has done more to help those struggling to feed their families than most. That he has been repeatedly attacked by a self-declared acid tongued “freelance food-and-politics-gob” who once crassly had a pop at David Cameron after the death of his son – she shockingly claimed “he uses stories about his dead son as misty-eyed rhetoric to legitimise selling our NHS to his friends” – is indicative of the lowbrow tendencies of the person making such attacks.If the Southend-on-Sea born daughter of David Hadjicostas MBE and Evelyn Hadjicostas wanted people to like her a bit more, why doesn’t she adopt the humour of the late, great council house estate born Keith Floyd. Here was a legend – from the very same humble beginnings she claims to be from – who enjoyed life to the full and who cooked simple yet delicious food that brought joy to millions. Some positivity and joie de vivre might actually get her somewhere.Equally, the late, great Julia Child could also inspire better things of Monroe. This Pasadena, California born ex-Office of Strategic Services worker once stated: “I believe in cooking with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food.” Reading the works of a true cooking legend like this might provide the Moaning Minnie former call handler for Essex County Fire and Rescue Services with something to actually enthuse about. If the author of ‘A Girl Called Jack’ would only pay attention to the words of the wonderful young man that is Big Zuu, she might be more widely appreciated. In 2020, this rapper turned inspirational cooking sensation remarked: “’Big Zuu’s Big Eats’ is the show for people who don’t live near a Waitrose or who can’t afford to go to one. I’m a massive fan of all cooking programmes, but I think this show stands out as we’re sourcing the food from local shops rather than big chains. I’m hoping it proves to people, especially in my generation, that cooking can be a fun and affordable experience. A lot of people I know can’t be bothered to cook and think it costs too much so they’d rather just get fast food. Hopefully, ‘BZBE’s’ can change that for some people.”
Jack Monroe likes to pick fights; amongst those she’s had a pop at are…
When ‘she’s’ not living-it-up with I’m A Celebrity bestie of Stanley Johnson, Georgia Toffolo, aside from myself, Jack Monroe has variously kept herself busy launching warbling words of war against:
Lee Anderson MP.
The Right Honourable David Cameron and his deceased child.
The Conservative Party – with their members in Bath being particularly high up on her list of ire.
Germaine Greer.
Katie Hopkins.
The Labour Party.
Jamie Oliver.
Michael Portillo.
The late The Right Honourable The Baroness Thatcher LG OM DStJ PC FRS HonFRSC.
The Right Honourable Liz Truss MP.
And many members of the Twitterati… And many, many others elsewhere.
Matthew Steeples takes a look at a £36 million Kensington mansion formerly owned by disgraced business tycoons Alan Bond and Lord Black; its former chatelaine was known for stating “I have an extravagance that know no bounds”
Sir Winston Churchill’s daughter Mary Soames once described the buccaneering businessman and media tycoon Lord Black of Crossharbour as “London’s biggest bore unhung” whilst his wife, Lady Black – better known as the author and journalist Barbara Amiel – was suggested to be just a “rich bitch” by Sarah Sands in a “case for the defence” article in the Independent in October 2006.
“Poster boy for the 80s” turned fraudster and jailbird Alan Bond (1938 – 2015) was an English-Australian businessman equally Marmite-like in being liked or loathed and now a Kensington mansion owned for a time by both subsequently disgraced businessmen is once again for sale.
14 Cottesmore Gardens, formerly known as 12 – 14 Cottesmore Gardens, was purchased by Alan Bond’s Satellite Group for £7 million in the 1980s and sold by administrators of that business to Conrad Black and his wife for the knockdown sum of just £3.5 million in 1992.
Plain old Mr and Mrs Black (as they then were) lavished further millions – some of which came from the company Hollinger International, Inc., which ultimately resulted in their downfall – on the double fronted 19th century mansion and used it for entertaining on a lavish scale. Guests, including the likes of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Joan Collins, Margaret Thatcher, Henry Kissinger, Jimmy Goldsmith, James Hanson, Arnold Weinstock, Jacob Rothschild, Peter Mandelson and Tony Blair, were said to flock to the parties they gave there, but in 2005 these gatherings of upto 400 people at a time came to an almighty end.
Forced to sell at a bargain basement price of just £13.1 million on an ask of £17.5 million as the Canadian born billionaire faced jail time in America, Lord and Lady Black’s tenure was over and the residence saw its “arriviste torch” passed to Juan and Adriana Villalonga, a couple described as “a Mexican telecom czar and his beauty-queen wife.” Of what came next, The Globe And Mail’s Paul Waldie pointedly penned in February 2007: “[They] quickly erased many of the features that the Blacks prized.”
Once again for sale as of April 2023, the value of 14 Cottesmore Gardens has again been deemed to have substantially risen. Knight Frank offer the 12,310 square foot, five-storey residence at a punchy price of £36 million and laud it as “imposing” and “presented in good order throughout.” They add that a “pre-planning consultation” has found that further accommodation could be added that would take the internal space to more than 15,000 square feet; business barons with deep pockets only need apply.
Editor’s Note – Unlike as is the case in many publications, this article was NOT sponsored or supported by a third-party. Follow Matthew Steeples on Twitter at @M_Steeples.
Pictured Top – 54-foot wide 14 Cottesmore Gardens is described by selling agents Knight Frank as “offering lateral living so often requested but so hard to find in central London.” They neglect to mention that with its hedges cut back to the minimum, the place actually looks extremely forlorn.
Flamboyant Lord and Lady Black dressed as Cardinal Richelieu and Marie Antoinette for a party at Kensington Palace in 2000. For a time, the couple employed 17 butlers (if Tom Bower is to be believed) and had two private jets and homes – aside from the 19th Cottesmore Gardens mansion – in New York, Palm Beach and Toronto. “Guests packed into their parties at Cottesmore Gardens,” Bower remarked in his 2006 book the couple, adding: “Amiel was a big spender… Under the control of senior butler Andrew Lightwood, second butler Peter Wilson and a succession of third butlers, Amiel’s life in Kensington had become what her constantly changing staff called ‘bizarre.’ Each recruit was taken by Lightwood on an introductory tour of the house, ending on the roof. ‘Make sure the landing lights are on at all times,’ instructed Lightwood solemnly, ‘because Madame takes off from here on her broomstick looking for cats. She needs the lights to guide her return.’ His face would crack into a smile. ‘Most important, take care that she never sees you. She hates seeing any of us.’ Amiel’s eccentricity demanded that her staff hid whenever she approached, diving into cupboards if necessary, and never entered her quarters when she was present. Every day, all the bed linen was changed and subjected to ‘the penny test.’ A coin was dropped onto the sheets. If it failed to bounce they were not drawn sufficiently tight. Every cushion was arranged to a precise pre-ordained position, and each towel placed exactly as Amiel had predetermined. ‘Andrew!’ she screamed down the telephone on one memorable occasion, ‘the towels are in the wrong place!’ Lightwood, as Amiel knew, was in New York, but he was expected to telephone the staff in the house in London to rectify the error. ‘You f**king pillock!’ she yelled at another member of staff for reading her ‘Daily Mail’ before it was delivered to her.”Barbara Amiel Black (or ‘Lady Black’ as she prefers to be known) in her drawing room at Cottesmore Gardens (pictured). Of her, Sarah Sands on Lord and Lady Black in the ‘Independent’ in October 2006 opined: “Conrad and Barbara in their monstrous, glamorous way, knew how to throw parties. The talk was of geo-politics and hemlines. Nowadays, we scorn their extravagance and doubt the source of their wealth with prune-faced hindsight. Meanwhile, everyone is sucking up to Russians…. Barbara would disingenuously begin her midnight calls to me by saying in her low, breathy voice: ‘I hope I am not disturbing you.’ She would then offer little glimpses of her own home life. I remember her mentioning that Conrad Black was upstairs playing with his fleet of toy gun ships in the bath… I remember her examining an exhibition of doll’s houses at the Chelsea Flower Show and sighing how restful it would be to live in this cosy little home. How she envied people in small houses. The burden of wealth was one of her more dangerous fantasies. At one of her Gatsby-style parties in Kensington, she flinched at the elaborate canapés on offer: ‘Really, all I want is a sausage,’ she said, piteously. Then, she ran a hand down her inconceivably expensive dress and whispered: ‘I hate these parties, I am so shy.’ Later, I was invited to her boudoir, where she lay on cushion surrounded by her women friends. She was Kensington’s Cleopatra, surrounded by maidens such as the designer and Forte daughter Olga Polizzi, the political thinker Tessa Keswick and the writer Miriam Gross.”The very same drawing room at 14 Cottesmore Gardens today. The décor is now somewhat more modern and less ‘classical country house-ified.’ It’s certainly more Soho Farmhouse than Alberto Pinto in style; it is currently a space that the former Meghan Markle would feel more at home than say, perhaps, the likes of Lord and Lady Black’s chum Ghislaine Maxwell and her fellow noxious nonce Ponzi scheming paedophile boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein. Mr Pinto was responsible, it should be noted, for the designs of most of Epstein’s residences.The front elevation of 12 – 14 Cottesmore Gardens during the era it was owned by Lord and Lady Black.Multiple entries for Lord and Lady Black during the time they owned 14 Cottesmore Gardens appeared in the ‘Little Black Book’ address book often attributed as being that of the friends and associates of Jeffrey Epstein, but that featured more of the contacts of Ghislaine Maxwell in fact. In October 2020, Barbara Amiel took revenge on the pension pot plunderer’s padeophile sex trafficker daughter by featuring her in her “score-settling” memoir ‘Friends & Enemies: A Life in Vogue, Prison, & Park Avenue.” Maxwell had “dumped” Lady Black when Lord Black was being investigated for fraud. She wrote of their last meeting: “We were friends – so putting on my ‘So good to see you’ face, I headed for her. She bolted. Turned that sharp tight little turn when you really want to get away. And that was it.” Of the clear lover of plastic surgery Lady Black, in October 2020, Sarah Sands remarked in ‘The Mail on Sunday’: “She had a bohemian, almost masculine, view of opportunistic sex. She describes, for instance, accompanying an early love in his white Triumph sports car ‘in which once or twice I had performed fellatio to the fascination of passing truck drivers, all for fun.’”After getting out of the clink in 2012, Lord and Lady Black decided to go back on the ‘razzle-dazzle’ and posed for photographers before heading back to London to party with friends. In May 2019, the rambunctious peer arrogantly announced he’d be returning to the House of Lords after President Donald Trump pardoned and praised him. Commenting, of this pardon, Lord Black declared: “I’m not bitter… Officially in the United States, I’ve never been charged and I won in the end. It was a war and there are casualties in wars. I lost the time, I lost a lot of money, but as you can see my standards of living isn’t bad… The truth is, these, last 15 years, I haven’t been as interested in British politics as I was before – in the Thatcher years. It could be quite interesting again, in fact it is as of right now – it’s very interesting… It’s my good fortune that at a time when it is feasible, it happens – by happy coincidence – that it is a time of great fermentation in British public affairs.” Surprisingly, he doesn’t seem to have turned up on occasions since.The previous owner of 14 Cottesmore Gardens, Alan Bond (1938 – 2015), will forever be remembered as “Australia’s most notorious corporate criminal.” Born in Hammersmith, London, Bond’s first crime occurred when he was charged with theft aged 14 in Fremantle in Australia and whilst he is remembered for bankrolling the successful challenge for the 1983 America’s Cup, it is for causing the then biggest corporate collapse in Australian history that he will be go down in history. Former Miss Mexico Adriana Abascal López-Cisneros (at the time Adriana Villalonga) bought the house in 2005. She divorced the Spanish businessman Juan Villalonga in 2009 and married the French businessman Emmanuel Schreder in Ibiza in June 2013. In August 2014, the magazine ‘Quién’ featured the model and television presenter on its cover and at that time she described her new husband as “the love of my life.”Madrid born Juan Villalonga became the joint owner of 14 Cottesmore Gardens with his then wife Adriana Abascal – the couple were married between 2000 and 2009 – in 2005. He is listed on Companies House as being a director of the now dissolved Medikidz Foundation at the address between August 2009 and November 2013. Married since 2011 to a photographer named Vanessa Von Zitewitz, Mr Villalonga was a partner at McKinsey & Company in the 1980s, CEO for Credit Suisse First Boston and Bankers Trust in Spain in the early 1990s and CEO of Telefónica from 1996 to 2000. He was named as one of the best performing chief executive officers in the world by ‘Harvard Business Review’ in 2010 and is also linked to addresses in Monaco.
The Names & Numbers – 14 Cottesmore Gardens (formerly known as ’12 – 14 Cottesmore Gardens’), Kensington, London, W8 5PR, United Kingdom
April 2023 – Offered for sale for £36 million ($44.4 million, €40.9 million or درهم163.2 million) through Knight Frank. Valued on Homipi at an upper sum of £28.558 million ($35.250 million, €32.440 million or درهم129.456 million).
2009 – Mr and Mrs Villalonga divorce and subsequently Adriana Abascal married Emmanuel Schreder, a French businessman, in Ibiza in June 2013.
2005 – Sold by Lord and Lady Black for £13.1 million ($16.2 million, €14.9 million or درهم59.4 million) to Spanish businessman Juan Villalonga Navarro and Mexican model, Miss Mexico winner and television presenter Adriana Abascal López-Cisneros Villalonga.
October 2004 – Placed for sale for £17.5 million ($21.6 million, €19.9 million or درهم79.3 million) according to NZ Herald.
January 2004 – Valued at £14 million ($17.3 million, €15.9 million or درهم63.5 million) according to The Globe And Mail. At the time, the “mansion” in “the upscale Kensington neighbourhood” was described as having “10 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms and a swimming pool.”
Featured also in The Guardian in an article by Chris Tryhorn. Quoting Lord Black, he shared: “At a certain price, anything is for sale. [It has] been shown to people in the not-too-distant-past.”
Going further, Tryhorn added: “Artwork from the 18th and 19th centuries lines the walls, and there is plenty of storage space for the extensive wardrobe and shoe collection of Lord Black’s wife, Barbara Amiel, who famously declared once that her ‘extravagence knows no bounds.’ … It was originally two homes and one of the two original front doors is now a ‘deliveries’ entrance. He has used it in the past to host dinners with butler and maid service that was part-paid by Hollinger.”
Also in 2004, in a profile in The Spectator, Peter Oborne wrote:
“Every year the Blacks threw two parties, one at Christmas and one summer event, at their double-fronted 11-bedroom mansion in Cottesmore Gardens. Everybody who mattered at the time went: Margaret Thatcher, Henry Kissinger, Jimmy Goldsmith, James Hanson, Arnold Weinstock, Jacob Rothschild, royalty, the playwright Tom Stoppard.”
“Some of these, injudiciously as it turned out, agreed to join the main Hollinger board. The luckier ones – Peter Carrington, Robert Salisbury – got away with being made directors of TheTelegraph. As the Tories faded out, Labour ministers started to arrive, the indefatigable Peter Mandelson, David Blunkett and other ministers eager to ingratiate themselves with the Tory press. Prince and Princess Michael of Kent were assiduous in attendance. In London, the Nineties belonged to the Blacks. They were London’s most glamorous power couple.”
“There had been a time when both Blacks had kept their feet on the ground. This ceased to be the case. One evening Barbara Black rang Charles Moore panic-stricken from her Kensington home. There had been a last-minute drop-out from one of the famous Black dinner parties. ‘I’m short of a woman,’ she told Moore. Moore surveyed the newsroom. His gaze alighted on the journalist Eleanor Mills, by chance the stepdaughter of the Cabinet minister Tessa Jowell.”
“An hour later, hastily groomed, made-up and brushed, Mills was sipping pre-dinner drinks in Cottesmore Gardens. Then disaster struck. A male guest, Max Fisher, dropped out. Mills was approached by Conrad Black. ‘Finish your drink and skedaddle,’ he told her. Barbara Black then told her to go to the kitchen and out through the servants’ door, where the driver would pick her up and take her home.”
2001 – Conrad Black is elevated to a life peerage in the United Kingdom at the suggestion of Tony Blair. He sat on the Conservative benches in the House of Lords until 2007 as The Right Honourable The Lord Black of Crossharbour KCSG, but took a “leave of absence” between 2012 and 2019.
28th May 1996 – The Royal Borough of Kensington And Chelsea ordered that 12 – 14 Cottesmore Gardens “shall be known and described” simply instead as 14 Cottesmore Gardens.
Mid 1990s – The Blacks set about renovating 12 and 14 Cottesmore Gardens with the help of J. E. Evans Associates. Of the work in October 2006, The Sunday Times shared a segment of Tom Bower’s 2006 hatchet job Conrad and Lady Black that read: “Amiel vowed to create a palace that would attract celebrity worshipers of a power couple. Part of the first floor was to be removed to create a huge ground floor reception area.”
1992 – 12 and 14 Cottesmore Gardens sold by the administrators of the affairs of Alan Bond through estate agents Savills to media tycoon Conrad Black and his Watford born journalist wife Barbara Amiel Black for “well under the asking price” for a sum of £3.5 million ($4.3 million, €4 million or درهم15.9 million).
Mr Bond had been granted mortgages valued at £16.2 million ($20 million, €18.4 million or درهم73.5 million) on the property by Bell Satellite Services on the property along with two others at 4 and 16 Belgrave Mews in London, SW1 previously according to a report published by Financial Review in March 1990.
1991 – Rented to an American businessman for £6,000 per week ($7,400, €6,800 or درهم27,200 per week).
1990 – Placed in the hands of administrators of Mr Bond’s and placed for sale through Savills for a bargain basement sum of £3.8 million ($4.7 million, €4.3 million or درهم17.2 million) according to Financial Review.
1980s – Sold to Alan Bond’s Bell Satellite Group for £7 million ($8.6 million, €8 million or درهم31.7 million).
Circa 1905 – Walter Tapper is said to have “designed a library with handsome Arts and Crafts plasterwork (now removed) at the rear of the building.”
1869 – In their current marketing blurb, Knight Frank suggest: “There has been a house on the site of 12 – 14 Cottesmore Gardens since at least 1869. The current house has been altered, extended and most notably joined over the subsequent century and a half. With the local planning department strongly opposed to further amalgamation of homes, opportunities to acquire a house of this width will be rarer still in the future.”
1850s to 1860s – Built “under the direction of David Howell, of Serjeants Inn, Fleet Street.” Mr Howell was described in 1853 as an “articled clerk to a solicitor, lately carrying on business as a solicitor.” The architecture was lauded as: “Designed in a bold classical manner, with rather fleshy consoles and modillions… and bands of Vitruvian scroll between the bases of the ground-floor windows.”
More photographs of the £36 million mansion…
An entrance hall where power and privilege have most certainly mingled previously.The 54-foot wide drawing is lauded by selling realtors Knight Frank as “arguably the best room in the house” and “double aspect.” They add: “[It has] six windows overlooking the street and additional views over the private garden to the rear.”The columns where Barbara Amiel Black once posed for photographs remain, but the subsequent owners eliminated much of the 1990s ‘brash’ that had been installed by a Watford born woman whose excess clearly offended so many.This dining room, where Conrad Black hosted presidents and prime ministers, is now somewhat diminished. The table for eight looks completely out of place and a future owner would do well to install something a little grander.A double height entertaining space was installed at the insistence of the loftier-than-lofty Lady Black in the 1990s and it remains today. However, it is now currently being used for more casual affairs such as Netflix viewing rather than being the scene of something that you’d more likely find in the ‘House of Cards’ in fact.A new owner might reinstate the grandeur of the past; sadly, however, this seems unlikely and the purchaser is more likely to be a footballer or Internet tycoon than a super-connected business tycoon.This currently very dark and very depressing study would most certainly not appeal to the very clearly very, very bright yet very, very pompous The Right Honourable The Lord Black of Crossharbour KCSG – a man who is said to count Julius Caesar and Napoleon Bonaparte as “his military heroes.” Of him in July 1997, Mark Honigsbaum in the ‘Independent’ remarked: “Although Black’s grandfather had briefly been a business partner of Harold Harmsworth, the original Viscount Rothermere, it was from his father, George Montegu Black Jr, that Black learned the art of corporate warfare, the importance of historical perspective and that gambling provides a disappointing rate of return compared to the Dow Jones index… The young Conrad was precocious. At the age of eight he sank his life savings of $60 into a single share of General Motors. He also became obsessed with Napoleon, and would astound his father’s friends by reeling off details of campaigns. Another story has him washing dollar bills and hanging them out to dry on a line outside his father’s home in Toronto. The last is apocryphal – Black says he slipped in the mud and was cleaning his change – but the image of the young capitalist, wise beyond his years, is accurate. His childhood tutor, the historian Laurier LaPierre, once asked Black why he always seemed to have the air of someone waiting for something to happen… A few years ago, for instance, the rumour went round Fleet Street that Black had bought Napoleon’s preserved penis at an auction. Black denied it, but many remain convinced that Bonaparte’s body part sits in Black’s collection of military curios… Black is no philanderer and is devoted to his second wife, the former ‘Sunday Times’ columnist Barbara Amiel. They are said to be intellectual soul mates and the parties at their four-storey mansion in Kensington are famous for bringing together a cross-section of the great and good.”One could not imagine the likes of the late great Baroness Thatcher, for example, liking the idea of sitting in this extremely depressing and dark waiting area. A new owner would do well to obliterate a décor scheme that could have only been favoured by a completely colour blind banker.A room currently described as a ‘cinema room’ measures 28’6” by 21’6” and is situated at the rear of the house. One can imagine Conrad Black having sat here for hour upon hour watching historical dramas about Napoleon with the likes of chums such as the acclaimed historian Andrew Roberts, the gambling tycoon John Aspinall and the politician and diarist Alan Clark, but a new owner will be more likely next showing episodes of ‘Succession’ – based on ‘The Telegraph’ tycoon’s rival Rupert Murdoch – than viewing historical works one most definitely suspects.Dining whilst the staff cook would NEVER have been on the agenda in the era that pomposity reigned whilst Lady Black was chatelaine of 14 Cottesmore Gardens.A 2,000 square foot entire floor fit for a tycoon… The master bedroom suite of the house takes up the entirety of the second floor of the building. It incorporates not only the principal bedroom, but also a “his” dressing room and a “her” dressing room as well as a sitting area, a bathroom, a shower room and storage rooms. It has direct lift access and is bigger than the average Brit’s entire house.A dressing room in the house where Barbara Black opened up to ‘Vogue’ and displayed “closets overflowing with dazzling evening gowns, designer handbags and 100 pairs of Manolo Blahnik shoes. ‘I have an extravagance that knows no bounds,’ she famously declared. Unfortunately for Lady Black, the article was closely perused at investment company Tweedy, Browne, a Hollinger International shareholder.”This playroom certainly did not exist in the era that Lord and Lady Black owned the property. It would be more likely crammed with books or stuffed with Manolo Blahnik shoes than toys from Toys ‘R Us. A new owner may likely reinstate it as an additional bedroom or office or games room perhaps.The pool room measures 43’9” by 26’9” and is no doubt where Lady Black spent many an hour relaxing.The garden to the rear was where Lord and Lady Black hosted their annual summer party (with guests “spilling” into their drawing room also). In surprisingly Tardis-like fashion, the duo were able to supposedly squeeze in upto 400 guests at such occasions. Amongst those said to have enjoyed hospitality there were Joan Collins and of such, magazine publisher Nicholas Coleridge wrote: “If you get a kick out of milling about with present and former prime ministers, cabinet ministers, minor royals, dukes, editors, vastly rich Americans, distinguished historians, gossip columnists, playboys and lots of pretty ‘it’ girls, then this was the place to be.”The existing floor plan of the property illustrates the vast scale of the building offered. A buyer, Knight Frank observe, has additional options and “a pre-planning consultation has been carried out with RBKC by leading architects Studio Indigo.” They add: “[It] would completely reconfigure the house adding an additional basement floor and taking the internal space to more than 15,000 square foot. The resulting house would have a 40-foot by 41-foot south-facing rear garden.”A plan of the site as presented in 1996 when 12 and 14 became known just as 14 Cottesmore Gardens.
Ghislaine Maxwell’s supporters seek to share “family cooking recipes” just as her lawyers compare her incarceration to scenes from ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ … Liver with fava beans and Chianti anyone?
Alleged mucky madam Ghislaine Maxwell – if she ever even had it in the first place – has clearly lost the plot given last night her official Twitter account asked its followers to share “family recipes” fit for the “fall” season. What on earth is her agenda? Does she perhaps want to morph from a wicked wastrel into a wholesome, younger version of Mary Berry perchance?
Posting late Wednesday, the @RealGhislaine account – which is controlled ultimately by her family and PR peddlers (which includes the likes of Brian Basham) – bizarrely tweeted:
Have a great family recipe that reminds you of Fall? Why not share that recipe with a friend or neighbor and spread some good? #SAK
On Wednesday, November 3rd, Bobbi Sternhein on behalf of Ghislaine Maxwell submitted the 6th request to the court that she be allowed bail.
Sternheim claims that Maxwell’s incarceration rivals scenes of Dr. Hannibal Lecter as portrayed in the movie, ‘Silence of the Lambs.’
Sternheim’s letter itself – if not connected to a legal case involving minors and victims of sex trafficking by a powerful international paedophile ring – would make it into a comedy script. One paragraph of the rambling missive reads:
I write to once again ask the Court to release Ghislaine Maxwell prior to trial on the conditions set forth in her previous bail applications. My weekly in-person legal visits with Ms. Maxwell are conducted under the most humiliating circumstances that I have ever experienced in many decades of federal criminal practice. As disturbing and invasive as they are for no justifiable reason, I get to leave; Ms. Maxwell does not. The surveillance rivals scenes of Dr. Hannibal Lecter’s incarceration as portrayed in the movie, “Silence of the Lambs,” despite the absence of the cage and plastic face guard.
Given deviant devourer Miss Maxwell’s clear interest in cooking and The Silence of the Lambs, perhaps the Manhattan Detention Center ought to supply her with some liver and fava beans to lift her clearly rotten spirits; the Chianti, however, will clearly have to wait. Alternatively, if this is a bid for a space in the mental asylum to avoid trial, ‘Mucky Maxwell’ isn’t going about it in a very clever way.
To purchase a copy of ‘Ghislaine Maxwell: An Unauthorized Biography’ by Kirby Sommers, click here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHoqL7DFevc
Perhaps someone could smuggle Ghislaine Maxwell a bottle of The Cannibal Chianti. It retails at £23.40 per bottle and she could surely get her constantly moaning lawyer Bobbi Sternheim to arrange her some liver and fava beans also to be served in her cell (minus “the cage and plastic face guard”).In October 2020, international animal rights organisation PETA ludicrously issued a press release demanding that prison authorities give alleged sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell (pictured here at a dinner with Mick Jagger “her vegan meals.” In it, they remarked: “Regardless of how anyone feels about Ms. Maxwell, no one should be forced to eat the corpse of an animal who felt pain and fear and didn’t want to die.” Rightminded people responded by asking: “Haven’t they anything better to campaign about or anyone better to campaign for?”The ‘Bouncing Czech’s’ daughter, in her past life as a socialite and sidekick of the now croaked paedophile ‘financier’ Jeffrey Epstein, was used to dining at ritzy functions with the likes of Keith Lieberthal, Julianna Margulies and Josh Lucas.In August 2019, the supposedly sophisticated vegan alleged mucky madam was spotted munching on a burger at an In-N-Out Burger fast food ‘restaurant’ in Los Angeles. Later, the image was exposed as a fake due to the fact it featured advertising in the background that had never actually appeared in that location and thus provided yet more indication of how truly deviant Robert Maxwell’s deviant daughter truly is.
Liverpool drug dealer Carl Stewart sent down after sharing an image of a block of Marks & Spencer mature blue Stilton in the palm of his hand is a reminder of the curious case of Max Clifford and his “short penis”
Whilst the pernicious PR peddler Max Clifford’s “short penis” – identified by a number of victims who’d never met one another – was undoubtedly that serial sex offender’s undoing, a Liverpudlian drug dealer was sent down for 13 years and 6 months last Friday because of his stupidity with a block of M&S mature blue Stilton cheese.
39-year-old Carl Stewart of Gem Street, Vauxhall, Liverpool used the handle ‘Toffeeforce’ on the EncroChat encryption service to supply large amounts of class A and B drugs including cocaine, heroin, ketamine and MDMA to his customers. He was also, however, stupid enough to share an image of himself holding a block of cheese in the palm of his hand there also.
“After the encryption device was busted by law enforcement agencies, Stewart was identified,” according to the Liverpool Echo, as this snap allowed for “his fingerprints to be analysed.”
Of the cheesy conviction, Detective Inspector Lee Wilkinson of Merseyside Police remarked:
“Carl Stewart was involved in supplying large amounts of class A and B drugs, but was caught out by his love of Stilton cheese, after sharing a picture of a block of it in his hand through EncroChat.”
“His palm and fingerprints were analysed from this picture and it was established they belonged to Stewart.”
“Stewart was handed a substantial sentence of 13 years and six months, and this should serve as a stark warning to anyone involved in this criminality that there are serious consequences.”
“As part of Operation Venetic, Merseyside Police has so far arrested more than 60 people, many of whom have been charged with serious drug trafficking or firearms offences. This year will see a number of these people continuing to appear before the courts, and we welcome each and every one.”
“Merseyside Police, along with law enforcement agencies across the world, will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of those people who think they are above the law, and we will continue to target anyone involved in serious organised crime to keep this positive momentum going.”
Carl Stewart’s criminal career crumbled after he was unwise enough to share his love of cheese on the European communications network EncroChat (shared image pictured) – which at one point was used by 60,000 subscribers. Police infiltrated the network between March and June 2020 during a Europe-wide investigation and the company ceased operations because of the police operation in June that year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeqMAIIDfCM
The YouTube channel ‘Gangster Times’ shared the story of Carl Stewart’s conviction with its 45,700 subscribers on Saturday 22nd May 2020. Of his sentence, the channel’s spokesperson observed: “Absolute madness, the cops don’t leave no stone unturned, who’d have thought of that?”In October 2015, ‘The Steeple Times’ featured the story of the ‘The Dine and Dashers’ Frederick Gross and George Hammond. This pair of “galloping gourmets” racked up bills at The Berkeley Hotel, the London Hilton, The Mandarin Oriental and The Dorchester totaling £765 and before a bill could be presented, ran for the hills. They were caught on the basis of CCTV evidence and DNA left on a pair of glasses.This mural of the thankfully now “brown bread” Max Clifford with his pants down appeared on a wall in Battersea in March 2014. It thankfully did not show the megalomaniac monster’s small penis, but the image of this menace not a man was captioned: “I can make you famous!” The lesson in both his case and that of Carl Stewart is: “It’s the small details that get you in the end.”
Crumbling stone-built seaside cottage in Welsh foodie destination and royal town of Caernarfon goes on sale for just £1
The Royal Town of Caernarfon sits on the eastern shore of the Menai Strait in North Wales and as a result of its proximity to Snowdonia and history dating back to Roman times is a “major tourist centre,” according to Wikipedia. It has a marina, award winning arts centre, a maritime museum and numerous popular pubs, bars and restaurants.
Though clearly in need of total renovation, the space offered is just a three minute walk from the seafront and directly adjoins the town’s revamped shopping district where the annual food festival attracts around 30,000 visitors each May.
Of the property offered, the Mirror last week observed: “It now needs a total makeover to become a dream seaside cottage in the heart of the holiday town” and could instead be converted to a studio space even.
In their very brief marketing literature, Doorsteps, however, add: “Terms and conditions apply,” but when contacted for comment were somewhat curiously not able to elaborate further.
Bidding for the cottage to the rear of 72 Pool Street, Caernarfon is scheduled to commence online on 6th May 2021 at 12 noon and will conclude at 1pm on the same day. Interestingly, a bidding deposit of £500 is required to participate – some £499 or 49,900% more than the property’s guide price.
The interior of the cottage is nothing but an empty shack currently, but there is plenty of character that could be incorporated into its potential reuse as a home.The space could be used as a holiday cottage, permanent residence or a studio even – subject to any necessary planning consents being granted.The currently derelict cottage is behind an also currently derelict bakery that had been in business for over 50 years and accessed via a somewhat unappealing alleyway.The annual Caernarfon Food Festival is not happening in 2021 due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, but it is normally a popular event and attended by around 30,000 people.The festival occurs throughout the town and on the sea wall even.Previously in February 2017, ‘The Steeple Times’ featured the sale of a far grander residence in Caernarfon, The Old Court House, at a price reduced from £650,000 to just £525,000. The building’s then owner, an English property developer named Aaron Hill, told ‘Wales Online’ he was selling after “vandals had smashed his windows 46 times, daubed graffiti across doors, attacked his car and urinated through his letterbox.” He told the paper “he had reported about 26 incidents to North Wales Police and remarked: ‘They said: ‘You need to f**k off where you belong. We don’t want you here. We’ll burn the place down.’” The building was subsequently converted into a bar, bistro, restaurant and event venue in 2018.In June 2014, ‘The Steeple Times’ featured another property once sold for £1, the Grade I listed Palladian gem Barlaston Hall in Staffordshire. It was saved from near collapse in 1981 by former ‘Country Life’ editor Marcus Binney and sold on for £300,000in 1992 and offered for sale again in 2014 for £2.3 million after renovations were completed. After its asking price was reduced to £2 million, it subsequently sold for £2 million through agents Fisher German in April 2019.In the very same article in June 2014 in ‘The Steeple Times,’ we also included another £1 property, Old Whitehall House in Chirnside, Berwickshire, Scotland. Derelict since 2007, this B-listed Georgian mansion required at least £1.2 million spent on its refurbishment, but came complete with an ornate music room decorated in Italian plasterwork and 7 bedrooms.
Legal challenge to Boris Johnson’s government’s completely illogical refusal to allow indoor hospitality venues to open whilst allowing indoor retail to open to be decided on this week
In spite of venues with outdoor space being allowed to serve customers on their terraces and in gardens, the hospitality sector in the UK will continue to lose around £200 million per day until the government allows them to serve indoors in mid-May.
This week, following a perfectly sensible legal challenge by Sacha Lord, the night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester, and Hugh Osmond, the founder of Punch Taverns, the government could be forced to bring forward the date for indoor opening for bars, pubs and restaurants.
Lord and Osmond together quite sensibly argue there is no justification or scientific basis for indoor hospitality to be kept closed for five additional weeks after non-essential retailers in England were allowed to serve customers indoors from 12th April. Their call is correct and the continuation of this illogical set of double standards is doing just one thing: Dealing another body blow to an already devastated sector.
Speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme this morning of their challenge to the crackpot crazy decisions of borderline bonkers’ Boris Johnson’s Tory government, Osmond remarked:
“This is something of a David versus Goliath battle. We are reassured that David won in that instance.”
“At the start of this pandemic there was a totally understandable assumption that hospitality venues might be responsible for the spread of infections. The vision of drunken people in crowded pubs is an easy and obvious target that people understand.”
“The data [now] definitively shows that hospitality was not the major source of infections.”
Elsewhere on Twitter on Friday, Lord remarked: “The government’s defence is just in… They must be concerned, they’ve put their No. 1 legals on the case, Sir James Eadie QC, the First Treasury Counsel.”
Going further this morning, he added: “Thank you for all the good luck messages. It’s not necessarily today, the Judge has said: ‘The week commencing the 19th.’ Again, a real long shot, but as soon as there’s news, I’ll post it here. Enjoy the sun.”
Today, all at The Steeple Times join those supporting the logic of allowing indoor hospitality venues to reopen and reopen now. Let’s get the indoor show back on the road.
Pictured top: Restaurants such as Fifty Cheyne in Chelsea, London have tables that are very clearly separated from one another. As shown in this image, diners can be socially distanced in a manner perfectly reasonable. Why shouldn’t such places – which lack outdoor dining areas and thus cannot even benefit from the currently allowed outdoor opening rules – not be able to get back to business whilst small, cramped shops with little-to-no precautionary measures are allowed to trade?
Hospitality vs. Headbangers – Echoing scenes from December 2020 reported on in ‘The Steeple Times,’ on Sunday the ‘MailOnline’ reported on yet another swarm of maskless, tempestuous teenagers descending on Harrods on Saturday. Sharing the article on Twitter on Monday, Hugh Osmond remarked: “It is surely clear that all-seated, licensed hospitality venues, with table service only, cannot present more of a risk than non-essential retail… Open indoor hospitality now.”Hospitality vs. Headbangers – Giuseppe Turi, who owns Enoteca Turi on Pimlico Road, London, SW1 with his wife Pamela, is currently just serving people on his two outside tables “after loyal customers begged him to reopen,” the ‘Daily Star’ last week reported. Speaking to the ‘Mail on Sunday,’ Mr Turi added: “It doesn’t really make financial sense with just two tables, but our customers are so desperate to come back. We are now fully booked until May 17 when we can open inside. We are very excited to connect with our regulars again, but unfortunately we’ve not been able to accommodate everybody.” The chances of this business making a profit from such activity stand in the area of “zilch-zero-nothing,” but provide proof that it is businesses that are showing initiative and not the illogical, rudderless, incompetent government of Boris Johnson.Hospitality vs. Headbangers – Last October, Richard Caring, owner of many of London’s best-known high-end restaurants, stuck up two dummies of Boris Johnson (in spite of having previously given over £510,000 in donations to the Conservative Party previously). At the time of the lockdown then in place, Caring raged: “Make no mistake, this is a disastrous decision, taken by people who do not understand what terrible damage they are doing to the country.”
Extraordinary official civil judgment from the County Court at Manchester packed with expletives sums up the state of the nation; one is simply left wondering if potty mouthed Emma Rivers was trained by the creosoted napkin slapper Dawn Ward
Concerning the matter of social housing provider Jigsaw Homes Tameside against a woman plainly in need of an ASBO named Emma Rivers, the document from the County Court at Manchester detailed a breach.
“On Friday 26th March 2021, the Defendant admitted the following breach of her injunction order – 1. On 31st December 2020, around 4pm, the Respondent used abusive, insulting and foul language towards Linda Price whilst stood in Sellars Square. This included ‘You wanna control your fucking grandkids you stupid old fucking cow’ and ‘Or what, or fucking what you stupid old cow, giving your fucking crap out all the time who do you think you are?’ and ‘Shut up you stupid cow’. It is alleged this conduct constitutes a breach of clause 1 and 2 of the Order dated 29th April 2020.”
How utterly charming an indication on the state of Great Britain this truly is and plainly how lovely a woman Emma Rivers genuinely must be.
Courting Expletives – The half page document that shows Emma Rivers to be nothing other than a potty mouthed harridan. Given the creosoted creature and notorious napkin slapper Dawn Ward doesn’t live far away, one wonders if this fellow criminal hasn’t paid her a visit to train her in how to be the ultimate example of the use of foul language.Courting Expletives – The email sent to subscribers to the Courts And Tribunals Judiciary Civil judgments list on 8th April 2021.Courting Expletives – Emma Rivers plainly has form: Previously in March 2020, the ‘Tameside Reporter’ commented on recent cases at Tameside Magistrates’ Court and stated: “Tameside magistrates have banned Emma Rivers from the road for 17 months for drink driving and fined her £120. The 37-year-old, of Sellars Square, Droylsden, pleaded guilty to the charge after being stopped on Stockport Road, Denton, on November 17 last year. She was found to have 60 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35. Magistrates ordered her to pay £85 court costs and a £32 victim surcharge. The driving disqualification can be reduced by 17 weeks if a driving course is successfully completed.”
