A man who killed a 94-year-old in a robbery, far-right protesters who were involved in violent disorder near Downing Street and a man who tried to murder his friend are among the east Londoners locked up this month.
Here are the names and faces of the men judges have put behind bars in September 2024.
Alexandru Muresan
It follows an incident in Barking town centre on November 8, 2022 where the 94-year-old victim was approached by suspects who stole his wallet whilst he was hugged as part of a distraction robbery.
Police said the man's bank cards were later used in the area.
He was taken to hospital after the incident but died just 36 hours later.
Muresan was later arrested in north Yorkshire and was charged with manslaughter, which he pleaded guilty to.
Det Sgt Sarah Osborne, of the Met’s East Area Command, said: “Muresan targeted the victim because he was elderly and vulnerable – a decision that ended his life and placed Muresan behind bars.
“The victim had lived in Barking for more than 30 years. His family is understandably devastated by the loss of a man they describe as warm and friendly to everyone.”
Muresan was jailed for seven years and four months. Police continue to search for his accomplices.
Read the full story - Pensioner, 94, died after being hugged in distraction robbery
Jack Wood and Jay Keeling
Keeling threw a glass beer bottle at police after lunging at officers while Wood - already a convicted football hooligan – was captured on camera shouting abuse at and pushing towards police officers.
In 2020, Wood was convicted of a Section 5 public order offence after shouting homophobic slurs at a West Ham match.
He was also slapped with a three-year football banning order, which he has since been convicted of breaching on two occasions. One breach involved possession of a flare.
Both men pleaded guilty to violent disorder.
Keeling was jailed for 16 months while Wood was jailed for 13 months.
Wood’s supporters shouted abuse at the sentencing judge from the public gallery as he was jailed for 13 months.
They called him and court staff “f***ing scumbags” who “should all be done for treason”.
Read the full story - Unmasked Havering thugs jailed for violent disorder outside Downing Street
Mariusz Magda
Police were flagged down by a bus driver on September 23 at 12.30am, who reported a man wielding a hammer in Station Parade.
Magda was eventually found near Cambridge Road and was told to drop the hammer as he was being detained.
However, the man began to resist and kicked the officers, as well as trying to headbutt one of them, hitting the body-worn camera.
He was arrested and the following day was jailed for 39 weeks.
Read the full story - Man armed with hammer attacks police officers
Adam Valli
On the night of the attempted murder, Valli had been at an event in London with his victim. Essex Police said the pair had been friends for years.
According to the force, the men argued over a lift home and continued their dispute over phone calls and text messages.
They came face-to-face again when Valli cut in front of the car the victim was travelling in on the A127 and shouted for him to get in.
Whilst both men were in the car, Valli pulled out a gun and threatened to take the victim outside his mother’s house and shoot him.
The pair got out of the car in Shoeburyness, with Valli continuing to hold the gun to the victim's head. He then shot the 26-year-old in the leg.
Officers were called at 2am on the day of the incident after witnesses reported seeing a man being shot.
At the scene, a 26-year-old man was found with a bullet wound to his leg and taken to hospital.
He said: “The pain I am suffering as a result of this injury is also a constant reminder to me of what happened that night."
Valli was jailed for 28 years.
Read the full story - 'Evil' man who shot his friend over a lift home jailed for 28 years
Masoom Ali and Salaman Miah
Police investigations back to 2021 uncovered the gang advertising their drugs by handing out business cards.
The homes of five gang members were raided on the Isle of Dogs, in Wapping, Barking and Oxfordshire where drugs and large quantities of cash were found.
Police compared the case to an American TV detective series.
“Their drug running and spending could have been an episode of The Wire,” Det Sgt Lee Warrington said.
“Putting these criminals behind bars removes this harmful illegal activity from the streets. Selling illegal drugs in our communities reaps misery and harm on the lives of the most vulnerable people in society.”
Ali was jailed for six years and nine months while Miah was jailed for 14 months.
Read the full story - Drugs gang whose operation 'could have been on The Wire’
Ballayat Sayeed, Qasir Afzal and Kailash Gunaseelan
Ballayat's brother Arafat Sayeed was jailed for 14 years in 2020 but the following year Ballayat resurrected the drugs line which saw him put behind bars.
Kailash Gunaseelan, 23, of Buntingbridge Road, Newbury Park, was trusted to hold the drugs line phone.
Qasir Afzal, 41, of Howard Close, Waltham Abbey was responsible for resupplying, supplying narcotics to drug runners and giving them instructions.
Read the full story - Dealer who restarted brother's drugs line jailed
Investigating officers discovered that Afzal used a Mitsubishi Shogun that was left parked in a road in Loughton as a stash for drugs.
Their enquiries revealed a minimum of 12,900 drug deals were committed in just more than nine months.
The trio admitted to being concerned in the supply of Class A and Class B drugs.
Ballayat Sayeed was jailed for seven years and six months, Afzal received a five year and seven month sentence, and Gunaseelan was sentenced to five years and two months imprisonment.
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