Enhancing its premium travel offering, Emirates has introduced a new fleet of 46 Mercedes E200 cars as a part of its Chauffeur-drive service for First Class passengers at Dubai International airport.

Read More

Eagle-eyed South London Press lensman Simon Turnbull captured this snap of the Mayor of Southwark’s limousine parked on double yellow lines in the borough this week.

The sharp-eyed snapper was on an assignment outside the council’s headquarters in London Bridge when he spotted the shining civic chariot parked in nearby Barnham Street. Most vehicles would have received a ticket in minutes but it seems a wooden Mayoral plaque displayed in the window of the gleaming black Mercedes as mayor Councillor Lorraine Lauder attended a nearby function was enough to keep traffic wardens at bay on Tuesday afternoon.

More than 122,000 motorists who received parking tickets in the borough last year were not so lucky. Southwark’s leader, Cllr Peter John, abolished parking privileges for councillors granted under the previous Liberal Democrat and Conservative coalition.

Speaking in May, 2010, he said: “There is no reason why councillors should not pay parking fees just like everyone else.”

But, when the South London Press asked why the Labour mayor’s limo had been parked on double yellows, a council’s spokeswoman said: “The Madam Mayor was on an official engagement representing the borough at the Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations at City Hall.”

Source: Southlondon-today.co.uk

SIGN-UP TO RECEIVE OUR FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER HERE:

A former News International chauffeur who claims to have driven for Rupert and James Murdoch was asked to make cash payments to ‘various police officers’, a court has heard.

Paul Maley, 43, is accused of posing as a retired police officer in order to set up a close protection security company for dignitaries and executives. Appearing at Guildford Crown Court on Monday (January 30), he denied one count of fraud by false representation between June 1, 2009 and December 9, 2009.

Prosecuting, Ruby Selva said that his neighbour and business partner, Simon Heavens, was “totally taken in” by his deception, believing him to be a former officer for the Metropolitan Police Service and relying on his expertise to support the company.

“Mr Heavens provided a large amount of money, which was spent on specialist cars and business needs and just over £30,000 was lost,” she said. “Mr Maley persisted in his charade, telling all he met of his supposed credentials. He had never been a police officer.” In July 2009 he told Mr Heavens that an opportunity for a contract with News International had come up, she added, and that he knew both Rupert Murdoch and his son James, having driven them before.

He was able to convince his business partner that the level of security necessary for such high profile clients would require a heavily armoured car, said Ms Selva, and Mr Heavens duly paid out the £80,000 needed for such a purchase.

“I thought it was quite a lot of money and was quite reluctant at first,” he told the jury. “I was persuaded because Mr Maley told me he had contracts lined up.”

However, Roger Offenbach, defending, said that Mr Heavens was not deceived, but rather was part of a “corrupt association” with a serving police officer, Sanjit Rai, to ‘set up’ Mr Maley and discredit him as a witness.

“You knew that Mr Maley handed over packets to various police officers, didn’t you?” Mr Offenbach asked Mr Heavens. “You knew that Mr Maley, in his capacity as a chauffeur, handed over packets to police officers, (and) handed over to Sergeant Rai a package, part of corrupt payments made to police officers.”

Mr Heavens called the allegations ‘ludicrous’, adding that throughout his involvement with Mr Maley, between meeting him in July 2008 and going into business with him in March 2009, he had no reason not to trust him. “I feel stupid now, but I had no reason to doubt him at the time,” he told the court, adding that it was purely his belief in Mr Maley’s police experience that convinced him to proceed with the business, admitting that he knew nothing about the industry himself.

His suspicions were aroused, he said, when Mr Maley, of Lower Road, Haslemere, became unwilling to provide client references from previous employment, claiming that a five-year confidentiality statement due to the ‘secret nature’ of his police work prevented him from doing so. When Mr Heavens eventually confronted him in December 2009, Ms Selva said, Mr Maley walked out of their meeting, sending a text message shortly after, in which he said he was resigning from the company.

“The crown’s case is a simple one,” she said. “Mr Maley did pose as a police officer and did so simply to trick Simon Heavens into business with him, and did so to make money for himself.”

The trial continues.

Source: GetSurrey.co.uk

Bentley Motors has started 2012 with four more honours, from China’s highly-influential Hurun Report, The World Luxury Association as well as The Detroit News, maintaining the company’s award-winning form in 2011.

The Bentley Continental GT coupe triumphed in China winning the ‘Best Super Luxury Car’ at the Hurun Report’s Best of the Best 2012 awards and the Bentley Continental FlyingSpur saloon secured the coveted Limited Edition Super Luxury Car title.

In a unique collaboration with the famous British design company Linley, Bentley created 10 Continental Flying Spurs, exclusively for the Chinese marketplace, which feature specially selected veneers in Santos rosewood applied to the fascia, console, waistrail and roof console.

Widely recognised as the foremost authority on the rapid changes taking place amongst China’s high net worth individuals, the Hurun Report produces 20 magazine issues a year, made up of a monthly main book and supplements that target the special interests of China’s wealth creators.

The World Luxury Association also confirmed Bentley’s place amongst the world’s Top 100 Most Valuable Luxury Brands at their recent awards ceremony in Beijing, dubbed the “Luxury Oscar Awards.” Bentley lined up alongside Prada, Cartier, Chanel, Bugatti and Harley-Davidson in the exclusive rankings.

In the United States, for the second time the Bentley Mulsanne received the annual Readers’ Choice award for the ‘Most Luxurious’ vehicle from The Detroit News.  Each year, the newspaper takes 100 readers to Detroit’s North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) and asks them to select the most appealing vehicles in a variety of categories.It is also the only NAIAS award chosen by consumers.

The award maintains a rich vein of form around the world for the Mulsanne. Bentley’s flagship is the current holder of the Robb Report magazine’s ‘Best of the Best’ award (secured at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show) and also was chosen by Centurion Magazine readers as their outstanding Best Limousine/Saloon Car. Centurion is the international luxury lifestyle magazine for holders of the most exclusive charge card from American Express®, the Centurion® Card.  The Mulsanne has also secured awards from Gulf Connoisseur magazine as well as CAR Middle East.

SIGN-UP TO RECEIVE OUR FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER HERE:

A Chauffeur charged with assaulting two traffic wardens was cleared after a court ruled he had acted in self-defence.

Genc Dauti, 32, was acquitted of two counts of assault and one of damaging a Westminster Council camera when he appeared at City of London Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Wardens William Edo-Osagie and Ayo Balola had accused Mr Dauti of attacking them, but the driver’s defence counsel, barrister Hugo Charlton, said the two men had put on “something of a charade”.

In uncontested written evidence, prosecution witness Nehad Gamal-Eldin said he had seen a traffic warden grab hold of Mr Dauti’s clothing before eight other wardens “appeared from all directions” and surrounded the Albanian father of two during the incident in Waverton Street, Mayfair, on October 23 2010.

“I saw the warden who had fallen over talking to a man who I presumed was his superior,” Mr Gamal-Eldin added. “I heard the superior say: ‘Tell the police you have to go to hospital.’ I think he said this to make it look like the warden’s injuries were more severe than they were.”

Giving evidence, Mr Dauti said a warden had made verbal threats which had included warning him he “would be dead if I wasn’t wearing this uniform”.

Mr Edo-Osagie admitted holding Mr Dauti’s clothing but denied deliberately smashing the council-owned camera he was using as part of his work – something he was alleged to have done by defence witness Mohammed El Saidy.

Photos taken by Mr Balola during the incident, which lasted around three minutes, were shown to the court.

One showed Mr Balola grasping the collar of Mr Edo-Osagie’s jacket.

However, Mr Charlton said the pictures had been edited to make it look like his client was the aggressor.

In her verdict, chairwoman of the bench, Ms A de Lotbiniere, said the panel had found the evidence from Mr Dauti and defence witnesses “convincing”, adding that Mr Dauti’s actions had been “in self-defence and proportionate”.

The confrontation began after Mr Dauti pleaded with Mr Edo-Osagie to delay ticketing a fellow chauffeur who had briefly parked up on a yellow line in front of a hotel in order to use its toilet.

Speaking outside court, Mr Dauti, who lives in Shepherd’s Bush, said: “I knew I was innocent and that’s what I was fighting for – simple justice.”

Mr Charlton, a noted human rights lawyer, said he had decided to take the case, after hearing about it from a friend.

A spokesman for NSL, the council’s parking contractor, which employs the two wardens, said: “In this particular case, the Civil Enforcement Officer put out a code red call because he felt threatened and in danger whilst performing his duties.

This is standard procedure and photographic evidence was shown to the court that showed a member of the public grabbing the CEO by the throat.

“Whilst the defendant was acquitted in this case, assault of our staff is an all too common occurrence.”

Source: West End Extra

SIGN-UP TO RECEIVE OUR FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER HERE:

A doctor who was named in the New Year’s Honours list is set to travel to Buckingham Palace in style to collect his MBE after one of his former patients offered him a complimentary chauffeur-driven ride.

Ray Critchlow, who runs chauffeur service Deluxe Private Hire in Wellingborough, made the offer after hearing that Dr Peter Gordon was set to receive the accolade. He is now set to chauffeur the doctor to London in his choice of luxury vehicle – a Jaguar XJ Sovereign LWB or a Bentley Arnage – when the time comes to collect his honour.

Dr Gordon, of Wellingborough, retired from the Redwell Medical Centre in Wellingborough in 2009 but still works as a medical advisor and forensic examiner for Northamptonshire Police, a role which he has been in for 16 years. Mr Critchlow said he remembered Dr Gordon fondly from his days as a GP and he had made a great contribution to the community in Wellingborough.

Mr Critchlow said: “Dr Gordon has done so much for the community in general – He is a true gentleman. I was over the Moon for him – an MBE isn’t something you come by every day. I’m very pleased he has accepted the offer.’

He added; “He has given so much to the community, whether it’s through his doctors surgeries, the police or just as an individual, he has given so much to Wellingborough, it’s time we gave something back. I will take him down in the style befitting Buckingham Palace to say thank you for what he has done for us.”

Mr Critchlow said he had always been happy to be booked in to see Dr Gordon when making a doctors appointment and he thought many people in Wellingborough would share his pride in the doctor receiving an MBE. He said he had mentioned it to many of the customers at the fish and chip shop he also runs with his wife – Olympic Fish Bar in Olympic Way, Wellingborough – and lots of people had remembered Dr Gordon and said they were pleased for him after hearing the news.

Dr Gordon said he was flattered with the offer of being chauffeured in style to Buckingham Palace.

He added; “Thank you to Mr Critchlow for his kind offer – my wife will be over the Moon.”

SIGN-UP TO RECEIVE OUR FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER HERE:

Iric Cohen, founder and CEO of American based industry magazine, Limousine Digest, was arrested on Wednesday and charged for kidnapping and sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman earlier this month.

Read More

Chauffeurs with a sweet tooth are paying up to 40 per cent more for snacks then they would on the high street the IAM has warned.

A large Snickers bar costs 90 pence from a motorway service area compared to 68 pence from a high street branch – 32 per cent more – while a regular coffee costs 16 per cent more on the motorway.  A packet of McCoys crisps was almost 45 per cent more expensive than a shop on the high street, and a packet of Walkers crisps was marked up by 36 per cent.

With petrol prices averaging about ten pence per litre more than at off-motorway forecourts the IAM is calling for a complete review of motorway prices, together with filling stations being forced to advertise their and their competitors’ fuel prices, as is the case in France.

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “We must end this motorway madness. Everything from sweets to petrol have an outrageous mark up.

“Our advice for tired motorists is always to take your rest break and have a coffee to help you freshen up. The danger is that rip-off prices will discourage people from getting the rest they need. Parking fines for drivers who sleep for longer than two hours put people off taking rest breaks.”

SIGN-UP TO RECEIVE OUR FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER HERE:

A Chauffeur has been jailed for eight years after trying to smuggle drugs worth £300,000 through the Channel Tunnel using beer cans.

Stephen Leon, 49, from Chislehurst, Kent, was stopped by Border Agency officials in Coquelles, France in July 2010.

He said he had been to France and Belgium looking at churches and had stopped in Calais to pick up some beer. But when officers searched his car they found eight cases of beer in the boot which when x-rayed were found to contain orange tablets.

In total, staff found 15 kilos of the drug 2C-B which is a class A drug similar in effect to ecstasy and LSD. Leon denied a charge of drug smuggling but was found guilty by a jury at Canterbury Crown Court yesterday and sentenced the same day.

Source: Kent Online

Don’t receive our FREE Email Newsletter? Subscribe here

Lady Gaga has apparently treated her long-term chauffeur after he announced he was to become a dad.

The Sun has reported that the star has bought a year’s supply of nappies after hearing the news, and she also told her design team to transform a spare room at the chauffeurs house into a nursery.

A source told the newspaper; “Gaga is very generous with her presents and makes a huge effort for those who look after her. As soon as she found out her UK driver was going to be a dad, she was on the phone trying to sort out a gift. It had to be something quirky, too — it’s part of her nature.”