A number of Watford residents have appeared in court this week, including Wagner Group member and a Whitehall rioter.

Convictions: 

1) Piotr Kucharski 

Kucharski, of The Glebe, appeared at the Old Bailey in London yesterday afternoon charged with professing to be a member of the banned military group between September 15 and October 28, 2023.

Although the 49-year-old initially denied the allegations, he changed his plea to guilty, claiming he was "guilty that I was pretending that I was a member of the organisation”.

He was released on conditional bail until his sentencing hearing at the same court on November 1.

The Wagner Group is a Russian private military company which was added to the UK government’s list of proscribed organisations in September 2023 amid allegations it had acted as a "malign proxy military force" for the Russian state.

2) James Culpeck

18-year-old Culpeck has been handed a youth suspended sentence after a robbery in which a woman was threatened with a screwdriver.

The teenager, of no fixed abode, appeared at St Albans Crown Court on August 14 and was sentenced to two years of detention in a young offenders institution which was suspended for 24 months, as well as a six-month curfew with an electronic tag.

3) David Probert

Probert, 50, of Mill End, has been among the many jailed due to violent disorder following the Southport stabbings. 

The former milkman repeatedly charged at police during violent disorder in Whitehall.

He appeared at Inner London Crown Court on August 14, where he admitted to one count of violent disorder and sentenced to 14 months in prison.

Footage played to the court showed Probert repeatedly lunging and charging at police who were attempting to diffuse the situation.

Ongoing cases:

4) Arteos Frangu

Arteos Frangu, of Upton Road in Watford, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday (August 15) charged with assault by beating and assaulting causing actual bodily harm.

The 23-year-old had previously denied attacking a man at London Euston station on June 6 last year, causing ABH-level injuries.

The case was adjourned and Frangu was remanded into custody before the trial on September 9 at the City of London Magistrates' Court.

5) Leah Donoghue

Leah Donoghue, of Bushey Hall Road, appeared at Hatfield Magistrates’ Court on Thursday charged with assault by beating of a police constable in Watford on June 20.

The 31 year-old Bushey woman did not enter a plea and was released on unconditional bail before her next hearing at St Albans Magistrates' Court on December 19.

6) Yilmaz Topal

South Oxhey man Yilmaz Topal appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Thursday accused of common assault and assault by beating of the same woman in Enfield on June 11.

The 27-year-old, of Prestwick Road, denied the allegations and was released on conditional bail with an electronic tag before he is tried at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on September 4.

7) Mark Ryan

Mark Ryan, of Old House Lane in Kings Langley, appeared at Luton and South Bedfordshire Magistrates' Court on Thursday charged with driving without due care and attention and while drunk in Langleybury Lane on March 7.

The 45-year-old was accused of being three times over the limit as court files allege he had 354 milligrams of alcohol per 100 ml of urine, well over the legal limit of 107 milligrams.

He did not enter a plea and was released on bail before his next hearing at St Albans Magistrates’ Court on September 9.