Four Watford area criminals put behind bars in October

All four are either from our area or committed crimes in the town.

The list includes a dangerous stalker and a fraudster who preyed on elderly victims.

The sentences handed out range from nine months to 13 years.

See the list below:

Karl Chads - 13 years

Karl Chads (Image: Herts Police) Karl Chads,41, was jailed for 13 years after a series of “erratic and frightening behaviour”, which included breaking into a Watford woman's home.

Chads was convicted of of stalking with fear of violence against two victims, burglary, criminal damage, and trespassing with the intent to commit a relevant sexual offence.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register and given an indefinite restraining order.

Earlier this year, St Albans Crown court heard that Chads, despite having only met the female victim face-to-face three times, bombarded her with texts, phone calls, and voicemails from October 2023.

Andi Cera - Four-and-a-half years

Andi Cera (Image: Thames Valley Police) Andi Cera, of Cassio Road in Watford, will spend four-and-a-half years behind bars after a “large fight” in which another man fired a “realistic looking” fake gun.

The 23-year-old was sentenced on October 18 after admitting to cannabis production and violent disorder.

The brawl took place outside a cannabis factory in Slough back in January.

On the same day, Eringlen Cani, 32, of Ivanhoe Drive, Harrow, was sentenced to four years and eight months in jail after admitting to cannabis production and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

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Shehzada Nawaz - 17 months

Shehzada Nawaz (Image: SEROCU) A fraudster who preyed on the elderly was jailed for 17 months after stealing from his victims outside Tesco or Sainsbury’s stores in Watford and elsewhere.

Shehzada Nawaz was sentenced to 17 months’ imprisonment at Reading Crown Court on October 23.

The 41-year-old admitted to nine counts of theft and eight counts of fraud by false representation.

According to the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit(SEROCU), he would wait for his elderly victims to approach a cash machine before jumping in front of them and pretending it was broken.

Luke French - two years and eight months

Luke French became the second man jailed over the incident (Image: City of London Police) Finally, Luke French became the second man to be jailed after £500,000 of hybrid Californian cannabis was seized at a luxury Watford hotel.

Luke French, of Moat Lane in Birmingham, appeared at Inner London Crown Court on October 28 and was sentenced to two years and eight months behind bars for his part in the incident at the Hilton London Watford Hotel in Elton Way on April 4.

The 35-year-old was one of three men charged after being arrested with large amounts of the class B drug and around £5,000 in cash.

In September, co-conspirator Roberto Martinez, of Huntingdon Park in California, was jailed for two years.