Good Window Cleaner, Bad Window Cleaner

Nicky Rifat outside the flats in Lofting Road.

Heroic window cleaner stops Islington blaze before firefighters arrive: A brave window cleaner put out a flat fire before firefighters arrived because he feared children were trapped inside. Nicky Rifat has been praised after he ran into the first-floor flat in Lofting Road, Islington and used wet towels to beat out the flames before emergency services reached the scene. He said: “I walked round the corner and saw one of my neighbours crying hysterically. I just ran upstairs into the flat without thinking, because I was just worried there were kids in there.”

He found the flat empty, but fearing the blaze might spread and despite the thick smoke, he leapt into action.  He said: “The fire was in the kitchen. I was just hitting the flames with a wet towel, but the smoke was so bad I couldn’t breathe and I had to run out. “I put my top over my face, found another towel, went back in and managed to put out the fire.”

The blaze took hold at about 11.15pm last Wednesday and Mr Rafat was treated for smoke inhalation by ambulance paramedics.  His friend James Osborne, who contacted the Gazette, said: “He didn’t know if there were any kids in there so he just ran in there, and I just thought it was such a brave thing to do.” Julie Oldfield, 43, who lives below the first-floor flat, said: “Nicky deserves a medal, he was absolutely brilliant. “He was worried about the fire spreading and by the time the fire brigade came he’d already put it out.”

Mr Rifat added: “I’ve never done anything like that in my life. Afterwards, my girlfriend wasn’t very pleased that I took such a risk and she keeps telling me off.” Jemal D’Jemal, 50, of no fixed address, appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged with arson, criminal damage, possessing a blade in a public place and threats to kill.

Window Cleaning Paedophile, Stephen Daniell.

No holiday camp for paedophile: Judge gives pervert permission to go to Center Parcs... but firm cancels booking. The judge released the former Scout leader on bail and relaxed conditions to enable him to go to the resort. A Crown Court judge allowed a paedophile who admitted indecency with young boys to go on holiday at Center Parcs while on bail. Judge Charles Byers gave ex-scoutmaster Stephen Daniell, 48, permission to visit the child-friendly holiday resort as long as he did not “misbehave”.

The astonishing decision at Maidstone crown court came after the pervert admitted encouraging teenage lads to strip naked and perform weird forfeits on camping trips. Daniell, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, admitted six offences of indecency with a child. These included five of inciting a child to commit an act of gross indecency and one of gross indecency with a child.

Center Parks revealed tonight they have banned Daniell and cancelled his trip after the Daily Mirror contacted them to check they were aware of his offences. But judge Byers had agreed to relaxing Daniell’s bail condition of residence to enable him to go on a pre-booked trip to the Elveden Forest resort in Suffolk from September 3 to 7. Remarking that Daniell had been “presumptuous” in booking a holiday when he was facing a possible trial, he added that he was “not very happy” and asked defence counsel Alan Walmsley: “What’s he doing at Center Parcs and who is he going with?” After conferring with Daniell at the back of the court, Mr Walmsley said he was going with his wife and that the holiday dates “were out of the school holidays”.

Judge Byers (twat pictured right), who commented that he had not himself been to Center Parcs, then granted Daniell permission. Imposing an extra bail condition that he does not have direct or indirect contact with a child under 16, Judge Byers said: “There will be no walking up to anybody and suggesting a little chat.” He also questioned whether Daniell’s wife was aware of the court proceedings. It was confirmed that she is.

Daniell, who works as a window cleaner, had been due to go on trial on Monday but pleaded guilty before it started to six of the charges. The remaining two were ordered to be left on file, according to the KentOnline website. Prosecutor Lucy Luttman said Daniell, who has a caution for indecent exposure, met the boys through a conservation group and then struck on trips to Snowdonia in Wales. She said Daniell would encourage them to “get naked” and play forfeit games. “One was made to skirt between the layers of the tent, which was wet with condensation, and another had to remove keys from the top of a tent using his feet,” she said.

Adjourning sentence for reports, Judge Byers told Daniell he had not yet “made up his mind” as to his fate. “I would like to know what other avenues may be open to me of a constructive nature,” he added. Tonight a Center Parcs spokeswoman said: “At the time of booking we were unaware that this individual was on bail. “We respect that the case is continuing, but we do not believe it is appropriate for an individual on bail for such alleged crimes to visit Center Parcs. “The welfare and safety of our guests, particularly children, is paramount and therefore we must act in their best interest. "We feel it is only right to cancel this booking and have done so.” Speaking outside his home, tonight Daniell said: “I don’t want to discuss this.”