Hamza's sons admit luxury car scam

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

They and others admitted targeting expensive makes including Mercedes, BMW and Range Rover in long-stay car parks.

Hamza's sons, Hamza Kamel, 22, and Mohamed Mostafa, 27, helped run the two-year fraud with the cleric's stepson Mohssin Ghailam, 28, and will be sentenced on Thursday.

Kamel and Mostafa, of Acton, West London, variously admitted fraud, handling stolen goods and money laundering between January 2007 and November last year, while Ghailam, of Shepherd's Bush, London, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud.

Pretending the vehicles were theirs, they tricked the DVLA into transferring ownership to an alias and sending new log books to front addresses.

Keys were then obtained from dealers and the cars stolen, London's Southwark Crown Court heard. The final stage involved selling them to unsuspecting buyers or using them as collateral to take out loans which they never repaid.

Four other London men have also admitted their involvement.

At a sentencing hearing, Martyn Bowyer, prosecuting, said: "This was a sophisticated, well-planned and professionally executed enterprise".

The court heard the men were arrested on November 5, 2008, following a Met Police investigation in to the organised theft and resale of luxury cars in London. Mr Bowyer said officers identified 32 vehicles which were either stolen, targeted for theft or used as collateral to fraudulently obtain loans. A number had been taken abroad and sold.

Mr Bowyer said: "The value of those 32 vehicles as they would have been if sold as new would have exceeded £1 million."