April

 

AFC Wimbledon kept fans biting their nails until the final day with the threat of relegation back into the non-league divisions looming.

A tense 2-1 victory over Fleetwood secured Neal Ardley’s men a spot in the league, and a chance to continue the young club’s dramatic rise through the league.

 

This Is Local London:

A speed camera burst into a ball of flame after being torched along with a 4x4 following a dramatic crash.
The camera, on St Helier Avenue, has still not been replaced.

 

 

The inaugural Merton Civic Awards saw worthy members of the whole community celebrated at a ceremony at Wimbledon Film Studios.

Organised by The Wimbledon Guardian and Merton Council, the night saw victors in nine categories, with recording studio owner John Merriman taking the main prize of the Mayor’s outstanding contribution prize.

 

May

 


Stuart Hazell is jailed for 38 years for the murder of Pollards Hill schoolgirl Tia Sharp.

The five-day trial sensationally saw Hazell change his plea to guilty, but only after the court had heard horrific details of how Hazell helped a weeklong search for the girl, knowing he had stored the 12-year-old’s body in the attic of her grandma’s house.

 

A meeting to swear in the new mayor was thrown into turmoil as a row over the leadership of the Tory party saw four councillors defected to UKIP.

Councillors Richard Hilton, Suzanne Evans, Linda Scott and Rod Scott all became UKIP members after an argument over the election of Oonaugh Moulton as new leader Krystal Miller as Mayor.
Councillors Chris Edge and Richard Chellew also left the Conservative party in the fallout.

 

This Is Local London:

 

A popular bookie was killed in broad daylight working in Ladbrokes in Morden.

Andrew Iacovou, who lived with his disabled wife and  two children in North Cheam was found dead after an attack inside the shop on a Saturday morning.

His killer was jailed later in the year

 

June


The Ahmadiyya Muslim community celebrated 100 years in the UK with a huge celebration at their Southfields and Morden Mosques.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the founder of the movement, set up the Fazl Mosque in Southfields in 1913. The Baitul Futuh in Morden is the largest mosque in Western Europe.

 

A gang who sold heroin from out of a children’s playground were jailed for a combined 33 years.
Covert work from Merton Police over 15 months culminated in a swoop on the 17-strong gang, that ultimately saw 16 convictions for offences including possessing firearms and dealing in class-A drugs.

 

This Is Local London:

Transvestite former rock star sees his life turned upside down after his home is destroyed in a fire.
Nick Watkinson, lead singer of the Jags, was left homeless living out of his car after his apartment on Dorset Road was destroyed.
However help was a hand both from neighbours but also celebrities such as Orlando Weeke, lead singer of the Maccabees, who pitched in to help.