Fourth man charged following organised crime operation

A fourth man has been charged following an operation on Tuesday morning targeting a suspected organised crime group.

Andreas Nicolas, 64 (10.11.61) of Duxford, Cambridgeshire was charged overnight with possession of a firearm (a revolver) and possession of a weapon to discharge a noxious thing, namely electricity, both contrary to Section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968.

He was remanded in custody and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this morning (Thursday, 1 October).

Nicolas was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday morning as part of a wider operation that saw warrants executed at 24 addresses and 17 people arrested. A further arrest was made later the same day.

He was bailed on Tuesday evening, but was re-arrested on Wednesday after officers carrying out searches of properties as part of the operation found weapons suspected of belonging to him.

He is the fourth person to be charged following Tuesday’s arrests.

Charles Charalambous, 56 (24.11.69) of Claremont Road, Cockfosters was charged with wounding with intent to cause GBH to resist arrest in relation to an incident where a police officer was stabbed while executing a warrant.

Carl Robinson, 49 (25.06.77) of Stanford Rivers, Essex was charged with possession of offensive weapons in a private place, namely three knives.

Bradley Byford, 37 (30.07.89) of Spellbrook Lane East, Bishop’s Stortford was charged with possession of a weapon to discharge a noxious thing, namely electricity.

All three men appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Wednesday, 30 September). Charalambous was remanded in custody to appear at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, 29 October. Byford was bailed to appear at the same court on the same day.

Robinson’s case was adjourned for discussion of a legal matter. He was bailed to appear again at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today (Thursday, 1 October).

All four men who have been charged also remain under investigation as part of the wider operation and have been bailed for those offences alongside the other 14 arrested on Tuesday.

Note to media: We would continue to remind media that proceedings are active in all cases following the point of arrest. We would urge them to exercise particular caution when considering the publication of material that could risk prejudicing future proceedings.