Dennis Stafford acquitted on car fire charges

Jun 26 2009 by Neil McKay, The Journal

CONVICTED killer Dennis Stafford walked free from court yesterday after a jury took just one hour to acquit him of a charge of threatening to “torch” a neighbour’s car.

And the 75-year-old claimed after his acquittal at Durham Crown Court that he would not have been in the dock had it not been for his reputation. Stafford and neighbour Charles Scott are involved in a protracted dispute over land ownership at Stanhope Castle, Weardale, County Durham, where they both own apartments.

During a three-day trial the jury heard of his colourful past including two prison break-outs and a scam involving selling bibles to gullible punters who believed they were buying hardcore porn.

But it was his conviction for a gangland killing which inspired the cult film Get Carter which cemented the notoriety of the former East End villain who grew up with the Krays.

Stafford and co-accused Michael Luvaglio are attempting to get the 42-year-old conviction for the murder of fruit machine collector Angus Sibbett quashed in the European Court in Strasbourg.

Outside Durham Crown Court yesterday he said new evidence had been uncovered, including fingerprints which “did not belong to Sibbett, myself or Michael”, and this evidence would be presented to the European Court.

He added: “Nobody else but me would have appeared in the dock on a charge such as this. It was only because of my reputation, and because I believe police want to scupper my appeal in Europe, that I was here.”

Sibbett’s body was found in his Jaguar car under Pesspool Bridge in South Hetton, County Durham, on January 5, 1967. He was a cash collector for Stafford’s then friend Vince Landa’s fruit machine business, and it was said at the time he was murdered because he was suspected of skimming off money.

Stafford and Landa’s brother, Michael Luvaglio, were convicted of murder in 1967 and served 12 years, but have always protested their innocence. The self-confessed “fun loving criminal” – the title of his autobiography – found himself back in court this week after a Royale Sabre kit sports car belonging to neighbour Mr Scott was destroyed by a fire in a garage in the grounds of Stanhope Castle on June 22 last year.

At the time Stafford was away in Hertford with his deeply religious South African wife, Merle.

Stafford, who now uses the name Dennis Scott, denied threatening to destroy property between April and June, last year. He told the jury that a comment he made neighbours that he would have considered having the car torched “had Charles Scott been in it” was meant as a joke.

And the jury members, who were regaled with tales of his past exploits during the trial, believed him.