April
- Croydon Council came under fire for investing millions in tobacco companies despite becoming responsible for helping smokers to quit. Anti-smoking campaigners, a cancer charity and opposition councillors spoke out against "an appalling conflict of interest" as the council took over public health services from the NHS. The council has £2.1million invested in the industry.
Rob and Paul Forkan outside their old high school
- Two brothers' flip flop charity venture in memory of their parents killed by a tsunami smashed expectations by going global. Rob Forkan, 25, and his brother Paul, 23, from Purley, set up Gandys after they survived the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka that took their parents. The flip flops became a huge hit and were stocked in a string of high street stores, and the US.
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- A pensioner died of heart failure after discovering thieves had ransacked his home taking £20,000 of jewellery and savings. Stanley Amarasinghe went into cardiac arrest moments after returning to his home in Beckford Road, Woodside, with his children to discover it had been burgled.His distraught family described him as "a lovely man."
May
- Six teenagers who brutally attacked three men on a tram in New Addington all escaped jail terms. The "pack of dogs" attacked the men, who they thought were from Afghanistan, armed with sticks, poles and socks filled with ballast. The court heard how the victims were repeatedly kicked and punched as other passengers cowered.
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- The killer of schoolgirl Tia Sharp was jailed for at least 38 years for her murder. Stuart Hazell admitted killing Tia, the granddaughter of his partner, part way through the trial. He sexually assaulted and murdered the 11-year-old and then spun a web of lies in front of the cameras during the search for Tia.
Crystal Palace won the play off final
- Crystal Palace's dreams came true as they secured their place in the Premier League with an extra-time penalty. More than 33,000 Eagles fans were delighted after watching their team beat Watford in the play-off finals, netting £120million in the process. On-loan striker Kevin Phillips scored the winning penalty to see the team secure their place amongst football’s elite.
June
Emma West leaves court after pleading guilty
- A woman filmed unleashing a racist rant at passengers on a tram bound for New Addington finally pleaded guilty to the offence. Emma West was secretly filmed by another passenger on a mobile phone and the video, called My Tram Experience, went viral on YouTube. Miss West was given a community sentence for admitting racially-aggravated disorderly behaviour.
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- A mother called on the government to ban assisted suicide websites after her son killed himself with a suicide kit bought online. Kevin Boyle was discovered three months after he went missing at the bottom of a Coulsdon garden. Mr Boyle was the youngest apprentice at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant, beating off thousands of other competitors.
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- A lollipop lady who has served her Shirley crossing for 35 years was awarded in the Queen’s birthday honours list. June Rixson, 80, was given a British Empire Medal for her service to the Croydon community, but lost her job amid council cuts just five days later.
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