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Southwark news
73 stories from and about Southwark, mostly crime & safety, council & politics, local news. The most recent ran on 28 October 2026. Page 1 of 4.
Reported from Southwark
Crime & Safety · SouthwarkMark Tyrrell convicted of rape and sexual assault in Southwark
A jury at Southwark Crown Court convicted former police officer Mark Tyrrell of rape, three sexual assaults and perverting the course of justice on 27 October 2026. He remains in custody, will be sentenced on 16 December, and the Met Police may seek to strip his pension.
Southwark3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 95 · Hype 30
Property & Planning · SouthwarkStudent bar to close as new LCC building opens in Elephant and Castle
The new London College of Communication building in Elephant and Castle, opening in September 2027, will not include the student-run Darkroom Bar. Staff and students have raised concerns about transparency in the design process and the loss of the community space.
Southwark4 min readTrust 74 · Craft 95 · Hype 35
Council & Politics · SouthwarkRape trial waits of 7 years to be tackled by new courts
Some rape survivors in North London have experienced waits of over seven years for their court trials, with one case scheduled for 2029. New specialist courts and fixed trial dates aim to address these lengthy delays.
Southwark4 min readTrust 74 · Craft 95 · Hype 35
Crime & Safety · SouthwarkHousekeeper accused of stealing princess's jewels
A housekeeper is on trial at Southwark Crown Court accused of stealing jewellery from the Belgravia home of Princess Firyal Irshaid. Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao denies the charges, with prosecutors alleging some items were sold at auction. The trial continues.
Southwark4 min readTrust 72 · Craft 85 · Hype 30
Property & Planning · SouthwarkArms factory opens on Old Kent Road
A new manufacturing facility has opened on Old Kent Road in Southwark, south London, producing specialist metal components for the defence industry. The company, Isembard, was founded two years ago and serves customers in defence, robotics, and nuclear energy sectors.
Southwark3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 81 · Hype 30
Local News · SouthwarkNursery closure sparks parent fears after Crystal Palace FC purchase
A south-east London nursery is set to close in December after being sold to Crystal Palace Football Club, prompting concerns among parents about securing alternative childcare. A petition has been launched calling for an extension to the closure date.
Southwark3 min readTrust 48 · Craft 65 · Hype 41
Local News · SouthwarkWoman admits manslaughter after boyfriend's death
Joanna Cierpka, 51, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. Her boyfriend, Henrik Slotsaa, 52, was found dead at their Elephant and Castle home on March 15, 2026.
Southwark4 min readTrust 70 · Craft 78 · Hype 45
Crime & Safety · SouthwarkJames Gillingham jailed for £1m Ponzi scheme
James Gillingham has been sentenced to five years and six months in prison for masterminding a £1 million Ponzi scheme. The fraud, which ran between June 2015 and October 2016, targeted over 60 victims. The Crown Prosecution Service will now seek to recover Gillingham's criminal assets.
Southwark3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 80 · Hype 30
Property & Planning · SouthwarkPeckham pub could become bingo hall
A planning application has been submitted to Southwark Council to transform The Kentish Drovers pub in Peckham into a bingo hall. The pub has been on the market since July last year, with its asking price reduced multiple times.
Southwark2 min readTrust 70 · Craft 70 · Hype 40
Crime & Safety · SouthwarkDesigner's £137k watch cut from wrist in Mayfair, court told
A Romanian fashion designer had a diamond-encrusted Richard Mille watch, valued at over £137,000, cut from his wrist outside a Mayfair restaurant. Two men are on trial at Southwark Crown Court accused of the robbery, while a third has pleaded guilty.
Southwark3 min readTrust 78 · Craft 85 · Hype 25
Council & Politics · SouthwarkSouthwark Council toughens landlord enforcement policy
Southwark Council has updated its Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy to introduce stricter sanctions for landlords failing to meet housing standards. The move, driven by the Renters Rights Act 2025, aims to protect the borough's 86,500 private renters.
Southwark3 min readTrust 80 · Craft 80 · Hype 50
Local News · SouthwarkBermondsey waste fire sends smoke across Southwark, 100 firefighters tackle blaze
A fire at a waste facility on Landmann Way in Bermondsey prompted a major response from the London Fire Brigade on 18 August 2026. About 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines attended the scene, where 50 tonnes of household waste burned, producing thick smoke across the area.
Southwark4 min readTrust 58 · Craft 95 · Hype 15
Lifestyle & Food · Southwark£11 sandwich van in Ruskin Park draws queues in 35°C heat
A sandwich van in Ruskin Park, Camberwell, is selling £11 vegetarian sandwiches made with focaccia from Blackbird bakery. The Half Deaf Chef, founded by Aidan Marsh, operates Thursday to Sunday and has attracted attention for its fresh ingredients and artisanal preparation.
Southwark5 min readTrust 48 · Craft 69 · Hype 30
Local News · SouthwarkFree creative workshops for all ages at Camberwell Market Day on 26 August
Southwark Council will run four free creative workshops at Camberwell Space on 26 August 2026, open to all ages. The event, part of the Building Connections Market Day, includes painting, poetry and craft activities from 11:00 to 16:00, with refreshments provided.
Southwark4 min readTrust 44 · Craft 52 · Hype 15
Crime & Safety · SouthwarkFour hospitalised after Camberwell Green car fire on 3 August
Four people were taken to hospital after a car caught fire at the junction of Camberwell Green, Camberwell New Road and Denmark Hill on 3 August 2026. The incident caused a northbound road closure and disrupted bus services for over two hours.
Southwark4 min readTrust 55 · Craft 55 · Hype 15
Council & Politics · SouthwarkSouthwark Council to shut off heating and hot water on North Peckham Estate for 8 hours
Southwark Council has announced an 8-hour shutdown of heating and hot water services on the North Peckham Estate on 18 August 2026. The outage, starting at 9 am, affects 22 residential blocks while essential maintenance work is carried out.
Southwark4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 15
Council & Politics · SouthwarkSouthwark’s new Green leader plans to make driving harder in the borough
Southwark Council’s new Green leader, James McAsh, has announced plans to make driving more difficult in the borough. The measures include blocking rat runs and expanding low-traffic neighbourhoods to improve air quality and road safety for children.
Southwark5 min readTrust 64 · Craft 87 · Hype 30
Council & Politics · SouthwarkSouthwark coalition faces £102m gap and cancelled meetings after Labour loss
Southwark Council’s new Green-Lib Dem coalition says it is addressing a £102m funding gap inherited from Labour, while critics accuse it of cancelling meetings and reversing service cuts. The next elections are in 2030.
Southwark6 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 25
Crime & Safety · SouthwarkTate Modern attack survivor leaves hospital after seven-year recovery
The boy injured in the 2019 Tate Modern attack has left hospital after seven years of treatment. His family confirmed his return to school and ongoing rehabilitation, funded by over £500,000 raised via GoFundMe. Attacker Jonty Bravery remains jailed.
Southwark5 min readTrust 48 · Craft 62 · Hype 35
Culture & Arts · SouthwarkBrian Case, jazz writer and critic from Deptford, dies at 88
Brian Case, a Deptford-born jazz and music writer known for his vivid prose and cultural depth, has died aged 88. He worked at NME, Melody Maker and Time Out, leaving a legacy in music criticism and a 2015 collection, *On the Snap*.
Southwark5 min readTrust 30 · Craft 45 · Hype 10
Also affecting Southwark
Borough-wide and national stories that name Southwark or bear directly on it.
Crime & Safety · EalingAlvin Gitahi jailed for minimum 21 years for Ealing murder
Alvin Gitahi has been sentenced to a minimum of 21 years and three months for the murder of his partner, Vivienne Baraka. Ms Baraka was killed on March 26, 2026, at an address in Riverside Close, Ealing. Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Denby led the investigation.
Ealing2 min readTrust 74 · Craft 79 · Hype 45
Crime & Safety · EalingEaling man jailed for life for strangling partner
Alvin Gitahi has been sentenced to life imprisonment for strangling his partner, Vivienne Baraka, to death in their Ealing flat. Ms Baraka was found dead in a bathroom on March 26, 2024, after attempting to barricade herself from Gitahi. He was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228.
Ealing3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 87 · Hype 65
Local News · LondonSouthwark and Borough among UK's top bed bug hotspots
Southwark and Borough (SE1) has been identified as one of Britain's worst affected areas for bed bug infestations. A new analysis of pest control call-outs placed the postcode district 13th nationally among the top 15 hotspots.
London2 min readTrust 52 · Craft 69 · Hype 45- Crime & Safety · London
Southwark records most burglaries as London figures fall
Southwark recorded the highest number of burglaries in London in September 2026, with 224 incidents. This is almost six times the 39 recorded in Kingston upon Thames. Across the capital, 3,829 burglaries were logged, a 3.9% decrease over the previous 12 months. Five boroughs shared the highest burglary rate per capita.
London2 min readTrust 62 · Craft 38 · Hype 70 
Crime & Safety · LondonGang jailed for £137,000 watch robbery in Mayfair
An average of £1 million worth of watches are stolen in the West End each month. Three men have been sentenced for the theft of a £137,000 Richard Mille watch in Mayfair.
London4 min readTrust 74 · Craft 87 · Hype 30
Council & Politics · BarnetTwo jailed for £1.3m NHS prescription fraud
Jignesh Patel, owner of Wise Pharmacy in Angel Edmonton, and Rahil Patel have been sentenced to six years in prison for a £1.3 million NHS prescription fraud. The pair used 1,639 false prescriptions to obtain high-cost drugs between 2015 and 2017.
Barnet4 min readTrust 70 · Craft 74 · Hype 45
Crime & Safety · WestminsterWest End watch thefts cost £1m monthly, court told
An average of £1 million worth of watches are stolen each month in London's West End, a court has heard. The figure from the Metropolitan Police was revealed during the sentencing hearing for three men convicted of a Mayfair watch robbery.
Westminster3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 95 · Hype 30
Transport & TfL · GreenwichGreenwich Council to install 108 new cycle hire bays
Greenwich Council is planning to install 108 new cycle hire parking bays across the borough, expanding services to areas like Eltham and Plumstead. Funding is being provided by cycle hire companies Lime and Forest, alongside Transport for London.
Greenwich3 min readTrust 70 · Craft 74 · Hype 20
Council & Politics · LondonSeven London councils refuse to aid Home Office immigration raids
At least seven London councils have now stated they will refuse to cooperate with Home Office immigration enforcement. Newham Council passed a motion to only cooperate with immigration raids where legally obligated, following similar decisions by six other boroughs.
London3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 70 · Hype 45
Local News · LondonParents in Bexley and Orpington see schools earn top Ofsted ratings
News Shopper reported that five south London schools were recognised in September’s Ofsted inspections. Endeavour Academy Bexley earned Strong Standard in every inspected area, while Newstead Wood School in Orpington secured three Exceptional judgments, signalling high performance for local families.
London3 min readTrust 66 · Craft 54 · Hype 32
Crime & Safety · CroydonCroydon man convicted of murdering partner Sarah Reynolds
Earlston Bennett has been convicted of murdering his partner Sarah Reynolds in Croydon in April 2025. He was also found guilty of controlling and coercive behaviour. Bennett will be sentenced in December 2026.
Croydon3 min readTrust 66 · Craft 95 · Hype 32
Crime & Safety · All LondonUber driver given hospital order for Uxbridge stabbing
An Uber driver who fatally stabbed a council street cleaner and attacked his landlord in Uxbridge has been given an indefinite hospital order. Dawood Safi pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility.
All London4 min readTrust 66 · Craft 95 · Hype 55
Council & Politics · LambethMet Police resist full inquest into Chris Kaba's death
The Metropolitan Police have stated that a full inquest into the death of Chris Kaba, who was shot by an officer in Streatham in 2022, is not in the public interest. A pre-inquest review was held at Southwark Coroner’s Court on 1 October 2026.
Lambeth3 min readTrust 66 · Craft 95 · Hype 48
Crime & Safety · LondonTeen jailed for 34 months for machete robberies
Zacariah Boulares, 19, has been sentenced to two years and ten months in prison for two machete-point robberies in August 2023. The offences occurred after he was released from youth detention.
London2 min readTrust 64 · Craft 59 · Hype 35
Local News · London5,500 London children join Dolly Parton's book scheme
More than 5,500 children across London have signed up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library since the singer's death. The free book-gifting scheme is now available in seven London boroughs, aiming to provide age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five.
London3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 68 · Hype 45
Crime & Safety · LondonThree jailed for 25 years over London phone trafficking ring
Three men have been sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison for their role in a large-scale operation smuggling stolen mobile phones from London to China. The group trafficked approximately 40 per cent of all stolen phones exported from the capital to China in 2024 and 2025.
London2 min readTrust 64 · Craft 77 · Hype 32
Crime & Safety · LondonOperation Echosteep seizure leads to nine‑year jail terms for phone smugglers
Operation Echosteep dismantled what officials call the UK’s biggest phone‑smuggling ring. Police seized more than 10,000 devices, arrested three men and secured nine‑and‑a‑half‑year sentences, while recorded phone thefts dropped 20% in the year to August 2026.
London3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 95 · Hype 35
Lifestyle & Food · LondonLondon fish and chip shops shortlisted for national awards
Three London fish and chip shops, Chipping Wharf in Bow, Fish! Kitchen in Southwark and Skipjacks in Harrow, have been named among the top 40 contenders for the National Fish & Chip Awards 2027. The final winner will be announced at a ceremony in February at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge.
London3 min readTrust 66 · Craft 95 · Hype 15
Crime & Safety · LondonTim Westwood faces 17 sex offence charges
Former DJ Tim Westwood has been charged with two additional sexual offences, relating to alleged incidents in 1991 and 2004. The new charges bring the total number of offences he faces to 17, involving nine women. Westwood denies all charges and is due to stand trial in January 2027.
London3 min readTrust 78 · Craft 75 · Hype 15
Crime & Safety · All LondonNewham leads London boroughs in knife crime statistics
Newham recorded the highest number of knife crime offences in London between September 2025 and August 2026, with 824 incidents. Overall, the Metropolitan Police recorded 13,649 knife-related offences across the capital during the same period.
All London2 min readTrust 60 · Craft 65 · Hype 45