Gian Chilet Ostolaza barred from central London after two year prison term
He received concurrent sentences of two years and three months for each count of conspiracy to steal and a five‑year ban on entering the Square Mile and four boroughs.
News London evidence indexOpen analysis ▾
Includes named judge, prosecutor, court details and specific figures with sources.
Higher is stronger
Quotes judge and prosecutor, gives dates, figures, and future restrictions clearly.
Higher is stronger
Headline and language are dramatic but story remains factual.
Lower is better
A court in the City of London handed down a custodial sentence and a five‑year exclusion order to Gian Chilet Ostolaza, 46, after he pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to steal. The hearing, as reported by MyLondon, took place at Inner London Crown Court on 29 July 2026. The ruling directly impacts tourists and businesses operating across the central district and the four surrounding boroughs named in the order.
Background of the offences
PC Beshenivsky killer jailed for eight years for gun plot
Faisal Razzaq, who previously served time for manslaughter, has been sentenced for his role in supplying weapons to London gangs.
Prosecutor Jackalyn Chan told the court that Ostolaza repeatedly targeted hotels, bars, restaurants and public houses in the Square Mile, often when staff were occupied and bags left unattended. The thefts extended to transport hubs such as Paddington, Victoria coach station and Monument Underground station. The period covered by the charges ran from 4 December 2025 to 25 February 2026, during which the total loss to victims was placed at roughly £76,000, MyLondon reported.
Court decision
Judge Michael Bromley-Martin KC sentenced Ostolaza to two years and three months in prison for each count, with the sentences to be served at the same time. He described the pattern of thefts as causing “substantial inconvenience and anxiety to your victims”. The judge also highlighted that one count involved thefts exceeding £60,000, including a single incident on 24 December 2025 where more than £50,000 of property was taken.
Erdem Mustafa shot dead at Enfield pub, police seek suspect
Metropolitan Police have released a CCTV image of an individual they wish to identify in connection with the fatal shooting.
All these thefts resulted in substantial inconvenience and anxiety to your victims.
Judge Michael Bromley-Martin KC
Scope of the ban
The criminal behaviour order issued by the court prevents Ostolaza from entering the Square Mile and the boroughs of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, and Camden for five years. Breach of the order could trigger further custodial sentences, the judge warned. The order is intended to protect the public and commercial premises in those central areas.
Next steps
Ostolaza retains the right to appeal the custodial terms, though any challenge must be lodged within 28 days of the judgment. Enforcement of the exclusion order will be monitored by the City of London Police, who will be responsible for ensuring compliance. Victims may seek restitution through separate civil proceedings, but the court did not order compensation as part of the criminal sentence.
Questions this report answers
+What prison term did Ostolaza receive?
He was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for each of the two conspiracy to steal counts, with the two terms to run concurrently, as detailed in the judgment reported by MyLondon.
+How long is the ban on entering central London?
The criminal behaviour order bars him from the Square Mile and the boroughs of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, and Camden for a period of five years, and any breach could lead to additional imprisonment.
+What was the estimated value of the stolen property?
The judge placed the total value of items taken between 4 December 2025 and 25 February 2026 at about £76,000, a figure cited in the court’s sentencing remarks.
+Which areas are covered by the criminal behaviour order?
The order covers the Square Mile and the London boroughs of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, and Camden, preventing Ostolaza from entering any of those locations for the next five years.
News London Desk
This article was written at the News London news desk from the reporting of the outlets listed below it. Drafting is done by a language model under human editorial supervision — there is no reporter behind this byline, and we would rather say so than invent one.
How stories are produced and scoredWho runs News LondonCorrections
The London Ledger
A considered capital-wide edit delivered each morning.
More Coverage in Crime & Safety
PC Beshenivsky killer jailed for eight years for gun plot
Erdem Mustafa shot dead at Enfield pub, police seek suspect
Man jailed for 28 years for Old Brompton Road murder
