Capital conditions
Weather in central London
Loading live conditions…
Topic
SouthwarkCrownCourt
16 stories, newest first.
Local News · City of LondonRussell Brand denies non‑consensual sex as trial hears his past was ‘reframed’
In a Southwark Crown Court hearing, Russell Brand asserted that his history of public kissing and casual encounters has been wrongly portrayed as rape and sexual assault. He denied all six charges, and a charge of indecent assault was altered to attempted indecent assault.
City of London3 min readTrust 70 · Craft 75 · Hype 20
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
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 · 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
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 · 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
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
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
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
Crime & Safety · LondonThree men sentenced to life for Gregory Volquez murder on Tiverton Road
On 4 September 2026, three men received life sentences for the killing of Gregory Catillo Volquez on Tiverton Road, Haringey. The court set minimum terms of 22‑23 years, concluding a Metropolitan Police investigation that traced the attackers from Hackney to Spain.
London4 min readTrust 64 · Craft 87 · Hype 25
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
Crime & Safety · LondonMet Police inspector cleared of sexual assault charges in Soho case
Dave Newman, a 39-year-old Metropolitan Police inspector, was found not guilty of three counts of sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court. Judge Philip Bartle KC expressed concerns about the investigation and the nature of the event where the alleged offences occurred.
London4 min readTrust 66 · Craft 67 · Hype 32
Crime & Safety · EalingAlvin Gitahi convicted of murdering ex-partner Vivienne Baraka in Ealing
Alvin Gitahi, 44, has been found guilty of murdering his ex-partner Vivienne Baraka, 35, at her Ealing flat after years of violent abuse. Baraka texted her mother for help minutes before her death, fearing Gitahi would kill her if she left. Sentencing is due in October.
Ealing4 min readTrust 74 · Craft 71 · Hype 41
Crime & Safety · LondonMet Inspector Dave Newman denies sexually assaulting three officers in Soho
A Metropolitan Police inspector is on trial at Southwark Crown Court accused of sexually assaulting three female officers during a night out in Soho. Dave Newman denies three counts of sexual assault, with one complainant saying she felt 'like a piece of meat' after the alleged incident.
London5 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 35
Crime & Safety · WestminsterPolice Inspector Denies Sexual Assault of Three Colleagues in Soho Bar
A serving police inspector is accused of sexually assaulting three female colleagues at a Soho bar. The trial heard allegations of unwanted touching, including claims he placed his hand on a woman’s vagina. Newman denies three counts of sexual assault.
Westminster4 min readTrust 56 · Craft 65 · Hype 48
Crime & Safety · LondonStratford bike thief jailed after victim spots stolen e-bike online
A Lewisham man has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison after stealing a £1,500 e-bike and £700 e-scooter from a teenager at Stratford Overground station. The victim identified the thief after seeing the bike advertised on social media days later.
London4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 65