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ITV News
17-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Second man arrested in connection with fires at properties linked to Starmer
A second man has been arrested in connection with arson attacks on properties linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Counter-terror officers arrested a 26-year-old man at Luton Airport on Saturday, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life, according to a statement from the Metropolitan arrest follows fires at Starmer's home in Kentish Town, as well as another property and a car linked to the Prime Minister earlier this month. Roman Lavrynovych, a 21-year-old Ukrainian man, has already been charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life in connection with the fires. Lavrynovych, of Sydenham, south-east London, denied arson in a police interview. He appeared in court on Friday and was remanded in custody until a further hearing at the Old Bailey scheduled for June 6.
BBC News
15-04-2025
- BBC News
Felling of ancient oak tree in Enfield sparks Metropolitan Police probe
The cutting down of an ancient oak tree in north London is being investigated by the Metropolitan remains of the oak, estimated to be up to 500 years old, were discovered by council workers last week in Whitewebbs Park, Enfield. An emergency tree preservation order has now been imposed on the base of its tree, with a girth of 6.1m (20ft), was a nationally significant pedunculate oak and listed on the Woodland Trust's national ancient tree resident and member of the Guardians of Whitewebbs group, Benny Hawksbee, said "the tree belonged to Enfield and to our national heritage - I am devastated". The leader of Enfield Council, Ergin Erbil, said they were treating the matter as criminal damage and had reported it to the added: "We have now placed a legal protection (Tree Preservation Order) on the tree and are looking at ways to help it grow back."We will work closely with the police as they continue their investigation into this matter."Jon Stokes, director of trees, science and research at the Tree Council, said the felling of such a "magnificent" tree was added: "Ancient oaks can live up to 1,000 years old and are as precious as our stately homes and castles."Our nation's green heritage should be valued and protected and we will do everything we can to achieve this." The Woodland Trust's head of campaigning Adam Cormack said the tree's loss was "devastating".He said: "We don't know yet who did this or why and would urge anyone with information to come forward and report it to the police."This depressing sight is a reminder to all of us that not every ancient tree is in a safe place."It is very unusual to see the felling of an oak tree of this size and age. Legally protected status for heritage trees like the Whitewebbs Oak is long overdue."The trust's Living Legends petition, which aims to secure such status for heritage trees, and which attracted more than 100,000 signatures, was handed in to Downing Street in November. Trial due to start The issue of tree preservation was highlighted after the destruction of the Sycamore Gap tree in September was outrage when the tree, which stood in a dip next to Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, was chopped Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, both from Cumbria, have been charged with causing criminal damage put at more than £600, will appear before a jury at a trial starting on 28 April at Newcastle Crown Court.
BBC News
20-03-2025
- BBC News
Data helps Met Police convict 100 men who targeted women
A data-driven approach to tackling violence against women and girls has led to more than 100 of the "most dangerous offenders" in London being convicted, according to the Metropolitan force said its V100 programme, which uses data to identify and target men who pose the highest risk to women, had enabled officers to focus efforts on reducing the threat posed by perpetrators and to protect potential 126 people had been charged with 574 offences, including rape, grievous bodily harm and attempted murder, the Met force said this was achieved by using victim reports of crime alongside other data to rank suspects in priority order. The scheme is part of the force's A New Met for London plan, aimed at delivering "more trust, less crime, and high standards".Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ben Russell, the Met's V100 lead, said: "Reaching 100 convictions is an important milestone, but our work is far from over. "This is about more than just statistics or crime reports. It's about ensuring that every woman in London feels seen, heard, and protected." 'Powerful achievement' The Met said significant convictions included Jason Phinn, 36, of Bournville, Birmingham, who was jailed for the manslaughter of his mother at their home in Brixton in November 2023. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison at Croydon Crown Collins, 30, of no fixed address, was handed a life sentence at Kingston Crown Court for rape, kidnap and 22 other related offences in July 2024. He will serve a minimum term of 11 years and five months for attacking eight women in the space of four days in London last summer, the force said. 'Still work to do' I was among the journalists invited to a monthly briefing at New Scotland Yard, where officers with different specialisms came together to discuss suspects flagged under the scheme, and how to tackle scheme works by using existing police data from victim reports of crime alongside the Cambridge Crime Harm Index - a tool which helps police measure the seriousness of harm to Assistant Commissioner Ben Russell said each suspect's risk was calculated by looking at what sentence they would expect to be given for each allegation, if they were convicted as a first time offender, and then adding up the total. The suspects are then ranked in priority order and updated each approach used by officers has been dubbed as "Achilles' heel" tactics, Det Ch Supt Angela Craggs said, as it involved considering allegations related to other crimes. "We're thinking about drug dealing, we might be thinking about, you know, robbery offences. Any other offences that this perpetrator is linked to in order to take them off the streets," she explained. In the meeting, officers also discussed how best to support victims, some of whom may be manipulated or threatened, in order to protect them and to encourage them to support a prosecution. The Met's update on how many offenders are being convicted under the V100 programme comes exactly two years on from the publication of the damning review by Baroness Casey, which found the Met was institutionally misogynist and called for more to be done to protect women and girls. The report highlighted cases of victim blaming, evidence from rape investigations being lost in broken down fridges, and said that specialist public protection teams, who tackle abuse against women and children, had been "deprioritised". The Met says it's boosted those teams with an extra 565 officers and staff and invested in training for frontline officers. However, new figures from the Met Police, presented to the London Assembly, showed reported sexual offences increased by 7.4% in the 12 months up to the end of January 2025, compared with the previous 12 year, the Met said 34,000 suspects were reported for more than one crime against women and girls. "It is a significant number," Russell agreed, saying the whole justice system needed to do more. "But what we are realising through our work is that the number of men who are committing violence of this significance and this seriousness is relatively small. "So by focusing on the most serious harmful offenders, we think we can have a disproportionate impact on keeping people safe." Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips said: "Every woman has a fundamental right to feel safe. One hundred offenders convicted by the Met Police means 100 more dangerous men off our streets - a powerful achievement for the Met's V100 initiative."Delivering a consistent national approach in the use of these data-driven tools to identify and pursue the most dangerous perpetrators is a core part of our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. We are cracking on alongside our policing partners to achieve this." The Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said there was more work to do."I remain committed to doing everything I can to support the Met's action, investing in vital services that support victims and important intervention work that stops perpetrators from reoffending," he said.
BBC News
14-03-2025
- BBC News
Plea for billionaire's son suspected of student's murder to return to UK
A new plea to the son of a billionaire suspected of raping and murdering a Norwegian student in London 17 years ago to return to the UK has been issued by the Metropolitan body of 23-year-old Martine Vik Magnussen was discovered in a Great Portland Street basement in main suspect, Farouk Abdulhak - who fled to Yemen hours after her death - told the BBC in 2023 she died as a result of a "sex accident gone wrong".In Friday's statement, Ms Magnussen's father and the lead detective on the case issued a fresh appeal for Mr Abdulhak to return from Yemen, which has no extradition treaty with the UK. A post-mortem examination found Ms Magnussen had died from compression to her neck, and that her body had multiple cuts and said enquires also indicated she had been raped around the time of her father, Odd Petter Magnussen, said: "For 17 years, justice has been denied as Farouk Abdulhak remains a free man in Yemen."Violence against women and girls is a crisis that affects families worldwide and Martine's case is a stark reminder that justice delayed is justice denied."Martine's voice was silenced, but we must not be silent for her."Ms Magnussen and Mr Abdulhak both studied at Regent's Business School in London, and in the early hours of 14 March, 2008, were together at the exclusive Maddox nightclub in Mayfair celebrating the end of their exams. CCTV showed Martine leaving the club with Mr Abdulhak at 02:59. Friends of hers said Mr Abdulhak offered to host an after-party at his apartment in Great Portland Street, central London. Police found her body in the basement of the apartment block two days later, but the main suspect, Mr Abdulhak, had already fled the UK. He took a commercial flight to Cairo, and then travelled to Yemen. Mr Abdulhak's father, Shaher Abdulhak, was one of the richest and most powerful men in Yemen before his death in 2020. He had a business empire built on sugar, soft drinks, oil and arms, and was a close friend of the president at the time, Ali Abdullah to the BBC in 2023, Mr Abdulhak said: "I did something when I was younger, it was a mistake."Communicating via text message, he said: "It was just an accident. Nothing nefarious."Just a sex accident gone wrong."He added: "No-one knows because I could barely piece together what happened."Asked why, he replied with one word: "Cocaine."He described himself as "legally [expletive]" because of "leaving the country and the body was moved".He also told the BBC: "1: I deeply regret the unfortunate accident that happened. 2 regret coming here [to Yemen] should have stayed and paid the piper."His lawyer has previously insisted he was innocent of murder."I don't think justice will be served," Mr Abdulhak told BBC News correspondent Nawal Al-Maghafi in 2023 over the phone when asked if he would return to the UK. "I find that the criminal justice system there [in the UK] is heavily biased. I find that they will want to make an example of me being a son of an Arab, being… a son of someone rich… it's way too late," Mr Abdulhak Inspector Jim Barry, who is leading the investigation for the Metropolitan Police, said the force is "as committed today as we were in 2008 to get justice for Martine". In a message directed at Mr Abdulhak, Det Insp Barry said: "You have been running and hiding for 17 years. "You participated in a BBC documentary, providing your explanation as to what happened. It is time to grow up and face your responsibilities to Martine and her family."Come to the UK now and explain all to a court and jury. Our pursuit of you will not stop."
