Category: England

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

A man has been sentenced for murder after a teenager he assaulted died from his injuries five years later

A man has jailed for a vicious stabbing in south London that left a 17-year-old boy in a minimally conscious state due to a catastrophic brain injury.

Tyrese Osei-Kofi, 25 (18.06.99), of Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday, 6 December where he was sentenced to a minimum sentence of seven years and ten months in prison for the murder of Jamel Boyce.

A court heard police attended Triangle Place, SW4, on the evening of 14 October 2016, where they found a young man with stab wounds to the chest and leg.

Jamel was treated at the scene by the London Ambulance Service but he went into cardiac arrest before arriving in hospital, depriving his brain of oxygen for a critical 14 minutes due to the injury to his heart.

Doctors concluded he had been left in a ‘vegetative state’ and he was transferred to a specialist long-term care facility where he required round-the-clock nursing care.

Osei-Kofi was first interviewed after handing himself into police on 20 October 2016 following police appeals in which his father recognised him.

He was subsequently re-arrested two months later, and charged with attempted murder on 13 April 2017.

Osei-Kofi was convicted of grievous bodily harm and found not guilty of attempted murder following a trial at the Old Bailey in February 2018.

On 4 May 2018 he was jailed for ten years.

After five-and-a-half years of care, Jamel sadly died on Tuesday, 13 February 2022 at the age of 22.

A post-mortem examination held a few days later gave a cause of death as a penetrating injury to his chest.

Homicide detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command then initiated murder proceedings against Osei-Kofi.

Detective Inspector Andy Griffin of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command said:

“Jamel was a young man with a very promising future, known as ‘Smiley’ to his friends.

“He was described by those who knew him as an intelligent, thoughtful and considerate young man.

“The ordeal that he and his family have been through has been devastating.

“I sincerely hope that today’s sentence brings closure to the nightmare they have lived through for the last eight years.”

Jamel’s father, Patrick said:

“I have come to witness the sentence of this man who took my son’s life, and I wish to hear him say he is sorry and ask for forgiveness from us.

“No amount of sentence can justify what he has done to me and my family, but I hope in time that somewhere in his heart he can find some remorse and ask whichever God he believes in for forgiveness.”

Jamel’s father, Pansy said:

“This stabbing turned an ordinary day in 2016 into a nightmare that we were forced to live through for five and a half years, while Jamel was left blind, unable to speak and severely limited in his ability to interact with the world around him.

“He fought tirelessly to survive, with us by his side throughout, despite such a bleak outlook, before closing his eyes for the last time.

“The impact of Jamel’s death extends far beyond his individual life; it has ripped through our family and community in ways that words can barely capture.

“The damage caused by this crime will ripple through all our lives for years to come.”

As part of A New Met for London, tackling knife crime and violence is a top priority for the police. We have a duty to prevent crime and violence by providing diversions to those who need it most, and we will continue using every tactic available to prevent people getting hurt and aiming to bringing justice to those that are.

You can visit Fearless for advice, discover real stories about people who turned their lives around after being involved in knife crime as well as places you can go for further help and support.

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

Detectives have charged a third person in connection with the murder of Haseeb Bhatti and the attempted murder of another man in Dagenham in April.

Haiden Khalik-Noor, 18 (06.10.06) of Bentry Road, Dagenham was charged on Thursday, 5 December. He appeared at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 6 December where he was remanded in custody to appear next at the Old Bailey on Monday, 9 December.

At around 01:30hrs on Saturday, 20 April police were alerted by the London Ambulance Service to reports that a man had been stabbed in Rothwell Gardens, Dagenham.

Officers responded and initially found a 50-year-old man with stab wounds who was taken to hospital and later discharged.

A short time later in nearby Flamstead Road they found 23-year-old Haseeb, who had also been stabbed. Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he died at the scene.

His family continues to be supported by specialist officers.

Frankie Burletson, 24 (10.02.2000) of Arden Crescent, Dagenham and Swayf Amana, 26 (01.04.1998) of Brittain Road, Dagenham have both previously been charged with murder and attempted murder.

They are in custody awaiting trial.

The investigation into the events of 20 April continues. Anyone with information who has not yet come forward is asked to call police on 101, providing the reference 0621/20APR.

Information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, by calling 0800 555 111.

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

A man will appear in court this morning (Saturday, 7 December) charged with the murder of 51-year-old Anthony Marks.

Harry Gittins, 35 (24.12.88) of Regent Square, Camden was arrested on Friday, 6 December and charged later the same day with Anthony’s murder. He was remanded to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court later today.

Anthony was assaulted in Whidborne Street, Camden on 10 August and received treatment in hospital for three days before being discharged.

Two weeks later he suffered a seizure and was readmitted to hospital where he sadly died on 25 September.

Two other people, a 17-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl, have previously been charged with Anthony’s murder and are on remand awaiting trial. They can’t be named due to their age.

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

An investigation by Met detectives has led to a murder conviction after a vulnerable young man was beaten to death, before his body was dismembered and hidden in a nearby park.

Following a nine-week trial, 27-year-old Dajour Jones was found guilty of the murder of Jamie Gilbey, 20, after a unanimous verdict.

The jury heard how both men had been living in the same supported housing accommodation in Upper Norwood. On the evening of Thursday 27 January 2022, while the pair were in Jones’ room, Jones subjected Jamie to a brutal and prolonged attack, hitting him around his head and stabbing him multiple times.

The pair were seen on CCTV leaving the address together at around 17.30hrs. It is unclear where they went in that time, but by 18.10hrs they had returned and both went into Jones’ room where the attack followed.

Afterwards, Jones spent time dismembering Jamie’s body inside his room before buying a large purple suitcase and then making several trips to nearby South Norwood Country Park to dump the body in black bags in deep undergrowth.

At around 13.45hrs on Sunday, 27 February, officers carrying out routine patrols in the park discovered the suitcase in undergrowth in Love Lane SE25. Inside were bloodstained items of clothing. After forensic testing, detectives were able to confirm the garments belonged to both Jamie and Jones. It was at this point that Jamie’s family were informed by police of their fears that he had come to harm.

Following the discovery of the suitcase officers continued to search the vast park, and on the morning of 8 March, specialist officers sadly recovered Jamie’s body in South Norwood Lake and grounds – around two miles from where the suitcase was discovered and just a few hundred yards from the hostel.

On 30 January staff at the hostel reported Jamie missing, and local police carried out various enquiries. After they were unable to find any proof that he was alive the case was passed to a murder investigation team.

Detectives set about establishing who was responsible for Jamie’s suspected murder, confirming Jones was the last known person to have been with him.

They scoured hours of CCTV footage and uncovered the footage of Jamie and Jones returning to their accommodation together on the night of the murder. Detectives executed a warrant at the property and a forensic search of Jones’ room revealed traces of Jamie’s blood. Hidden behind a sink in the room were various bottles of cleaning fluid, which had clearly been used in an attempt to conceal the murder.

Officers were then able to source footage of Jones leaving the venue in the days that followed in possession of the purple suitcase. They were able to establish that he made several trips with the item and believe that during the first two, Jamie’s body was inside the suitcase.

Jones was arrested on 3 March – before Jamie’s body was discovered. He refused to tell officers what had happened to Jamie or what he had done with the body. When he was charged a couple of days later his response was: “Ah. Cool”.

Detective Chief Inspector Mike Nolan, who lead the murder investigation, said: “My thoughts go out to the family of Jamie – who lost his life in truly horrendous circumstances.

“For reasons known only to Jones, on the evening of the murder, he lured Jamie to his room intending to kill him or cause really serious harm. He then subjected Jamie to an extremely violent and sustained attack. Afterwards he dismembered Jamie’s body and disposed of it over a number of days.

“What is particularly chilling is that throughout this time he conducted himself in an entirely relaxed manner. Something had clearly been brewing in Jones’ mind as he had earlier that day asked staff at the accommodation what would happen were he to have a fight inside his room and whether the circumstances would be looked into. This suggests some element of pre-mediation and planning.

“It is clear to me he is a very dangerous man and I am pleased the jury made the right decision and convicted him.”

+ Dajour Jones (05.05.97), who is of no fixed address, will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, 13 December.

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

A man has been jailed for the murder of Bledi Petraj in Enfield following an investigation by Met Police detectives.

Kozma Papa, 22 (23.09.02) of Fairview Road, Cheltenham, appeared at the Central Criminal Court on Friday, 6 December where he was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 20 years, having pleaded guilty to the murder at an earlier hearing. He was also jailed for nine months, to run concurrently, after admitting possession of a bladed article.

Police and London Ambulance Service (LAS) were called at 14:04hrs on Sunday, 4 February to reports of a stabbing at Queen Elizabeth’s Drive in Enfield.

Officers and LAS attended. At the scene 37-year-old Bledi Petraj, who was from Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex, was found with knife injuries.

Despite the efforts of medics at the scene and in hospital, he sadly died that afternoon. His family were notified and were supported by specialist officers.

Papa was arrested by Met officers in a car that was stopped in Hertfordshire that same day. He was charged the following day with murder.

Detective Sergeant Matthew Goode said: “My thoughts are with Bledi’s family and loved ones who continue to mourn his tragic death. This was a fight that ended in a senseless loss of life and Papa will now rightly spend a significant amount of time in prison.”

+ A 30-year-old man, who was also arrested as part of the investigation, was released without further action.

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

A total of 540 individuals wanted for criminal offences ranging from shoplifting to rape have been apprehended by the Metropolitan Police Service (Met) through the use of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology.

With the help of this technology, the Met has removed more dangerous individuals from the streets, contributing to safer London communities.

Live Facial Recognition is an advanced technology employed by the Met in specific areas of London. Officers position a van equipped with cameras in a pre-agreed location. These cameras capture live footage of people passing by and compare their faces against a pre-approved watchlist. If a match is detected, the system generates an alert, enabling officers to act swiftly.

The Met is a forerunner in using this technology as part of its commitment to make London safer by harnessing cutting-edge technology and data to identify and apprehend offenders who pose significant risks to our communities.

Among these arrests are more than 50 individuals allegedly involved in serious offences involving violence against women and girls (VAWG), including offences such as strangulation, stalking, domestic abuse, and rape. In addition, the Met has arrested over 50 sex offenders who were found to be in breach of their court conditions.

Of the 540 people arrested by Met officers, 406 have already been charged or cautioned.

LFR technology enables the Met to take a more precise and intelligence-led approach to tackling crime. Each deployment is carefully planned based on operational needs and is guided by data to ensure resources are directed at offenders who pose the greatest threat to public safety.

Lindsey Chiswick, the Met’s Director of Performance, said: “This technology is helping us protect our communities from harm.

“It is a powerful tool that supports officers to identify and focus on people who present the highest risk that may otherwise have gone undetected.

“From targeting sex offenders to apprehending those responsible for violent crimes, Live Facial Recognition is helping us deliver justice more effectively while making our streets safer.

“LFR works hand in hand with officers and is a vital part of making the Met a modern police service and delivering our mission to make communities safer.”

The use of LFR has not only resulted in arrests but as a consequence of these arrests, critical interventions that enhance public safety.

In one case, officers stopped a convicted child sex offender who was with a new partner. The partner, who lived with a younger sibling, was unaware of the offender’s criminal history. Within 24 hours, officers made a disclosure under Sarah’s Law, potentially preventing further harm.

Concerns about privacy and the use of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology are understandable. To address these, the Met has implemented robust safeguards. If a member of the public walks past an LFR camera and is not on a police watchlist, their biometric data is immediately and permanently deleted.

If the technology generates a match, officers may engage with the individual to verify their identity and confirm their involvement in any offences. Officers conduct further checks, such as reviewing court orders or other relevant information, to determine if the person is a suspect. Importantly, an alert from the system does not automatically result in an arrest – officers make a discretionary decision about whether further action is necessary.

The Met is actively engaging with communities and partners across London to build understanding of how LFR works. Efforts include debunking myths, sharing successes, and providing reassurance by explaining the rigorous checks and balances in place to protect people’s rights and privacy.

As part of A New Met for London, the Met is using advanced technology to support officers to tackle crime more effectively and equitably. In the longer term, the service plans to introduce additional data-driven tools and ethically leverage artificial intelligence to stay ahead of criminal activity, intervening before harm occurs.

By adopting these innovations, the Met is creating a safer London for everyone.

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

A man has been convicted of attempted murder after swift work by officers saw him arrested just hours after the horrific attack.

Isakov Akhmad 42, (03.09.82), of Thorogood Gardens, E15, was found guilty on Wednesday, 4 December following a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court of seriously assaulting another man with a dumbbell.

The victim, Firuz Raupov, who is in his 40s, was taken to an east London hospital with severe head injuries which are life-changing.

The trial heard the assault happened at the house where the two men lived in Stratford in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, 9 June and followed an argument.

Thanks to the speedy efforts of the local police team, Akhmad was located and arrested nearby around three hours after the offence.

The investigations unit went to work establishing facts, gathering vital evidence, speaking to witnesses and obtaining the necessary forensic evidence to prove the offence.

Akhmad was charged with attempted murder on Saturday, 15 June.

Detective Constable Sorcha Homer, from the north east local investigations unit, said: “This was a very traumatic incident and it is highly satisfying to have achieved some sort of justice for the victim and his family with a dangerous man now facing a prison sentence.”

Akhmad was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 31 March.

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

A Met investigation into a reckless car chase that ended with a 16-year-old boy being killed has led to two men being handed lengthy prison sentences.

Aaron Conway, 39 (25.02.1985) of Villas Road, Plumstead and Joseph Barnes, 41 (14.09.1983) of Byfleet, Surrey appeared at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday, 6 December.

Barnes, who had been convicted of murder following a trial earlier this year, was sentenced to life imprisonment and will serve a minimum of 25 years.

Conway, who had previously been convicted of manslaughter, was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment.

A third man who had been charged in relation to the same incident was found not guilty following a trial.

The court heard how 16-year-old Tafari Thompson-Mintah had been in a relationship with Conway’s daughter which had broken down, leading to a series of disputes.

Conway had been determined to threaten and intimidate Tafari and on 9 October 2023, he and Barnes met up to do so again. They got into a stolen car with Barnes driving and Conway in the passenger seat. Spotting Tafari, they chased him at high speed before swerving towards him and deliberately knocking him off his scooter. He was thrown into the path of an oncoming car and run over.

Tafari sustained profound head injuries. The emergency services attended and provided urgent medical treatment, but he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives were quickly able to piece together what had taken place by viewing CCTV. Conway, Barnes and the third man were arrested days later.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Martin Thorpe, who led the investigation, said: “Conway encouraged Barnes to drive recklessly and in doing so both played a part in the cruel and senseless ending of a young boy’s life.

“This has been an incredibly distressing time for Tafari’s family.

“Nothing will erase the pain of their loss, but I hope that today’s lengthy prison sentence will give them some small sense of closure.”

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

A man has appeared at the Old Bailey charged with attempted murder following an incident on a bus in Brixton and the later death of the victim.

The Met’s Specialist Crime Command launched an investigation following an incident involving two men on a route 59 bus in Brixton Road, SW9, at around 10:20hrs on Thursday, 21 November.

One of the men, aged 40, was taken to hospital following the incident, but he sadly died from his injuries just after 14:30hrs on Wednesday, 25 November.

He has been named as Donovan Martin.

His family are being supported by specialist officers.

Nathan Grant, 39 (27.07.85), of Lambeth Walk, Brixton, was originally charged on Friday, 22 November with attempted murder, as well as theft.

He appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, 23 November and was remanded in custody, appearing at the Old Bailey today, Friday, 6 December.

The charges will be amended to murder at a later hearing, date to be confirmed.

Anyone with information, including mobile phone footage of the incident or anything nearby that you believe may be relevant, is asked to contact the police on 101 or messaging @MetCC on X, with the ref 2089/21Nov.

You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A dedicated online page has been set up to make it easier to provide information or material – such as images or video – online.

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

The Met’s Counter Terrorism officers are reminding Londoners to trust their instincts and report anything that doesn’t feel right when they are out and about in the city over the coming weeks.

The festive period will see a large amount of events in the capital, including Christmas markets, football matches and carol services attracting large crowds of people.

Every year across the UK, Counter Terrorism Policing receives over 10,000 reports from the public and a fifth of those provide intelligence which is particularly useful to investigators.

Chief Superintendent Kris Wright, head of Protective Security Operations for the Met said:

“At this time of year, we naturally see more people heading out and about to enjoy the festive period. We want people to enjoy themselves, but also to stay safe, so we are asking the public to report anything that doesn’t look or feel right to us.

“The power of public reporting should not be underestimated. It is never a waste of time to speak to us, or submit an online report.

“Sadly, the threat from terrorism is a real one, so it is vital that we have the support of the public, which helps our own operations and activity to keep everyone safe.

“Since 2017, we, along with our partners have disrupted over 40 terrorist plots. That is down to many dedicated, specialist officers and staff, but also due to the public helping us in that crucial work.”

The Met recently ran major incident training exercises at Brentford and Millwall Football Clubs as part of its programme of work to test and improve the response to a terrorism attack.

Officers work year-round with venues and organisations across the Capital to help them protect against potential terrorist threats and to be prepared to respond should the worst happen. Further exercises are planned with several other clubs and venues in the New Year.

Chf Supt Wright said: “It is important to stress these exercises are not in response to any specific intelligence or threat of attack at any particular venue in London.

“We are prepared but never complacent. We organise training events all year round at different venues across London to improve the preparedness of police and emergency services partners in dealing with different terrorism attack scenarios.

“These are vital in building up the knowledge and experience of the first responders to a major incident.

“The public in London should feel reassured the city has some of the most well-trained emergency services in the UK.”

If you see something suspicious, either tell a police officer, report it online via www.gov.uk/ACTor call the confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321. In an emergency, call 999.