Category: Police

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

UPDATE: On Friday, 1 August at the Old Bailey, Rumarni Tuitt was jailed for 18 years for attempted murder and one year for possession of a bladed article, to run concurrently. He must serve 12 years before being considered for release on licence.

The press release below was issued following a trial that ended in May with Tuitt being found guilty of the above offences:

A teenager who carried out at a zombie knife attack during Notting Hill Carnival has been found guilty of attempted murder.

Rumarni Tuitt, 19 (01.12.05) of Sutherland Road, Walthamstow was charged on 29 August 2024 with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article.

He stood trial at the Old Bailey and was convicted on Thursday, 8 May.

The court heard that shortly before 20:00hrs on the Monday evening of Carnival – 26 August 2024 – Tuitt was in Canal Way, off Ladbroke Grove.

Officers who were on duty as part of the policing operation recounted how they saw him appear agitated as he argued verbally with someone in a crowd, before taking a huge knife from his waistband and thrusting it into a group in front of him.

A 19-year-old man who was in the crowd was stabbed no fewer than five times causing multiple serious injuries including some to his abdomen that required life saving surgery. He and Tuitt did not know each other and a motive for the attack has never been established.

Officers intervened immediately, arresting Tuitt at the scene and providing vital medical treatment to his victim until paramedics could reach them.

The knife used, which was at least 10 inches in length, was recovered from the scene.

Acting Detective Inspector Sophie McLoughlin, who led the investigation, said: “This was a savage and senseless attack. The victim was very lucky to survive his injuries.

“Hundreds of thousands of people, including the victim in this case, go to Carnival to have a good time and enjoy the music and entertainment. Those who would choose to turn up armed with a 10 inch zombie knife clearly have no such intentions.

“It is thanks to the vigilance of officers on duty that day and the hard work of my team in the months since that we were able to build the case that saw Tuitt convicted at court.

“It is also thanks to officers’ immediate medical intervention at the scene, as well as the specialist further care by paramedics, that we’re talking about a conviction for attempted murder and not worse.

“I hope the victim can now move forward and begin to put this experience behind him.”

Tuitt was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the same court on Friday, 1 August.

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

An innovative scheme for south London teenagers has taken place as part of the Met’s summer diversionary work.

A cohort of 60 young people, all aged around 17 from south London, were offered 11 days of placements across a wide range of Met units, lectures from top professionals in the criminal justice field, and will now get follow up one-on-one mentoring.

The programme co-run between Elevated Minds and the Met Police specifically aims to open two-way dialogue between the officers and young people – aiming to rebuild trust between black communities and police.

Shkye, aged 17, who took part in the programme said: “Before this, you wouldn’t even catch me in a room with police officers, let alone having a conversation with them. I just want to say thank you to Doreen (CEO of Elevated Minds) for giving me this opportunity.

“For now, I’m the first person in my family to go in a police station not because I’ve committed a crime.”

Police Sergeant Mensah Elliott, who has been in the Met for 21 years and helped with the planning of the programme, said: “This was my first year being involved in this work and I am grateful that I was invited to be a part of it. My personal goal for the two weeks was to demystify the mystery behind the badge and humanise the uniform and I truly believed that this was achieved. Building trust and confidence and bridging the gap between young people and policing is absolutely essential and the Met must make this a priority.

“This programme offers something very special to young people, especially those from underrepresented groups. I witnessed, first-hand, how the mindsets of the 60 young people that took part in the programme evolved and their confidence grow.

“They were able to see and appreciate that being part of the Met family involves a lot more than just a uniformed officer patrolling the streets or driving around London at high speeds.”

Elevated Minds work with young people in schools and communities across London, particularly in Southwark. Typically, the young people are very intelligent and gifted but may lack access to resources, which leaves them at risk of being groomed by county lines gangs. 

The key aims are to divert young people from serious violence, rebuild trust in police, and introduce them to highlight to them parts of organisation they may not have seen before.  

Some of the young people on this year’s programme have worked closely with the Met for over a year on projects including the Stop and Search Charter, the Police Race Action Plan, as well as delivering Cultural Awareness Training to New Met Recruits.

The young people were taken on a whistle-stop tour of the organisation which included visits to the forensics team, the marine unit, mounted branch, the Territorial Support Group, and the 999 call control centre in Lambeth, where high-profile major events are managed.

They got the chance to handle specialist equipment, try on kit, take part in role-plays at Hendon Police School, and visit the Inner London Crown Court. The young people were also offered a close up look at how officers deal with protestors while seeing training at Gravesend.

The group also got the opportunity to quiz Commander Charmain Brenyah, Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove, and Chief Superintendent Dan Ivey face to face at a special roundtable and Q&A. They were able to discuss issues that mattered to them such as the use of drones, stop and search, gang violence, and county lines.

After gaining first-hand knowledge of the realities of policing, the close of the two weeks was marked with a special celebration ceremony for parents and supporters on Friday, 25 July.

Doreen Sinclair-McCollin, director of Elevated Minds, said: “At its heart, Elevated Aspirations is about amplifying voices that have too often gone unheard, restoring trust where it’s been lost, and reimagining futures full of purpose, pride and possibility.”

PC Nsikan Etuk, who has been in the Met for more than 20 years and is part of the community engagement team for Southwark and Lambeth boroughs, explained: “Five years ago, I sort to enhance the relationship between youth and the Metropolitan Police Service. I created the Elevated Aspirations programme alongside Doreen Sinclair-McCollin the CEO of Elevated Minds.

“The programme has brought the police and the community together in ways I could only have dreamed of, and its effects will remain in the lives of the young people involved for years to come.”

The young people were asked to complete pre- and post- programme questionnaires, and their answers were used to measure the impact of the Elevated Aspirations programme, especially in terms of trust and confidence.

By the end of the programme:

• An overall level of trust in the police had increased by 23% (6.5/10 to 8/10)
• 85% of the young people believe that police have the knowledge and skills to serve their community (vs. 35% prior)
• 90% would call the police if they could prevent a serious crime from happening, whether they knew the victim or not (vs. 50% previously)
• 30% of participants are likely to pursue a career in policing (vs. 5% prior)

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

There will be an increased police presence in the Clerkenwell area of Islington on Saturday where a protest against the use of a hotel to accommodate asylum seekers and a related counter protest are due to take place.

The protest against the use of the hotel was organised by local residents under the banner ‘Thistle Barbican needs to go – locals say no’. It has since been endorsed by groups from outside the local community which is likely to increase the number of people attending.

A counter protest, organised by Stand Up To Racism and supported by other groups, has been announced and widely publicised.

Chief Superintendent Clair Haynes, who is in charge of the policing operation, said: “We have been in discussions with the organisers of both protests in recent days, building on the ongoing engagement between local officers, community groups and partners. We understand that there are strongly held views on all sides.

“Our officers will police without fear or favour, ensuring those exercising their right to protest can do so safely but intervening at the first sign of actions that cross the line into criminality.

“We have used our powers under the Public Order Act to put conditions in place to prevent serious disorder and to minimise serious disruption to the lives of people and businesses in the local community. Those conditions identify two distinct protest areas where the protests must take place meaning the groups will be separated but still within sight and sound of each other. The conditions also set specific start and finish times for the protests.”

In addition to the policing operation in Islington, plans are in place to respond to any protest activity in the vicinity of other hotels in London being used to accommodate asylum seekers. Our approach there will be the same as that being taken in Islington, to protect the right to peaceful protest but to intervene decisively where offences take place.

Details of the conditions in place in Islington are below.

‘Thistle Barbican needs to go – locals say no’ protest:

Any person participating in the assembly on Saturday 2 August must remain within the shaded area on the map below which is King Charles Square.

The assembly must not begin before 1300hrs and must conclude by 1600hrs.

Protest organised by Stand up to Racism and other counter protest groups:

Any person participating in the assembly on Saturday 2 August 2025 must remain within the shaded area on the map below which is in Lever Street, near the junction with Central Street.

The assembly must not begin before 1200hrs and must conclude by 1600hrs.

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

A man has been charged with over 40 offences as part of an ongoing investigation into reports of shoplifting in Waltham Forest.

Mark Stavrou, 32 (15.10.1992) of Sherwood Close, Walthamstow has been charged with 41 counts of theft, two counts of burglary and one count of criminal damage.

The charges follow his arrest on Thursday, 21 July, in connection with multiple shoplifting offences at supermarkets and petrol stations across Chingford. The offences date between Saturday, 10 May, and Thursday, 31 July.

He will appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 1 August.

Stavrou has previously been charged with 67 burglary offences. He will enter a plea for these on Thursday, 7 August, at the same court.