The morning case file
London Crime Briefing
Significant incidents, hearings, outcomes and public-data changes across the capital.
Subject
Southwark Crown Court
London Crime News has published 40 stories involving Southwark Crown Court, from July 2026 to September 2026. Each one is scored for how well the original reporting stood up, and lists the reports it was written from.
- Courts · Westminster
Man acquitted over Churchill statue spray paint
Caspar San Giorgi has been acquitted of criminal damage after spray painting slogans on to the Sir Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square. He claimed he did not believe he had committed a criminal act by sending a message to Parliament.
Westminster3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 45 
Courts · WestminsterActivist cleared of criminal damage over Churchill statue graffiti
A pro-Palestine activist has been found not guilty of criminal damage after spray-painting slogans on the Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square. The court heard the activist argued the washable paint did not cause damage and his actions were a protest.
Westminster3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 45
Courts · City of LondonMan jailed for strangling theatregoer had hired hitmen
Malcolm Potier, 75, has been jailed for two years after strangling a theatregoer during a performance. He had previously been imprisoned for attempting to hire hitmen.
City of London3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 77 · Hype 45
Courts · City of LondonMalcolm Potier jailed for strangling woman at London Coliseum
Malcolm Potier, 75, has been sentenced to two years in prison for strangling Kirsty O'Donnell at the London Coliseum in June 2023. The attack followed an argument after the victim sang along to a show. Potier has a previous conviction in Australia for inciting murder.
City of London3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 77 · Hype 41
Courts · City of LondonHousehold Cavalry soldier jailed for 12 years for child sex offence plot
A soldier from the Household Cavalry has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempting to arrange child sex offences. Graham Jarvis plotted to rape a seven-year-old girl and a 10-month-old baby he met online, before being arrested by an undercover police officer.
City of London3 min readTrust 42 · Craft 65 · Hype 41
Fraud & Cybercrime · WandsworthWandsworth hotelier jailed for £450k Covid loan fraud
A Wandsworth hotelier has received a suspended prison sentence for defrauding the government of £450,000 through fraudulent Covid support loan applications. Richard Courtenay made nine false applications for Bounce Back Loans, using the funds for personal gain. He was ordered to complete unpaid work and rehabilitation.
Wandsworth3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 77 · Hype 20
Courts · City of LondonMan receives suspended sentence for Liverpool Street sexual assault
Sofiane Belasri, 41, has received a two-year suspended sentence for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl and attempting to bribe her with a vape near Liverpool Street station. The incident occurred on July 4, 2024, and Belasri was arrested at the scene.
City of London2 min readTrust 60 · Craft 60 · Hype 45
Courts · WestminsterMan denies stealing £100,000 watch from actor
Rachid Bouchibane has denied robbing actor Alexander Johnson of a Patek Philippe watch valued at £100,000. The trial is scheduled for January 2029, and Bouchibane has been released on bail.
Westminster2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 65 · Hype 25
Fraud & Cybercrime · City of LondonHotelier Richard Courtenay jailed for £450k Covid loan fraud
A London hotelier has been sentenced to a suspended prison term for fraudulently obtaining £450,000 in Covid 'bounce back' loans. Richard Courtenay pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering charges and has repaid the full amount.
City of London3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 71 · Hype 41
Courts · LewishamTwo deny Lewisham murder after nightclub dispute
Two friends who met while studying master's degrees in Scotland have denied murdering Taiwo Ekerin outside a Lewisham nightclub. Chibueze Chukwurah and Maxwell Uguanya pleaded not guilty to murder and manslaughter.
Lewisham3 min readTrust 48 · Craft 65 · Hype 45- Courts · Haringey
Three jailed for minimum of 22 years for Haringey murder
Three men have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Gregory Catillo Volquez in Haringey. Benito Ramirez Kones, Carlos Akum Metumbe, and Luiggi Perelli Santana will serve minimum terms of 23, 22, and 23 years respectively.
Haringey3 min readTrust 70 · Craft 77 · Hype 45 
Courts · HaringeyThree jailed for life for Tiverton Estate murder
Three men have received life sentences for the murder of Gregory Catillo Volquez, who was stabbed 22 times and beaten on the Tiverton Estate in Haringey. The court heard of an 'arsenal of knives' found on the estate.
Haringey3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 75 · Hype 45
Courts · SouthwarkJudge criticises CPS over £10,000 Rolex robbery case dropped after 11 years
A judge has criticised the Crown Prosecution Service for wasting public money on a £10,000 Rolex robbery case that was discontinued after 11 years. Khaled Gestalli was accused of the 2015 offence but the charge was dropped due to identification issues and missing CCTV.
Southwark3 min readTrust 66 · Craft 95 · Hype 35
Violent Crime · WestminsterTwo jailed for Mayfair robbery of £137,000 watch from designer
Two men have been convicted of robbing fashion designer Catalin Botezatu of a £137,000 Richard Mille watch in Mayfair on 28 January 2026. The victim, who feared for his life, was restrained and injured during the attack outside Amazonico restaurant near Berkeley Square.
Westminster4 min readTrust 55 · Craft 65 · Hype 30
LatestThree directors jailed for £70m tree-planting investment scam
Three directors of Ethical Forestry Ltd have been jailed at Southwark Crown Court for their roles in a £70 million investment scam. The scheme, which ran from 2008 to 2015, defrauded nearly 3,000 victims, who lost savings and pensions. The directors spent millions on luxury goods and properties.
4 min readTrust 45 · Craft 55 · Hype 70
Courts · WestminsterMayfair watch robbery trial: Defendant says he was threatened with fire
A 22-year-old man accused of robbing a £137,000 Richard Mille watch in Mayfair said he was threatened with being set on fire if he refused. The trial at Southwark Crown Court heard Ali Eldahouzze and Abdel El Habchi deny robbery charges after Catalin Botezatu was targeted in January.
Westminster4 min readTrust 48 · Craft 85 · Hype 35
Courts · WestminsterAli Eldahouzze denies Mayfair watch robbery after death threats
A 22-year-old man has told a court he was threatened with being set on fire if he did not help steal a £137,000 watch in Berkeley Square. Ali Eldahouzze denies robbery but admits meeting the victim’s assailant minutes before the attack on 28 January 2026.
Westminster5 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 35
Courts · Kensington and ChelseaGary Glitter denies eight sexual abuse charges
Gary Glitter, real name Paul Gadd, pleaded not guilty to eight charges of sexual abuse against a child in Kensington and Chelsea between 1978 and 1981. He appeared via videolink from HMP Channing Wood at Southwark Crown Court.
Kensington and Chelsea3 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 35
Courts · City of LondonInfluencer denies role in £137k Mayfair watch robbery
An influencer accused of being involved in the robbery of a £137,000 watch in Mayfair has told a court he had no idea an attack was happening. One co-accused has pleaded guilty.
City of London3 min readTrust 42 · Craft 67 · Hype 41
Fraud & Cybercrime · WestminsterPimlico fraudster ordered to repay £494k for illegal subletting
A fraudster who illegally sublet a Westminster council flat in Pimlico has been ordered to repay nearly £500,000. Saeed Yasin Hosseini obtained the property in 2011 by falsely claiming he was single and living in temporary accommodation.
Westminster3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 45
Courts · WestminsterTenant ordered to repay £494,415 for illegal flat rental
Saeed Yasin Hosseini has been ordered to repay £494,415 after illegally renting out a Westminster council flat obtained through fraud. He misled the council in 2011 to get the property and later sublet it for profit.
Westminster3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 65 · Hype 45- Courts · City of London
Watch worth £137,000 cut from designer's wrist in Mayfair
A fashion designer had a diamond-encrusted watch worth over £137,000 cut from his wrist outside a Mayfair restaurant. Two men are on trial accused of the robbery, with prosecutors alleging a knife was used.
City of London2 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 45 
Courts · SouthwarkConwoman jailed for five years for £67,000 fraud and theft
Ariana Rose, 40, has been sentenced to five years in prison at Southwark Crown Court for a series of thefts and fraud offences. She stole items worth over £35,000 and defrauded victims of approximately £67,000.
Southwark2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 57 · Hype 41
Violent Crime · WestminsterTwo charged with sexual assaults in Mayfair after women report attacks
A 57-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman have been charged following two women reporting sexual assaults at a Brick Street property in Mayfair. Both defendants appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 13 August and were remanded in custody.
Westminster4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 15
Courts · SouthwarkMet Inspector cleared of sexual assault after judge criticises investigation delays
A Metropolitan Police inspector was cleared of sexually assaulting three female colleagues in Soho after a trial judge criticised the investigation for late witness statements and procedural delays. The Met rejected claims the case was handled differently due to the officer’s rank.
Southwark5 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 50
Courts · SouthwarkMet Inspector Dave Newman cleared of sexually assaulting three colleagues
A Metropolitan Police inspector was unanimously acquitted of three sexual assault charges after a trial at Southwark Crown Court. The judge raised concerns about late witness statements and the conduct of a 2023 drinks event in Soho where the alleged offences occurred.
Southwark5 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 35
LatestAriana Rose jailed for five years after £35k house-sitting thefts
Ariana Rose, 40, posed as a house sitter to steal jewellery, silverware and family heirlooms worth £35,000 from homes in Warwickshire, Hampshire, Somerset and Suffolk. Warwickshire Police arrested her in November 2025 after finding stolen items in her car. She was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court.
5 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 50
Policing · SouthwarkMet Inspector cleared of sexual assault after judge criticises investigation
Inspector Dave Newman was acquitted of three sexual assault charges at Southwark Crown Court. Judge Bartle criticised the Met Police investigation, calling delays in witness statements 'baffling'. The force defended the probe, citing the jury's unanimous not-guilty verdicts.
Southwark4 min readTrust 66 · Craft 62 · Hype 15- Courts · Southwark
Met Police inspector cleared of sexually assaulting three colleagues in Soho
Dave Newman, 39, was found not guilty of three counts of sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court on 13 August 2026. The judge raised concerns about the police investigation’s handling of witness statements and described the Soho drinks event as ‘very troubling’ due to excessive alcohol consumption.
Southwark4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 15 - Policing · Southwark
Met Inspector Michael Richards convicted of sexual assault in central London pub
Inspector Michael Richards was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman at a pub near Leicester Square in September 2024. A jury convicted him of one count of sexual assault on 10 August 2026, while acquitting him of a second charge. He faces sentencing and an accelerated misconduct hearing.
Southwark4 min readTrust 66 · Craft 70 · Hype 12 
Courts · LondonRachid Bouchibne charged with stealing £100,000 Patek Philippe watch from actor
Rachid Bouchibne, of Allison Road, Hornsey, is accused of robbing actor Alexander Johnson of a £100,000 Patek Philippe watch in Westminster on 10 June 2024. He was bailed after a brief hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and will next appear at Southwark Crown Court on 7 September.
London4 min readTrust 56 · Craft 85 · Hype 35
Courts · LondonZacariah Boulares admits machete robberies in Kensington and Bayswater
Zacariah Boulares, already serving 22 months for phone theft from a Bridgerton actress, has pleaded guilty to robbing two men at machete-point in Kensington Square Gardens and outside a Bayswater Waitrose. Sentencing is delayed for psychological and probation reports.
London5 min readTrust 66 · Craft 95 · Hype 48- Violent Crime · Ealing
Alvin Gitahi convicted of murdering partner Vivienne Baraka in Ealing
Alvin Gitahi has been found guilty of murdering Vivienne Baraka, 35, at their Ealing home in March 2024. Police evidence included messages showing repeated abuse. Gitahi will be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court in October 2026. Baraka’s family called the verdict justice for their loss.
Ealing5 min readTrust 56 · Craft 80 · Hype 30 - Courts · Westminster
Brahim Keddad sentenced for £250,000 Mayfair watch robbery attempt
Brahim Keddad, 29, was sentenced to two years and four months at Southwark Crown Court for attempting to steal a £250,000 Richard Mille watch in Mayfair. The arrest followed a targeted Metropolitan Police patrol, part of a wider reduction in theft offences across London.
Westminster5 min readTrust 66 · Craft 72 · Hype 32 - Policing · Lewisham
PC Adam Sahel convicted of assault after spraying colleague with PAVA at Catford station
PC Adam Sahel, 34, was found guilty of common assault at Southwark Crown Court on 5 August 2026 after spraying a junior colleague with PAVA spray at Catford police station in August 2023. He had previously been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Lewisham5 min readTrust 66 · Craft 80 · Hype 15 - Violent Crime · City of London
Met Police Inspector Dave Newman on Trial for Alleged Sexual Assaults in Soho
A Metropolitan Police inspector is on trial at Southwark Crown Court, accused of sexually assaulting three female colleagues in Soho. One complainant testified she felt 'like a piece of meat' after the alleged incident, which she reported via the 101 non-emergency line the following day.
City of London5 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 50 
Courts · WestminsterMet Police inspector denies groping three colleagues in Soho bar
A Metropolitan Police inspector is accused of sexually assaulting three female colleagues during a night out in Soho. The trial heard allegations of unwanted touching on a dancefloor. Newman denies all charges and the case continues.
Westminster4 min readTrust 56 · Craft 85 · Hype 25
Courts · SouthwarkJan Repko cleared of sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court
A jury at Southwark Crown Court found Jan Repko not guilty of sexual assault by touching and assault by penetration after a four-hour deliberation. The alleged incident occurred during a 2022 consultation session at the Royal College of Music in London.
Southwark5 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 15
Violent Crime · LewishamLewisham man jailed for Stratford Overground robbery of teenager
A 23-year-old from Lewisham has been imprisoned after robbing a 17-year-old of an e-bike and e-scooter at Stratford Overground station. The victim identified Archibald after seeing the stolen bike advertised online, leading to his arrest by British Transport Police.
Lewisham4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 65
Violent Crime · LewishamJay Archibald jailed for Stratford Overground robbery of teenager’s e-bike and scooter
Jay Archibald, 23, of Loampit Vale, Lewisham, was sentenced to three years and nine months’ imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court on 21 July 2026 for robbing a 17-year-old of a £1,500 e-bike and £700 e-scooter at Stratford Overground station in June 2024. He was also ordered to pay a £228 victim surcharge.
Lewisham4 min readTrust 55 · Craft 65 · Hype 50