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 85 stories involving Southwark Crown Court, from September 2026 to November 2026. Each one is scored for how well the original reporting stood up, and lists the reports it was written from.
- Courts · City of London
Russell Brand faces seven charges at Southwark Crown Court
Comedian Russell Brand is on trial at Southwark Crown Court facing seven charges, including three counts of rape and three of sexual assault. The alleged offences span a decade, beginning in 1999. Brand denies all charges, and his defence has argued that widespread publicity has compromised the case.
City of London4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 65 · Hype 41 - Courts · City of London
Russell Brand denies rape and sexual assault charges
Comedian Russell Brand denies three charges of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of attempted indecent assault against six women. His defence barrister told Southwark Crown Court that recent allegations had 'poisoned the well of justice', potentially influencing earlier complaints.
City of London4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 65 · Hype 41 - Courts · City of London
Russell Brand faces rape and sexual assault charges at Southwark Crown Court
Russell Brand is on trial at Southwark Crown Court facing multiple charges including rape and sexual assault. The prosecution has detailed accusations from six women who claim a pattern of behaviour involving flattery before alleged attacks over a decade.
City of London4 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 60 - Courts · City of London
Russell Brand told police of 'promiscuous past' amid rape trial
Russell Brand told police his "very promiscuous" past has been "unfavourably reframed" into allegations of rape and sexual assault, his trial heard. The 51-year-old comedian denies seven offences against six women between 1999 and 2009.
City of London3 min readTrust 70 · Craft 75 · Hype 45 - Courts · City of London
Russell Brand denies rape claims, citing 'promiscuous' lifestyle
Russell Brand has told police his "very promiscuous" celebrity lifestyle has been "unfavourably reframed" into rape and sexual assault claims. The comedian, who denies all charges, was questioned four times between November 2023 and July 2025.
City of London4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 65 · Hype 41 
Courts · City of LondonChris Brown sentenced for London nightclub affray
R&B singer Chris Brown arrived at Southwark Crown Court on Monday to be sentenced after pleading guilty to affray. He was accompanied by security guards and wore a cap, black leather jacket, and face mask.
City of London1 min readTrust 30 · Craft 45 · Hype 41- Courts · City of London
Russell Brand trial: Six women allege sex attacks
Actor and comedian Russell Brand is on trial at Southwark Crown Court facing seven charges, including rape and sexual assault, brought by six women. Allegations span a decade and include claims of a 'monster-like' attack in a hotel room and being dragged into a toilet.
City of London4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 68 · Hype 61 - Latest
Southall man admits murdering Michael O'Donnell
Christopher Donnelly has admitted to murdering Michael O'Donnell in Southall. The 54-year-old also pleaded guilty to fraud, having exploited and stolen from Mr O'Donnell for years before his death. Police discovered the victim's body weeks after he died.
3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 77 · Hype 65 - Courts · City of London
Russell Brand accuser cites 'lad culture' for reporting delay
An alleged victim of Russell Brand told Southwark Crown Court that 'lad culture' and fear of not being believed prevented her from reporting him to the police for nearly two decades. The woman accuses Brand of rape in a Soho bar toilet in 2004.
City of London5 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 45 - Courts · City of London
Royal admits child neglect after being found unconscious
Mahrah Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family, admitted child neglect at Southwark Crown Court. She was found unconscious in west London on June 13 with a toddler under her care playing barefoot near a busy road.
City of London2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 59 · Hype 41 - Courts · City of London
Tommy Robinson trial: 'Bully-boy tactics' used against journalists, court told
Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is on trial at Southwark Crown Court accused of using 'bully-boy tactics' to threaten two MailOnline journalists. Prosecutors allege he circulated images of their homes and sent direct messages containing threats in August 2024.
City of London4 min readTrust 50 · Craft 71 · Hype 45 - Courts · City of London
Russell Brand denies rape claims at Southwark Crown Court
A TV worker told Southwark Crown Court she was not starstruck by Russell Brand during an alleged 2004 assault in a central London bar. Brand denies seven charges including rape and sexual assault.
City of London3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 45 - Courts · City of London
Russell Brand rape accuser 'appalled' by MTV rehire
A woman told Southwark Crown Court she was appalled when MTV rehired Russell Brand as a presenter around 2006. She alleges Brand raped her in a Soho bar toilet in 2004. Brand denies all charges.
City of London3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 70 · Hype 45 - Courts · City of London
Russell Brand accused of Soho bar assault
Russell Brand is on trial at Southwark Crown Court, accused of sexual assault and rape. An accuser told the court he had a 'maniacal grin' during an alleged incident in a Soho bar in 2004. Brand denies all charges, stating sexual encounters were consensual.
City of London4 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 55 - Courts · Southwark
Tommy Robinson faces harassment trial at Southwark Crown Court
Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has arrived at Southwark Crown Court for a trial where he faces two counts of harassment causing fear of violence. The charges relate to alleged online posts and a phone call made in August 2024.
Southwark2 min readTrust 30 · Craft 57 · Hype 45 - Fraud & Cybercrime · Barnet
Pharmacist jailed for £1.3m NHS fraud selling cancer drugs
Pharmacist Jignesh Patel has been jailed for his role in a £1.3 million NHS prescription fraud. The scheme involved selling cancer drugs obtained through fake prescriptions to European wholesalers, with investigators identifying over 1,600 false prescriptions.
Barnet3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 45 - Violent Crime · Westminster
Gangs steal £1m of watches in West End monthly
Organised gangs are stealing an average of £1 million worth of luxury watches every month in London's West End. Metropolitan Police figures show 167 robberies or attempted robberies occurred in Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, and Hammersmith and Fulham between January and September 2026.
Westminster3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 65 · Hype 45 - Violent Crime · Westminster
Three jailed for £137,000 watch robbery in Mayfair
Three men have been convicted of robbing a Romanian businessman of a £137,000 watch in Mayfair. The incident is part of a wider problem of wrist-watch theft in London's West End, where an average of £1m worth of watches are stolen each month.
Westminster4 min readTrust 70 · Craft 77 · Hype 45 - Courts · City of London
Brand 'preoccupied by sex', ex-flatmate tells court
Russell Brand's former flatmate, Andrew Dobson, testified at Southwark Crown Court, describing the comedian as 'very egotistical' and 'erratic'. Brand faces multiple charges including rape and sexual assault, which he denies.
City of London3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 75 · Hype 45 - Courts · City of London
Russell Brand accuser tells court 'I couldn't fight back'
A woman accusing Russell Brand of rape told Southwark Crown Court she felt unable to resist, stating 'I couldn't fight back'. Brand faces multiple charges related to alleged incidents involving six women, which he denies.
City of London4 min readTrust 60 · Craft 75 · Hype 45 
Courts · City of LondonSeven charged over unfit meat and animal cruelty
Seven people have been charged by the Crown Prosecution Service following a lengthy investigation into unfit meat and animal cruelty. Three of the defendants are from London and appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court.
City of London2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 57 · Hype 20- Courts · City of London
Russell Brand accuser feared pregnancy after 1999 Labour conference alleged rape
A woman told Southwark Crown Court she feared she might be pregnant after alleging Russell Brand raped her at a Labour Party conference in 1999. The trial continues with Brand denying all charges.
City of London3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 77 · Hype 41 - Courts · City of London
Russell Brand rape accuser details hotel room encounter
A woman alleging Russell Brand raped her at a Labour Party conference in 1999 has described feeling 'dirty' and fearing pregnancy after the encounter. She told Southwark Crown Court she kept quiet for years due to Brand's rising fame. Brand denies all charges.
City of London4 min readTrust 60 · Craft 77 · Hype 45 
Courts · SouthwarkMahrah Al Nahyan receives community order for child neglect
Mahrah Al Nahyan, 32, admitted child neglect after being found unconscious next to a man while a toddler played barefoot near traffic. She received a two-year community order and a fine.
Southwark3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 45
Courts · City of LondonRussell Brand 'apologised for treating woman like an animal', court told
A woman told Southwark Crown Court that Russell Brand apologised for treating her "like an animal" after an alleged sexual encounter in 2009. The court heard claims of rape following consensual sex and a separate allegation involving a Channel 4 worker.
City of London4 min readTrust 60 · Craft 75 · Hype 45- Courts · City of London
Russell Brand denies rape and sexual assault charges at London trial
Russell Brand is on trial at Southwark Crown Court accused of attacking six women between 1999 and 2009. The prosecutor told the court Brand is a 'ruthless, calculated and manipulative' predator. Brand denies all charges, including three counts of rape and three of sexual assault.
City of London4 min readTrust 50 · Craft 77 · Hype 65 - Courts · City of London
Housekeeper cleared of stealing princess's jewels
A housekeeper of 11 years has been cleared of stealing jewellery from a Jordanian princess's central London home. Items were found at her Fulham residence, while her nephew is believed to have fled to Colombia.
City of London3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 75 · Hype 20 - Courts · City of London
Civil servant accused of juggling 5 jobs, earning £350k
A civil servant is accused of fraudulently holding multiple full-time government jobs simultaneously, prosecutors told Southwark Crown Court. Kashim Chowdhury allegedly worked up to 183 hours a week and earned nearly £350,000 from eight employers between February 2020 and September 2023.
City of London4 min readTrust 60 · Craft 75 · Hype 45 - Courts · City of London
Man accused of faking illness with make-up for five government jobs
A civil servant is accused of defrauding eight employers of almost £350,000 by juggling multiple government jobs. Kashim Chowdhury allegedly used remote working and even make-up to fake illness during video calls to conceal his workload, Southwark Crown Court heard.
City of London4 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 45 
Courts · SouthwarkEx-Met officer trained in victim support faces rape trial
A former Metropolitan Police officer, Mark Tyrrell, is on trial at Southwark Crown Court accused of rape and sexual assault. Tyrrell, who admits misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice, denies 17 charges related to sexual offences against a woman over two years.
Southwark4 min readTrust 50 · Craft 71 · Hype 45- Courts · Westminster
Housekeeper denies stealing Princess Firyal's jewellery
A housekeeper on trial at Southwark Crown Court denies stealing jewellery from Princess Firyal Irshaid's Belgravia home. The defendant alleges the princess frequently accused staff of theft, and claims she was unaware any possessions were stolen.
Westminster3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 45 
Courts · SouthwarkRussell Brand trial begins at Southwark Crown Court
Russell Brand is due to appear at Southwark Crown Court on Monday for the start of his trial. He faces multiple charges including rape and sexual assault, with the proceedings expected to last up to ten weeks.
Southwark2 min readTrust 48 · Craft 75 · Hype 15- Courts · Croydon
Croydon man convicted of murdering partner Sarah Reynolds
Earlston Bennett, 58, has been convicted of murdering Sarah Reynolds and controlling and coercive behaviour. Ms Reynolds died from blunt force trauma to the head and torso. Bennett is due to be sentenced on December 4.
Croydon3 min readTrust 42 · Craft 65 · Hype 41 
LatestTwo officers sacked for excessive force on 92-year-old amputee
Two Sussex Police officers have been dismissed for gross misconduct after using excessive force, including Pava spray, a baton and a Taser, on 92-year-old amputee Donald Burgess. Pc Rachel Comotto also made inappropriate comments on social media about the incident.
3 min readTrust 70 · Craft 77 · Hype 45- Courts · Westminster
Housekeeper denies stealing princess's jewellery
A housekeeper is accused of stealing valuable jewellery, including custom-made rings, from a Jordanian princess's Belgravia residence over an 18-month period. Some items were allegedly sold at auction, with funds transferred to the defendant.
Westminster3 min readTrust 48 · Craft 67 · Hype 45 
Courts · SouthwarkRussell Brand faces rape trial starting October 12
Russell Brand attended pre-trial hearings at Southwark Crown Court ahead of his trial for rape and sexual assault charges. The allegations span from 1999 to 2009, and Brand denies all charges. His trial is scheduled to commence on October 12 and is expected to run for 10 weeks.
Southwark2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 65 · Hype 41- Courts · London
Uber driver given hospital order for killing street cleaner
An Uber driver has been given an indefinite hospital order after killing a council street cleaner and wounding his landlord in west London. Dawood Safi pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility for the death of Wayne Broadhurst.
London5 min readTrust 70 · Craft 77 · Hype 45 
Courts · HillingdonUber driver detained indefinitely after fatal Uxbridge stabbing
An Uber driver has been detained indefinitely at a secure psychiatric hospital after fatally stabbing a dog walker and attacking two other people in Uxbridge. Dawood Safi admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility for the death of Wayne Broadhurst.
Hillingdon3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 75 · Hype 45- Courts · Westminster
Mayfair stabbing: Man admits attempted robbery and wounding
A 58-year-old man has admitted stabbing another man in Mayfair during an attempted robbery. Ivan Stringer pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and attempted robbery at Southwark Crown Court. He will be sentenced on October 9.
Westminster2 min readTrust 30 · Craft 57 · Hype 45 
Courts · SouthwarkTommy Robinson faces harassment trial at Southwark Crown Court
Tommy Robinson, also known as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Friday. He faces two charges of harassment causing fear of violence, related to alleged actions targeting MailOnline reporters Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber in August 2024.
Southwark2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 60 · Hype 41
LatestTeenager jailed for machete-point Rolex robberies
Zacariah Boulares, 19, has been jailed for two years and 10 months for two armed robberies involving Rolex watches. He threatened victims with a machete, including an incident involving TV presenter Aled Jones.
3 min readTrust 42 · Craft 61 · Hype 41- Fraud & Cybercrime · London
Phone smugglers jailed for 25 years for £5.5m network
Three men have been sentenced to a total of 25 years for their roles in the UK's largest phone smuggling network. The operation, dismantled by the Metropolitan Police, involved over 5,000 stolen phones valued at £5.5 million.
London4 min readTrust 78 · Craft 80 · Hype 45 
Courts · CroydonCroydon man jailed for 16 years over illegal arms deals
A 68-year-old Croydon businessman has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for his role in brokering illegal arms deals. David Greenhalgh, along with his business partner, supplied weapons to Sudan, South Sudan, and Libya between 2009 and 2016.
Croydon3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 60 · Hype 40- Fraud & Cybercrime · City of London
Ponzi scheme mastermind jailed for over five years
James Gillingham has been jailed for five years and six months for leading a £1 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 60 victims. The gang used fake London office addresses and aliases from popular TV shows to deceive investors between June 2015 and October 2016.
City of London3 min readTrust 70 · Craft 77 · Hype 45 
Courts · City of LondonTim Westwood faces two new sexual offence charges
Tim Westwood has been charged with two further sexual offences, including indecent assault in Hammersmith and Fulham in 1991 and sexual assault in Wandsworth in 2004. The Crown Prosecution Service authorised the charges following a Metropolitan Police investigation. Westwood denies all allegations and is already facing trial for multiple other charges.
City of London3 min readTrust 70 · Craft 77 · Hype 41- 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