The morning case file
London Crime Briefing
Significant incidents, hearings, outcomes and public-data changes across the capital.
Topic
barnet
40 stories, newest first · page 2 of 2.
Courts · BarnetMother on the run in UK with sons, father claims
An American father is appealing for public assistance to locate his two young sons, who he claims were abducted by their mother in the UK in March. Nishika Samaratunga is accused of breaching court orders and is believed to be concealing the whereabouts of Blaine and Nathaniel Baier.
Barnet4 min readTrust 60 · Craft 70 · Hype 45
Courts · BarnetEx-teacher Sally Anne Bowen convicted of indecent assault
A former science teacher at Christ's College in Finchley, Sally Anne Bowen, has been convicted of seven counts of indecent assault against two former pupils. The crimes occurred in 1988 and were brought to light after a podcast investigation unearthed new witnesses.
Barnet4 min readTrust 60 · Craft 75 · Hype 45- Courts · Barnet
Finchley shooting suspect charged with murder
A 21-year-old man has been charged with murder and firearm offences following a fatal shooting in Finchley. The victim, a 19-year-old woman, died on June 8. The suspect was arrested in Spain and remanded in custody.
Barnet2 min readTrust 30 · Craft 50 · Hype 20 
Courts · BarnetBarnet Teacher Banned Indefinitely for Crystal Meth Use
A North London teacher with almost 40 years of service at Dwight School in Barnet has been banned from teaching indefinitely after admitting to using crystal meth. Charles Miles, 64, was discovered after police attended his Hackney home for an unrelated matter.
Barnet3 min readTrust 40 · Craft 60 · Hype 45
Courts · BarnetFinchley Teacher Found Guilty of Indecent Assaults
Sally-Anne Bowen, a former teacher at Christ's College in Finchley, has been found guilty of seven counts of indecent assault against two pupils. The assaults took place in the late 1980s when the victims were teenagers. Bowen, 65, was granted bail and awaits sentencing.
Barnet2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 65 · Hype 20
Courts · BarnetTeacher convicted of indecently assaulting two pupils
Chemistry teacher Sally-Anne Bowen has been convicted of indecently assaulting two male pupils at Christ's College in Finchley. A jury at Harrow Crown Court found her guilty of seven counts after hearing evidence of sexual encounters in the late 1980s.
Barnet3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 77 · Hype 45
Violent Crime · BarnetYoung man stabbed to death, council buildings closed
A young man has died after being stabbed, leading to the closure of council buildings in Barnet. The incident prompted a significant response from local authorities.
Barnet2 min readTrust 30 · Craft 45 · Hype 61
Courts · BarnetGolders Green memorial wall arsonist admits guilt
Ali Fallahi, 46, from Ilford has admitted to an arson attack at a memorial wall in Golders Green. The fire occurred on April 27 at a memorial cabinet on Limes Avenue, established by the Miga Rally community group. Sentencing is scheduled for October 16 at Harrow Crown Court.
Barnet3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 71 · Hype 20
Courts · CroydonBarnet 15-year-old admits encouraging serious self-harm online
A 15-year-old boy from Barnet pleaded guilty to two counts of encouraging or assisting serious self-harm via Telegram and Discord in October 2024. He also admitted three counts of making indecent photographs of a child. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for 10 September 2026.
Croydon4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 15
Violent Crime · LondonSextortion victim in Barnet speaks out after intimate images used to control her
A Barnet resident has revealed how a man used intimate images to control her during a year-long relationship after secretly taking screenshots during a video call when she was 17. Reports of sextortion in London rose sharply in 2025, with police and charities warning of underreporting.
London5 min readTrust 55 · Craft 50 · Hype 30
Policing · BarnetMan sought after spitting and scratching assault at Cricklewood station
British Transport Police have issued a photograph of a man they want to speak to after an assault at Cricklewood railway station on 28 July 2025. A victim was pushed, scratched and spat at; a bystander who intervened was also spat at.
Barnet3 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 65
Policing · LondonMet Police dismiss officer for sending explicit messages to 16-year-old in Barnet
A Metropolitan Police officer was sacked without notice after sending explicit messages and an image of his penis to a 16-year-old boy in Barnet. The National Crime Agency flagged the victim as at risk of exploitation, leading to the officer’s dismissal and placement on the barred list.
London4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 70
Violent Crime · BarnetEdmonton man jailed for four years after bringing loaded gun to probation
A 24-year-old man from Edmonton has been sentenced to four years and eight months in prison after police found a loaded, converted blank-firing revolver in his coat during a probation appointment in Barnet. Noble Nwokocha, known as ‘Drilla’, claimed he was forced to hold the weapon but was jailed regardless.
Barnet4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 65
Policing · LondonMet Police chief admits failures in Simon Levy case as IOPC investigates
The Metropolitan Police has admitted errors in handling Simon Levy, who murdered Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo and Sheryl Wilkins in 2025 while on bail. Sir Mark Rowley criticised systemic failures, including delayed CPS referrals and downgraded offender monitoring. The IOPC is investigating police management of Levy from 2021 to 2025.
London6 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 15- Policing · London
Met Police downgraded double murderer Simon Levy to medium-risk before killings
The Metropolitan Police reduced convicted sex offender Simon Levy’s risk classification months before he murdered two women in 2025. The force apologised but defended its investigation, while the IOPC examines its management of Levy from 2021 to 2025. Victims’ families demand systemic change.
London5 min readTrust 56 · Craft 87 · Hype 30 
Courts · CroydonTwo Barnet boys, 12 and 14, charged with Thornton Heath attempted murder
Two boys from Barnet, aged 12 and 14, appeared at the Old Bailey charged with the attempted murder of a man in Thornton Heath on 7 August. The hearing was paused when one defendant clutched his chest and became distressed. A provisional trial date is set for 4 January 2027.
Croydon4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 50
Community Safety · BarnetBarnet installs 27 new CCTV cameras to target crime hotspots
Barnet Council is adding 27 mobile CCTV cameras this month, bringing the total to 60. The cameras, monitored around the clock by council and police teams, will cover areas with reported graffiti, fly-tipping, shoplifting and drug dealing. Locations were chosen using crime data and resident reports.
Barnet4 min readTrust 50 · Craft 72 · Hype 30
Violent Crime · LondonTravelodge changes policy after abuser given key to victim's London room
Travelodge has altered its room access policy after a receptionist at its Barnet hotel handed a key to a domestic abuser, who then kicked the victim’s door off its hinges. The incident, in October 2025, prompted an independent review and retraining of staff across the chain.
London5 min readTrust 48 · Craft 95 · Hype 30- Policing · London
Met Police officer dismissed after photographing dead body in Barnet
A Metropolitan Police officer has been dismissed without notice after taking a photograph of a dead body in Barnet and attempting to show it to colleagues. PC Timothy Robson was also added to the College of Policing barred list, preventing future employment in policing roles.
London4 min readTrust 66 · Craft 52 · Hype 15 - Policing · London
Met Police close probe into guillotine t-shirt image shared online
The Metropolitan Police have concluded their investigation into the sharing of an image showing a man wearing a t-shirt with a guillotine design. The force determined no offence was committed by the 130 accounts that shared the post, but a separate crime report has been passed to Avon and Somerset Police.
London4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 15