Author: James Whitmore

Met Chief Marks Five Years Since Sarah Everard’s Murder With Vow to Keep Cleaning Up ForceFive years on from the murder of Sarah Everard, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has set out how the force has overhauled its vetting and misconduct processes — and acknowledged that work to rebuild trust with women and girls is far from finished.Everard, 33, was abducted, raped and murdered in March 2021 by Wayne Couzens, a serving Metropolitan Police officer who used his warrant card to make a false arrest. The case triggered widespread public outrage and prompted urgent scrutiny of standards inside one…

A 43-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after police officers responding to an address in south-east London were attacked with axes and bitten by a dog during what became a violent confrontation.Emergency response officers from the Central South command unit attended a property on Marine Street in the Dickens Estate, Bermondsey, at around 3:20pm on Sunday 1 March in connection with an ongoing investigation. On arrival, two officers were bitten by a dog before one of them was then attacked by a man wielding axes.The man was Tasered by officers at the scene and taken into custody. A…

Detectives investigating the death of a man at a west London skip yard have named a suspect they believe may hold vital information and are appealing for the public’s help to locate him, six months after the incident.Yadvinder Satnam Singh, 34, died at a yard on Station Approach in Greenford on 7 August 2025 after being struck by a front loader, a type of heavy plant machinery. Emergency services were called at 7:27am but paramedics were unable to save him and he was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination confirmed he had died from multiple injuries consistent with…

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has committed £20 million to reverse a decline in bus passenger numbers, with Transport for London set to explore fare reductions at certain times of day and potentially offering free travel on newly launched services.The investment, described as fares innovation funding, comes after bus passenger numbers fell for the first time since the pandemic last year, dropping from 1.869 billion journeys to 1.842 billion. Transport watchdog London TravelWatch attributed the decline largely to slowing bus speeds, which fell to an average of 9.17mph in 2024-25, down from 10.27mph four years earlier. The watchdog has estimated…

A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of Camron Smith, almost five years after the 26-year-old was fatally stabbed in Croydon.The suspect was arrested in Croydon on Friday 27 February and remains in police custody. Camron was found with stab wounds at an address in Bracken Avenue, Croydon, in the early hours of 1 July 2021, after officers were called just before 1am. Despite treatment at the scene by police and the London Ambulance Service, he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Townsend from Specialist Crime South said the arrest demonstrated the force’s continued commitment…

Plans to build 110 homes on farmland near Epsom Downs Racecourse have been refused by the local planning committee, following significant opposition from residents, campaigners and the horse racing industry.Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s planning committee voted to reject the outline application submitted by developer Fairfax Aspire for land on Langley Vale Road on Thursday, overturning a recommendation from council officers who had backed the scheme.The proposal drew 364 written objections and an online petition signed by more than 2,000 people. Among the formal objectors was The Jockey Club, which owns Epsom Downs Racecourse and warned the development would pose…

A 38-year-old man has been charged with criminal damage and remanded in custody after graffiti was sprayed on the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square.Caspar San Giorgio, of no fixed address, was arrested in the early hours of Friday 27 February shortly after 4am. He was charged the following morning and is due to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court later today.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

London’s mayor has given formal approval to pedestrianise Oxford Street, instructing Transport for London to begin implementing changes that would see the road closed to vehicles between Great Portland Street and Orchard Street by September this year.The decision follows a second public consultation in which 2,700 people responded, with City Hall saying the majority supported the proposed traffic diversions. An earlier consultation that closed last summer found 63% of Londoners were in favour of the scheme overall.Under the approved plans, the stretch of Oxford Street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street will be closed to private cars, buses, taxis,…

British Transport Police are appealing for the public’s help identifying a man captured on camera following an upskirting offence at Victoria Underground station on Tuesday 10 February.The incident was reported by a witness who saw the offence take place on the walkway leading toward the District and Circle line platforms. Officers believe the man shown in the released images may be able to assist their investigation.Anyone who recognises him is asked to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 215 of 10 February. Anonymous information can be passed to Crimestoppers on 0800…

Rail maintenance workers on a section of the London Overground have walked out for 24 hours in a pay dispute, though Transport for London says passengers should see little disruption with a normal timetable expected to operate throughout.Members of the RMT union employed by contractor Cleshar CS Ltd began their strike on Thursday, with two further walkouts already scheduled for 26 March and 23 April if the dispute remains unresolved.Cleshar is responsible for track, signalling and telecoms maintenance on the Windrush line between Dalston Junction and New Cross Gate. TfL said contingency plans were in place to cover any faults…