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A man who attacked an 11-year-old girl in a knife assault in London's West End will not face trial for attempted murder. Ioan Pintaru, 33, pleaded guilty to wounding the girl with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife, with sentencing scheduled for December.
A murder investigation commenced after a man in his 20s died from a stabbing in southeast London. The London Ambulance Service responded to the incident on Hither Green Lane, where paramedics attempted to resuscitate the victim before he was transported to the hospital. No arrests have been made, and police continue to seek those responsible for this attack.
A Met Police officer, Sergeant Clayton Robinson, was dismissed for gross misconduct after being filmed by BBC Panorama mocking a rape victim. The misconduct hearing concluded that his behavior was incompatible with police standards, marking him as the fifth officer from Charing Cross police station to face similar consequences. Robinson denied mocking the victim but acknowledged his comments were captured in the undercover footage.
Nigel Farage accused London Mayor Sadiq Khan and the Metropolitan Police of denying the existence of grooming gangs in London. Following a review revealing 9,000 cases of child sexual exploitation, Farage called for a parliamentary committee to investigate the issue further. Khan's spokesperson emphasized the Met's commitment to justice for victims and ongoing investigations.
Daniel Parmenter, 44, left items resembling a bomb outside the US Embassy in London, claiming it was "sophisticated graffiti art." He denied making a bomb threat despite the embassy going into lockdown and bomb disposal experts conducting a controlled explosion. The court must determine if Parmenter intended to cause alarm with his actions.
Dr. Needyanand Raya, 69, completed his PhD in social policy at Middlesex University, fulfilling a promise made to his father over two decades ago. Arriving in the UK from Mauritius in 1999, he overcame numerous challenges, including low-paid jobs, to pursue his academic ambitions. His research focuses on the post-colonial experiences of the Mauritian Creole community.
Phone thefts in London have surged, with 117,211 devices stolen in 2024, marking a 25% increase since 2019. Victims like Fenella Rawling have lost irreplaceable memories as organized crime groups increasingly target smartphones for quick profits. The Metropolitan Police are responding with high-powered bikes and aerial surveillance to combat this rising crime wave.
The Metropolitan Police will cease investigations into non-crime hate incidents to prioritize criminal matters. This decision follows the closure of a case against Graham Linehan, arrested for inciting violence on social media. The Crown Prosecution Service found no grounds for further action after reviewing the evidence.
A London pedicab driver, Iuliu Kubola, stole nearly £24,000 worth of wine from several restaurants and pleaded guilty to multiple burglaries. Judge Mark Lucraft KC adjourned his sentencing to allow him time to assist police in recovering the stolen items. Compensation for the stolen goods may be sought by the affected restaurants.
The Metropolitan Police banned a planned demonstration by the UK Independence Party (UKIP) in Tower Hamlets, citing a "realistic prospect of serious disorder." UKIP accused the police of yielding to Islamist pressure and violating their right to peaceful assembly. The party is now seeking to relocate the protest elsewhere in London.