Suspect rams into police car in Clapham during broad daylight police chase

Crime reporter(wp/es):

Roads in south London have been taped off after police chased a suspect through south London on Thursday afternoon.

A wanted suspect who was driving a stolen vehicle rammed into a police car before making off through the streets of Clapham.

Police have cordoned off Elms Crescent and Hambalt Road, near to Abbeville Road and Clapham Common station, while they hunt for the stolen car.

The driver fled the scene in the car and is still at large.

Officers were in Park Hill in Clapham at just after 3.20pm when they spotted a vehicle which had been reported stolen in a burglary.

Police gave chase through Elms Crescent when the driver of the stolen car reversed and crashed into the police car.

The stolen vehicle was last seen in Atkins Way, the Met told the Standard.

Passers-by shared photos taken from the busy Abbeville Road, showing a police cordon next to the Co-op at the corner of Hambalt Road.

A spokeswoman added: “Police have closed Hambalt Road and Elms Crescent while they carry out enquiries.

“The vehicle remains outstanding."

London nurse who killed patient by giving him wrong blood type is spared jail

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A nurse who killed a patient by giving him the wrong blood type has been spared jail.

Lea Ledesma made a series of mistakes which led to the death of Ali Huseyin, 76, at London Heart Hospital on May 7, 2014.

The grandfather was recovering from a successful heart bypass when she gave him type AB blood instead of group O. He died the same day.

Ledesma, 49, tried to pin her fatal mistake on a colleague in the intensive care unit.

There were jubilant scenes from the former nurse and her supporters at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday as she was spared jail.

The public gallery was packed with dozens of her family, friends and former hospital colleagues, many of whom had written letters of support for her.

Ledesma, of Stevenage in Hertfordshire, wept and hugged relatives after being given an 18-month suspended sentence and a community work order.

They formed a prayer circle in the courtroom and could be heard praising God and thanking Jesus.

The court usher eventually asked them to leave after they continued chanting and celebrating for several minutes.

The group then posed for pictures inside the building before being stopped by court staff.

Ledesma denied unlawful manslaughter by gross negligence but was convicted by a jury after a trial last year.

Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith said Mr Huseyin was a "much-loved husband, father and grandfather - a kind, considerate family man whose death has devastated his family, particularly his wife, who feels so alone without him after all these years".

A number of errors led to Ledesma choosing the wrong blood from a vending-style machine, before incorrectly checking it against the computer records.

She initially tried to pass off the error as being a colleague's mistake and only when questioned further did she admit to being distracted and flustered when checking the patient's details.

"It's still a mystery to me as to how and why you came to behave in the way that you did, and you remain certain that the details of the other Mr Hussain were shown on the deceased's monitor and I cannot exclude that as a contributory factor," the judge said.

He continued: "You were committed to that unit, everybody talks about how reliable you were, how committed. You were described as the mother of the unit and always prepared to go the extra mile for your patients."

TfL sets out plans for new Tube route to Lewisham

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Transport for London today set out plans for the extension of the Bakerloo line beyond Elephant and Castle to Lewisham. 

The new route would include four new stations, two on the Old Kent Road and others at Lewisham and at a key interchange at New Cross Gate.

It would dramatically improve transport links into central London from across the historically poorly connected South East of the capital with a Tube departing every two to three minutes. 

However, there remained doubts over how the project would be paid for.

Although it is set out as a capital scheme in the most recent TfL business plan, funding is not yet in place. 

TfL is expected to ask developers along the route to contribute and to lobby Government to keep more of the revenue raised through stamp duty and business rates. 

The consultation, published today, said the new link had the potential to boost growth in south east London, supporting 25,000 new homes and 5,000 jobs.

The proposed extension is one of several new infrastructure projects the capital needs to cope with its growing population, expected to reach over 10 million by 2030. 

It would provide extra capacity on the Tube for 65,000 journeys in the morning and evening peak, with reduced journey times, helping to relieve over-crowding on the trains and buses. 

There would be a knock-on effect on congestion on the roads, with both CO2 emissions and air pollution falling.

The project, which would include building ventilation shafts along the route as well as the four new stations, is backed by local boroughs Southwark and Lewisham, who cite its potential for growth as well as transport connectivity.

TfL has already announced that it wants the project to be completed by 2028/29, two years earlier than planned, the same time as the upgrade of the rest of the Bakerloo line.

The Mayor’s transport body also said it was committed to a second phase of the extension beyond Lewisham. 

The proposed route was chosen over others than went through Peckham and Camberwell because it offered the most regeneration possibilities. 

Sadiq Khan said the extension would bring “substantial” benefits for thousands of Londoners with a new direct route into the heart of the capital.

Snow falls in the capital as cold snap set to continue through weekend

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Snow fell in parts of London on Thursday morning as forecasters warned a recent cold snap is set to continue to the end of the week.

Londoners face more sleet and snow as freezing temperatures and cloudy weather bring chances of “wintry showers”.

From Thursday through to Sunday temperatures are set to stay below 5C in the day and dip as low as minus 1C overnight.

Snow was reported in north and east London first thing on Thursday as the Met warned of more icy conditions - with temperatures 5C below average for this time of year.

And, according to Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst, arctic winds will make the city feel even colder.

Mr Dewhurst said: “There will be a cold north-easterly wind across London making it feel a lot colder.

“It will be cloudy with a chance of sleet and snow and there could be a frost start to Friday as temperatures drop below freezing overnight.”

The weekend is set to see more of the same weather, with the easterly winds from Scandinavia making London feel very cold.

Charity Age UK has warned of the "devastating impact" cold weather can have on the health of the elderly and has urged people to take care of their older neighbours and family members.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: "The cold weather can be really challenging for older people, particularly those who are more vulnerable because of pre-existing health conditions or who are living in housing that is difficult and expensive to heat.

"It can also be an especially lonely time, if older people feel it is too cold to go out and about.

"With the weather set to take a turn for the worse, we are urging people to check our advice to make sure they are doing everything they can to protect themselves against the cold weather.

"We'd also urge people to keep an eye on their older family members, friends or neighbours when the weather is particularly bad.

"Picking up some shopping for them or just popping in to check they're okay and having a friendly chat can be a real help at this time of year."