Police step up patrols after woman is raped by knifeman in south east London park

Crime reporter(wp/es):

Police have stepped up patrols after a woman was raped in a terrifying attack in a south east London park.

The victim, a woman in her 40s, was walking through Sutcliffe Park in Kidbrooke in broad daylight on Wednesday when a man threatened her with a knife and raped her, police said.

She was taken to hospital following the horrifying ordeal, which happened at about 2.15pm, but has since been discharged and is being supported by specialist officers.

Her attacker stole her handbag and fled the scene.

The Met has increased patrols in and around the park today while detectives continue to carry out their investigations.

The officers will remain in the area over the next few days to provide “reassurance and speak with potential witnesses”.

The woman’s rapist is described as a black man, in his 20s, and was wearing dark clothing and carrying a JD Sports drawstring-style bag.

No CCTV footage was taken from the park itself, but detectives are analysing footage from surrounding areas, police said.

Detective Superintendent Lee Hill said: "Although the investigation is at an early stage, significant progress has already been made.

"I am grateful to those people who have contacted police to share any information they have. I know that members of the local community have come together and are working with police to support our investigation.”

Witness Abby Nicole, 19, was walking her dogs through the park when she heard the woman’s screams.

She told the Weastar Times yesterday: “We heard a horrifying scream, one that didn't sound like someone playing around. 

“All three of us knew something was wrong so we ran to where to where the scream had come from and saw a man running off and another man chasing after him."

“We then saw a woman sitting on the grass, crying her eyes out and went straight over to her.”

Crowds gather for anti-knife rally after youngster stabbed to death

Pic:Crowds gather for a protest after a young man was stabbed to death near his home in Mile End
Crime reporter(wp/es):

Crowds gathered to protest against knife crime in the capital after an aspiring artist was stabbed to death yards from his home in east London.

Syed Jamanoor Islam, 20, died in his mother’s arms after being attacked near his family home in Mile End last Tuesday.

His family, police officers, local councillors and anti-knife crime campaigners gathered in his memory at a rally in the nearby Altab Ali Park on Thursday.

Calls for justice for the 20-year-old’s family, and for community members to stand up against violent crime ran throughout the gathering.

Speaking at the protest, former independent candidate for Mayor of Tower Hamlets Cllr Rabina Khan said: “We all have a shared responsibility: A shared responsibility as parents, as community leaders, as politicians and as young people.

“If we do not share the responsibility of making sure we invest in our young children and to make sure that they have a brighter future it would be so unfair on the generation going forward.”

His family said the “quiet, humble and studious” young man was an innocent bystander to a row between two of his friends and another group of men in Wager Street.

Tower Hamlets Borough Commander Sue Williams, speaking at the rally, called for families to not be scared to check the bags of young family members for knives.

She said: “I was asked by the family about some of the challenges in dealing with knife crime, and really the number one challenge is the abundance of knives and how easy it is to get hold of them.

“It’s not about lock knifes, it’s about knives in your kitchen drawers. And this is about education from parents and families and friends to make sure that young people don’t take a knife when they leave the house.

“Don’t be afraid to check someone’s bag and see what they’re carrying. I check my young daughter’s.”

Speaking on Sunday, Syed Abdul Mukit, the father of Mr Islam, told of how the community needs to stand up against violence if these crimes are to stop.

He said: "We lost our first son in his mother's arms and no family ever wants to lose a child in that manner.

"It is about time we as community members stand up against violence, injustice and hate in the community.

"I am requesting each and every family in the country to address this important issue of the rise in crime in particular knife crime in our society."

A man and two teenage boys have been charged with Mr Islam's murder.

All three, Nayeem Chowdhury, 18, of Burdett Road, Poplar, a 17-year-old boy from Bow and another boy, 15, from Seven Kings, were charged on Monday.

Mr Islam died hours after the fatal stabbing of Abdullahi Tarabi, 19, and Rene Richardson, 24, on Monday, April 10, in a shocking day of knife crime in the capital.

Teenage footballer Mr Tarabi, 19, was stabbed to death after being chased into an alleyway in Northolt.

Mr Richardson, 24, collapsed and died outside his Plumstead home after being stabbed repeatedly in a quiet suburban street.

Young woman suffers 'life-changing' injuries after being hit by car in Maida Vale

Staff reporter(wp/es):

A young woman was left with "life-changing" injuries after she was hit by a car in Maida Vale.

Police were called to Elgin Avenue at about 6.45pm on Monday following reports a woman had been hit by a car.

On arrival, officers found a 24-year-old being treated by paramedics having been “thrown into the air and onto a parked white VW Golf”, police said.

She was taken to a central London hospital where she remains with life-changing injuries.

It is believed the woman was hit by a passing Honda Jazz. 

One witness reported seeing the road blocked by two police cars while officers attended to the scene.

A Met spokesman said: “Officers were called about 6.30pm on Monday, April 17 to Elgin Avenue, following reports of a collision involving a car and a pedestrian.

“On arrival they found a 24-year-old woman being treated by the London Ambulance Service.

“It is believed the woman was in collision with a silver Honda Jazz. She was thrown into the air and onto a parked white VW Golf before landing on the pavement.

“There were a number of people in the immediate area at the time and officers are keen to hear from any witnesses.”

The driver of the car stopped at the scene and was arrested in connection with the crash.

He has since been bailed until mid-May.

Man fighting for life after being stabbed during brawl in busy shopping street

Crime reporter(wp/es):
A man is fighting for his life after he was stabbed during a fight in front of horrified shoppers in central London.

Police confirmed officers were called to a brawl in New Oxford Street at about 11.30 on Friday morning where a man and a woman were found with stab wounds.

One man has been arrested on suspicion of GBH and the incident is not terrorist related, police said. Three people have been taken to hospital.

A spokesman for the Met confirmed one man has been taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. The woman's injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

A spokesman for the Met added: "A crime scene is in place and there are road closures.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area."

boy, four, hit and killed by van outside his home in Edgware

Pic:Hit and killed by van, Edwin Kofi Adu, four
Staff reporter(wp/es):

A four-year-old boy was knocked down and killed by a van outside his home as he played football.

Edwin Kofi Adu was pronounced dead after being rushed to hospital following the accident in Edgware last night.

Witnesses told how the youngster had been playing in gardens behind housing block Montrose Court minutes before the collision on Montrose Avenue at the junction with Burnt Oak Broadway.

The driver of the silver Volkswagen van, which stopped at the scene, was not arrested, police said.

Today the boy’s family told of their anguish, saying they were “devastated and in mourning”.

His uncle Nana Wiafi told the Standard: “He was a wonderful beautiful boy, always smiling. We think he was out playing alone, he didn’t usually go there, we are all devastated.”

His mother was being comforted by relatives at her north-west London flat. 

An aunt added: “He was a wonderful boy. His mother is devastated, we are all in mourning.”

Shocked and tearful friends and relatives gathered in the street last night following the crash, paying tribute to the “smart, funny” young boy.

One friend, who asked not to be named, said: “The kids were all outside on a sunny evening, playing on the grass behind the flats.

"Edwin was playing football with his older cousin, just running around with other kids.”

Edwin’s parents are understood to have moved to London from Ghana around 12 years ago and have two other children, a boy and a girl.

A family friend said: “He was a very brave, intelligent boy. He was charming and would make anyone laugh, it was a pleasure to watch him grow up.

“He was always playing with the other kids out the back, he loved it but we were inside and we didn’t know what happened.

“We heard he was hit and we all ran outside but the paramedics were already there. They did everything they could but it wasn’t enough.

“His family is completely heartbroken.”

Roads surrounding the crash scene were sealed off overnight as an inquiry by the Met Police’s serious collision investigation unit got under way.

A Met spokesman said: “The driver involved stopped at the scene and is assisting police with enquiries.”

Woman 'raped by two Romanian men' in horrific ordeal on Sussex beach

Crime reporter(wp/es):
A woman was allegedly raped by two Romanian men in a horrific attack on a Sussex beach.

Police said the 30-year-old woman was attacked on Hove Beach in the early hours of Wednesday, April 5.

She had met two men on the beach and began chatting to them, detectives said.

Two of the men then attacked and raped her, she told police. She rang a friend who reported the incident to authorities.

The alleged attack happened on the beach at King’s Esplanade by Bath Court in Hove between 1am and 3am.

Detective Sergeant Julie Greenwood said: "The victim describes the men as possibly Romanian.

"We are appealing to anyone who lives or was in the King's Esplanade area between 1am and 3am and saw or heard anything suspicious."

MPs vote overwhelmingly to hold snap General Election on June 8

Pic:MPs have voted for the election
Political reporter(wp/es):

MPs have given the go-ahead to a snap General Election on June 8 after a Commons vote.

Theresa May announced her intention to have an early election on Tuesday in a surprise move to boost backing for Brexit.

And, on Wednesday, MPs overwhelmingly backed the election by 522 voted to 13.

It meant Ms May easily got the support of two-thirds of MPs needed under the Fixed Term Parliament Act to bring the poll forward from the scheduled date of 2020.

Both Labour's Jeremy Corbyn and Liberal Democrat Tim Farron saying they welcomed the election - though Scottish National Party MPs abstained in the vote.

However, there was deep division over the issues which should decide the election's outcome, with Mrs May casting the poll as an opportunity to secure "strong and stable leadership" for Britain as it forges a new position outside the European Union.

Mr Corbyn, meanwhile, said voters should take the chance to make their judgement on the Conservative record on austerity and public service cuts.

Telling MPs it was time to "put our fate in the hands of the people and let the people decide", Mrs May told the House of Commons: "We are determined to bring stability to the United Kingdom for the long term and that's what this election will be about - leadership and stability.

"The decision facing the country will be clear. I will be campaigning for strong and stable leadership in the national interest with me as Prime Minister and I will be asking for the public's support to continue to deliver my plan for a stronger Britain, to lead the country for the next five years and to give the certainty and stability that we need."

A large majority for the Tories would strengthen the Government's hand in negotiating a good Brexit deal and provide "strong and stable leadership in the national interest", she said.

But Mr Corbyn dismissed her argument that she needs a fresh mandate to deliver Brexit, and said it was "extremely interesting" that she had chosen to call an election as the Crown Prosecution Service prepares to decide whether to press charges against a string of Tory MPs over allegations relating to 2015 general election expenses.

He said Mrs May's U-turn on her previous insistence that she would not call a snap election showed she could not be trusted.

And he told MPs: "We welcome the opportunity of a general election because it gives the British people the chance to vote for a Labour government that will put the interests of the majority first.

"The Prime Minister talks about a strong economy, but the truth is most people are worse off then they were when the Conservatives came to power seven years ago. The election gives the British people the chance to change direction.”