Man in court over dead girl found in clingfilm-wrapped wardrobe

Crime reporter(wp):

A man has appeared in court charged with preventing the lawful burial of a teenage girl found in a wardrobe wrapped in clingfilm.

Ashley Foster, 24, was charged after the remains of a 17-year-old, believed to be Megan Louise Bills from Stourbridge, West Midlands, were found in nearby Brierley Hill on Thursday. Police have informed Megan’s next of kin.

Foster, of no fixed address, appeared for a brief hearing at Dudley magistrates court on Monday flanked by a dock officer.

He was not asked to enter a plea to a charge of preventing the lawful and decent burial between 16 April and 4 May.

Officers had been called to an address in Brierley Hill after neighbours reported a smell.

Maxine Jarrousse-Jones, prosecuting, said when police turned up at a flat there, they “found a double wardrobe wrapped in clingfilm”.

She added: “The wardrobe was opened and a young female was found inside, deceased, and had been there a considerable amount of time – at least a couple of weeks.”

Simon Green, presiding, told Foster the offence could only be dealt with at a higher court and remanded him into custody. Foster is to appear before Wolverhampton crown court on 5 June.

In a statement, released through West Midlands police, Megan’s family said: “We are devastated by the loss of our daughter whose life has so unnecessarily been cut short.

“We appreciate the support we have been given by our family, friends and the police.

“Whilst nothing can fill the huge gap in our family life that Megan’s passing has left, we trust that in time we will have answers that will help us understand why this dreadful event has occurred. We would request that we are left alone to grieve at this emotional time. Rest in peace princess.”

DI Caroline Corfield, the investigating officer, said: “Our hearts go out to Megan’s family as they come to terms with this dreadful news and they have asked that they are given the privacy to do so.

“Our investigation is continuing as we work to establish the circumstances of Megan’s death so that we can provide her family with the answers they need.

“I would ask anyone with information about Megan’s last known movements to come forward.”

Boy, 17, stabbed to death in London

Crime reporter(wp):

A 17-year-old boy has died after he was discovered by paramedics in north-east London on Sunday night with a serious stab injury, police said.

London ambulance service (LAS) called police at 11.31pm after finding the teenager on High Street, Walthamstow, after reports of a stabbing. The boy was taken to hospital but died shortly afterwards, according to the Metropolitan police.

Detectives from the Met’s homicide and major crime command have launched a murder investigation. No arrests have been made.

The victim’s next of kin has been informed. However, there has been no formal identification and his name has not been released.

The LAS said: “We were called at 11.29pm yesterday to High Street, E17, to reports of a stabbing. We sent an ambulance crew and single responder in a car to the scene. We treated one patient – a male – and took him as a priority to hospital.”

A crime scene blocked about 100 metres of the western end of High Street, a busy shopping area, on Monday morning. The WT understands that the incident that led to the stabbing began around the corner from where the youth was found, in the car park of a Lidl supermarket.

It was the second fatal stabbing on the streets of London at the weekend. Detectives were appealing for witnesses and information after a 23-year-old man who was found stabbed in Uxbridge at 1am on Saturday morning died shortly after arriving at hospital.

The 17-year-old’s death brings to 15 the number of teenagers and children killed in the UK this year. It comes amid a spate of knife killings in London that has prompted Scotland Yard to renew its anti-knife initiative, Operation Sceptre.

New measures include a squad of 80 officers to carry out “murder suppression” operations, including intensified stop and search, in areas considered to be at high risk, the officer in charge, DCS Michael Gallagher, told the WT last week.

Schools are also being urged to install metal-detecting knife arches to discourage children from carrying blades in their school bags.

Conservatives to retain 'tens of thousands' immigration pledge

Pic: Theresa May addresses the Conservative party’s general election candidates from London and the south-east. 
Political reporter(wp):

Theresa May has confirmed that the Conservative pledge to cut net migration to the tens of thousands will be in her party’s manifesto, despite having missed the target after making the same promises in 2010 and 2015.

“We do want to bring net migration down to sustainable levels. We believe that is the tens of thousands,” the prime minister told journalists at an event in the constituency of Harrow West to launch the campaigns of Conservative candidates for London and the south-east.

May, who oversaw immigration policy during more than six years at the Home Office, claimed that Brexit would help her achieve the aim. “When we leave the European Union we will have the opportunity to make sure we have control of our borders – leaving the EU means we won’t have free movement as it has been in the past,” she added.

Senior party sources have told the WP that sticking to the policy was largely about perception so that voters see the government working towards the goal even if it is internally thought to be difficult to achieve.

They said the prime minister would also want to keep student numbers in the overall net immigration figure, despite cabinet ministers such as Boris Johnson thinking they should come out, because taking them out would look like trying to “rig the rules”.

May made the comments in an event centre on an industrial site in Harrow to scores of south-east and London candidates including cabinet ministers Damian Green and David Gauke, the former justice secretary Michael Gove and former MPs Nick de Bois and Mary Macleod, who hope to win back their old seats. The group was joined by journalists and surrounded by banners that read “Theresa May’s team”, with the word “Conservatives” in much smaller print.

The prime minister also suggested that the victory of Emmanuel Macron in France would boost the EU27 in Brexit talks.

“Yesterday a new French president was elected – he was elected with a strong mandate which he can take into a strong position in negotiations. In the UK we have to make sure we’ve got an equally strong mandate. And every vote for me and my team will strengthen my hand in those negotiations,” she said, triggering a huge round of applause from the gathered candidates.

In a personal attack on the Labour leader, May added: “And the alternative is to risk making Jeremy Corbyn prime minister, and try to picture him sitting at that negotiating table with the collective might of the European commission and 27 other European countries against him.

“A vote for any other party is a vote to be a step closer to Jeremy Corbyn sitting at that Brexit negotiating table – we must not let that happen.”

She was also asked about Macron’s previous comments about ripping up the Le Touquet treaty, a bilateral agreement that allows British border officials to be stationed in France, but has been controversial because of migrant camps in Calais.

May suggested the issue would be high on the agenda in June. “It works for the benefit of the UK and France and obviously the government that is elected on 8 June will be sitting down and talking to Monsieur Macron and others about how that system has worked both for the benefit of France and benefit of UK,” she said.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell promises tax hike only for people earning over £80,000

Political reporter(wp/es):

Labour will raise income tax only for people earning £80,000 and above, the party’s shadow chancellor will officially announce today.

If elected in next month’s General Election, John McDonnell promised Labour will fund their spending on public services by a hike in tax for wealthier people.

Mr McDonnell said the pledge would mean only the top five per cent of earners would face tax increases, while his "personal tax guarantee" would protect 95 per cent of workers - anyone earning less than £80k - from increases.

The move will be read by many commentators as a bid to attract more low and middle-income workers.

Mr McDonnell said the Labour manifesto for the June 8 election will also include a promise of no rises in personal national insurance contributions (NICs) or VAT over the course of the five-year parliament, due to end in 2022.

Speculation is rife that Prime Minister Theresa May is preparing to ditch predecessor David Cameron's 2015 pledge not to raise rates of income tax, national insurance or VAT until 2020, after Chancellor Philip Hammond said last month he would like "more flexibility" on the issue.

Mr Hammond was forced by the 2015 pledge to dump planned reforms to NICs in the Budget.

Detailing the plans in a speech in London on Sunday, Mr McDonnell is expected to say Labour is now the only party committed to not raising taxes on middle and low-earners.

He will spell out his economic vision for a richer Britain in what he terms a "big deal to upgrade the economy".

"If Labour is elected next month we will guarantee that for the next five years there will be no tax rises for income taxpayers earning less than £80,000 a year, no hikes in VAT, and no changes in your National Insurance Contributions either," he will say.

"The Labour Party is now the party of low taxes for middle and low earners, while the Tories are the party of tax handouts for the super-rich and big corporations.

"That is why every time Theresa May and the Tories are asked whether they are planning tax increases if they are re-elected on June 8, they run and hide."

Mr McDonnell will accuse Mrs May of refusing to take part in TV debates in order to avoid being put on the spot over tax.

"They are so determined not to be questioned on their plans, the Prime Minister refuses to take part in any TV debates and will only visit workplaces if there are no workers there, just her own party's activists," he will say.

"The Tories are hoping that the British people can be kept in the dark about what the tax increases they are planning will mean for those on middle and low incomes, who have had to bear the brunt of seven years of austerity."

Conservative chief secretary to the Treasury David Gauke said: "Jeremy Corbyn will have to raise taxes because his nonsensical economic ideas don't add up and he'll make a mess of the Brexit negotiations."

Liberal Democrat Treasury spokeswoman Baroness Kramer said: "Labour's so-called tax pledges aren't worth the paper they're written on, given their inability to form a proper opposition, let alone a government.. Labour has a spending list as long as your arm yet does not explain how to pay for it."

Man arrested after teenage girl raped outside shopping centre in west London

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A man has been arrested after a teenage girl was raped outside a west London shopping centre.

The 17-year-old was forced towards the entrance of West 12 shopping centre in Shepherd’s Bush before the terrifying attack.

Earlier this week police put out a public appeal to help trace a man pictured in CCTV camera footage.

On Saturday detectives announced a man has been arrested in connection with the attack.

The suspect was questioned at a London police station and has been released on bail.

According to police, the alleged rape happened on October 27 last year. The victim and her friend were shopping in Westfield when they were approached by two men who they spent some time with and “lured them into a false sense of security”, police said.

The friends were split up and later that night the 17-year-old girl was attacked.

Karolina Chwiluk stabbed to death in east London

Pic:Murder victim Karolina Chwiluk
Crime reporter(wp/es):

Police have launched a manhunt for the ex-boyfriend of a young woman knifed to death in east London.

Karolina Chiwluk was fatally stabbed at an address in Mile End just before 11pm on Thursday.

She had been visiting the home of ex-boyfriend Grzesiek Kosiec, 23, when a fight broke out between the pair, Scotland Yard said.

A woman, aged 42, and a man, 24, who also lived at the house, stepped in to protect the 20-year-old victim but were also injured.

Miss Chwiluk, who is yet to be formally identified, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The suspect fled the scene before police arrived.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Jones from the Homicide and Major Command urged anyone who knows where Mr Kosiec is to call 999 and warned members of the public that “he is violent”.

He said: "I would like to speak to Kosiec about the murder of Karolina. He was last seen at the house where she and two others who were trying to protect her were stabbed.

"It may be that friends of Kosiec who do not realise what has happened are giving him a place to stay, or other help. If that is the case, I'd urge them to get in contact with us as soon as possible.

"If you see Kosiec, or have information about where he may be, please contact us. He is known to work in south London and to have links to Tottenham.

"Given what took place at Dora Street that night, I have every reason to believe that he is violent, and so would ask anyone who sees him to call police immediately." 

The suspect, from Poland, is described as 5ft 10ins tall and of skinny build.

He has brown hair usually worn in a top knot and was last seen wearing black jogging bottoms and a dark t-shirt, police said.

Man, 23, becomes second victim of fatal knife crime on capital's streets in 12 hours

Crime reporter(wp/es):
A 23-year-old man has been stabbed to death in the street in north London, becoming the second person to die from knife crime in the capital in less than 12 hours.

Police rushed to Waterloo Road, Uxbridge, shortly after 1am on Saturday to reports of a man found in the street with stab wounds.

He was taken to a west London hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later, Scotland Yard said.

The victim, from Hayes, west London, died less than 12 hours after a man, aged in his 30s, was fatally knifed during a fight in a barber's shop in Harlesden on Friday afternoon.

He is the ninth person to die from knife crime on the streets of London in just two weeks.

Police have urged witnesses to the attack to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Packer said: "A young man has lost his life and I am appealing to the public to give us all the help they can.

"In particular I would ask anyone who was in the vicinity of Waterloo Road from midnight to early in the morning to call us.

"If you saw or heard anything please do not hesitate; your information could be vital."

The victim’s next of kin have been informed but formal identification is yet to take place, a Met Police spokesman said.

He added: “No arrests have been made and enquiries continue.”