Author: Blake Foster

Sgt Jamie Warner has been in the police force since 2007 and has led the safe neighbourhood team in Ilford town centre for more than three years. His team targets crimes such as anti-social behaviour – but most frequently pickpocketing. He admitted it is a problem for the town. Jamie told the Recorder: “Lots of pickpockets come through Ilford and most of them work across London. “It’s not just an Ilford thief committing Ilford theft – they are often pan-Europe. Jamie has led the Ilford town centre team for the past three years (Image: Gianni Cirillo) “We stopped a female the other day and…

Retired mechanic David Goss, 68, of Newell Street in Limehouse, was found unwell in October. But when the carer who raised the alarm told an ambulance worker Mr Goss’s regular medications included diabetes drug metformin, they misheard it as morphine. Mr Goss also had “pin-prick pupils”, which can be caused by opioid painkillers – a coincidence which reinforced the misapprehension. Senior coroner Graeme Irvine told an inquest at East London Coroner’s Court it had been “a dreadful mistake”. When Mr Goss was admitted to Newham Hospital, it was as a case of suspected opioid overdose. He was even administered an opioid…

The girl, known as Child Q, was strip searched while she was on her period by officers in Hackney on December 3, 2020, after her school wrongly suspected her of carrying cannabis. The “traumatic” police search involved the removal of Child Q’s clothing, including her underwear, and making her bending over and expose intimate parts of her body while she was menstruating. An appropriate adult was not present, a key safeguard of a child’s rights, and the child’s mother was not told of the situation. The actions of PC Kristina Linge and PC Rafal Szmydynski amounted to gross misconduct, while the behaviour of PC Victoria Wray…

Curtis Moran, 23, was found dead at the Cranbrook Hotel in Coventry Road, Ilford, on June 12. But his home address was given in court on Thursday (June 26) as Oval Grange, Hartlepool. “The Metropolitan Police Service referred the death to me as it appeared to them that Mr Moran’s death was unnatural,” senior coroner Graeme Irvine told East London Coroner’s Court. “They had been called to the Cranbrook Hotel after concerns were raised about Mr Moran. They entered his hotel room and found Mr Moran in the bathroom.” A post-mortem confirmed Mr Moran had died from a cause of death…

Now, after holding a weekly vigil – and listing the Black Cap as an Asset of Community Value to save it from redevelopment – campaigners are “excited” that the £2 million refit is finally underway. The project to reopen it as an LGBT and performance venue with B&B accommodation had been delayed by major structural issues – then squatters broke into the derelict pub. Campaigners have held a weekly vigil outside The Black Cap in Camden High Street come rain or shine. (Image: WeAreTheBlackCap) But with builders now back on site, owners Kicking Horse Three are hoping to welcome their first punters in six months’ time. Alex Green of WeAreTheBlackCap campaign said:…

Mohammed Akram, 84, was discovered at his home in Staines Road, Ilford, on June 12. Senior coroner Graeme Irvine opened an inquest into the “unusual” death at East London Coroner’s Court on Thursday morning (June 26). Mr Akram’s son and daughter listened in the public gallery as Mr Irvine outlined what was known so far. “It seems to me that I am going to have to examine the background investigation to examine how it was that Mr Akram had those injuries,” he said. His investigation would focus on “whether or not there was an accidental cause or whether or not…

The police were called shortly after 5am today (June 26) to Main Road in Longfield . Officers say a motorbike, a silver Yahama MT10, was reported travelling west on Main Road and the car, a beige Vauxhall Zafira, was travelling in the opposite direction before the crash. Paramedics attended but the motorbike rider, aged in his 60s, was confirmed dead. His next of kin have been told. The driver of the car was also treated by paramedics at the scene. Main Road was closed between Whitehill Road and Hartley Road for 10 hours. Investigators from Kent Police’s Serious Collision Investigation…

After honing his Gallic classics for seven years at the NW5 bistro, Louis has taken over the kitchen at its new little sister a few miles away. French Society occupies a slim site in Mill Lane, yet somehow they have managed to carve more than 30 covers out of the restaurant, pavement terrace and a cute little snug. The restaurant was full on the night we visited and ordered the impeccably cooked Onglet steak with a glass of Burgundy. (Image: Bridget Galton) With its distressed walls, green-tiled bar, white curtains, and traditional brasserie tables, we could be in an outer Parisian arondissement rather than a north…

Despite being open for more than a year, the deceptively large venue – which is 25 minutes from Kings Cross St Pancras and 10 minutes from Waterloo – is impressively busy when we arrive at Sunday lunchtime. Inspired by the ITV gameshow of the same name, a total of 21 cubes await, each testing different skills such as balance, memory and speed. Cleverly, however, just seven of these are allotted to each booking, ensuring a high chance of repeat visits. One of the 21 cubes (Image: Newsquest) I say attempt because some of the challenges are genuinely very difficult; those on the outside watching might think they look easy,…

The data reveals that as of March 31 this year, Snaresbrook Crown Court had a backlog of 4,185 cases.  This was 45 per cent higher than any other crown court, the next largest backlog in England and Wales was at Wood Green Crown Court which has 2,313 cases waiting to be heard.  The figure at Snaresbrook Crown Court was also significantly up from the year before, when there was a backlog of 3,286 cases.  Snaresbrook deals with the most serious cases from across east London.  Responding to the national figures, courts and legal services minister Sarah Sackman KC said the…