Author: Blake Foster

Lester Sharpe, 46, of no fixed address, was handed the sentence at Southwark Crown Court today (August 7). He pleaded guilty in June to the charge of arranging the commission of child sex offences and was remanded in custody. Over April and May 2025, Sharpe believed he was speaking to a person who would facilitate an online live stream of an eight-year-old girl being sexually abused. The predator was actually speaking with an officer from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit. Lester Sharpe (Image: Metropolitan Police) On the morning of May 7, Sharpe requested that the offence took place at a particular…

The burglary happened on Bickley Road between 5.40pm and 6.25pm on December 30, 2024, when three men forced entry through a bathroom window. Images of the stolen items, many of which are said to be unique and of great sentimental value, have now been released by police. Detectives from the Met’s South Area Command Unit are hoping the distinctive nature of the jewellery will jog someone’s memory. Detective Constable Jamie White said: “While the monetary value of this theft is enormous, the sentimental value is priceless – with many of the pieces being passed down through generations of the family.…

Desmond Modeste, 57, was discovered unresponsive at his home – a retirement complex called Beddals Farm Court in Tollgate Road, Beckton – on Tuesday, June 24. An inquest into his death was opened at East London Coroner’s Court on Friday, August 1. Coroner’s officer Jean Smyth told the court Mr Modeste had been born in Forest Gate and was single at the time of his death. “Police officers were called to the home of Mr Modeste by the London Ambulance Service,” she said. “Mr Modeste had been found unresponsive in his bedroom by his family. London Ambulance Service were unable to revive…

Retired sheet metal worker Stephen Brandon, 72, of Marmion Avenue, died on July 24. An inquest into his death was opened at East London Coroner’s Court, Walthamstow, on Tuesday (August 5). Whilst eating at home, coroner’s officer Jean Smyth told the court, “a large piece of orange got stuck and he choked. His partner started CPR and London Ambulance Service attended.” He was rushed to Whipps Cross Hospital but, as his condition deteriorated, “a decision was made to withdraw care and Stephen passed away.” His cause of death was given as a hypoxic brain injury (meaning the brain was starved…

Now in its second year, the pop-up beach experience reopened on August 1, and will run throughout the month with daily activities, free workshops and a host of new additions aimed at families looking for an easy summer escape. More than 30,000 people visited last year, and with word spreading fast about the expanded 2025 programme, organisers are expecting even bigger crowds. Among the new features is a toddler-friendly paddling pool, introduced in response to feedback from parents looking for a safer splash space for younger children. For those who prefer a quieter experience, a new chill-out zone has been…

Wandsworth Council, which placed the man in Sherwood Grange, run by Care UK, in Kingston Vale, has been ordered to pay his sister £400 for the distress caused by failings in his care. A Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman report found fault with the care provided by Sherwood Grange to the man, referred to as Mr Y, and its communication with his sister, named Mrs X. It ruled the council was also at fault for its communication with Mrs X. The council placed Mr Y in Sherwood Grange in August 2023. He was admitted to hospital in September with…

Located near the village of Elham in Kent, Wild Woodland Retreat offers up a unique camping experience for anyone looking for a short break, with scenic walks, shepherd huts and yoga surrounded by the resident goats. The family-run business started by Mark and Hannah Terry has been going for a number of years, and offers a choice to camp on one of the site’s six pitches or to glamp in one of two built Shepherds Huts with cosy wood burners, with views of either the surrounding woodland or valley. These huts feature the mod cons like a shower, kitchenette and bed linen,…

The planning application for the Como Street car park site proposes the delivery of 137 homes and has been put forward by Havering Council-owned Mercury Land Holdings. According to the council the plans have been revised to include changes in the building heights, “reflecting the community’s input and the council’s willingness to listen to local residents’ concerns”. The scheme has faced opposition, with Romford councillor David Taylor telling a planning committee in January that residents felt let down by the council’s level of consultation. He said: “Their neighbourhood is under threat of irreversible damage to its character, and they fear this [approach] will…

The opening of Wetherspoons’ new pub in south east London has been pushed back to September, after initially being scheduled for the August bank holiday weekend. The new venue, named The Sun Wharf, will take over the former London Dungeon site in the distinctive brick arches at 50 Tooley Street, Southwark, SE1 2TF, next to London Bridge station’s entrance. Construction began on Monday, March 10, 2025, with the opening originally set for Tuesday, August 26, two days ahead of the previously announced date of Thursday, August 28. However, the opening has now been delayed to Thursday, September 2, 2025. A…

Armed police were called to Cricklewood Broadway today (August 7) at around 9.55am to reports of the stabbing. A man in his 30s was found injured at the scene and he was taken to hospital, where his injuries are considered neither life-changing nor life-threatening. Over a dozen of armed officers patrolled the area, including some seen on top of roof in Cricklewood. Later that day at 11.10am, ambulances were called to a man in his 30s who climbed over communal railings on Rowley Way, Camden, and fell from a height. He was taken to hospital, where his injuries were also…