A 50-year-old man has died following an assault in Coldharbour Lane last month.

The victim, named by police as Mohammed Ishtiaq from Brixton, died in hospital of head injuries on Thursday (July 4), police confirmed today.

A 47-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the incident, which happened on June 20.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: “Police were called at approximately 3.20pm on Thursday  June 20 to reports of an assault in Coldharbour Lane, SW9.

“The London Ambulance Service were also called to the scene and officers and ambulance staff found an unconscious 50-year-old man.

“He was taken to a south London hospital for treatment to head injuries. On Thursday July 4, the victim died in hospital.”

A postmorten at Greenwich Mortuary yesterday gave the cause of death as a head injury. Although the body is yet to be formally identified, police are confident that it is that of Mr Ishtiaq.

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HONOURED: Jack Rowlands with Sir David Brewer

A Brixton police officer received a top honour yesterday for his innovative work with young people from the Stockwell Park Estate.

Sergeant Jack Rowlands, of Ferndale Safer Neighbourhood team, was recognised as a runner-up by the Howard League for Penal Reform  for his “outstanding work” with young people.

Rowlands organised two job fairs in Stockwell Park, helping 80 young people get access into employment, training or apprenticeships. Many of the youngsters had a history of offending.

He said yesterday: “I am delighted to have won runner-up, and to know that my work has been judged by young people makes it even more special.”

“I passionately believe in finding ways of supporting young people in making positive changes to their lives. I want to continue with the work that I am doing and continue making a difference.”

Rowlands was selected for the award from a field of six finalists chosen from more than one hundred candidates by members of the Howard League’s U R Boss Project, a programme made up of young people in prison and in police custody.

At the job fairs, Sgt Rowland’s personal invitations and follow up visits meant that the two events were attended by more than three hundred people. Lambeth police have successfully repeated the approach on other estates, and are collaborating with the Department for Work & Pensions to help Hackney hold their first event.

Lambeth borough commander Matt Bell added that Rowlands, his partners, and the Stockwell Park community should be commended for their “tremendously innovative approach”.

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By Laurice Laird

A thief who manipulated the popular website Gumtree has been sentenced to two years and four months for two counts of theft and robbery.

Chukwuka Iheke, 20, of Berry Lane, West Norwood was sentenced on Monday (July 15) at the inner London Crown Court.

The court was told that on April 5 Iheke attempted to steal a taxi in Brockwell Park Gardens. The driver fled the scene after being forced out of the vehicle by Iheke, who was unable to steal the car due to its keyless ignition. Accompanied by police officers, the taxi driver returned to the scene and discovered that money had been taken, and a mobile phone was found inside the vehicle. Police checks revealed this to belong to Iheke.

An investigation into the phone records showed it to have been involved in organising a meeting between a car seller and potential buyer on Gumtree at Penge East station on March 22. The seller’s vehicle, a black Dodge Calibre, was stolen at the meeting by the alleged buyer.

Less than a week later, the stolen car was used on March 28 during the theft of a laptop from a Gumtree seller who had arranged to meet a buyer. At the meeting on Hillside road, Streatham, Iheke took the laptop and escaped in the stolen vehicle.

Iheke was arrested on April 9 2013 after officers conducted an arrest warrant at his home address, where the black Dodge Calibre was found nearby. He was detained by police after trying to escape by jumping from a first floor window.

Luke Bielby, from Lambeth Police, said, “Iheke had been prolific in the space of a few weeks and this spree would have no doubt continued, had he not been apprehended. Lambeth borough Police will continue to target criminals to prevent the misery they cause to everyday members of the local community.”

Iheke pleaded guilty to the theft at an earlier hearing on April 24.

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Updated 12:40pm – correction of victim’s age and addition of further details

Police have arrested a 40-year-old man in connection with the murder of a 28-year-old woman, who was found dead at Tilson Gardens in Brixton Hill last night. Two other victims are reported to have suffered attacks, including stab wounds.

Police were called to Redlands Way at 18:41 yesterday, where a 46-year-old woman was found with multiple injuries – she was taken to a south London hospital where her condition is described as critical. Later the body of a woman was found at Tilson Gardens, where there was also a 17-year-old girl who had received stab wounds. The latter remains in a serious but stable condition, according to police.

The man in custody was apprehended on a bus at Leigham Court Road in Streatham at 00:42, following a manhunt involving local and specialist officers. The bus was stopped and boarded by police. Police have said that they believe that all the victims were known to the man, and that ‘there is no suggestion that the victims were selected at random.’ They further state that although the ‘investigation is at a very early stage… we are confident that there are no outstanding suspects.’

Following the arrest, Cllr Jack Hopkins, Lambeth’s Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Neighbourhoods, said:

‘We are supporting police with their investigation, and are reassured that detectives are not seeking anyone else in connection with these shocking incidents. Our thoughts at this time are with the victims and their families.’

Brixton’s MP, Chuka Umunna, has issued the following statement:

‘The entire community will be deeply disturbed and upset at what happened on the Roupell Park and Clapham Park estates last night. The thoughts of all of us are with the loved ones of the woman who was fatally injured and the other victims of these horrific attacks.

I have been fully briefed by the police on this incident and an investigation is currently ongoing. Our hope is that the perpetrator of these acts will be brought to justice. As a community, we will give the loved ones of the victims all the support that we can.’

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A man has been stabbed during an incident in Brixton tonight, as revellers headed home after the Brixton Splash festival.

Police were called to the corner of Gresham Road and Coldharbour Lane at 7.45pm after reports of a fight between two males. One of the males was stabbed in the chest during the incident and taken to South London Hospital. His injuries have been described by a police spokesperson as “potentially life threatening”.

Police enquiries continue and no arrest has yet been made.

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The council and police forces have claimed a “big success” following a “day of action” in Brixton, during which seven suspected gang members were arrested and knives and shotgun carriages were seized.

On Wednesday the council carried out a joint operation with Lambeth police and the Met police’s Trident central gangs unit, which included a weapons sweep in the Coldharbour ward – an area that includes Loughborough Road, Coldharbour Lane and Somerleyton Road.

In total the authorities seized 23 shotgun cartridges, six knives and an imitation firearm. Seven suspected gang members and eight other people were arrested.

Labour councillor Jack Hopkins said: “I was out in Brixton during the day,” Cllr Hopkins said. “It was a great success with everyone pitching in.”

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Brixton Prison is to become home to a restaurant open to the public and fully staffed by inmates, it was announced today.

Charity the Clink said the former governor’s house within the historic jail on Brixton Hill is to be converted to a three-storey restaurant and meetings venue due to be completed early next year with seating for 100 paying guests.

The restaurant will follow The Clink’s Five Step Programme that has been successfully implemented at the award winning and successful Clink restaurant at HMP High Down in Surrey, educating prisoners and equipping them with the skills and tools to secure employment upon their release.

PORRIDGE: The Roundhouse will be transformed into a 100-seater restaurant and business meeting venue, like at the Clink in HMP High Down (below)

Edmond Tullett, Brixton Prison geverner said: “Brixton is more than delighted to host the third Clink training restaurant in the Regency Roundhouse which dates back to 1819. The restaurant will provide an unforgettable experience for customers and an unrivalled opportunity for prisoners to acquire marketable skills that will lead to local jobs and provide a pathway to a better life.”

Chris Moore, chief executive of The Clink Charity believes Brixton will cement the future for further Clink restaurants. “Brixton was the perfect site for our next restaurant. HMP Brixton is undergoing a regeneration project and was looking for an organisation to work with to develop the building into an opportunity for rehabilitation.”

Mr Moore added: “The central location lends itself to securing support from local businesses and members of the public, providing they are committed to The Clink’s vision and once the necessary security checks have been processed, providing real-life experience for those prisoners who make it through the selection process to join the programme.”

Brixton Prison hit the headlines last year after celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey helped inmates there set up the Bad Boys Bakery as part of a television series. The bakery now provides cakes to national coffee chains.

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Police have released CCTV footage today they hope will help them catch a man suspected of raping a woman after a night out in Brixton.

The victim, in her late twenties, was offered a lift home by the man, who approached her as she walked along Coldharbour Lane in the early hours on Sunday June 30.

He led her to his dark sports car, parked nearby, before driving her to a “secluded multi-story car park” where the woman was raped.

The footage below shows the man, described as a black man and 5ft 5ins tall, as he left McDonalds, in Brixton Road.

DS Steve Elliott, from Sapphire, said: “I am hoping that these images will jog someone’s memory, and people may remember seeing him on Saturday  June 29.

“If you know this man, saw him that evening in Brixton or spotted his car then please get in touch. Even seemingly inconsequential information may be vital in identifying him.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the investigation team on 020 8649 2417 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Police have released a CCTV still of a man suspected of assaulting a woman in Brixton.

The 36-year-old victim, who was returning home on Sunday July 7 from a night shift at work, was approached by the man at around 6.05am on Coldharbour Lane.

Despite ignoring his attempts to engage her in conversation and asking him to leave her alone, the suspect followed the victim onto Somerleyton Road.

When she told him she was calling the police the attacker attempted to snatch her phone from her before running off along Valantia Place into Brixton Market.

The police describe the suspect as a white man of Italian appearance. They said he had dark brown curly hair, was around 5”04, of slim build and spoke with an Italian accent. He also made several references about himself being an Italian.

Police are encouraging anyone with information to call TDC Sarah Francis on 0208 649 2192. Alternatively you can report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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The Metropolitan Police are sending a mobile police station to Brixton after a “fault” closed the front office at Lambeth’s headquarter station.

Lambeth police tweeted this morning: “Brixton Police Station Front Office is now closed due to a fault.

“The Mobile Police Station is on its way to provide assistance. Apologies.”

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A 21-year-old man was charged today with three counts of rape of a woman in Brixton on Saturday June 29.

Darious Powlette, who has no fixed address, is due to appear at Camberwell Magistrates’ Court later today.

His arrest followed an appeal by the police who released CCTV footage of their suspect earlier this week.

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Paul Bassey at Veranda

The owner of a popular Brixton bar has appealed to the council and police to work more closely with him after a shooting at the venue.

A man was allegedly shot in the leg by a mystery gunman at Veranda, in Acre Lane, on October 19.

Police were alerted to the incident, and say that the victim presented himself at Kings College hospital shortly after the shots were heard, suffering from a slashed face and gunshot wounds to his thigh.

A damning report by police into the incident at a licensing meeting the following Wednesday led to the bar and restaurant being shut down by the council, pending a review.

Co-owner Paul Bassey told the Brixton Bugle that he’d been devastated by the incident, and feels his restaurant has been unfairly portrayed.

Mr Bassey said: “The most upsetting thing for me is that we have been here for two and a half years and not had one single incident. But now there has been a gun involved and we’ve been closed down for three weeks.”

Mr Bassey, who is also vice chairman of the Brixton BID partnership, added: “We’ve had customers on the phone asking why we are closed, and they have been reading things about us [in the police reports on the incident], but I want people to know that isn’t how it really is.”

In a report written for Lambeth council’s licensing committee after the incident, police superindent Zander Gibson said: “This is a serious incident where a firearm was taken into Veranda bar and a male was shot, at no point did the venue call police, and the firearm was taken into the venue despite security on the door.”

He added: “I do not have confidence that this venue is managed correctly and there is a high risk of crime and disorder.”

Mr Bassey refutes a number of the claims made by police, like the fact that the police were not called as they were already outside the bar after the shots were fired. But he told The Bugle this week that he wants to work closely with both police and Lambeth council to ensure his venue is kept safe in the future.

The bar and restaurant now faces a review hearing at Lambeth town hall on November 13.

Read the full review application from police here. And additional police evidence here.

Comments disabled for legal reasons.

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The MP for Vauxhall, Kate Hoey, has been fined £240 for running a red light in her Rover Mini.

Hoey, whose Vauxhall consitituency includes part of northern Brixton, pleaded guilty to the incident, which happened on the Embankment near to Victoria last July, according to Court News UK.

Website bikebiz.com reminded readers that Kate Hoey has previously criticised “lycra-lout” cyclists for running red lights, saying they should be fined up to £2,500 for running a red signal.

See more on Jason Cobb’s Onion Bag Blog.

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Pictures of the thief in the rear of Lambeth town hall

Detectives from Brixton are appealing for the public’s help in identifying a man who stole a bicycle and a tyre on Tuesday November 5 in Brixton.

A CCTV camera captured pictures of a man stealing a bike and the front wheel from a second bicycle from the rear of Lambeth town hall in Brixton.

The suspect can be seen entering into the rear car park of the town hall, Acre Lane, on foot at approximately 3.30pm. Moments later he can be seen riding out of the yard on a bike with a cycle tyre worth about £150 in his hand.

Anyone who recognises the person in the images are encouraged to contact PC Patzer on 0208 721 2623, or alternatively if you wish to remain anonymous you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Three women have been rescued from a house in Lambeth  where they had reportedly been kept in captivity for more than three decades.

Police were contacted by the charity Freedom after they had received a call from a woman stating she had been held against her will in a house for more than 30 years. Freedom Charity said the women had been held as “domestic slaves” in a “horrendous situation.”

Enquiries by police revealed the location of the house and with the help of sensitive negotiations conducted by the charity the three women, a 69-year-old Malaysian woman, a 57-year-old Irish woman and a 30-year-old British woman were all rescued.

A man and a woman, both aged 67, were arrested by police and have been taken into custody at a south London police station.

A spokesman for the Met Police said the three women were “highly traumatised” and had been taken to a place of safety.

Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland, from the Met’s Human Trafficking Unit, said: “We applaud the actions of Freedom Charity and are working in partnership to support these victims who appear to have been held for over 30 years. We have launched an extensive investigation to establish the facts surrounding these very serious allegations.”

He continued: “A television documentary on forced marriages relating to the work of Freedom Charity was the catalyst that prompted one of the victims to call for help and led to their rescue.”

Anita Prem, from Freedom Charity, told BBC news today: “We have ensured that they are in a place of safetyand they are given all the help that can be given to them.

“They are going to have to rebuild their loves and that’s going to be very difficult, but it’s also a story of great hope.”

A police spokesman said that there is no evidence of sexual abuse against the women. They added: “The Met’s unit has dealt with cases of people held in servitude against their will for around 10 years. This is the first time we have come across people who have been held for such a considerable length of time.”

Police added that the 30-year-old woman may have been kept in captivity for her whole life.

Do you know where in Lambeth the house was? Call our newsdesk on 0203 730 1312 or email newsdesk@brixtonblog.com.

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Ch sup Matt Bell, borough commander. Picture: Tim Dickens

Lambeth’s top policeman, chief superintendent Matt Bell, has said the emerging story of three women held captive in the borough for 30 years is  “horrific”.

In an exclusive interview with Brixton Blog today, Bell also said he found the details of the incident “shocking”.

A man and a woman were arrested earlier today after three women were rescued from reportedly being held captive for 30 years.

Bell told the Blog: “It’s amazing and shocking that sort of thing could go on in modern society, let alone right under our noses here.

“These three women were given some sort of controlled freedom. I have never heard of anything like this ever happening in Lambeth before, but it makes you wonder.”

Bell told Brixton Blog at Lambeth Town Hall that he only heard about the case today when it broke in the media, as the operation had been led by the Metropolitan Police’s Human Traffic Unit. He said he did not know where in Lambeth the women were held.

Detective inspector Kevin Hyland, from the unit, said: “We applaud the actions of Freedom Charity and are working in partnership to support these victims who appear to have been held for over 30 years. We have launched an extensive investigation to establish the facts surrounding these very serious allegations.”

He continued: “A television documentary on forced marriages relating to the work of Freedom Charity was the catalyst that prompted one of the victims to call for help and led to their rescue.”

Speaking at Lambeth Town Hall, Matt Bell added: “I am grateful that the charity was able to bring this to our attention and that we can deal with it and rescue these women and start to get their lives back to normality.

Earlier today Brixton Blog spoke to Aneeta Prem from the Freedom Charity live in BBC World Service programme World Have Your Say.

Prem said: “We have ensured that they are in a place of safety and they are given all the help that can be given to them.

“They are going to have to rebuild their lives and that’s going to be very difficult, but it’s also a story of great hope.”

Matt Bell added: “I am grateful that the charity was able to bring this to our attention and that we can deal with it and rescue these women and start to get their lives back to normality.

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Inmates at Brixton Prison smoked so much cannabis during an inspection that the guards’ and the assessors’ clothes smelt of it, an official watchdog report has revealed.

The Independent Monitoring Board called it a “significant failure” and said not enough action was taken by the prison to tackle the drug problems after they discovered in the autumn of 2012 that the supply was coming from men who were on temporary release.

Mobile phones were also “readily available” and the board said that “both drugs and phones increase the possibility for debt, victimisation, and bullying.”

The board blames the failure to deal with the problems successfully on lack of co-ordination between the different parts of the prison and on lack of resources.

Due to staff shortage drug tests could not always be carried out and the prison only has one sniffer dog at its disposal.

Brixton Prison status changed from a local prison to a resettlement prison in 2012. The report claims the illegal possessions problem has aggravated since then, saying that “there have been more prisoners at a time reduced to basic privileges than when Brixton was a local prison”.

By the end of the reporting year, however, there had been a reduction in the drug supply.

A Prison Service spokesman told the Evening Standard that the use of drugs was taken “very seriously” and that “swift action” had been taken to tackle the problems at Brixton.

He added:  “The number of prisoners testing positive for drug misuse has fallen. Offenders are well aware that anyone caught with prohibited items will face swift and robust punishment.”

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**Update: Tessa Jowell MP has now confirmed that the property in question is in her constituency of Dulwich and West Norwood. 

The house of the elderly Lambeth couple, who were arrested yesterday for allegedly holding three women as slaves for up to 30 years, was subjected to a 12-hour search with 55 bags containing 2,500 exhibits seized, a Scotland Yard commander said.

The suspects were arrested on suspicion of forced labour, domestic servitude and immigration offences.

They were released on bail yesterday, as the case will take a long time, commander Steve Rodhouse said.

He added that the three rescued women had painted a “disturbing picture” of their experiences.

It was also revealed that the couple had been retained in the 1970s, although the reason remains unknown.

The Metropolitan Police’s entire specialist team, which consist of 37 policemen, is working on the case

When the story emerged yesterday, many responded with outrage.

Tessa Jowell, MP for Dulwich and West Norwood, said she woke up three times last night thinking about it, calling it “profoundly disturbing”.

Jowell wondered on BBC London 94.4: “How can this happen? Whose failure is it?”

“Or is it that parts of our city are so disconnected from each other that people live their lives and nobody notices or has the confidence or sense of obligational responsibility to ask questions about things that seem strange? These are the questions I find myself asking time and time again.”

Lambeth’s top policeman, chief superintendent Matt Bell, said: “It’s amazing and shocking that sort of thing could go on in modern society, let alone right under our noses here.”

Brixton Blog reader Ela Bargiel commented: “It took them ridiculously long to discover their case. I’m so outraged.”

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Police stand guard outside a flat in Peckford Place, Brixton on Saturday

More details have been released about the alleged “slavery” case in Brixton since the Brixton Blog first reported on it five days ago. Here we report on what we know about the strange and shocking case so far.

Thursday November 21: A man and woman were arrested by police in Lambeth, suspected of holding three women in captivity for as much as thirty years. The women victims, a 69-year-old Malaysian woman, a 57-year-old Irish woman and a 30-year-old British woman, had been rescued from the house after sensitive negotiations conducted by the Freedom charity. The charity has ensured they are now in a place of safety receiving proper care.

Friday November 22: The suspects were released on bail but did not return to the home where they were arrested. A joint statement from Lambeth Council and the Met Police said:  ”We do not believe that this case falls into the category of sexual exploitation, or what we all understand as human trafficking…Trying to label this investigation as domestic servitude or forced labour is far too simple. What we have uncovered so far is a complicated and disturbing picture of emotional control over many years, brainwashing would be the most simplest term, yet that belittles the years of emotional abuse these victims have had to endure.”

“We believe at this stage to the outside world this may have appeared to be a ‘normal’ family. This does mean that over the course of many decades the people at the heart of this investigation and their victims will probably have come into contact with public services, including our own, that is something we must examine fully, and it is too early to provide details.

Saturday November 23: Peckford Place in Brixton was revealed as the centre of investigations into the alleged ‘slavery’ case. Police were stationed outside the building as the nation’s media descended upon the estate.

Monday November 25: The suspects were announced as Aravindan Balakrishnan, 73, and his wife Chanda Balakrishnan, 67. It was revealed that the pair were former Maoist activists, leading figures at the Mao Zedeong Memorial Centre in Acre Lane, Brixton, in the 1970s.

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The air ambulance lands at the Stockwell Road skate park today. Picture by Gavin Springett on Twitter

A woman in her 8os died this morning following a collision with a lorry in Stockwell Park Walk, Brixton.

The Stockwell Park Road has now reopened after the accident which happened at about 11.30am at the back of the Brixton Academy, near the junction with Brixton Road.

Despite efforts of ambulance crews and the London Air Ambulance, the pedestrian died at the scene.

A spokesperson for London Ambulance Service told Brixton Blog that it sent an ambulance, single responder and the helicopter to the scene. She added: “Sadly one person, a woman in her eighties, was pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor from the air ambulance.”

A TfL alert reads: “Stockwell Park Walk has been closed at the junction with Stockwell Road.

“Traffic is being diverted via the bus lane towards Brixton Road. Northbound Brixton Road is slow moving with queues from Brixton Hill.”

Gavin Springett saw the air ambulance land near the scene, at Stockwell Skate Park. He Tweeted: “Just another day in #Brixton air ambulance by work @BrixtonBlog.” He also posted the picture on the right.

Another Twitter user, @Mr_Guwu, said he saw a woman being struck by a car and then a lorry, before the lorry stopped.

The fatal collision comes on a day that hundreds of police are stopping lorry drivers, cyclists and other road users to talk about road safety as part of Operation Safeway.

The Brixton Blog will continue to update this page.

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