THEGAYUK

Tag: Crime

All the latest breaking news crime in the UK and aboard. Browse THEGAYUK’s complete collection of news, articles and commentary on Crime.

  • Stephen Port found guilty of murdering four men he found on gay dating apps

    Stephen Port found guilty of murdering four men he found on gay dating apps

    Stephen Port has been found guilty of a fourth murder, that of Anthony Patrick Walgate, a 23-year-old who was his first murder victim.

    Stephen Port

    The BBC are reporting that Stephen Port,41, was found guilty at the Old Bailey in London, for the murders of four men he met via gay dating apps. He was also convicted of three rapes.

    He has been found guilty of the murders of Anthony Patrick Walgate, 23, Gabriel Kovari, 22, Daniel Whitworth, 21 and Jack Taylor, 25. Their bodies were dumped in or near a graveyard in Barking. The graveyard was 500 meters away from his flat in east London.

    Port has denied 29 charges in total.

    Initially, he was charged with four counts of murder in relation to the deaths of four men between June 2014 and September 2015.

    The charges relate to the deaths of:
    – Anthony Patrick Walgate, 23, from Barnet, who was pronounced dead on Cooke Street, Barking on 19 June 2014.
    – Gabriel Kovari, 22, from Lewisham, whose body was found near the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church, North Street, Barking on 28 August 2014.
    – Daniel Whitworth, 21, from Gravesend, Kent, whose body was found near the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church, North Street, Barking on 20 September 2014.
    – Jack Taylor, 25, from Dagenham, whose body was found near the Abbey Ruins close to North Street, Barking on Monday, 14 September.

    The Met Police is currently under investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission following concerns on how it handled the initial investigation into Mr Whitworth’s death.

    Human rights advocate Peter Tatchell monitored the police handling of the serial killings of young gay men in east London from October 2014 and liaised with a friend of one of the victims, Gabriel Kovari.

    Commenting on jury’s guilty verdict and the way police responded to the multiple murders by Stephen Port, he said,

    “While timely and commendable, this verdict is no compensation for the loss of four young gay men who had their lives, hopes and dreams cut short.

    “Appallingly, even after the third murder the police were still maintaining that the deaths were ‘unusual’ but ‘not suspicious.’ They did not issue a public alert to the gay community that a serial killer could be on the loose. This failing ignored Met Police best practice advice which was agreed two decades ago, after previous murders of gay men.

    “The police appeal for public information came in October 2015 – a year too late. Four young men were already dead. This appeal should have been made in August 2014 after the first two killings. If the police had done this, further deaths may have been prevented. Two of these men might still be alive.

    This is a breaking news story and will be updated as it develops.

     

  • Serial Killer found guilty of murdering three men he met on gay dating apps

    Serial Killer found guilty of murdering three men he met on gay dating apps

    A man has been found guilty of murdering three young men he met on gay dating apps and websites.

    Stephen Port

    The Press Association are reporting that Stephen Port,41, was found guilty at the Old Bailey in London, for the murders of three men he met via gay dating apps. He was also convicted of three rapes.

    He has been found guilty of the murders of Gabreil Kovari, 22, Daniel Whitworth, 21 and Jack Taylor, 25. Their bodies were dumped in or near a graveyard in Barking. The graveyard was 500 meters away from his flat in east London.

    Port has denied 29 charges in total.

    Initially, he was charged with four counts of murder in relation to the deaths of four men between June 2014 and September 2015.

    The charges relate to the deaths of:
    – Anthony Patrick Walgate, 23, from Barnet, who was pronounced dead on Cooke Street, Barking on 19 June 2014.
    – Gabriel Kovari, 22, from Lewisham, whose body was found near the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church, North Street, Barking on 28 August 2014.
    – Daniel Whitworth, 21, from Gravesend, Kent, whose body was found near the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church, North Street, Barking on 20 September 2014.
    – Jack Taylor, 25, from Dagenham, whose body was found near the Abbey Ruins close to North Street, Barking on Monday, 14 September.

    Jurors have yet to decide on a verdict on the murder of Anthony Patrick Walgate, a 23-year-old who is alleged to be the first murder victim.

    This is a breaking news story and will be updated as it develops.

  • Teenager found guilty of the murder of a gay man he found on Grindr

    Teenager found guilty of the murder of a gay man he found on Grindr

    A teenager has been found guilty of the vicious murder of a man he met on the gay dating app, Grindr.

    Ben Bamford, 18, has been found guilty of the murder of a 52-year-old man he met via the gay dating app, Grindr. Mr Bamford who was 17-years-old at the time of the murder unleashed a vicious attack on Paul Jefferies, reportedly a tax advisor to George Osbourne, who lived in East Sussex.

    The attack happened on the 23 February 2016.

    A sustained and bloody attack left Mr Jefferies with over 40 stab wounds. The court heard that Bamford also slashed the tax advisor’s throat, leaving him to die in a pool of his own blood. His body was discovered two days later when concerned work colleagues noted that he had not been into work.

    Mr Bamford left the body with a tea towel covering his head.

    CREDIT: Sussex Police
    CREDIT: Sussex Police

    Mr Bamford denied murder and claimed that he was acting out in self-defense after alleging that his victim had tried to rape him. The court heard Bamford describing that Mr Jefferies had “got on top” of him and continued to have sex after Bamford had told him to stop.

    Mr Bamford had sought out Mr Jefferies after accruing £400 in debt. A statement from Sussex Police remarked that they believed that he “went to see Mr Jefferies with the intention of exploiting him for money to pay off his drugs debt.”

    Detective Chief Inspector Tanya Jones, who led the investigation for Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said,

    “This was a horrific attack by a teenage boy who preyed on his victim with the aim of exploiting him for money.

    “The level of violence he inflicted on Paul Jefferies was extreme and then he fled the scene in his victim’s car. He showed no remorse smirking for a selfie photo just hours later.

    “However the jury did not believe his story. Although this can never undo what he has done, I hope it will bring some justice for Paul’s family, friends and colleagues.”

    Mr Bamford will be sentenced on Wednesday.

  • Two men jailed after slashing man’s face in homophobic attack

    Two men jailed after slashing man’s face in homophobic attack

    Two men have been jailed after they were found guilty of robbery and wounding with intent, which left a man in his fifties fearing for his life.

    Pair jailed after homophobic attack in Nottingham
    Nottingham Police Force

    Two men have been jailed after a court in Nottingham found them guilty of robbery and two counts of wounding with intent. Ryan Leverton of no fixed abode was served an eight-year prison sentence and Ashley Deavin of Melford Road, Nottingham was handed down a 15-year jail term.

    The duo attacked and robbed a man in his fifties, shouting homophobic abuse at him in his Nottinghamshire home. The sustained attack took place in May, in which the victim said he felt he had to “fight for his life” and that he “thought he was going to die”.

    The victim was left with slash marks on his body, hands and head after Deavin “waved knife at him during the assault” according to a statement released by Nottingham Police.

    The court also heard how the victim was threatened with having his fingers cut off unless he handed over money. Once they were inside the victim’s home, the court heard how Deavin started punching the victim to the face, causing him to fall to the floor. Deavin and Leverton frogmarched him around the flat as they continued to demand money from him.

    In a witness statement, the victim said Deavin threatened to cut his fingers off unless he gave him the money. His little finger was cut but he managed to wrestle out of Deavin’s and Leverton’s grip.

    Deavin and Leverton were sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday 4 November after being found guilty of the charges.

    The victim, whose wounds needed stitching and glueing at the Queen’s Medical Centre, said it was a totally unprovoked attack which he believed was due to his sexual orientation.

    Temporary Detective Sergeant Sharon Powar, the officer in the case, said,

    “We’re pleased with these sentences which show just how committed we are to taking hate crimes seriously.

    “The victim in this case showed immense bravery in coming forward and we’d encourage anyone affected by hate crime to contact us without hesitation.”

  • Savage who murdered PC he met on Grindr and dissolved his body is found guilty of murder

    Savage who murdered PC he met on Grindr and dissolved his body is found guilty of murder

    The man who murdered a police officer and then disposed of the body by horrifying means is found guilty of his murder and will be sentenced next month.

    mdr27-16brizzi

    A man who killed a serving police officer he met on Grindr has been found guilty of his murder and disposing of his body by dissolving it in acid and other horrific means will be sentenced next month.

    Stefano Brizzi, 50, went to great lengths to dispose of 59-year-old Gordon Semple, by dismembering him and getting rid of him in a manner which “amounts to cannibalism”. Police investigating Semple’s death also revealed that they found “a number of bottles of chemicals scattered over the hallway floor and in the bathroom,” when they arrived at Brizzi’s address.

    Gordon Semple
    CREDIT: Metropolitan Police

    On Friday, 1 April, Gordon Semple, who dedicated 30 years of his working life to the police, was on duty and had been at a meeting in London Bridge. Phone evidence has shown that at just after 14:00hrs that day he used the dating app Grindr to arrange to meet Brizzi for sex at his south London flat.

    That afternoon Brizzi strangled Gordon Semple to death and over the following week set about systematically disposing of his body in a bid to either avoid being caught or ensuring that Gordon could never be identified.

    In a statement released to the press Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Ayling said,

    “Fuelled by drugs, Stefano Brizzi murdered Gordon and then set about systemically disposing of his body, the detail of which is quite frankly distressing to read and hear.

    “The investigation has evidenced the sickening lengths that he went to dismember Gordon and dispose of his remains, not just in the immediate aftermath of the murder but over the days that followed, and amounts to cannibalism.

    “Brizzi clearly and coldly laid a false trail by contacting Gordon on Grindr five days after he himself had murdered him and weaving a fictious account of what took place that afternoon.

    “Brizzi was unaware that Gordon was a police officer and the investigation has proved that the two men had never met before. Only Brizzi will know the reasons why that day he became a killer.”

     

    SHOCKING DETAILS

    Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Ayling continued,

    “The details of Gordon’s murder have shocked and traumatised his partner, family, friends and colleagues.

    “The responding officers and all those involved in the investigation into Gordon’s death have been affected by it, made all the worse by knowing he was a colleague. It is a testimony to their professionalism that Brizzi has been convicted.

    “Sadly, it is clear from the investigation that Gordon, a man who had dedicated the last three decades of his life to policing London, was behaving on duty in a way that no police officer should. Gordon held a position of trust, and he broke that trust.

    “However, nothing should distract from the actions of Stefano Brizzi and the blame for Gordon’s death lies firmly with this man. A killer whose cold calculated actions are so grotesque they are beyond comprehension. Nothing will bring Gordon back, but I hope that the verdict will help all those who loved and cared for him; who considered him a friend and who worked alongside him to come to terms with how they feel and start to move on.”

     

    GRINDR

    The investigation by the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command established that both Gordon and Brizzi routinely used Grindr to meet like-minded men for sex and drug use.

    Over the 24 hours prior to Gordon’s murder, Brizzi was using Grindr to chat to men and invite them to his flat, his messages show that he was getting increasingly frustrated during this time as people failed to show up. He had been taking drugs and had been awake all night.

    Two hours after Gordon had arrived at the flat he continued to use Grindr to invite other men to join them whilst Brizzi’s own messages clearly showed he was becoming less interested in what was happening.

    The last message that Gordon sent that day was at 19:04hrs. Only 20 minutes later a call to Gordon’s mobile went unanswered – Police believe by then he was dead.

    In evidence, the prosecution outlined that Brizzi’s motive was unclear, but he told one of the responding officers that despite not knowing him he simply did not like Gordon.

     

    DEVASTATED FAMILY

    A statement on behalf of the family of Gordon Semple said,

    “Gordon was a loyal and much loved long term partner, brother, brother in law, uncle, cousin and friend to all.

    “We were devastated when the news broke of Gordon’s murder and the circumstances which are still incredibly hard to deal with. It is still insurmountably upsetting.

    “At Gordon’s funeral we met many of his friends and work colleagues – we were proud to hear how fondly they thought of Gordon.

    “Gordon will be sadly missed by our family. Gordon we miss you so much, may you rest in peace.”

     

     

  • A gay couple were homophobically abused in London

    A gay couple were homophobically abused in London

    Two men were subjected to sustained homophobic verbal abuse as they held hands walking across the Jubilee footbridge towards Lambeth.

    homophobic incident in London
    Supplied

    Detectives from Westminster Borough have released footage of a man they would like to speak to in connection with a homophobic incident in Charing Cross close to the Heaven nightclub. The incident took place on August 13th and footage from the rant has just been made available to the public with cops asking the public for information to find the suspect after no arrests have been made.

    Police were called at 02.00am on August 13th after the two men were subjected to anti-gay slurs.

    The two men -aged 28 and 26- walked down the street holding hands they were approached by a man who shouted homophobic abuse at them. The man continued to shout at the victims as they walked west along Jubilee footbridge towards Lambeth.

    One of the victims was able to record the suspect on his mobile phone.

     

    The suspect is described as white, slim and in his early 30s. He was wearing a black top, dark hooded jumper, jeans and trainers.

    Police Constable Emma Rogers, from Westminster CID, said,

    “This is a shocking incident that has left both victims very distressed. We are keen to identify the man in the footage so we can speak to them about the incident. We would also urge anyone who witnessed the incident to contact us.”

    Anyone with information or any witnesses are urged to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

    Homophobic hate crime has continued to rise in London. In April statistics from the Metropolitan Police showed that homophobic crime has soared nearly 20 per cent in one year.

     

  • ACID Lube Man spared jail

    ACID Lube Man spared jail

    The man who tried putting ACID into lube dispensers at a gay sex club in Sydney has been spared jail.

    The man who tried to put hydrochloric acid into lube dispensers at a gay club in Sydney earlier this year has been spared jail. The man, Hengky Irawan, 62, has been handed a ‘good behaviour bond’ instead.

    Owners at the Aarows in Rydalmere were alerted to the actions of Irawan after a detection system fitted to the dispensers drew attention to the tampering.

    Despite the fact that the acid would have caused tremendous injuries had someone used tampered lube, the man, who was described as having a mental illness by his defence, has been handed a ‘good behaviour bond’, meaning that he was spared jail time.

    The Magistrates failed to see the crime as a hate crime.

    Magistrate Beverley Schurr said,

    ‘It was directed towards patrons at the nightclub because he felt aggrieved about being kicked out earlier in the year.

    ‘It was ‘not about their sexual orientation [it was because he was] angry about being excluded himself.’

     

    The court heard how he was kicked out of the club earlier in the year.

  • 75,000 to be awarded a Governmental pardon for the criminal act of being gay

    75,000 to be awarded a Governmental pardon for the criminal act of being gay

    The Government is to hand pardons to tens of thousands of deceased gay and bisexual men who you were criminally convicted of homosexuality.

    Alan Turing
    Public Domain

     

    The UK Government is to start issuing pardons for gay and bisexual men who were convicted of the crime of homosexuality. The Ministry of Justice said that no individuals cases would be singled out.

    Homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK in stages, with the law change in England and Wales in 1967, in Scotland in 1982 and in Northern Ireland in 1982.

    Former Liberal Democrat MP for Manchester Withington, John Leech, who led the successful campaign to pardon Alan Turing, has today secured an agreement with the Government which will grant a posthumous pardon to tens of thousands of gay and bisexual people convicted under long abolished sexual offence laws.

    The decision to accept the amendment has been warmly welcomed by the architect of Alan Turing’s pardon, Cllr. John Leech, who said,

    “For years I have campaigned and fought for this moment and I’m completely overwhelmed that this is finally coming to a positive end.

    “This is a deeply profound and emotional day for my team and I.”

    Those similarly convicted but still alive will also receive pardons if they have successfully applied for a disregard, or in future successfully apply for a disregard under the Protection of Freedoms Act.

    The Government will add their name to the Liberal Democrat amendment to the Policing and Crime Bill that when passed will finally grant the long-awaited pardon to over 75,000 people.

    This has been a long-fought campaign for John Leech who first raised the issue in the Houses of Parliament and began campaigning in 2011.

    Mr Leech submitted several motions to Parliament and campaigned hard to secure the historic pardon, stating that it was “utterly disgusting and ultimately just embarrassing” that the conviction was upheld as long as it was.

    In 2013, Alan Turing was given a posthumous royal pardon and an official apology by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, following the high profile campaign led by John Leech.

    Following the success of his campaign, Mr Leech turned to securing the pardon for the 75,895 other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people who were unfairly convicted for similar offences.

    Alan Turing was a pioneering English computer scientist and mathematician whose groundbreaking work is thought to have brought WWII to an end four years early.

    However, at a trial in 1952, Turing admitted to “acts of gross indecency” before being sentenced to chemical castration. His conviction meant he lost his security clearance and was forced to stop work at Bletchley Park.

    Aged just 41, he was found dead from cyanide poisoning in 1954 with a half-eaten apple by his side. An inquiry concluded that it was suicide.

    It is predicted that Turing’s work saved the lives of an estimated 14 to 21 million.

    Mr Leech said Turing’s persecution “by the state for being gay was a scandal that shouldn’t have ever been allowed to stand”.

    The first motion Mr Leech submitted called for a recognition of the “vital contribution made by Alan Turing to Britain’s war effort” and “regrets that following his years of national service he received a criminal conviction for having a sexual relationship with another man”.

    John Leech concluded: “This is an enormous step forward for LGBTQ+ history and I believe Alan Turing would be truly proud to see tens of thousands of people rightfully vindicated in his name.”

    Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron MP, added: “The Liberal Democrats continue to be the strongest voice on equality in and out of Parliament.

    “This was a manifesto commitment which even in opposition, thanks to the tireless work of John Leech alongside our MPs and peers, we have been able to deliver on.”

  • Teenager raped and robbed in Manchester’s Gay Village

    Teenager raped and robbed in Manchester’s Gay Village

    Police are calling for witnesses after a teenage girl was robbed and held down and raped in Manchester’s gay village.

    Canal Street in Manchester
    © kevers Depositphotos

     

    An 18-year-old woman was held down and raped by a man and two men in Manchester’s gay village on Wednesday (21st September) morning. The attack happened at 2:50AM in Major Street.

    The victim was thrown to the ground and held down as one of the women robbed her – the victim was then raped by the man before the three assailants fled the scene.

    CREDIT: Google Maps 2016Manche

    Detective Inspector Dave Moores said,

    “This was a horrendous attack on a young woman which has, understandably, left her extremely distressed.

    “I would urge anybody who recognises the description of these three and thinks they may have seen them in the city centre area between 2am and 3am to please contact police immediately.”

    The first woman, who helped held the victim down, is described as:
    Approximately 18 years old
    mixed race
    scrawny build
    had her hair tied in a ponytail
    spoke with a local scent
    The second woman, who committed the robbery, is described as:
    In her early 20’s
    mixed race
    had her hair in a messy ponytail
    spoke with a local accent
    The man is described as:
    In his early 20s
    white
    slim build
    clean shaven face
    wearing sports clothing
    Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 1911 Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

     

  • Man accused of pouring ACID into gay club’s lube dispenser appears in court

    A man who was arrested after allegedly pouring highly corrosive ACID into a lube dispenser at a gay club in Sydney, Australia has appeared in court.

    CREDIT: THEGAYUK

     

    Hengky Irawan, 62, from Mortdale appeared in Parramatta Local Court yesterday after he was arrested for tampering with a gay club’s lubricant dispenser. He was charged with administering poison intended to injure or cause distress or pain, as well as entering a building with intent to commit an indictable offence and malicious damage.

    After his initial arrest a month ago, he was granted conditional bail after it emerged that he allegedly tried to replace anal lubricant with hydrochloric acid. 

    Hydrochloric acid is a clear, highly corrosive acid which if comes into contact with skin can cause irreparable damage with a corrosive effect.

    The club had installed security sensors on its dispensers which is how Irawan was apprehended by the club’s security personnel.

    The defendant’s laywer  asked the court for a 6 week adjournment so that Irawan undergo a psychiatric assessment, which was granted.

    The case will continue on the 1st of November.

     

     

  • MP calls for Police to reopen 80’s homophobic murder investigation

    MP calls for Police to reopen 80’s homophobic murder investigation

    Jake Berry MP has called upon the Met police to reopen the murder investigation of a talented gay actor and playwright, Drew Griffiths, calling the initial investigation “scandalous”.

    Mr X Production Photo
    Mr X Production Photo

     

    Mr. Griffith was the victim of a vicious homophobic murder in the summer of 1984. Despite an initial investigation nobody was ever found guilty of his murder. The MP for Rossendale and Darwen said that because the case was not properly investigated, someone has “got away with murder”.

    Jake Berry MP said,

    “It is an absolute scandal that this case was not properly investigated, there is someone out there who has literally got away with murder.

    ‘There are allegations that this case was not properly investigated by the police at the time because of Drew’s sexuality and his work as an activist. Drew’s friends quite rightly want assurances that all potential avenues to solve this murder are pursued.”

    The Metropolitan Police have advised that they are examining the original case files from the 1980’s but have yet to confirm whether the investigation will be formally reopened.”

    Drew’s friend, Glynn Kelly, who brought the case to Mr Berry’s attention said,

    “Drew was lively, witty, intelligent – and great company; He was a dynamic and positive life force.  However, at the time of his murder he was dealing with some mental health issues and was very vulnerable.”