
‘Titanic' flood disrupts Old Bailey courtrooms
One witness said: 'It was like the Titanic – you could hear the water lapping in the corridor.'
FW Pomeroy's Statue of Justice stands atop the Central Criminal Court building (Jonathan Brady/PA)
Judges at the Grade II listed Central Criminal Court, in London, hear some of the most serious and complex cases in England and Wales, including murder and terrorism trials.
With foundations dating back to the Roman era, the building is constructed atop the underground River Fleet, a tributary of the Thames.
The Old Bailey, which houses 18 courtrooms, has been affected by floods in the past, as well as plumbing issues dubbed 'the Great Stink'.
Last February, around 1,500 people were evacuated from the Old Bailey and surrounding offices after a fire broke out in an electrical substation at the rear of the building.
Multiple explosions were heard and courtrooms were plunged into darkness before fire alarms sounded.

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Glasgow Times
15 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Notting Hill Carnival zombie knife attacker jailed for 18 years
Rumarni Tuitt, 19, used a 12-inch knife to slice open the stomach of 18-year-old Kamani Spooner on August 26 last year. Tuitt was caught carrying a Rambo knife which he swung out at Notting Hill Carnival the year before, although no-one was injured, the Old Bailey heard. He was serving a community order for that offence when he attacked Mr Spooner in front of a crowd of revellers. The defendant, from Walthamstow, east London, was found guilty of attempted murder having admitted possession of a knife. Jailing him for 18 years on Friday, Judge Judy Khan KC said: 'It is not the first time you have travelled to the carnival armed with a fearsome weapon. 'On this occasion, you used it to devastating effect. It is fortunate Mr Spooner escaped with his life. 'There can be no excuse for committing an offence of this gravity.' The attack was in front of a 'substantial number' of people and lunging out with a knife in a crowded public place put others at risk of being injured, she said. Previously, prosecutor Mark Paltenghi had said the two young men did not know each other before their paths crossed in Canal Way, west London, just before 8pm. During the attack, Tuitt had 'sliced open Mr Spooner's stomach with a 12-inch zombie knife' and then stabbed him four more times in the side and back and cut his right forearm. The knife used by Rumarni Tuitt in the attack (Met Police/PA) Mr Spooner told police he spent much of the day at the carnival drinking with his friends. Towards the end of the day, a fight broke out around him with three people close by throwing punches, according to his account. Mr Paltenghi had said: 'He then recalls being hit in the back and upon looking at his arm, saw it had been cut, then looked down and saw that his intestines were hanging out. 'He put his hand over them and just ran. 'He cannot cast any light on why it was he would have been attacked.' Tuitt claimed that he was acting in self defence and jurors were told there was no evidence he harboured a grievance against Mr Spooner. In mitigation, Sheryl Nwosu said the defendant's young age, immaturity and neurodivergeance had affected his actions. He had displayed 'impulsive and reckless' decision making by choosing to attend Notting Hill Carnival armed with a weapon out of a 'perceived need for self protection', Ms Nwosu said. As Tuitt was being sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, a woman in the public gallery broke down in tears.

South Wales Argus
17 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Notting Hill Carnival zombie knife attacker jailed for 18 years
Rumarni Tuitt, 19, used a 12-inch knife to slice open the stomach of 18-year-old Kamani Spooner on August 26 last year. Tuitt was caught carrying a Rambo knife which he swung out at Notting Hill Carnival the year before, although no-one was injured, the Old Bailey heard. He was serving a community order for that offence when he attacked Mr Spooner in front of a crowd of revellers. The defendant, from Walthamstow, east London, was found guilty of attempted murder having admitted possession of a knife. Jailing him for 18 years on Friday, Judge Judy Khan KC said: 'It is not the first time you have travelled to the carnival armed with a fearsome weapon. 'On this occasion, you used it to devastating effect. It is fortunate Mr Spooner escaped with his life. 'There can be no excuse for committing an offence of this gravity.' The attack was in front of a 'substantial number' of people and lunging out with a knife in a crowded public place put others at risk of being injured, she said. Previously, prosecutor Mark Paltenghi had said the two young men did not know each other before their paths crossed in Canal Way, west London, just before 8pm. During the attack, Tuitt had 'sliced open Mr Spooner's stomach with a 12-inch zombie knife' and then stabbed him four more times in the side and back and cut his right forearm. The knife used by Rumarni Tuitt in the attack (Met Police/PA) Mr Spooner told police he spent much of the day at the carnival drinking with his friends. Towards the end of the day, a fight broke out around him with three people close by throwing punches, according to his account. Mr Paltenghi had said: 'He then recalls being hit in the back and upon looking at his arm, saw it had been cut, then looked down and saw that his intestines were hanging out. 'He put his hand over them and just ran. 'He cannot cast any light on why it was he would have been attacked.' Tuitt claimed that he was acting in self defence and jurors were told there was no evidence he harboured a grievance against Mr Spooner. In mitigation, Sheryl Nwosu said the defendant's young age, immaturity and neurodivergeance had affected his actions. He had displayed 'impulsive and reckless' decision making by choosing to attend Notting Hill Carnival armed with a weapon out of a 'perceived need for self protection', Ms Nwosu said. As Tuitt was being sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, a woman in the public gallery broke down in tears.


The Herald Scotland
18 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Police worker gets final warning over handling of 999 call before four deaths
The four were all found inside a property in Allan Bedford Crescent in Costessey, Norfolk. Post-mortem examinations recorded that all four died of neck wounds. The deaths of the two girls and their aunt were being treated as murder, while the death of Mr Kuczynski was not being treated as suspicious. Norfolk Police said officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the killings. Four people were found dead inside the property near Norwich (Joe Giddens/ PA) The force had received a 999 call from Mr Kuzcynski on the morning of January 19 but officers were not deployed to the address until an hour later when police were called by a concerned dog walker, watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said. In an audio recording of the call, Mr Kuczynski said: 'I am walking with the knife, I have just lost the plot.' Mr Kuczynski expressed concerns about his own mental state and said he was confused. The call handler advised him to seek medical advice and police did not attend the property as a result of the call. When questioned as part of the IOPC investigation, the call handler said he did not hear the word 'knife' and would have acted differently had he done so. The call handler was initially suspended but returned to work following a review and was put on restricted duties. Norfolk Police said on Friday that a member of staff had been given a final written warning following a misconduct investigation into the handling of the 999 call. The force said in a statement: 'The IOPC investigation concluded the call handler had a case to answer for misconduct based on their handling of the call and failing to record their risk assessment in their decision-making. 'The force accepted this conclusion, and a misconduct meeting was held on June 26 2025 where the chair determined misconduct to be proven and issued a final written warning for 12 months.' The misconduct meeting was not held in public. Norfolk Police said that the worker remains employed by the force as a member of police staff, and is no longer on restricted duties. A full inquest into the deaths is anticipated to take place in 2026 pending the completion of a Domestic Homicide Review.