Latest news with #Thamesmead
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Most shocking court cases in 2025 including puppy thief and paedo Bromley teacher
At the halfway point of 2025 we're looking back at six of the most shocking court cases the News Shopper has covered this year. They include a paedophile Bromley teacher, a prison guard who had a relationship with an evil murderer and a puppy thief. Prison workshop officer Hayley Jones (right) admitted having an inappropriate relationship with killer Jordan McSweeney (left) (Image: Met Police/PA) A HMP Belmarsh prison officer accused of having sex with evil murderer Jordan McSweeney for 10 months was jailed. Hayley Jones, 34, was a prison workshop officer at the high security prison in Thamesmead when CCTV footage caught her kissing, touching and playing with McSweeney – who was serving a life sentence for the brutal sexual assault and murder of 35-year-old Zara Aleena in Ilford. Footage also showed the pair leaving rooms which had no CCTV whilst adjusting their clothes. In a letter which was intercepted by guards, McSweeney told another prisoner that he had been 'f***ing the fat thing from the workshop' for 10 months. He also claimed she had been providing him with contraband such as a phone, 'man was living good' McSweeney wrote. Jones admitted kissing and touching took place between her and McSweeney but denies having sex with him or providing him with contraband. She was jailed for nine months. Read the full story here. Paedophile drama teacher Shaun Baker (Image: Met Police) A Bromley drama teacher who raped and sexually abused a pupil from the age of 12 was jailed. Shaun Baker was head of drama at Ravens Wood School in Keston when he groomed a student, made him engage in sexual activity, and raped him multiple times. Baker, now 50, committed the offences in the 2000s but he continued to teach until his arrest in 2021. A jury found Baker guilty of 14 offences including three rapes following a two-week trial at Croydon Crown Court. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Read the full story here. British bulldog puppy Spot was stolen from his owner by Francis Zeta (Image: Met Police/Newsquest) A man who stole a puppy in Orpington while threatening the owner 'stop me and I'll do you' finally admitted the crime five years on. On March 3, 2020, a man in his 30s was walking his weeks-old British bulldog puppy Spot when he noticed two men watching him from a white Mercedes. The dog walker ran away when the men got out of the car, one of them wielding something shiny which looked like a knife, but the men caught up and threatened him before driving off with Spot. Spot was later found wandering a street in Harlow, Essex, on his own and was returned to his owner relatively unharmed, albeit traumatised. Francis Zeta, 38, of Muir Road in Hackney, was arrested two later after being identified as the owner of the Mercedes, but he told police a man who looked just like him had taken his car and committed this dognapping. But in April, Zeta finally pleaded guilty to the robbery - the second man has never been identified. Zeta avoided prison due to his ill health. Read the full story. Shammah Nicholas (pictured) armed himself with two kitchen knives before carrying out a frenzied attack on shopkeepers at Burnt Ash Food and Wine Two Bromley shopkeepers were stabbed in a frenzied attack by a man angered that he was being watched to make sure he didn't steal. Shammah Nicholas' behaviour was described as 'depraved' by his own barrister. The court heard that 22-year-old Nicholas entered Burnt Ash Food and Wine with his sister at around 3.30pm on September 11, 2023. He took exception to that fact that two shopkeepers – men aged 49 and 55 – were observing them to ensure they didn't steal. After a violent confrontation instigated by Nicholas, he left the shop then returned minutes later armed with two large knives. CCTV played in court showed a shirtless Nicholas re-entering the shop just minutes after he left. He chased the shopkeepers around the off-licence in a frenzy, stabbing each of them multiple times before leaving. One shopkeeper was stabbed in the shoulder and still had the knife lodged in him when police arrived. The other was stabbed once in the arm and multiple times in the abdomen area - he said he thought he was going to die as blood was pouring out of him. 'I've lived in England for nearly 40 years and never experienced anything like this,' he said. Read the full story here. Carol Cue, 75, stole £21,000 of jewellery from one of her closest friends, including a ring which had belonged to her friend's dead brother (Image: Met Police) An Eltham pensioner stole £21,000 worth of precious jewellery from one of her closest friends and pawned it to fund a holiday. Elaine Peat, from Welling, had been friends with Carol Cue for over 50 years and said she treated her 'like a sister'. Elaine said she felt 'numb' when she discovered that Cue had been stealing priceless keepsakes from her jewellery box including a ring which had belonged to her dead brother. Cue then revealed she had pawned many of the items and had spent the money whilst staying at Elaine's holiday home in France. Cue, 75, pleaded guilty to theft and narrowly avoided being sent to prison by a judge who described her actions as 'mean and despicable'. Read the full story here. Fatih Hassan (Image: Met Police) A thug was jailed for repeatedly stabbing a dad in front of his eight-month-old baby at the Chislehurst War Memorial. Mekseb Eyobraya had arranged to meet his ex-partner at the memorial at 3pm on June 8 last year to pick up the baby. But her new man, Fatih Hassan, also turned up carrying a knife which he used to stab Mekseb in the thigh and back. There was no animosity between any of the parties prior to this meeting and lawyers were at a loss to explain what provoked Hassan to carry out the near-fatal attack. Hassan, 31, of Avalon Road in Orpington, was jailed for 14 years.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Have your say on plans to extend the DLR to Thamesmead and Beckton Riverside
Transport for London is asking people to have their say on plans to extend the DLR across the river from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead, with a stop at Beckton Riverside. The public consultation, which runs from June 23 to August 17, covers the proposed route, new station locations and how the extension could be delivered. TfL wants to build a new station at Beckton Riverside, opposite Gallions Reach Shopping Park, as part of a wider plan for a new town centre with homes, shops, jobs and community facilities. At the other end, a station at Thamesmead Waterfront would serve a 100-hectare site owned by housing association Peabody, which is set to be transformed with thousands of homes and a new town centre. The extension would mean faster journeys, with travel times of around 25 minutes to Stratford, 30 minutes to London Bridge and 35 minutes to Tottenham Court Road. TfL is asking for views on the route, station locations, construction issues, environmental impacts and how the scheme could be delivered. The feedback will help shape the next stage of design, with a more detailed consultation expected next year. TfL is working with local councils, the Greater London Authority and major landowners to support new homes, jobs and town centre upgrades in Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead. According to TfL this follows a positive response to an earlier consultation last year, when 75 per cent of people said it would make getting around east and south east London quicker. However, the News Shopper has previously found that not all residents are convinced. When reporter Alex Marsh visited Thamesmead to ask residents of their thoughts, most people seemed indifferent to the proposals. Of nearly a dozen residents spoken to near the shopping parade by the clock tower, only one supported the DLR extension. Some said the area is already well served by buses, while others preferred the idea of a road bridge across the Thames instead. One long-time resident told the News Shopper he felt the plan was 'for the politicians' and not for local people, adding, 'I would rather they didn't build a station, because it brings in more people and then more pollution.' TfL claims the extension would link two 'Opportunity Areas' and four major development sites, including some of London's largest unused land. TfL says poor transport links are holding back these areas, but the plan includes a tunnel under the Thames, similar to the DLR extension to Woolwich Arsenal in 2009. If approved, it could unlock up to 30,000 homes and 10,000 jobs, with an estimated economic impact of £15.6 billion. The public can respond to the consultation to the DLR extension to Thamesmead and Beckton Riverside can be found online at Alex Williams, TfL's Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, said: 'The case to extend the DLR from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead via Beckton Riverside is clear as it provides a crucial opportunity to create new homes, jobs and economic growth by linking two major growth areas with two new accessible stations. 'It's really important to get feedback from those who may benefit from the extension in future, as this will help shape the scheme as we progress through to the next stages of planning.' A spokesperson for the Royal Borough of Greenwich said: 'Extending the DLR would transform Thamesmead and provide a huge connectivity boost to south-east London and beyond. 'Thamesmead is the only London postcode without a direct train link, and our residents deserve the same connectivity as the rest of the capital. 'As we've seen with the Elizabeth Line in Woolwich, a new station could reimagine Thamesmead and unlock up to 10,000 homes, thousands of jobs and new public spaces too. 'We encourage all our residents and businesses to get involved with this conversation and give TfL your views so we can move forward.' TfL plans to apply for permission in autumn 2026. If funding and approval go ahead, work could start in the late 2020s and the line could open in the early 2030s.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Consultation launched on Thamesmead DLR extension
Transport for London (TfL) has opened a public consultation on plans to extend the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) across the River Thames from east to south-east proposals would see the service extend from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead via the Beckton would include two new stations - one at Beckton Riverside and another at Thamesmead Waterfront with a tunnel built under the River Thames to connect the claims journey times from Thamesmead could be cut to about 25 minutes to Stratford and 35 minutes to Tottenham Court Road. It says the scheme could unlock up to 30,000 new homes and 10,000 new jobs, and estimates an economic impact of £15.6bnAlex Williams, TfL's chief customer and strategy officer, said the case for the extension "is clear as it provides a crucial opportunity to create new homes, jobs and economic growth".He urged the public to give their feedback on the plans. The consultation follows a previous exercise in 2023, when 75% of respondents supported the proposals, according to polling showed 85% of residents in the area backed the plans. The scheme is being developed with the Greater London Authority, Greenwich Council, Newham Council and several major landowners.A spokesperson for Greenwich Council said: "Thamesmead is the only London postcode without a direct train link, and our residents deserve the same connectivity as the rest of the capital."As we've seen with the Elizabeth Line in Woolwich, a new station could reimagine Thamesmead."TfL plans to submit a Transport and Works Act Order in 2026. Subject to approval and funding, construction could begin in the late 2020s, with services running by the early consultation runs until 17 August.
The Sun
14-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Our tower block is covered in flammable cladding EIGHT YEARS after Grenfell – the council is gambling with our lives
RESIDENTS living in eight London tower blocks - once branded 'unsafe' by Sir Keir Starmer - have accused their Labour-run council of ignoring life-threatening fire risks. Eight years on from the Grenfell Tower tragedy, locals of Royal Artillery Quays (RAQ) in Thamesmead, east London, say that Greenwich Council is 'allowing history to repeat itself'. 14 14 14 After five years, developers are finally set to replace external cladding this month, but leaseholders have warned that internal fire safety issues are still being ignored - putting their lives in danger. Pointing to the Grenfell tragedy, which claimed the lives of 72 people, RAQ Residents Association chair Stephen Day slammed councillors for 'abandoning' him and his neighbours. Speaking to The Sun, he fumed: "The inquiry said that concerns from residents regarding building safety were completely quashed and rubbished. "It essentially said that, going forwards, residents need to be listened to whether you agree with them or not. "Greenwich Council is failing. It should be listening to its residents and that is just not happening. "It is belittling this campaign that we have fought so hard for over the past five years. "We just want to try and get these buildings safe." The current project to remedy the external cladding was only agreed after a damning 2022 report from engineering firm Urban Change. All eight buildings were deemed a "high fire risk", with the investigation pointing to "poor workmanship" in the installation of the external wall insulation (EWI). It found that some fire break fittings were missing, they were made of plastic instead of steel and the expanded polystyrene (EPS) render was not thick enough. Government 'failed', 'dishonest' firms & 'indifferent' landlords – damning report into Grenfell tragedy which killed 72 Works to replace 90% of the building facade were approved by the independent building safety regulator and will be undertaken by developers Barratt, who originally built the RAQ complex in 2002. But residents argue there are major internal defects in the tower blocks that will remain untouched, sparking huge concerns. They pointed to a fire stopping survey completed by officials in 2019, commissioned by RAQ property manager Rendall & Rittner. Greenwich Council is failing. It should be listening to its residents and that is just not happening. It is belittling this campaign that we have fought so hard for over the past five years. We just want to try and get these buildings safe. Stephen DayRAQ Residents Association chair The purpose of the inspection was to test whether internal areas and rooms had sufficient structural integrity to prevent fires spreading from one part of the building to another. It revealed that three out of the eight tower blocks did not meet the minimum statutory safety requirements. As a result, the inspectors reported that any fire at the properties could result in "significant loss" and potentially lead to prosecution of the responsible person(s). The cost to replace similar issues discovered at the London Olympic Village is rumoured to be £432million. Another worry for the leaseholders is that the single stair fire escape - the only route out in the event of a fire - is surrounded by "highly combustible" grey panels on each floor. 14 The Urban Change report argued that the aluminium corner panels in the stairwell should only be replaced on the first two storeys This is despite the insulation used in these panels having a Euroclass E rating - one of the highest levels of combustibility according to the fire class system. The buildings garnered national attention in 2021 when Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer stood outside the towers and described the situation as 'obviously wrong'. Speaking outside the tower blocks, he said: 'We need a task force to put some energy behind this. How Grenfell tower disaster unfolded By Summer Raemason THE Grenfell Tower fire which killed 72 people was the result of "decades of failure", a long-awaited report into the blaze has found last year. The west London tower block was covered in combustible products because of the "systematic dishonesty" of firms who made and sold the cladding and insulation, the inquiry chairman said. Sir Martin Moore-Bick called out "deliberate and sustained" manipulation of fire-safety testing, misrepresentation of test data and misleading of the market. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the report identified "substantial and widespread failings", adding that the Government will carefully consider its recommendations "to ensure that such a tragedy cannot occur again". The seven-volume and near-1,700 page final report of the inquiry into the disaster laid out in damning detail how those in positions of responsibility had not heeded or acted on warnings from earlier fires. 'At the moment almost everybody is saying it's a bad situation, but it's not really my responsibility. 'The result is that innocent leaseholders here, who are living in accommodation which is unsafe, are being asked to pick up the bill. 'That is obviously wrong and if it is obviously wrong, do something about it. 'Three and a half years after Grenfell, this is not on. Most people would not believe this is the situation we're in. 'We owe it to all those affected to do something about it.' 14 14 14 Locals allege that plans to fix the internal defects are not going ahead because Greenwich Council refuses to support their claims that regulations were breached at the time of construction. In an email seen by The Sun, initial plans appeared to show a fire door between the tower entrance and the lift lobby. But when our reporters were taken for a tour of the property, it was clear that no such door had ever existed. Ongoing battle Catherine Dugué, who has lived in Tideslea Tower for more than two decades, fumed: 'It never occurred to me that our local council would not support us, but rather fight against us. 'With the murderous tragedy of Grenfell Tower, and the shock that our homes too have unsafe cladding, I fully expected that the council would support and help us. 'We need Greenwich Council to support us and the internal defects need to be fully remediated. 'The council needs to retract its report that there was no evidence of building regulation breaches at the time of construction. "I was there. I know the staircase was not enclosed.' In a letter to all residents, Greenwich Council said: "The Council was asked if it could exercise power under the Building Act 1984 to ensure that necessary remediation works were carried out. "The Council's position is that there is no evidence to support action under the act. "This is not to say that there are no issues with the construction of RAQ; indeed, everyone agrees remediation works are necessary. 14 14 "That position does not undermine the role of the BSR or the fact that remediation works have now been agreed. "Building safety laws have changed since the original construction, and our focus is on moving forward to ensure the works agreed are completed within the timescale." Mast Quay, another development less than two miles away, was ordered to be torn down in 2023 and rebuilt after Greenwich Council said its towers were too different from approved plans. Developer Comer Homes Group breached 26 planning conditions and allowed renters to move in, despite warnings to keep the flats empty while an investigation was ongoing. And now residents have questioned why those towers were ordered to be demolished, while no similar action has been taken against the builders of RAQ. It comes after an announcement last year that the RAQ developers would join a £150m Government-led venture to build thousands of homes across the country. The partnership brings together Barratt, the UK's leading housebuilder and Homes England, the Government body responsible for housebuilding. A Barratt Redrow spokesperson said: 'We are fully committed to remediating any fire safety issues identified in the original construction of these buildings. "This is at no cost to leaseholders, in line with the Developer Remediation Contract we signed in 2023, and we look forward to starting work later this month, subject to all relevant permissions being in place.' Council response A spokesperson for the Royal Borough of Greenwich said: 'On the anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire, our thoughts as always are with the communities impacted by the disaster. We stand in solidarity with the Grenfell community. 'Royal Artillery Quays is a private residential development built by Barratt Homes. "Although it does not have the same cladding as Grenfell Tower, we share the same concerns as residents about fire safety and the uncertainty they have faced due to the delay in cladding being replaced. "The Government's Building Safety Regulator (BSR) was set up in response to Grenfell disaster to ensure that there was a single regulator and that the buildings it is responsible for, including Royal Artillery Quays, meet the highest and most recent safety standards. "Everyone in Royal Greenwich should have a safe and secure home and we welcome the fact that action is now happening: the BSR has now approved Barratt's remediation plans and work will take place later this month." Do you know more? Email 14 14 14
BBC News
10-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Thamesmead Waterfront: The London site with room for 15,000 homes
They are two vast sites on the banks of the Thames in east London and you probably haven't heard about the chances are you might are huge development areas called Thamesmead Waterfront and Beckton Riverside. Both are brownfield sites and are earmarked for huge housing developments of thousands of homes, shops and problem is these are among the few areas in London without a rail or Tube link and that is stalling the developers and the mayor want is a commitment from government to an extension of the Dockland Light Railway (DLR).Could that happen in the chancellor's Spending Review? Ed Mayes is the executive director for development at Lendlease, which will develop the Thamesmead site."Our priority for Thamesmead in particular is the DLR extension. We have already got commitment from the mayor and there is commitment from Tfl for the initial stage of funding," he told BBC London. "But what we really need is a government commitment that subject to that initial stage of work they are willing to help fund the actual delivery of the DLR."He says a transport link is crucial."It's been proven across London that transport infrastructure unlocks delivery of homes; that's happened with the Jubilee line and the Elizabeth line, it will continue to happen."This is an area of London that has amazing potential: there could be 15,000 homes at Thamesmead Waterfront, another 15,000 on the north of the river in Beckton - all unlocked by that extension."In addition, there's future potential if it was extended in the future. That will unlock homes, much-needed affordable homes for London, but also the jobs and enterprise that comes with that." It is perhaps no surprise that London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan is framing what transport infrastructure he wants in terms of course, creating housing through transport links is not a new idea in the capital. Just one example is the Metropolitan line creating the suburbs in the north west of London dubbed "Metroland".Today, the main projects on the City Hall wish list are the DLR extension to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead Waterfront, the Bakerloo extension and the West London of them link areas where thousands of homes could be links do not come cheap though and are beyond the realms of Tfl's budget and so funding would have to come from government.A DLR link to Thamesmead would cost about £1.5bn and involve a tunnel under the Hall said in a statement: "The mayor wants to work in partnership with government to support the national growth agenda. With the right investment and devolution of powers, there is a huge opportunity to unlock growth; create new jobs; attract international investment; and ensure London contributes more to the national economy and the Exchequer's finances." Just down the road from Thamesmead is Abbey Wood. It got an Elizabeth line station three years ago. Once known as the cheapest postcode in London, the area is Lewis is executive director for sustainable places at Peabody, which developed the Southmere Lake site in Abbey Wood. "I think in any part of London that's changing, if there hasn't been an established market or people don't know the area, you need to give some confidence, you need a reason to come and visit," he said. "I think with the arrival of the Elizabeth line, people really understood that it was a new area opening up to a lot of Londoners so we saw people from east London coming here to visit for the first time and recognise all the open areas and green space."People started to recognise this was somewhere they wanted to view and ultimately move to."There have been objections to the Southmere Lake redevelopment, though, with opponents saying some of the homes demolished to make way for it should instead have been refurbished. As regards Thamesmead Waterfront, a project he is also involved in, Mr Lewis says transport infrastructure is critical."I think what's really exciting about the Waterfront is 100 hectares of land that's hardly been developed at all. In London terms that's unheard of."You have two kilometres of the waterfront of the Thames and we have got the capacity to get 15,000 homes built and a million square feet of other uses. "It would be a new neighbourhood for London, but the critical thing we need to make that happen is the arrival of excellent public transport - which is bringing the DLR over to Thamesmead." The government's target is to build 1.5 million new homes by if London can't deliver a large number of new homes, there is little chance the government will hit that number. To do that, it will mean transport infrastructure being funded to reach the undeveloped sites in Thamesmead and Beckton.
