Top stories from mum ‘put in unaffordable home’ to man accused of …

Welcome to London’s Big 5, where we bring together the biggest stories from across the capital all in one place, twice a day. This Wednesday (April 26), we have stories affecting Londoners from all walks of life, from a grim court case, to a young mum’s housing plight and a resident’s ULEZ concerns.

Yesterday (April 25), a court heard how a former lorry driver allegedly killed and mutilated a sex worker at her Southall^[1] flat in a campaign of “violent and sexual offending against women”. David Smith, 66, is accused of viciously murdering Sarah Crump, 33, after employing her services as an escort.

In the rest of this morning’s daily digest, a mum from Hackney says she has been forced into debt after moving into a house with her daughter that she couldn’t afford, A petrol tanker driver claims he will have to shell out more than £600 a month to get to work if the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)^[2] is rolled out and more.

1. Lorry driver who ‘raped mum in front of her kids’ accused of twisted murder and mutilation of escort years later

Sarah Crump’s naked and mutilated body was found by police in her West London flat in the early hours of August 29, 1991. David Smith, 66, is on trial at Inner London Crown Court accused of the murder of Ms Crump (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

A former lorry driver allegedly killed and mutilated a sex worker at her Southall flat in a campaign of “violent and sexual offending against women”, a court has heard. David Smith, 66, is accused of viciously murdering Sarah Crump, 33, after employing her services as an escort on August 29, 1991.

She was found a few days later in her bedroom with her breasts cut off, her chest opened and her internal organs placed on the bed. Appearing today (April 25) at Inner London Crown Court,^[4] jurors heard that he had developed “fascinations and obsessions” with both using escorts and several of the women he paid for sex in the years before her death.

He was later convicted in 1999 of murdering and mutilating another sex worker, 21-year-old Amanda Walker, whose decomposing body was discovered in the grounds of the Royal Horticultural Society. Smith also has previous convictions for raping a young mum in front of her children and the attempted rape of another escort, just days before Ms Crump was killed.

Read the full story here.^[5]

2. London council ‘put mum in home she insisted she couldn’t afford’ – now she’s being evicted for not keeping up with the rent

Ms Bennett was a full-time student with a young daughter when she went to Hackney Council looking for a place to live (Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon)

A mum from Hackney says she has been forced into debt after moving into a house with her daughter that she couldn’t afford. On top of that now, she has now been offered a choice between a studio flat in temporary accommodation or else ending up on the street.

Ms Bennett was a full-time student with a young daughter when she went to Hackney^[6] Council looking for a place to live. The 22-year-old says she tried to find a new property through the privately rented scheme offered by the council unsuccessfully.

Her income needs were assessed by a housing officer and the DWP^[7] and the accommodation she found was judged to have been affordable. She received confirmation that her Universal Credit^[8] entitlement was sufficient to pay her rent and cover her living costs comfortably

Read the full interview here.^[9]

3. Worried petrol tanker driver claims he will have to shell out more than £600 a month to get to work if ULEZ is rolled out in South London

The driver said there is no public transport to get him across three counties at such unsociable hours

A petrol tanker driver claims he will have to shell out more than £600 a month to get to work if the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is rolled out in South London. The Sutton^[10] resident of 23 years said he has to drive to a depot in Essex, through three counties, and his job starts at unsociable hours not served by public transport.

Speaking at an emotive Sutton Council, meeting attended by more than 70 residents, on Monday (April 24). He said: “I work long 14-hour shifts that start at unsocial times, my day shifts start at 4am and the night shifts at 4pm.

“I drive 50 miles each way to the terminal in Essex, there is no public transport to get me across three counties at such unsociable hours. I currently pay £300 per month for fuel and Dartford crossing fees, if ULEZ comes in this will rise to more than £600 a month.”

Read the full story here.^[11]

4. Miserable locals living near Soho sex shops say their streets are a ‘no-go area’ with punters throwing up on their doorstep and gangs ‘preying and robbing’ people

Neon lights posting the way to sex shops in the soho district of Central london

Locals living near Soho sex shops say have to deal with punters throwing up on their doorstep and gangs ‘preying and robbing’ people, a council meeting heard. Residents claim some streets are a “no-go area” where “touts, robbers, drug dealers and pedicab drivers” loiter and approach people as they leave nearby pubs and clubs.

They also referenced a 2020 study outlining crime in the area to be 10 to 13 times higher at night. One objector wrote to the council to say: “Dealers congregate on the street approaching people as they walk by. There are more dealers in the area at night than during the day. This is directly linked to the large number of late-night premises and people out on the street which creates the drugs market.

“Pickpockets also operate in the area, some being part of a well-organised criminal group who arrive in a van at night and disperse into Soho^[12] before returning to be driven away. Residents are also subjected to anti-social behaviour with people vomiting and urinating in the street”.

Read the full article here.^[13]

5. The London pub next to the Thames that floods leaving punters sat in water up to their waist – but they love it

The City Barge in Chiswick (Image: Emma Lippold)

The City Barge is a 14th Century pub that sits on the Thames riverside, but sometimes punters get the chance to get even closer to the water than they expected. Nestled in the picturesque area of Strand on the Green in Chiswick^[14], the popular pub can leave visitors sat with their legs up to escape the rising Thames tide.

Due to the riverside location, when the tide is in the water reaches high up turning the seating area into a makeshift pond. The chairs and tables float around and guests instead search for higher ground and sit with their legs up in the air while others take a seat on top of the tables.

While the seating area provides a unique and fun experience, the pub^[15] is popular in itself thanks to its great food. They also serve a range of drinks, including seven rotating hand pull ales and an extensive wine list. The full a la carte menu is available for lunch and dinner every day and they also open for breakfast on the weekends.

Read the full story here.^[16]

That’s it from us today, we’ll be back this afternoon with more top stories.

Want more from MyLondon? Sign up to our daily newsletters for all the latest and greatest from across London here.^[17]

References

1. ^{^} Southall (www.mylondon.news)
2. ^{^} Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) (www.mylondon.news)
3. ^{^} Top stories yesterday afternoon from Tube strikes could continue until Christmas to the neighbourhood more like a village in the Cotswolds (www.mylondon.news)
4. ^{^} Court, (www.mylondon.news)
5. ^{^} Read the full story here. (www.mylondon.news)
6. ^{^} Hackney (www.mylondon.news)
7. ^{^} DWP (www.mylondon.news)
8. ^{^} Universal Credit (www.mylondon.news)
9. ^{^} Read the full interview here. (www.mylondon.news)
10. ^{^} Sutton (www.mylondon.news)
11. ^{^} Read the full story here. (www.mylondon.news)
12. ^{^} Soho (www.mylondon.news)
13. ^{^} Read the full article here. (www.mylondon.news)
14. ^{^} Chiswick (www.mylondon.news)
15. ^{^} pub (www.mylondon.news)
16. ^{^} Read the full story here. (www.mylondon.news)
17. ^{^} here. (www.mylondon.news)