Essex News & Investigations

A British man who appeared in slick rap videos while running a sophisticated drugs importation operation that turned over 'more than £1 million a month' is being sought by police to serve a lengthy jail term he was sentenced to in his absence. Arlten Lewis-Turner, 35, (both pictures above) known as C Montana to 34,000 Instagram followers, absconded after 'spending £700,000' on a series of unsuccesful legal challenges to try to get the charges dropped. He was sentenced to 23 y

THREE people, including a child, were injured during a road collision involving a motorbike in Shaftesbury Avenue, central London. Emergency services, including an air ambulance, were dispatched to the scene last night after a road traffic accident involving a motorbike, the London Ambulance Service has confirmed. Police, London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade were on the scene in Shaftesbury Avenue, central London, last night (April 21 2026) from 6:17pm. Part o

Officers are trialling new retail crime reporting technology designed to rapidly identify suspects as part of wider efforts to tackle shoplifting. The technology, which has been piloted in areas such as Lewisham and central London since January, allows retailers to submit reports and CCTV footage instantly. This gives officers immediate access to high‑quality evidence at the point of reporting and helps identify repeat offenders operating across boroughs. Since its rollout, t

A BIG police response in Longwood Gardens, near Clayhall, Ilford, last night was after a woman was assaulted. Police in about five vehicles were seen in the road near one of the entrances to Clayhall Park. London Ambulance Service vehicles were also seen at the scene from about 9pm. Video taken at the scene shows vehicles on blue lights and several police officers in the street. A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 8.17pm on 19 April to reports of

POLICE are investigating after a man involved in a fight was seen to pull out a firearm. No one has been caught after the incident in Eastern Road, Walthamstow. A Met Police spokesperson said: "Police were called at 1:19pm on Wednesday, 1 April following reports of a disturbance on Eastern Road, E17. "Witnesses reported seeing two men fighting, with one man carrying a firearm. "Officers attended and located a man with minor injuries. "Searches took place in the area with s

AN ATTACKER is still at large after two staff members from Leicester Square's The Moon Under Water pub were sprayed with a substance this morning (April 20 2026). A male suspect reportedly said: "I'm going to light you" before a substance was hurled at the two employees at about 4:50am. A Met Police spokesperson said: "Police were called at around 5:00am on Monday, 20 April to a pub on Leicester Square, Westminster following reports of two members of staff being assaulted. “I

There is an increased police presence in Kensington Gardens today (April 17 2026) as officers are assessing a number of discarded items to rule out any connection to claims about the Israeli Embassy. A Met Police statement said: "As a precaution, some of the officers who have been deployed are wearing protective clothing. We recognise this may concern local residents and the wider public. We do not believe there to be any increased public safety risk at this stage, but we wou

THE Met Police's pledge to start 24/7 patrols of Leicester Square and Soho has been called into question after officers were unable to attend an alleged sexual assault on a woman for an hour and a half. The suspect was only arrested after private security officers from My Local Bobby (MLB), who had detained him and requested police attendance, marched him to a police station. The incident also raises questions about the Met's commitment to combatting violence and sex abuse ag

Police are investigating how a bag containing a force laptop and phone ended up in the lost property of a central London eatery nine days after it was stolen. The rucksack was reported as being stolen from an off-duty officer while he was in a venue in Great Portland Street, at about 5:40pm on March 30 this year. It was handed into Charing Cross police station on April 8 after being found in the lost property of a different venue, a restaurant, within 1km of the location of t

A man who subjected two young children to abuse over 15 years has been jailed following an investigation by Met detectives. Anthony Adewale Sobogun, 61 (04.03.65), of Thistlewood Crescent, Croydon was sentenced to 28 years' imprisonment at Inner London Crown Court today, Wednesday, 15 April. He had previously been found guilty of 17 non-recent sexual abuse offences against two children. The offending includes multiple incidents of sexual intercourse with a girl under the age