Old Bailey in the headlines for high-profile UK court cases, from murder trials to espionage and corruption. Historic Central Criminal Court in London.
On March 19, 2026, two men, Nematollah Shahsavani and Alireza Farasati, were charged in London under the UK's National Security Act for allegedly conducting hostile surveillance on Israeli and Jewish sites between July and August 2025. The suspects face accusations of spying on embassies, synagogues, and community centers on behalf of Iranian intelligence. Both remain in custody pending trial.
A UK court has found a Border Force officer and a Hong Kong trade official guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service by spying on Hong Kong pro‑democracy figures and others in Britain. The nine‑week trial, which has marked a rare conviction for Chinese espionage on British soil, will lead to sentencing for the two men in due course.
A 45-year-old man, Clifton George, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his partner, Annabel Rook, in Stoke Newington, north London. The court heard detailed evidence of abuse, a prolonged relationship, and a gas-explosion caused by a gas canister ignition after the stabbing. Rook, a charity worker and co-founder of MamaSuze, is remembered for her altruism. The judge described the killer as volatile and the relationship as dangerous.
A series of trials and court filings have laid out allegations that Iranian-backed groups have recruited individuals in Europe to target journalists connected to Iran International and other outlets. The trials describe plans to carry out violence for money, with suspects found in the UK possessing weapons and mounting surveillance operations.