London murders of four women in three weeks ‘horrific’, says Sadiq Khan (2024)

Sadiq Khan says the brutal London murders of four women in three weeks is “absolutely heartbreaking” and vowed to tackle violent crime if given a historic third term.

Police found Kamonnan Thiamphanit, 27, stabbed to death at a £4 million Grade II-listed property on Stanhope Place, Bayswater near Hyde Park around 8.30am on Monday.

Last Saturday, Kennedi Westcarr-Sabaroche, 25, was discovered dead in a Vauxhall car in Hackney.

The dismembered torso of Sarah Mayhew, 38, was dumped in a Croydon park on April 2.

Goldsmiths College student Zhe Wang, 31, was fatally stabbed in Hither Green, Lewisham on March 20.

A spokesman for the London mayor said: “These murders are absolutely heartbreaking and Sadiq’s thoughts remain with their loved ones at this unimaginably awful time.

“Tackling violence against women and girls is an absolute top priority and that’s why he’s investing in policing and prevention, tackling the causes of these horrific crimes.”

A source close to him added: “The Tory government has imposed £1billion cuts on the Met with a devastating impact on the services that keep women safe.

“By contrast, Sadiq has invested a record £163m on tacking violence against women and girls in London.”

Susan Hall, Mr Khan’s Conservative opponent at the mayoral elections on May 2, said: “My thoughts are with the friends and family of the four women who have been murdered in recent weeks.

“It is truly shocking and heartbreaking.

“Everyone in our city deserves to feel safe, and to be safe, and I am determined to do all I can to reduce crime and make London safer for women.”

Lib-Dem Rob Blackie, another frontrunner, claimed there had been a “failure to tackle violence against women and girls under Sadiq Khan”.

He said: “Clear-up rates for rape and sexual assault have halved since he became mayor. And that is really because there hasn’t been any political attention to the problem.

“Police need the right IT and equipment. We have lost many cases due to freezers used to keep forensic evidence not being up to standard. Very often the same man will commit crimes again and again if you don’t catch them the first time.

“My top priority would be to get more money into the Met by abolishing Khan’s phoney Tube fares freeze. That would put more officers on the front line. We have 6,000 police stuck in back offices, double the number of any force in Britain.”

Commander Owain Richards said in Ms Thiamphanit’s killing there had been no signs of forced entry to the three-storey, five-bedroom terraced house.

Mr Richards added: “We believe the suspect was known to the victim in this case and our homicide detectives are working around the clock to pursue all lines of inquiry to trace the suspect, arrest them and bring them to justice.

“This terrible incident follows a number of other horrific fatal attacks on women recently – including those in Croydon, Hackney and Lewisham.

“Kamonnan’s murder makes us all the more determined in our efforts to do everything we possibly can to keep women and girls safe.”

The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct watchdog over the incident.

Police were contacted twice on Sunday by a friend concerned about her welfare, but officers attended over 13 hours later.

Pacharapol Padermprach, press secretary of the Royal Thai Embassy in London, told the Standard his community is “shocked and saddened”, adding: “We have been in close contact with the Metropolitan Police on this case and in informing Ms Thiamphanit’s family.

“We are confident that the Met will do its best to bring those responsible to justice.

“Due to the ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide any further information.”

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