Thirty fines reported, officers assaulted and stolen items recovered, as house party in Walworth is closed down.

In the early morning of Sunday, 28 February, officers were responding to a report of a robbery on Portland Street, SE17 in which the victim had been assaulted by two males and had his phone taken.

While responding to this incident, the officers were directed to an address on Hopwood Road, where the suspects had been seen to run after the robbery, and uncovered a house party inside.

Officers entered the address at about 05:30hrs, intending to find the suspects for the robbery; instead they identified a group of 30 people partying.

The group became hostile towards the officers as they looked to identify the suspects and close the party down, with drinks and other items thrown at them.

In total, eight officers received a variety of injuries from this backlash, with one officer being knocked unconscious and another suspected of sustaining a fracture to their hand.

The decision was made for the officers to withdraw from the premises for their own safety and other units were called to the address. This allowed officers to manage attendees leaving the party one at the time. In total, 30 people were reported for fines of £800.

Officers remained at the location and continued to make enquiries. A 17-year-old male was identified by the robbery victim as he left the address as the person who took his mobile phone. He was arrested on suspicion of robbery.

When officers searched a 19-year-old man, the victim's stolen phone was found on his person. He was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods.

A 19-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and assaulting a police officer.

A 17-year-old female was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and handling stolen goods after she was searched and found to be carrying a number of different debit cards and an oyster card within her belongings, all with different names on them.

All four suspects were taken into custody at a south London police station. They were later bailed to return on date in late March.

Chief Inspector Richard Blears, from the Central South Command Unit, which covers Southwark, said: "Restrictions are still in place to protect lives; every person who attended this illegal gathering has acted selfishly and irresponsibly and has potentially put others at risk.

"Not only that, but some have even gone as far as physically harming the officers who attended the scene, which is totally unacceptable.

"We will continue to enforce breaches of Covid-19 restrictions when they are alerted to us."