Barron Trump praised by UK judge for phoning 999 to report attack on friend
Barron Trump praised by UK judge for phoning 999 to report attack on friend
A Russian man, 23, who assaulted a woman and recorded part of the incident involving Donald Trump’s youngest son Barron has received a four-year prison sentence. The attack occurred after Matvei Rumiantsev, driven by jealousy over the victim’s friendship with Mr Trump, who turned 20 the previous week, met her through social media.
During the assault, Rumiantsev answered a FaceTime call from Barron Trump and turned the camera to capture himself kicking the woman while she cried in distress on the floor. Mr Trump, who called 999 and connected with the City of London Police, urged the operator: “It’s really an emergency. I’m calling from the US, uh, I just got a call from a girl, you know, she’s getting beat up.”
“The call helped save my life,” the woman testified at Snaresbrook Crown Court, describing how she believed she could not escape the violence and might die.
Mr Justice Bennathan labeled Rumiantsev a “trained fighter” and “a man given to jealousy” with a short temper, noting his lack of insight and empathy during the trial. He criticized the defendant for blaming the victim for the incident, stating: “You continue to try to shift responsibility onto the complainant.”
Barron’s 999 call, made just days before his father’s inauguration, included the line: “I’m calling from the US, uh, I just got a call from a girl, you know, she’s getting beat up.” When asked how he knew the woman, he replied: “I don’t think these details matter, she’s getting beat up but okay fine, also I met her on social media, I don’t think that matters.”
“Correct. She’s getting really badly beat up and the call was about eight minutes ago, I don’t know what could have happened by now,” Barron added.
The judge highlighted Mr Trump’s “lifesaving” actions in alerting authorities, emphasizing his quick response despite being in the US. “He properly and responsibly ensured the emergency services here were called,” Bennathan stated, noting the president’s account of witnessing the attack.
Rumiantsev’s account to police, though he declined to testify at the trial, was crucial to the case. The transcript of his 999 call reveals he insisted it was urgent, even as the operator questioned his haste. “I’m calling from the US, uh, I just got a call from a girl, you know, she’s getting beat up,” he said, later pleading: “She’s getting really badly beat up and the call was about eight minutes ago, I don’t know what could have happened by now.”
Metrolaunched campaign to highlight violence against women
On November 25, 2024, Metrolaunched This Is Not Right, a campaign aimed at addressing the rising issue of violence against women. Partnering with Women’s Aid, the initiative seeks to draw attention to the widespread nature of this crisis. The article also invites readers to share their stories via email at vaw@metro.co.uk.
During an email exchange in May, Mr Trump mentioned his contact with detectives about potentially appearing as a prosecution witness. “What I saw was very brief indeed but indeed prevalent,” he wrote. “I didn’t expect her to pick up due to the time zone difference, the phone was answered but not by her, to my dismay.”
