Judge Warns Jury to Treat Barron Trump's Account of London Attack 'With Caution'
A judge has instructed jurors at Snaresbrook Crown Court to treat Barron Trump's account of his friend's alleged attack in London "with caution" and to consider whether it might be biased or mistaken. The 19-year-old son of US President Donald Trump called UK police in January 2025 after allegedly witnessing the assault on a video call.
Details of the Alleged Incident and Legal Directions
The court heard that Barron Trump contacted City of London Police on January 18, 2025, reporting: "I just got a call from a girl... she's getting beat up." According to prosecutors, the alleged attacker, Matvei Rumiantsev, a 22-year-old Russian citizen living in Canary Wharf, was jealous of the woman's friendship with Mr Trump, possibly due to his public profile.
In his legal directions to the jury, Mr Justice Bennathan KC emphasised that Barron Trump has not given evidence on oath or been cross-examined. He stated: "The law allows you to receive and accept hearsay evidence, but you need to be careful because it has not been given on oath and the lawyers have not been able to test, challenge or clarify it by asking questions." He advised jurors to consider factors such as whether Mr Trump had a clear view of the incident or if his perception was influenced by his close friendship with the complainant.
Charges and Defence Arguments
Matvei Rumiantsev denies multiple charges, including:
- Assault
- Actual bodily harm
- Intentional strangulation
- Perverting the course of justice
- Two counts of rape
These charges relate to incidents alleged to have occurred between November 1, 2024, and January 23, 2025. The prosecution claims that on January 18, 2025, Rumiantsev raped, strangled, and assaulted the woman, including hitting her in the face. During the alleged beating, he reportedly answered a FaceTime call from Barron Trump, turning the screen to show the woman crying and screaming on the floor.
Rumiantsev, who works as a receptionist and describes himself as a freestyle wrestler, admitted the complainant is much smaller than him but denied strangling, hitting, or kicking her. He testified that they had consensual sex twice on the night in question. Under cross-examination, he acknowledged feeling "jealous to some extent" of the woman's friendship with Barron Trump, stating he was unhappy that she was "leading him on."
Follow-Up and Trial Proceedings
The court was informed that Barron Trump responded to police inquiries in May 2025 via email, writing: "What I saw was very brief indeed but indeed prevalent. As per evidence, I do not have any. I was told by the victim who I am very close with that this individual was giving her difficulty for a long time." Police sent follow-up emails, but Mr Trump did not respond to these communications.
Prosecutor Serena Gates highlighted the "urgent" and "worried" tone in Barron Trump's emergency call, urging jurors to consider this in their deliberations. The trial continues as the jury weighs the evidence, with the judge reminding them not to convict primarily based on Barron Trump's account without careful scrutiny.
