Sky News understands Ezedi was handed a suspended sentence for a sexual offence in Newcastle in 2018, and was discharged from probation supervision in 2020.
The latest development comes after police issued another photo of the former asylum seeker, who only had his application granted on his third attempt after arriving in the UK by lorry in 2016.
Image:Abdul Shokoor Ezedi was last seen on Caledonian Road. Pic: Met Police
Sky News understands Ezedi, 35, was allowed to stay after a priest vouched for his conversion to Christianity, saying he was "wholly committed" to his new religion.
Ezedi had claimed his life would be in danger if he returned to his native Afghanistan.
On Thursday evening, Superintendent Gabriel Cameron said the new image, taken at 8.48pm on Wednesday, was of the last-known sighting of Ezedi in Caledonian Road, north London, and was less than two hours after the assault.
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How did Clapham chemical attack unfold?
"The image shows Ezedi with what appears to be significant injuries to the right side of his face. This makes him distinctive," Supt Cameron said.
"If you see Ezedi, call 999 immediately. He should NOT be approached."
The suspect, from Newcastle, is believed to have travelled down to London on the same day as the attack near Clapham Common.
Both Northumbria Police and the British Transport Police are helping the Met with the manhunt.
Image:Pic: James Weech/PA Wire
Officers have also confirmed a car involved in the attack belonged to Ezedi, while the substance used in the attack was alkaline.
A 31-year-old mother and her three-year-old daughter, alongside her other daughter, aged eight, remain in hospital following the incident.
The mother and the younger child may have suffered life-changing injuries, according to police.
Officers said the suspect was known to the woman and described the attack as "targeted".
A total of 12 people were hurt during the incident, including the mother and her two children, and five officers who were injured as they responded.
Officers say Ezedi attempted to make off from the scene in a car following the incident, but crashed with another vehicle, and then made off on foot in the direction of Clapham Common.
One witness, who asked to remain anonymous, told Sky News: "He grabbed one of the two children and violently grabbed them and slammed them on the floor.
"The lady then shouted: 'My eyes! My eyes! Call the police, my eyes!'
"Then I saw him run off. It was all so traumatising."
Labour peer Lord Murphy of Torfaen, a former Northern Ireland secretary, had earlier told the House of Lords: “I think he would agree that we don’t really want to see all this happening again. It has been two years since we have had an Assembly. Before than Sinn Fein brought down the Assembly.
“Is there a case would the minister agree that the parties in Northern Ireland, helped of course by the Government, would be able to try to devise a system which would ensure that greater stability would occur in Northern Ireland in years to come?”
Northern Ireland minister Lord Caine replied: “It is something personally that I think we will need to look at at some point and the Government has always made it very clear that the Belfast Good Friday Agreement has never been set in tablets of stone, that there is the capacity for it to evolve as it did at St Andrews’ in 2006, changes were made after the Stormont House agreement in 2014.”
He added that ministers had always been open to “sensible reforms” but said: “I think the priority for now has to be to get those institutions back up and running, established, functioning, supported by the financial package to finalise the programme for government and then to start tackling the really tough challenges the executive faces.”
Lord Caine hinted this could happen “very swiftly”, but gave no date for Stormont reconvening, adding: “One of the reasons why the other place (House of Commons) is debating the statutory instruments today, only a day after publication, is as a clear signal of our intent this moves as quickly as possible and we get the institutions back up and running in the shortest possible timeframe.”
Woman and two children in hospital after ‘corrosive substance attack’
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Police are hunting a suspect who threw an alkaline substance at a mother and her two children, leaving her and one daughter with potentially life-changing injuries.
A large manhunt is under way for Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, about 35 years old, over the “targeted” attack that led to 12 people in all needing hospital treatment.
The Metropolitan Police said Ezedi would have significant injuries on the right side of his face and that anyone who sees him should call 999.
He is believed to have travelled down from Newcastle on Wednesday, and could be heading back there, said Supt Gabriel Cameron.
The 31-year-old woman, described by police as vulnerable, and her three-year-old daughter, alongside her other daughter, eight, were still in hospital following the attack in south London on Wednesday evening.
The suspect, believed to be known to the mother, was described as dangerous after he also allegedly threw the younger child to the ground.
Police said Ezedi ran off in Lessar Avenue, near Clapham Common, at about 7.25pm. He was last spotted on CCTV in Caledonian Road, north London.
Three bystanders who went to help the family have been discharged from hospital with minor burns injuries.
Have you been affected by this? Email barney.davis@independent.co.uk
Supt Gabriel Cameron urged the public not to approach Ezedi, after the Metropolitan Police described him as a “dangerous individual”.
Ezedi is believed to have travelled down from Newcastle on the day of the attack, but detectives are unsure what led to the incident.
Mr Cameron said: “The male was last seen in the north London area – Caledonian Road – and if you see him… I plea for you not to approach him, call 999.”
Supt Gabriel Cameron said the Metropolitan Police were working in collaboration with Northumbria Police because suspect Abdul Ezedi “could be going back” to Newcastle, where he is from.
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A mother screamed for help as she and her two young daughters were doused in a corrosive substance in a “targeted attack” - leaving her and a three-year-old with potentially life-changing injuries.
Police are hunting for a man seen fleeing the scene of the horrifying incident in Clapham, south London, at around 7.25pm on Wednesday night which left nine people injured, including the mother, 31, and her daughters aged three and eight.
Hero passersby who rushed to help the woman and her children were also hurt, along with three officers who were first to respond to the attack.
Have you been affected by this? Email amy-clare.martin@independent.co.uk
Police confirmed on Thursday the mother and children were doused with an alkaline substance and remain in hospital. Although their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, two could be left with life altering wounds.
Detectives believe the attacker is known to the mother - warning he is a “dangerous individual” as they issued an appeal for witnesses to come forward.
Shannon Christi, 35, said she ran outside on hearing the mother scream for help, before seeing a man in black throwing a child to the floor twice “like he was in the wrestling ring”.
Without hesitation she ran towards him and grabbed the three-year-old girl off the floor and brought her inside to safety. Her partner dressed in his slippers ran after the suspect chasing him away down the street.
She told The Independent: “I heard screaming ‘help, help’ and came outside. I saw the man throwing the girl on the floor like he was in a wrestling ring. He was angry.
“I rushed in and grabbed her. I didn’t see what he looked like or where he went I was focussed on her. I poured water on her and called the ambulance.
“The child was crying she told me her name and she was three but I couldn’t hear her through the tears.”
Police at the scene of an incident near Clapham Common, south London, after a suspected corrosive substance was thrown at a woman and her two young children
Ms Christi had gone to get hospital treatment when her lips and her arm started to burn after coming into contact with the child. She added: “I just hope she is ok. I would do it again in an instant 100 per cent. I couldn’t leave her like that.”
A witness told The Sun that the mother and her children had been with a man when the pair got out of a vehicle and began fighting on the street.
Based on a witness account, the suspect got a child out of the car and violently slammed them onto the floor, Sky News reported. Shortly afterwards, a woman who was arguing with the suspect began screaming “My eyes. My eyes. Call the police. My eyes.”
The man then allegedly returned to the car and attempted to run the woman over, reported The Sun.
Police at the scene of an incident near Clapham Common, south London, after a suspected corrosive substance was thrown at a woman and her two young children
The witness said, “there was a little baby girl banging on the door on the dad’s side, the lady was crying, screaming” and calling for help.
“He opened the door, took out the baby and banged her against the ground twice”.
Another witness told the BBC that the mother cried “I can’t see, I can’t see” as he tried to help her. “It was quite horrific,” he added.
A couple who live close by said they ran to the street to help the woman crying for help.
“We came outside and saw this guy and he took a girl out of the car and he slammed her to the ground twice,” a witness told the the British broadcaster. “I chased him half way down the road, but I was in slippers so didn’t get very far.
“As I came back, that’s when I saw the woman who had been attacked with whatever substance it was so I ran inside to get some water and just sprayed her down with water.
All of the injured individuals were treated on scene, with five being transported to a major trauma centre. Three were taken to a local hospital for treatment and one other person was discharged at the scene.
In an update on Thursday, Superintendent Gabriel Cameron praised injured passersby and officers for their bravery in responding to a “terrifying scenario”.
He added: “The woman, who is aged 31, and her two daughters - aged eight and three - all remain in hospital. While none of their conditions are life-threatening, the injuries to the woman and younger girl could be life-changing. It may be some time before hospital staff are able to say how serious that might be.
“I am sure the public will join me in saying they are in our thoughts and we wish them the fullest possible recovery.
“Three women - two in their 30s and one in her 50s – who were injured when they bravely came to the aid of the family, have all been discharged from hospital with minor burns injuries. A man in his 50s who also helped declined hospital treatment for minor injuries he suffered.
“Five officers who were injured as they responded have all been treated and have left hospital.”
He said the corrosive substance is now known to be alkaline and revealed that the suspect attempted to escape in a car but fled on foot after crashing into a stationary vehicle.
“We believe the man and woman are known to each other. Our investigation is in its early stages and we are working to establish why this awful incident has happened,” he added.
“Officers from across the Met are working with partner agencies and forces to locate and arrest the man. While this appears a targeted attack, he is a dangerous individual and we urgently need to find him. We will release more information about him as soon as we can.”
Firefighters earlier responded to the scene and used specialist equipment to detect the substance used, while the London Ambulance Service said it sent members its hazardous area response team to the site.
“We were called today at 7.29pm to reports of an incident on Clapham Common South Side, SW4,” a spokesperson said on Wednesday.
“We sent a number of resources to the scene, including two incident response officers, three ambulance crews, and members of our hazardous area response team.
“We treated nine people, five of whom were taken to a major trauma centre. Three patients were taken to a local hospital and the other was discharged at the scene.”
Marina Ahmad, a London assembly member, said the suspected acid attack stemmed from a traffic collision, adding that a man was “assaulting occupants in a car and throwing acid,” she wrote on X.
Mr Castle said police are using all their resources to make an arrest in the incident.
“A man was seen fleeing the scene. We are drawing on resources from across the Met to apprehend this individual and work is ongoing to determine what has led to this awful incident,” he said.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, MP for Streatham, wrote: “Very concerned to hear reports of an acid attack on Lessar Avenue in Clapham earlier tonight around 7.25pm, which has resulted in multiple injuries.
She added: “I’ll share more updates when I receive them. In the meantime, please avoid the area if possible whilst our emergency services carry out their work.”
Any members of the public who have information regarding the incident were encouraged to call 999.
Up to 15,000 unregistered XL bully dogs are believed to be owned illegally as a full ban comes into force in England and Wales, with police urging the public to report dogs they believe are in breach of the rules.
Owners had until midday on Wednesday to register their XL bully for a certificate of exemption before the full ban came into force in England and Wales on 1 February, from which point police can seize unregistered dogs and owners face a criminal record and unlimited fine.
Defra said more than 35,000 XL bully dogs had been registered under the exemption scheme by the deadline, and 150 people had applied for compensation to have their dog euthanised – but the number of XL bullies in England and Wales is thought to be much higher.
Dr David Martin, head of animal welfare at the veterinary company IVC Evidensia, told MPs last year he believed there to be at least 50,000 XL bullies in the UK, although some estimates have suggested it could be as many as 100,000.
Concerns have been raised that police may not have capacity to deal with an influx of seized dogs if there is widespread non-compliance with the new legislation, announced last year after a sharp increase in dog attacks.
The assistant chief constable Mark Hobrough, the dangerous dogs lead at the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said forces were preparing for some “logistical challenges”, with forces working to increase kennel capacity as well as train extra dog legislation officers to assess animals.
“It’s fair to say that there are logistical challenges ahead,” said Hobrough. “We are working actively to increase kennelling capability because we do predict that demand is going to increase and we are going to have to adapt.”
He also urged the general public to report any dogs thought to be in breach of the rules to police. “My urge to people would be if you do see these types of dogs within the community, who aren’t adhering to aspects of the law, to report that effectively via 101, or via 999 if there is an ongoing attack or aggression.”
The NPCC said there were 137 dog legislation officers across England and Wales qualified to assess dogs and identify banned breeds, with training under way to recruit a further 60.
The RSPCA, one of a number of animal welfare organisations that do not support the ban on the breed, said many owners would ignore the new rules, which also include ensuring XL bullies are neutered, muzzled and kept on a lead when in public.
Hobrough said: “It’s an emotive subject and there are obviously parts of communities across the country who feel quite strongly that the legislation is wrong. People are deeply connected to their own dogs and think that their dogs couldn’t fit the criteria of what we’re talking about as being dangerous. I understand that, I do empathise with them.
“But this type of dog in the wrong hands is a very a dangerous thing, and we have unfortunately seen this type of dog connect to undesirable ownership.”
The campaign group Don’t Ban Me License Me had applied for a judicial review to prevent the ban from coming in to force but this application was rejected on Monday.
Some animals had been relocated to Scotland, which was not covered by the ban, but the first minister announced last month plans were under way to introduce similar restrictions there.
The environment secretary, Steve Barclay, said: “The ban on XL bullies is now in place meaning it is illegal to own one of these dogs unless it has been registered. We have delivered our pledge to bring in this important measure to protect public safety and we expect all XL bully owners to comply with the strict conditions.”
A taxi driver became "suspicious" and felt "uncomfortable" after picking up a couple who were on the run with their newborn daughter, a court has heard.
Constance Marten, 36, and Mark Gordon, 49, are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of the manslaughter of their baby Victoria. Her body was found in a Brighton shed last February.
It is alleged the pair travelled across England and lived off-grid in a bid to keep the infant after four other children were taken into care.
A police investigation began after a placenta and Marten's possessions were found in a burnt-out car on the M61 near Bolton last January.
In a statement read to the court on Wednesday, taxi driver Abdirisakh Mohamud said he became "suspicious" while driving the couple to a Tesco Extra branch in Enfield, north London, after they hailed him just after midnight on 8 January 2023.
Image:Constance Marten and Mark Gordon. Pic: PA / Greater Manchester Police
Mr Mohamud said the male passenger - believed to be Gordon - asked if he was a Muslim, whether he was "trustworthy" and if there were cameras in the cab.
The man then asked: "Are you sharing this conversation with anyone?" Mr Mohamud replied: "No", jurors heard.
Mr Mohamud said he questioned the couple on why they were wearing blue COVID facemasks, to which the woman replied she was a Muslim and said it was her "hijab". The man also said he "had a problem with his hair," the witness said.
The taxi driver said he feared "something was not right" and decided to drop the couple off early in Green Lanes in Haringey, north London.
"The more I thought about it, the more concerned I felt about the baby," he said.
Baby sounded like 'cat meowing'
The Old Bailey heard that the couple spent hundreds of pounds on taxis, including £475 for a three-hour trip from Haringey to Newhaven in East Sussex.
Taxi driver Hasan Guzel made the trip early on 8 January, and said the woman - believed to be Marten - had what appeared to be a bag under her coat.
Image:They arrived in Newhaven, East Sussex, after taking a £475 taxi. Pic: PA
During the journey, he then began to hear what sounded like a "cat meowing," the court heard.
"I was annoyed at first because I thought she had a pet without telling me. I could see it was a baby, I could see the noise was coming from a baby," he said.
"I thought why didn't she tell me about this, it's been nearly four hours we have been travelling."
He said when he dropped them off in Newhaven he was "concerned as to what they were going to do next" as it was cold and dark.
Image:CCTV of Marten, Gordon and baby Victoria in a kebab shop in East London. Pic: PA
On Wednesday, the jury saw more security camera footage of the couple in Whitechapel, where Gordon brought a two-person tent and camping equipment.
Both defendants deny manslaughter by gross negligence between 4 January and 27 February last year.
Marten and Gordon also deny perverting the course of justice, concealing the birth of a child, child cruelty and causing or allowing the death of a child.
Nicola Sturgeon called Boris Johnson a ‘f***ing clown’, Covid WhatsApps reveal
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Nicola Sturgeon will give evidence to the official Covid inquiry today amid ongoing scrutiny over deleted WhatsApp messages.
Scotland’s former first minister, who resigned last year, is scheduled to give testimony for a full day at hearings being held in Edinburgh.
Several figures in Ms Sturgeon’s government have already faced questions at the inquiry about their deletion of WhatsApp messages during the pandemic.
Ms Sturgeon has conceded that messages had not been retained on her own devices but said she has managed to retrieve copies to submit to the probe.
She said informal messages were handed over to the inquiry last year.
Scottish Government ministers and officials have said decisions were routinely recorded on the official system even if messages were deleted in line with policy.
Last week, Ms Sturgeon’s former chief of staff, Liz Lloyd, gave evidence to the inquiry.
After message exchanges between the pair were shown in evidence, Ms Lloyd denied a decision about guest limits on weddings during the pandemic was made “on the hoof”.
In one message seen by the inquiry, Ms Sturgeon referred to then prime minister Boris Johnson as a “f****** clown.”
Sturgeon insists government acted with transparency
Nicola Sturgeon has insisted that she and her government acted with “transparency” and openness during the Covid pandemic.
The former FM was read out a section of her statement to the inquiry in which she said Holyrood ministers acted in a formal and “serious” manner.
In her statement, Ms Sturgeon also said she did not make “extensive use” of informal messages to reach decisions during this time - as it has been claimed that the Westminster government did.
When asked if it was still her position today that the Scottish government was “open, transparent and accountable” in their actions and words, she replied: “Yes, that is still my position.”
At a hearing in Edinburgh, the official investigation into the Covid crisis was told that the former first minister of Scotland had “retained no messages whatsoever”.
Jamie Dawson KC, counsel to the inquiry, revealed a document provided by the Scottish government about which WhatsApp messages it could provide and said that all Ms Sturgeon’s messages had been deleted.
ICYMI: Sturgeon called Boris a ‘f****** clown’ over ‘utter incompetence’ in handling Covid, WhatsApps reveal
WhatsApp messages shared between the ex-SNP leader and her top adviser, Liz Lloyd, shown at the Covid inquiry demonstrated the utter disdain with which the then-prime minister was held.
Sturgeon could also face questions about asking health chief to contact her ‘privately'
Ms Sturgeon may also face questions about her decision to provide public health expert professor Devi Sridhar with her SNP email address to be contacted “privately”.
It is understood Ms Sturgeon forwarded any such emails to the Scottish government and offered to supply the inquiry with them if required.
Former Scottish government ministers Kate Forbes and John Swinney gave evidence to the inquiry on Tuesday.
Mr Swinney said he “manually” deleted messages between himself, Ms Sturgeon and Mr Yousaf in a practice which could date back to 2007.
