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Charles Thomson

Investigations Reporter

Charles Thomson is an award-winning investigative journalist, covering London and Herts.

Charles Thomson is an award-winning investigative journalist, covering London and Herts.

Latest articles from Charles Thomson

Former Metropolitan Police undercover officer Bob Lambert has begun giving evidence at the so-called 'spy cops inquiry'

'Bomb plot' spy cop claims he was never told not to sleep with his targets
Former 'spy cop' Bob Lambert, accused of hatching arson and bomb plots, has begun giving evidence at the Undercover Policing Inquiry.

A backlog of trials means Basildon Crown Court is already shunting cases back to summer 2026. Lady Chief Justice Dame Sue Carr (inset, top) has warned that Keir Starmer (inset, bottom) capping court sitting days will only worsen the problem

Special Investigation Court backlog: Alleged sex attackers and knife thugs free on bail for years

Amid concern over the growing crown court backlog, long delays in trials leave potentially violent suspects free on bail for years in Basildon and Southend.

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Basildon and Thurrock MP James McMurdock, pictured at Reform UK's conference, has refused to answer questions about why his account of his 2006 assault conviction does not match official court records

Nigel Farage walks out of interview over questions on Basildon MP’s violent past

Nigel Farage walked out of a Sky News interview after being asked about Basildon and Thurrock MP James McMurdock's past assault conviction.

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The Local Government Association published a report in 2021 saying Havering had a 'disturbing' culture of 'normalised' racism and sexism. The council fought for three years to cover up the dossier of evidence. Now it's been released - but in redacted

Special Report Staff: Council avoided tackling racism due to fear of 'quite racist' voters

Havering Council avoided vocally criticising racism because the area was thought to have a number of racist voters, staff claimed in a 2021 survey.

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An inquest has been opened at East London Coroner's Court into the death of Barking man David Robert Goss

Exclusive Pensioner 'died of drugs overdose' at Barking sheltered accommodation
A coroner has opened an inquest into the death of Barking man David Goss, who died from a drugs overdose at sheltered accommodation in Roxwell Road.

An inquest into the death of Geoffrey Ponder, found dead in a Newham back garden, has been opened at East London Coroner's Court in Walthamstow

Exclusive Man found dead in garden was on police bail, court hears
Geoffrey Ponder, who was found dead in a back garden in Beckton, was on police bail at the time of his death, East London Coroner's Court has heard.

Ethan died at Romford station

Exclusive Man killed at Romford station was 19-year-old student, court hears
A man struck by a train at Romford station on November 4 has been named in an inquest hearing as Ethan Pieterse, a 19-year-old student from Dagenham.

An inquest into the death of Romford man George Fraser has been opened at East London Coroner's Court in Walthamstow

Exclusive Mystery over man's death at his Romford flat, court told
An inquest will investigate the death of a man in his Romford flat, after an autopsy failed to identify his cause of death.

An internal Met Police investigation called Operation Reuben found information gathered by undercover spy cops had found its way into the hands of construction industry blacklisters, who used it to target workers like Dagenham union rep Dave Smith

Special Report Did the Metropolitan Police help firms blacklist workers for being left-wing?

Blacklisted construction workers say their blacklist files contain documents clearly authored by police. So just how involved was the Met Police?

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A newly declassified Spy Cops Inquiry file has revealed an undercover officer infiltrated a Camden meeting where union members like Brian Higgins (inset) spoke, then filed a report with Special Branch and MI5

Special Report 'Dad always said he was being spied on... It's strange to see it in print'

Undercover police spied on union members in a Camden pub, then passed their reports to MI5, a newly declassified file appears to confirm.

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