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A UK court is grappling with the credibility of a key witness in an alleged assault case, with questions raised about potential bias and the reliability of hearsay evidence. The trial centers around accusations that a Russian national, Rumiantsev, strangled a woman on the evening of January 17, 2025, following an evening of drinking.
Judge Questions Witness’s Testimony
Mr. Justice Bennathan KC stated on Monday that a witness, identified only as “Trump,” had not provided sworn testimony or been subjected to cross-examination. The judge emphasized that had the witness been compelled to testify, inquiries could have been made regarding his direct observation of the alleged assault. “If he had done so, no doubt he could have been asked about things such as whether he ever got a good view of what happened, whether he actually saw [the complainant] being assaulted, or jumped to this conclusion on the basis of her screams,” the judge said. He further noted the potential for bias, questioning whether the witness’s “perception was biased because he was close friends with [the complainant].”
The court acknowledged that hearsay evidence is admissible, but cautioned jurors to exercise “careful” consideration, as it lacks the weight of sworn testimony and should not be the primary basis for a conviction.
Urgent Call and Subsequent Communication
The witness, Trump, contacted police on January 18, 2025, shortly after a video call with the alleged victim. According to a transcript released by the Crown Prosecution Service, he stated, “I’m calling from the US, uh I just got a call from a girl, you know, she’s getting beat up.” In a follow-up email sent in May, Trump described what he observed as “very brief indeed but indeed prevalent,” while simultaneously admitting, “As per evidence, I do not have any.” Authorities reportedly received no response to subsequent email inquiries.
Defense Alleges Manipulation and Jealousy
Sasha Wass KC, defending Rumiantsev, characterized Trump as a “wholly unreliable witness” motivated by “irrational jealousy.” She argued that the complainant strategically leveraged her friendship with Trump, cultivated through social media, to incite jealousy within her relationship with Rumiantsev, describing the dynamic as a “relationship full of dramas.”
Conflicting Accounts and Self-Defense Claim
Prosecutor Serena Gates highlighted Trump’s “urgent” and “worried” tone during the initial call to police. Prosecutors allege Rumiantsev strangled the woman after they had been drinking together. Rumiantsev, a Russian national residing in east London at the time, maintains that the encounter was consensual and that he held the woman’s arms in self-defense to prevent her from striking him.
He admitted to feeling “upset” about her communication with Trump, but insisted he was not attempting to control her. He stated, “I was in no way controlling but I was trying to make her know that if she feels unwell seeing messages, I had with girls 10 years ago, she could maybe understand how I felt when she was sat there this moment texting someone else.” He also expressed uncertainty about why he answered Trump’s call, suggesting he hoped “that she wouldn’t behave like this in front of someone else.”
The trial continues.
