British Transport Police have charged a woman over the death of 87-year-old Dorothy Chiles, who was assaulted at Birmingham New Street railway station. In southeast London, the Metropolitan Police charged a man with murder after an elderly woman was fatally stabbed outside her home. Meanwhile, in west London, police are investigating the murder of 71-year-old Elena Poltorac, who was found with fatal injuries in her flat, with no arrests yet made.
In the Birmingham case, Dorothy Chiles suffered a broken hip after the attack on the station's concourse at about 11am on 19 November 2024. Ms Chiles had surgery and was discharged from hospital on 2 December 2024, but she later died at home on 27 December. Charlie Lane, 26, has been charged with manslaughter and a racially aggravated public order offence.
Charlie Lane, of Marlborough Road, Gloucester, was released on conditional bail. She is due to appear at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court on 30 April.
In the Plumstead attack, Doris Innes, 84, was attacked outside her home in Red Lion Place on Wednesday. Officers, who responded to reports of a man with a knife at 8.50am, found Mrs Innes injured outside her home. Two other people were threatened with a knife during the incident, but were not injured.
Doris Innes was taken to hospital by paramedics, but later died of her wounds. Giorgio Pin, 62, of Brookhill Road, Woolwich, has since been charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder.
Giorgio Pin was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Bromley Magistrates' Court on Saturday.
In the Hounslow case, police were called shortly after 10:00hrs on Sunday, 1 March, to reports of a woman seriously injured at a residential address on Bath Road, Hounslow. The 71-year-old woman was found inside the property with significant injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police were scrambled to her flat after her landlord raised the alarm at 10am on Sunday.
Detectives launched a murder inquiry after the grandmother was declared dead. A crime scene remains in place, and detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command have begun a full investigation. Forensics officers have scoured her top-floor flat for clues as part of the ongoing investigation.
Elena Poltorac had lived in the flat for around two years. She was a retired cleaner responsible for the world-famous Camden Market. She had recently cooked a meal with others in a communal kitchen.
Elena Poltorac had grandchildren who visited her. Her next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.
Police are trawling through CCTV footage from Bath Road to establish movements in and out of the flats. No arrests have been made in connection with the killing.
Extra patrols will be carried out in the local area to provide reassurance to residents.
The motive for the attack on Elena Poltorac remains unknown, and police have not identified any suspect in her murder. The current status of the investigation involves forensic examination and CCTV review, but specific evidence findings have not been disclosed. Whether the three incidents involving Dorothy Chiles, Doris Innes, and Elena Poltorac are connected in any way remains unknown at this time.