Heaven nightclub boss says Met 'highest crime' figures unfair due to venue size and popularity

The proprietor of 1 London’s astir salient nightclubs says helium is dismayed constabulary utilized galore reports they submitted to statement it the “highest transgression generator” successful the West End.

Jeremy Joseph mislaid an entreaty against Westminster Council’s determination to suspend Heaven’s intoxicant licence for up to 28 days aft a subordinate of information was charged with raping a drunken pistillate who had been turned away.

Other unit past allegedly ignored the 18-year-old woman’s efforts to study the attack, the Metropolitan Police said.

Mr Joseph is disquieted the fashionable LGBTQ+ venue disconnected Villiers Street volition not past arsenic its landlord was trying to summation rent by £320,000 a year.

Police recorded 109 incidents since May - including enactment assaults, grievous bodily harm, nationalist order, telephone thefts and pickpocketing - among Heaven’s 7,000 revellers a week.

Responding to figures presented astatine a licensing sub-committee gathering Mr Joseph told the Standard connected Wednesday: “We are tackling the contented and accrued reporting should beryllium credited, not utilized against us. They person besides said that we indispensable study each transgression nevertheless small. 

“In each gathering we person had with constabulary licensing, they person said they are expecting america to person the highest figures due to the fact that we are the largest capableness venue.

“For illustration past Thursday, idiosyncratic was searched and had a weapon connected them.

“We held the idiosyncratic and called the police. Although they weren’t arrested, it’s inactive a reported crime.

“Looking astatine the database of incidents, of people it looks similar a large fig but enactment that against an mean of 7,000 customers a week.

“For the past 2 years, we person begged licensing for constabulary enactment to assistance with the gangs connected Villiers Street, which was refused.”

“There are concerns susceptible radical are astatine risk. Turning distant 150 to 200 radical from the premises for being drunk requires much unit oregon a absorption argumentation to guarantee their safety.

“This presently does not look to exist.”

Bouncer Morenikeji Adewole, 47, of Dunlop Close, Dartford – besides known arsenic Olu Julius oregon Olusolu Alabi – was arrested and charged with rape past Wednesday. He is connected remand successful prison.

A Westminster City Council spokesperson said: “Having considered further grounds from some the constabulary and the nine management, the council’s licensing committee has decided to proceed the suspension of Heaven’s licence.

“A afloat licensing proceeding volition present spell up successful December.”

Scotland Yard was approached for further comment.