Russian National Found Guilty in London Assault Case Following Barron Trump's Police Intervention
A Russian man has been convicted of assaulting a woman in London after Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, reported witnessing the violent incident during a video call to UK police authorities. The case, heard at Snaresbrook Crown Court, has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of the US president's family member.
Emergency Call from Across the Atlantic
Barron Trump, aged 19, made an urgent call to City of London Police on January 18 last year after receiving a distressing FaceTime call from his friend. According to court transcripts, the US president's son told the emergency operator: "Oh I'm calling from the US, uh I just got a call from a girl, you know, she's getting beat up."
In a subsequent email to investigating officers in May, Mr Trump described the brief but shocking interaction: "What I saw was very brief indeed but indeed prevalent. The camera was then flipped to the victim getting hit while crying, stating something in Russian. The guy had hung up. This whole interaction had lasted 5 to 7 seconds."
Court Proceedings and Conviction
Matvei Rumiantsev, a 22-year-old resident of Canary Wharf in east London, was found guilty on Wednesday of assault occasioning actual bodily harm between January 17 and 18, along with perverting the course of justice. The court heard that the assault occurred after Rumiantsev and the woman had been drinking together into the early hours of January 18.
Prosecutor Serena Gates told jurors that Rumiantsev appeared "jealous" of the woman's friendship with Barron Trump, possibly due to his "public profile." She highlighted Mr Trump's "urgent" and "worried" tone during the emergency call as evidence of the seriousness of the situation.
The defendant was acquitted of one count of rape and intentional strangulation relating to the same date, along with another count of rape and assault alleged to have occurred in November 2024.
Defendant's Testimony and Motives
During cross-examination, Rumiantsev acknowledged feeling "jealous to some extent" but claimed his primary concern was that the woman was "frankly leading him (Barron Trump) on." He told the court: "I want to just make clear that her actions towards him was wrong and it was not fair."
The court heard that Rumiantsev, who has experience in martial arts, had become aware of the woman's friendship with Barron Trump in October 2024. According to testimony, he answered her phone during the assault when Mr Trump called and deliberately turned the screen to show the victim crying and screaming on the floor.
Additional Charges and Sentencing
The perverting the course of justice charge relates to a letter Rumiantsev wrote to the woman from prison after the January 18 attack, in which he asked her to withdraw her allegations against him. This attempt to interfere with the judicial process contributed to his conviction on this additional serious charge.
Mr Justice Bennathan KC reminded Rumiantsev during proceedings that the trial fundamentally concerned "whether you attacked her or not," focusing the court's attention on the assault allegations rather than relationship dynamics.
Broader Context and Family Involvement
Barron Trump, who grew up in the public eye as the only child of Donald and Melania Trump, has maintained a relatively private profile until recent years. The court case revealed that he had developed a friendship with the assault victim, though the nature and extent of their relationship was not detailed in proceedings.
Interestingly, the trial coincides with reports about Barron Trump's increasing involvement in his father's political activities. His older brother Eric Trump told the Press Association in November 2024 that Barron had persuaded his father to participate in a podcast tour targeting younger voters, including appearances on The Joe Rogan Experience and podcasts with internet personalities Theo Von, Logan Paul and Adin Ross.
Rumiantsev will return to Snaresbrook Crown Court for sentencing on March 27, where he will learn the consequences of his actions that were unexpectedly witnessed and reported by the US president's son from across the Atlantic.
