Man jailed for violent homophobic attack in Islington

The perpetrator of a violent homophobic attack, who was arrested by Met officers after a nationwide manhunt, has been jailed.

Alex Ogden, 28 (24.12.95) of no fixed address was convicted of grievous bodily harm and sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday, 23 April after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

The court heard Ogden attacked a man in an address in Islington on Wednesday, 18 October 2023. Ogden violently assaulted the man, aged in his 50s, using a knife and subjecting him to homophobic abuse, which resulted in the victim sustaining a number of cuts to his face and a broken nose. Ogden then fled the scene.

An investigation, led by the Central North Public Protection Team, was opened and a national manhunt was launched on 1 November, in conjunction with police colleagues across the country. Forensic evidence recovered from the scene had identified Ogden as the suspect.

Following the extensive publicity and police enquiries, detectives were tipped off as to the Ogden’s location and he was arrested in Southwark on 2 November. The investigation team worked throughout the day and night to interview Ogden and present the case to the Crown Prosecution Service, making clear the risks and securing a charge and remand in custody until trial.

The court heard that Ogden had an extensive offending history of 39 previous convictions across the country, most in the north of England, mainly Yorkshire and on trains.

Ogden was sentenced to a total of 32 months in prison. In addition to the sentence, a five-year restraining order was imposed on Ogden to protect the victim and he will be placed on licence upon release.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Ridley from Central North Public Protection Team said: “I am extremely proud of my officers who were able to secure the conviction against this violent man.

"Ogden has a prolific offending history, targeting multiple victims across the country. This offence was treated as a homophobic hate crime for the appalling comments used during the attack.

"I would urge any members of the public to come forward if they have also been subjected to hate crime. This conviction demonstrates the Met’s commitment to tackling hate crime in the LGBTQ+ community and the continued prosecution of people who seek to cause harm.”