Laura Johnson Found GUILTY

Laura Johnson, 20 year old Exeter University student, has been found guilty of burglary during the London riots.

The court was told that she acted as driver for several looters on the 8th of August. The looters were dressed in hooded tops, balaclavas and bandanas to disguise their identity.

She has been charged on one count of burglary from a Comet store at the Greenwich Retail Park between 7th and 10th August. However, she was cleared of stealing a TV from a Currys shop at Stonelake Retail Park. The jury continues to deliberate over the final charges of burglary and handling stolen goods.

She had denied all the charges, claiming that her actions were forced under duress.

The Old Bailey was told that Johnson had gone out early evening to deliver a phone charger to Emmanuel Okubote, a 20-year-old convicted crack cocaine dealer and thief. He is also known as “T-Man”. Once she arrived, he jumped into the passenger seat as his friends got into the back of her car. She chauffeured them around until the early hours of the morning, claiming to be too frightened to leave.

Johnson told the police "I didn't get the impression they were the sort of people you say no to… I suppose there's a fear of them, there's a general knowledge that these are just not the kind of people who you don't go along with, especially when they are sat in your car and have an idea of your family or registration plate."

However, it is believed that Laura Johnson had a ‘close friendship’ with T-Man, after being introduced by a friend whilst in a mental health unit.

Her 17 year old co-defendant has been charged with one count of burglary and cleared of another.

To read the story from the beginning, look here and here.

Check back on The Drop for updates regarding her sentence.