A frantic 999 call, originating from the United States, pierced the calm of a London night. The caller, identified as Barron Trump, 19, relayed a terrifying scene unfolding over FaceTime: a woman he knew was being violently attacked.
The recording, played in court, reveals a young man grappling with shock and urgency. “I just got a call from a girl… she’s getting beat up,” he stammered to the City of London Police operator, providing an address and desperately emphasizing the emergency. His voice, initially frantic, quickly became laced with frustration as the operator methodically requested details.
The operator, adhering to protocol, pressed for information – the victim’s name, date of birth, and the nature of his relationship with her. Trump’s responses grew increasingly agitated. “These details don’t matter, she’s getting beat up!” he exclaimed, struggling to maintain composure while witnessing the assault remotely.
He explained he’d connected with the woman through social media, a detail he initially dismissed as irrelevant. The operator, firm but direct, insisted on clarity. “If you want to help the person, you’ll answer my questions clearly and precisely,” she stated, attempting to regain control of the tense conversation.
Trump described the horrifying scene as unfolding just eight minutes prior, expressing fear for the woman’s safety. He apologized for his earlier rudeness, his voice now tinged with genuine concern. The call, though brief, initiated a chain of events that would lead to a courtroom drama.
Following the incident, police reached out to Trump, requesting a formal witness statement. His written response, delivered months later, described the fleeting images he’d seen – a shirtless man, a quick shift in the phone’s view to the victim. He recalled feeling a surge of “adrenaline” as he watched the events unfold.
Trump detailed how he’d immediately enlisted the help of friends in the US to contact the Metropolitan Police. He also revealed that the victim, with whom he shared a close bond, had confided in him about a history of “difficulty” with her attacker.
Prosecutors allege the attack stemmed from jealousy over Trump’s friendship with the 6ft 7in young man. The accused, Matvei Rumiantsev, 22, allegedly flew into a rage after attempting to contact the woman, then answered her FaceTime call from Trump, displaying her distressed face before physically assaulting her.
The victim claims Rumiantsev subjected her to a brutal attack, including strangulation, verbal abuse, and physical violence. She later reported to police that he had also raped her on two separate occasions – once months before the FaceTime incident, and again just hours prior.
Rumiantsev, currently testifying in court, denies all charges: assault, actual bodily harm, two counts of rape, intentional strangulation, and perverting the course of justice by attempting to pressure the woman into retracting her complaints. The trial continues, the weight of the accusations and the chilling details of that 999 call hanging heavy in the courtroom.
