A Russian man, Matvei Rumiantsev, has been jailed for four years in London for assaulting a woman, in a case that drew attention after Barron Trump, the youngest son of US President Donald Trump, alerted police from the US during a video call.Rumiantsev, 23, was convicted at Snaresbrook Crown Court of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and perverting the course of justice. The second charge was for trying to get the victim to drop her complaint by sending her a letter from prison.
Attack witnessed on video call
The court heard that Barron Trump contacted UK police from the United States after witnessing part of the assault during a video call in January 2025.“I’m calling from the US… I just got a call from a girl, she’s getting beat up,” he told emergency services, according to a transcript.Barron later said the call lasted only a few seconds but showed a “shirtless man” before the camera switched to the victim being hit while crying.
Jealousy over girl’s friendship with Barron Trump
Prosecutors told the court that Rumiantsev’s actions were driven by jealousy over the woman’s friendship with Barron Trump, whom she had met on social media.During the trial, Rumiantsev admitted he was “jealous to some extent” and unhappy about the nature of their interaction.The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan KC, described him as a man “given to jealousy” who had failed to take responsibility for his actions.
Details of the assault
Jurors heard that Rumiantsev and the woman had been drinking together before the attack on January 18, 2025.He repeatedly struck her, including hitting her in the face, and dragged her by the hair when she tried to seek help. The victim later said she feared she “might die” during the assault.In her victim impact statement, she said she had “withdrawn from the world entirely” and continues to feel “humiliated, afraid and ashamed”.
Attempts to obstruct justice
After his arrest, Rumiantsev made repeated efforts to avoid conviction. He contacted the victim from custody and later sent a letter asking her to retract her allegations.This led to his conviction for perverting the course of justice, adding to his sentence.
Court clears him of other charges
Rumiantsev was acquitted of more serious charges, including rape, intentional strangulation, and a separate alleged assault in November 2024.The judge also cautioned jurors not to rely solely on Barron Trump’s account, noting that he had not testified under oath or been cross-examined.Despite this, the court acknowledged that Barron Trump’s actions in alerting authorities helped bring attention to the incident.
