London police station closures challenged

A crime victim has started legal action against London Mayor Sadiq Khan over the closure of police stations across the capital.

Paul Kohler was the victim of a violent attack in his home in Wimbledon in 2014.

He says he survived because police officers were able to get to his house from the local station within eight minutes of the 999 call.

The mayor said government cuts were to blame for the closures.

He announced in November the decision to close at least 37 police stations to make financial savings.

Mr Kohler suffered a fractured eye socket, broken nose and severe internal bleeding in the attack.

Four men later received jail terms of between 13 and 19 years.

"My wife and I were in the back of the house, there was a knock on the door, I open the door four guys rushed in and started beating me, like something out of a gangster movie," he said.

He said he was seeking as judicial review because his local police station was an important factor in saving his life.

"As the police rushed through the door, one of them was about to bring a heavy wooden door on my head, so it really was seconds away from oblivion."

Tessa Gregory, lawyer at law firm Leigh Day who is representing Mr Kohler, said: "We believe that the decision by the mayor's office to close all of these police stations is unlawful as it was based on a flawed consultation with the local community and it failed to properly consider the responses to the consultation.

"It is Londoners who will be affected by this far-reaching decision and they have every right to have their views considered through a full and proper consultation process."

A spokesperson for the mayor of London said: "These closures are the result of government cuts since 2010, which mean police officer numbers in London are falling, and have left the mayor with no choice in order to save an additional £8m a year - equivalent to the cost of 140 police constables - and protect the frontline of policing.

"The decision follows a full and robust public consultation with public meetings held in every London borough."

The mayor's office insisted response times would not be affected.