Russian Fighter Jailed for London Assault Witnessed by Barron Trump via FaceTime

Matvei Rumiantsev, a 23-year-old Russian man living in London, was sentenced to four years in prison at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, March 27, 2026, for assaulting a woman in an attack that Barron Trump, the youngest son of United States President Donald Trump, witnessed live on a FaceTime video call. Judge Joel Bennathan sentenced Rumiantsev for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and perverting the course of justice. The attack took place on January 18, 2025, at the victim's home in London, and lasted approximately one hour. Rumiantsev, described in court as a "trained fighter" who lived in Canary Wharf, east London, attacked the woman out of jealousy over her friendship with Barron Trump, whom she had met through social media. The victim suffered bruises to her chin, arm, and wrist, lost a clump of hair, and was left believing she "might die."

Barron Trump called UK police from the United States Barron Trump, who turned 20 on March 20, 2026, was on a FaceTime call with the victim when the assault unfolded before him. Rumiantsev answered the call on the woman's phone and turned the camera to show her crying on the floor, in what Judge Bennathan described as "an angry gesture meant to humiliate her." Trump immediately contacted the City of London Police from the United States. In a transcript of the emergency call released by the Crown Prosecution Service, Trump told the operator: „I'm calling from the US, uh, I just got a call from a girl, you know, she's getting beat up.” — Barron Trump via The Guardian The victim herself also managed to call emergency services during the assault, telling the operator: „Please help me, I'm gonna get killed.” — victim (unnamed) via The Irish Times Trump later served as a key witness in the case, sending an email to police describing what he had seen during the call.

Judge condemns defendant's lack of remorse at sentencing Judge Joel Bennathan was direct in his criticism of Rumiantsev during the sentencing hearing. He told the defendant that the evidence showed he had repeatedly struck the woman over the course of an hour and dragged her by her hair when she attempted to seek help. „You are a man given to jealousy and you have a temper.” — Joel Bennathan via The Guardian The judge described Rumiantsev as "totally unrepentant" and said his lack of insight and empathy had been apparent throughout the trial. Bennathan also noted that Rumiantsev continued to blame the victim for everything that had happened, pointing to a letter Rumiantsev had written and telling him that describing his actions as "inappropriate" was "a very long way from you facing up to the simple truth of what happened that night." After his arrest, Rumiantsev made repeated efforts to convince the woman to withdraw her allegations, including a phone call made from the police station and a letter sent to a friend while he was in prison. The conviction for perverting the course of justice related specifically to that letter.

Victim describes lasting trauma; rape charges did not result in conviction In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman said she "withdrew from the world entirely" in the aftermath of the assault and felt "humiliated, afraid and ashamed." She told the court she was living with "constant terror and uncertainty about the defendant's release." The jury acquitted Rumiantsev of two charges of rape and intentional strangulation, as well as a separate charge of assault alleged to have occurred in November 2024. The acquittals on the more serious charges came at the conclusion of the trial in January 2026. Rumiantsev had been in an on-and-off relationship with the woman for several months before the attack. The case drew international attention because of Barron Trump's direct involvement as a witness. Barron Trump is the fifth and youngest child of Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump. The assault occurred on January 18, 2025, shortly after Donald Trump returned to the White House for his second term as president. The four-year sentence was composed of two consecutive two-year terms for the two offences on which Rumiantsev was convicted, according to reporting by HotNews.ro citing Reuters.