Woolwich Trial: 'Killer Nearly Beheaded Soldier'

Lee Rigby's mother and widow left the Old Bailey in tears today after hearing how the soldier was nearly decapitated outside a primary school.

Relatives fled the packed Old Bailey courtroom moments before the jury was shown video footage of the Fusilier being hit by a car, driven by the alleged killers.

There were gasps from the public gallery as the video showed a Vauxhall Tigra knocking the soldier down before crashing into a road sign.

A tribute to Lee Rigby who died in south east London

The court was told that the two men then got out of the car, dragged the unconscious soldier into the street, and attacked him with a meat cleaver and knives.

The defendants chose the middle of the road - just yards from a primary school - to mutilate the soldier so that members of the public could watch, the court was told.

One witness - whose account was relayed in court by the prosecution - described how one of the attackers "knelt down" by Lee Rigby and took hold of his hair.

"He then repeatedly hacked at the right side of his neck just below the jawline," Mr Whittam, QC, prosecuting, said.

The Old Bailey was told that the soldier was initially hit by the car from behind as he walked back to Woolwich Barracks in south east London, on May 22.

Mr Whittam QC told jurors that Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, drove the Tigra "straight at" him, at around 30mph to 40mph.

He said: "Both men then dragged his body into the middle of the road. They wanted members of the public to see the consequence of what can only be described as their barbarous acts.

The death of the soldier triggered a massive police investigation

"They had committed, you may think, a cowardly and callous murder by deliberately attacking an unarmed man in plain clothes from behind, using a vehicle as a weapon, and then they murdered him and mutilated his body with that meat cleaver and knives."

Adebolajo tried to decapitate the soldier while Adebowale stabbed and cut him, the jury heard.

Mr Whittam said: "They both attacked the motionless body of Lee Rigby.

"He was repeatedly stabbed and it appears it was Michael Adebolajo, the first defendant, who made a serious and almost successful attempt to decapitate Lee Rigby with multiple blows to his neck made with the meat cleaver."

Mr Whittam said one eyewitness, Amanda Bailey saw the events from inside her Peugeot 206.

She saw the Tigra strike Fusilier Rigby and carry him until the car crashed into a road sign.

"The young man flew off the bonnet and landed about two feet in front of the car," Mr Whittam said.

"She (Bailey) saw that his eyes were open but they looked frozen."

The soldier was dragged into the middle of the road before being attacked

Mr Whittam told the jury that members of the public showed "bravery and decency" in the aftermath of the alleged attack.

"Such heinous behaviour is in distinct contrast to the bravery and decency shown by some of the members of the public present.

"Despite the abhorrence of the scene, one woman went to the lifeless body of Lee Rigby and stroked him to provide some comfort and humanity to what had unfolded.

"Others went to see if they could provide first aid.

"Another woman engaged Michael Adebolajo in conversation despite the fact that he was still holding the meat cleaver and his hands were covered in blood."

The court heard that the two men were also armed with a gun.

Sky's Mark White, at the Old Bailey, said the court was packed with friends and relatives of Mr Rigby and they listened intently as the disturbing details were revealed to the jury.

Mr Whittam told the jury of eight women and four men that the firearm was part of the plan the pair had made, and was used partly to frighten off members of the public before the emergency services arrived.

As a police vehicle swung into Artillery Place, both men moved towards it, Mr Whittam said, and Adebolajo raised the meat cleaver above his head.

Adebolajo and Adebowale are both accused of attempting to murder a police officer, and conspiracy to murder a police officer on or before May 22.

Armed officers shot both defendants and they were arrested, the court heard.

Mr Whittam said: "Lethal force can only be used where there is a real danger to life, as clearly there was here."

The events took place within yards of the Mulgrave Primary School, Mr Whittam said, to which children were returning from a visit to the library. Members of the public turned them back to avoid the "awful" scene.

Young and old people, as well as a heavily pregnant woman, did witness what happened, he added.

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Woolwich Trial: 'Killer Nearly Beheaded Soldier'

Dengan url

http://serverkecil.blogspot.com/2013/11/woolwich-trial-killer-nearly-beheaded.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Woolwich Trial: 'Killer Nearly Beheaded Soldier'

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Woolwich Trial: 'Killer Nearly Beheaded Soldier'

sebagai sumbernya