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Jo Cox case: Dying MP 'tried to protect staff' Jo Cox case: Dying MP 'tried to protect staff'
(about 1 hour later)
MP Jo Cox urged her colleagues to save themselves from her knife-wielding killer as she lay dying in the street, the Old Bailey has heard.MP Jo Cox urged her colleagues to save themselves from her knife-wielding killer as she lay dying in the street, the Old Bailey has heard.
Giving evidence, senior caseworker Sandra Major said Mrs Cox told her and office manager Fazila Aswat to "let him hurt me, don't let him hurt you".Giving evidence, senior caseworker Sandra Major said Mrs Cox told her and office manager Fazila Aswat to "let him hurt me, don't let him hurt you".
Mrs Cox, 41, was shot and stabbed in Birstall, West Yorkshire, on 16 June, a week before the EU referendum vote.Mrs Cox, 41, was shot and stabbed in Birstall, West Yorkshire, on 16 June, a week before the EU referendum vote.
Thomas Mair, 53, of Birstall, denies murdering the Labour MP.Thomas Mair, 53, of Birstall, denies murdering the Labour MP.
He also denies grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of an offensive weapon - a dagger.He also denies grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of an offensive weapon - a dagger.
Mrs Cox, a Remain campaigner, and her staff had been heading to a constituency surgery at Birstall library before going on to join an EU campaign stall later that afternoon.
'Shouting gunman''Shouting gunman'
Ms Major, who was getting out of a parked car with the MP and Ms Aswat just before the attack, told the court she saw a man walking past with a gun in his hand. The BBC's Sarah Campbell, who was in court, said Mrs Cox's parents and sister held hands in the public gallery as they listened to the graphic and distressing evidence from the two women who had been by her side.
Ms Major, who was getting out of a parked car with the MP and Ms Aswat, told the court she saw a man walking past with a gun in his hand.
"He raised his arm and shot her [Jo Cox] in the head. She fell backwards into the ground and there was blood pouring down her face," she said."He raised his arm and shot her [Jo Cox] in the head. She fell backwards into the ground and there was blood pouring down her face," she said.
Asked whether the gunman had said anything, she replied: "It was something along the lines of "Keep Britain independent," or "British independence". Asked whether the gunman had said anything, she replied: "It was something along the lines of 'Keep Britain independent,' or 'British independence.'"
Ms Major told jurors that Mrs Cox had tried to protect her staff even as she was being stabbed.Ms Major told jurors that Mrs Cox had tried to protect her staff even as she was being stabbed.
"He was making motions towards us with the knife and Jo was lying in the road and she shouted out 'Get away, get away you two. Let him hurt me. Don't let them hurt you.' "He was making motions towards us with the knife and Jo was lying in the road and she shouted out, 'Get away, get away you two. Let him hurt me. Don't let them hurt you.'
"He started to walk away a little bit and when Jo shouted out then he came back. He shot her twice more and then started stabbing her again."He started to walk away a little bit and when Jo shouted out then he came back. He shot her twice more and then started stabbing her again.
"She was on the floor. She didn't get up again. He was still shouting and shouting," the court heard."She was on the floor. She didn't get up again. He was still shouting and shouting," the court heard.
'Shot at close range' The court also heard from Ms Aswat who said she had screamed for help as a knifeman stood over the MP and pleaded for her to run.
The court also heard from Ms Aswat who said she had screamed for help as a man with a knife stood over the MP, who was on the ground, and pleaded for her to run.
The man retreated but returned to continue the attack, as more people gathered round. She tried to hit him with her handbag, but missed, the court heard.The man retreated but returned to continue the attack, as more people gathered round. She tried to hit him with her handbag, but missed, the court heard.
Ms Aswat said she thought Mrs Cox had been stabbed first and then shot at close range.Ms Aswat said she thought Mrs Cox had been stabbed first and then shot at close range.
At the end of the attack, the knifeman stood up and said "Britain first, this is for Britain. Britain will always come first," before walking off, she told jurors. At the end of the attack, the assailant stood up and said "Britain first, this is for Britain. Britain will always come first," before walking off, she told jurors.
Ms Aswat said she held the injured Mrs Cox in her arms and tried to encourage her by talking about her two young children.Ms Aswat said she held the injured Mrs Cox in her arms and tried to encourage her by talking about her two young children.
The police only took two or three minutes to arrive but it felt like a lifetime, she told the court.The police only took two or three minutes to arrive but it felt like a lifetime, she told the court.
In a statement read out in court, Bernard Carter-Kenny, 77, described how he was injured as he tried to save Mrs Cox.
He had been waiting for his wife outside the library when he heard a bang and saw Mrs Cox, who he recognised, roll into the road, the court heard.
"I jumped out of the car. I thought if I could jump on to the back, I could take him down.
"I thought he was thumping her until I saw the blood. I saw he had a knife in his hands.
"Just as I got short of him, he turned around and saw me. He shoved the knife in and it hit me in the stomach.
"The blood started pouring out between my fingers. I saw the blood and I thought 'Oh my God.'"
He described staggering away to a nearby sandwich shop, from where he could see the man "going berserk with a knife".
Earlier on Wednesday, the court heard how police found a bag of bullets in Mr Mair's pocket when he was detained.Earlier on Wednesday, the court heard how police found a bag of bullets in Mr Mair's pocket when he was detained.
Arresting officer PC Craig Nicholls also said he saw what looked like a gun in a bag and described Mr Mair putting his arms up and saying: "It's me".Arresting officer PC Craig Nicholls also said he saw what looked like a gun in a bag and described Mr Mair putting his arms up and saying: "It's me".
PC Nicholls told the court he was on patrol in a marked police car in Birstall, near Leeds, with colleague PC Jonathan Wright when they were told to search for a man thought to be involved in a shooting. PC Nicholls told the court he and a colleague were in a patrol car when they followed Mr Mair into a cul-de-sac, and asked him to show his hands.
Just after 13:30 BST they spotted a man on Leeds Road in a black baseball cap carrying a black holdall, and followed him to Risedale Avenue, a residential cul-de-sac. As the man dropped his bag, the officers rugby tackled him to the ground. The man then told them: "I'm a political activist", PC Nicholls said.
'Heavy impact' The jury heard a dagger-type knife, an EU referendum leaflet and a wallet containing cards, including a library card, were also found.
The officers asked the man to show his hands and he dropped the bag.
He turned around to face the police, put his hands in his pockets and change fell out.
The officers got out of the patrol car, ran towards him and rugby tackled him to the ground with a "heavy impact", the arresting officer said.
A large amount of bullets were found in a plastic bag in the man's trouser pocket and what looked like a pistol in his bag, he said.
The man then told them: "I'm a political activist", PC Nicholls said.
The man was taken by ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary for treatment to a head injury resulting from being brought down and then on to a police station, the court was told.
The court earlier heard from PC Ben Marston, a firearms officer who attended the scene after Mr Mair was arrested.
He told jurors the holdall bag had fresh wet blood in it and what looked like the end of a rifle.
PC Marston told them he recovered the firearm, which was set to "fire", and made it safe.
The jury also heard about a list of items found at the scene, including a dagger-type knife, a bag containing a leaflet about the EU referendum and a wallet containing cards, including a library card.
'Regular library user'
CCTV footage of Mr Mair visiting Birstall Library on 15 June - the day before Mrs Cox was killed - was shown to the jury.
It showed him walking up the ramp to the library with bags in both hands just before 17:00 BST, walking across the floor and sitting at a computer.
In a statement, library officer Beverley Fletcher said Thomas Mair was a regular visitor, coming once a week over a number of years.
He did not engage in conversation or eye contact and used only the IT services, she said, and she could not remember him borrowing a book.
Gardener role
The Old Bailey also heard from one of Mr Mair's neighbours, David Thomas. He said the man he knew as "Tommy" had lived there for 20 years, with a younger brother and his grandmother, until she died.
He said Mr Mair would do her shopping and he gardened, mowing the lawn once a month.
On 16 June, Mr Thomas said he saw the defendant leave the house wearing a white baseball cap, a dark green jacket, dark trousers and shoes and carrying a canvas shopping bag.
The trial continues.The trial continues.
Who was Jo Cox?Who was Jo Cox?
Jo Cox was a self-proclaimed "proud Yorkshire lass" whose work for charity took her around the world and whose political success led her to Westminster.Jo Cox was a self-proclaimed "proud Yorkshire lass" whose work for charity took her around the world and whose political success led her to Westminster.
The 41-year-old mother-of-two was elected as MP for Batley and Spen in the 2015 election and increased Labour's majority to 6,051 (from 4,406 in the 2010 election).The 41-year-old mother-of-two was elected as MP for Batley and Spen in the 2015 election and increased Labour's majority to 6,051 (from 4,406 in the 2010 election).
She described herself as "proud and humbled" to be the Labour MP for the place where she was born.She described herself as "proud and humbled" to be the Labour MP for the place where she was born.
Mrs Cox first worked in politics after graduating from Cambridge University in 1995, but then built a career working for charities including Oxfam, Save the Children and the NSPCC.Mrs Cox first worked in politics after graduating from Cambridge University in 1995, but then built a career working for charities including Oxfam, Save the Children and the NSPCC.
She was described by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as "a much loved colleague, a real talent and a dedicated campaigner for justice and peace."She was described by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as "a much loved colleague, a real talent and a dedicated campaigner for justice and peace."
Tireless campaigner turned political 'star'Tireless campaigner turned political 'star'