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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jan/31/finsbury-park-attack-accused-blames-man-called-dave-in-absurd-defence-jury-told
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Finsbury Park attack accused blames man called ‘Dave’ in ‘absurd’ defence, jury told | Finsbury Park attack accused blames man called ‘Dave’ in ‘absurd’ defence, jury told |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Darren Osborne says man named Dave jumped into driver’s seat and drove into pedestrians | Darren Osborne says man named Dave jumped into driver’s seat and drove into pedestrians |
| Kevin Rawlinson | Kevin Rawlinson |
| Wed 31 Jan 2018 12.41 GMT | Wed 31 Jan 2018 12.41 GMT |
| Last modified on Wed 31 Jan 2018 16.24 GMT | |
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| The defence of a man accused of launching a terror attack on Muslims in Finsbury Park – that another man jumped into the moving van he had been driving and carried it out without his knowledge – is absurd, a jury has been told. | The defence of a man accused of launching a terror attack on Muslims in Finsbury Park – that another man jumped into the moving van he had been driving and carried it out without his knowledge – is absurd, a jury has been told. |
| Darren Osborne, who is alleged to have driven the van into a group of people in north London last year, said a man named Dave had jumped into the passenger’s side shortly beforehand. Dave had then transferred to the driver’s seat, with the van still moving, while Osborne had hidden in the footwell before the vehicle hit the group, the defendant said. | Darren Osborne, who is alleged to have driven the van into a group of people in north London last year, said a man named Dave had jumped into the passenger’s side shortly beforehand. Dave had then transferred to the driver’s seat, with the van still moving, while Osborne had hidden in the footwell before the vehicle hit the group, the defendant said. |
| The prosecutor, Jonathan Rees, asked why CCTV footage showed only one man leaving the van and what had happened to Dave, adding: “He’s not a magician, is he?” Osborne replied: “He is like Dynamo (the street magician); an illusion, an illusionist. He can make himself vanish, perhaps.” | The prosecutor, Jonathan Rees, asked why CCTV footage showed only one man leaving the van and what had happened to Dave, adding: “He’s not a magician, is he?” Osborne replied: “He is like Dynamo (the street magician); an illusion, an illusionist. He can make himself vanish, perhaps.” |
| Rees said to him: “The real truth is that none of this happened. You were the only person in the van at this stage [immediately prior to the incident] and all of this is just a desperate attempt to place Dave in the driver’s seat. | Rees said to him: “The real truth is that none of this happened. You were the only person in the van at this stage [immediately prior to the incident] and all of this is just a desperate attempt to place Dave in the driver’s seat. |
| “It is an absurd account, isn’t it?” | “It is an absurd account, isn’t it?” |
| Osborne replied: “No, it’s not.” | Osborne replied: “No, it’s not.” |
| Osborne claimed Dave had jumped into the van as it had driven under a railway bridge, heading southbound on Seven Sisters Road. He said he was unable to identify on CCTV footage where that had occurred and said it was “sod’s law” that the cameras had not picked it up. | Osborne claimed Dave had jumped into the van as it had driven under a railway bridge, heading southbound on Seven Sisters Road. He said he was unable to identify on CCTV footage where that had occurred and said it was “sod’s law” that the cameras had not picked it up. |
| The court was previously told CCTV cameras covered the whole of the van’s journey except for a period of four seconds, when it was moving along Isledon Road, shortly after passing under the bridge. | The court was previously told CCTV cameras covered the whole of the van’s journey except for a period of four seconds, when it was moving along Isledon Road, shortly after passing under the bridge. |
| When Dave got in the van, Osborne told the jury, he believed they were going to go to a nearby pub to drink with Terry Jones, who was already there ordering the drinks. He said he did not know anything about a plan to attack people in Finsbury Park. | When Dave got in the van, Osborne told the jury, he believed they were going to go to a nearby pub to drink with Terry Jones, who was already there ordering the drinks. He said he did not know anything about a plan to attack people in Finsbury Park. |
| Osborne said he had ducked into the footwell before the incident to change his trousers because he felt he may have urinated on them. | Osborne said he had ducked into the footwell before the incident to change his trousers because he felt he may have urinated on them. |
| Rees recounted phrases Osborne was quoted as saying, including that he had allegedly said he wanted to kill more Muslims and that he had had a “proper go”. Osborne said he did not remember saying those things. | Rees recounted phrases Osborne was quoted as saying, including that he had allegedly said he wanted to kill more Muslims and that he had had a “proper go”. Osborne said he did not remember saying those things. |
| Rees referred to Osborne’s claim – shortly after his arrest – that he had lost control of the van, suggesting he was trying to save himself. “Because, deep down, there is a bit of a coward in you, isn’t there?” Osborne did not respond. | Rees referred to Osborne’s claim – shortly after his arrest – that he had lost control of the van, suggesting he was trying to save himself. “Because, deep down, there is a bit of a coward in you, isn’t there?” Osborne did not respond. |
| After Osborne railed against Muslims during his evidence, Rees told him the witness stand was not there for him to spread hatred, but to answer questions. | After Osborne railed against Muslims during his evidence, Rees told him the witness stand was not there for him to spread hatred, but to answer questions. |
| The defence concluded its case on behalf of Osborne at Woolwich crown court in London on Wednesday morning. | The defence concluded its case on behalf of Osborne at Woolwich crown court in London on Wednesday morning. |
| He is charged with the murder of Makram Ali, 51, and the attempted murders of other people on 19 June last year, in what the prosecution has characterised as a terror attack against members of the Muslim community. He denies the charges. | He is charged with the murder of Makram Ali, 51, and the attempted murders of other people on 19 June last year, in what the prosecution has characterised as a terror attack against members of the Muslim community. He denies the charges. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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