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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jan/31/man-accused-of-london-allotment-smoked-opium-in-shed
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Man accused of London allotment murder smoked opium in shed | Man accused of London allotment murder smoked opium in shed |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Rahim Mohammadi denies strangling Lea Adri-Soejoko, 80, with lawnmower cord | Rahim Mohammadi denies strangling Lea Adri-Soejoko, 80, with lawnmower cord |
| Matthew Weaver and agencies | Matthew Weaver and agencies |
| Wed 31 Jan 2018 16.16 GMT | Wed 31 Jan 2018 16.16 GMT |
| Last modified on Wed 31 Jan 2018 22.00 GMT | |
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| A gardener accused of strangling an 80-year-old woman with a mower cord in an attempt to take control of an allotment society has admitted regularly smoking opium in his shed. | A gardener accused of strangling an 80-year-old woman with a mower cord in an attempt to take control of an allotment society has admitted regularly smoking opium in his shed. |
| Rahim Mohammadi, 41, from Hackney, east London, told the Old Bailey he heard shouting on the day Lea Adri-Soejoko was killed at the Colindale allotments in north London. | Rahim Mohammadi, 41, from Hackney, east London, told the Old Bailey he heard shouting on the day Lea Adri-Soejoko was killed at the Colindale allotments in north London. |
| He denies beating up her up and then throttling her to stop her reporting him. | He denies beating up her up and then throttling her to stop her reporting him. |
| Adri-Soejoko’s body was found in a shed after she failed to turn up at a meeting on the evening of 27 February last year. She had been strangled with the starter cord of a Mountfield lawnmower. | Adri-Soejoko’s body was found in a shed after she failed to turn up at a meeting on the evening of 27 February last year. She had been strangled with the starter cord of a Mountfield lawnmower. |
| The prosecution alleges Mohammadi wanted Adri-Soejoko to retire as secretary of the allotments so he could take over. | The prosecution alleges Mohammadi wanted Adri-Soejoko to retire as secretary of the allotments so he could take over. |
| Tensions between the two had flared in public at the allotment’s annual general meeting four months earlier. When Adri-Soejoko told him to “shut up” in a discussion over enforcement notices, he called her “little witch” as he walked out, the court heard. | Tensions between the two had flared in public at the allotment’s annual general meeting four months earlier. When Adri-Soejoko told him to “shut up” in a discussion over enforcement notices, he called her “little witch” as he walked out, the court heard. |
| Giving evidence, Mohammadi said he was embarrassed about calling Adri-Soejoko names and later apologised to her over tea in his shed. | Giving evidence, Mohammadi said he was embarrassed about calling Adri-Soejoko names and later apologised to her over tea in his shed. |
| Describing the incident, he said: “Towards the end of the meeting I stand up and say, ‘bye bye little witch’ because she used to call me ‘little puppy’. I wanted to apologise first because I was embarrassed really because I had said ‘shut up’ in front of a few people. It was not nice.” | Describing the incident, he said: “Towards the end of the meeting I stand up and say, ‘bye bye little witch’ because she used to call me ‘little puppy’. I wanted to apologise first because I was embarrassed really because I had said ‘shut up’ in front of a few people. It was not nice.” |
| Tyrone Smith QC, defending, asked what their relationship was like afterwards. The defendant said he was embarrassed but she told him to “forget it”. | Tyrone Smith QC, defending, asked what their relationship was like afterwards. The defendant said he was embarrassed but she told him to “forget it”. |
| Mohammadi admitted smoking opium at least “four or five times a month” at his plot to relieve back pain. Two days before the killing, the defendant said he met a man on the allotment who offered to sell him £200 of opium. He arranged to see another associate to collect the remainder of the drugs on the day of the killing. | Mohammadi admitted smoking opium at least “four or five times a month” at his plot to relieve back pain. Two days before the killing, the defendant said he met a man on the allotment who offered to sell him £200 of opium. He arranged to see another associate to collect the remainder of the drugs on the day of the killing. |
| Mohammadi said he had gone to Adri-Soejoko’s house to collect a key to the main gate. She gave him coffee and asked his advice about carpeting her stairs because the boards were slippery, he said. | Mohammadi said he had gone to Adri-Soejoko’s house to collect a key to the main gate. She gave him coffee and asked his advice about carpeting her stairs because the boards were slippery, he said. |
| He later returned a tape measure to Adri-Soejoko, he said. | He later returned a tape measure to Adri-Soejoko, he said. |
| The defendant said he made three trips away from the allotment during the day to buy tobacco, water and opium and spent time watching YouTube videos at his shed. | The defendant said he made three trips away from the allotment during the day to buy tobacco, water and opium and spent time watching YouTube videos at his shed. |
| He told jurors that when he left on his third trip, he heard someone shouting but carried on. He said: “I just said to myself now they are drunk and they are fighting each other.” | He told jurors that when he left on his third trip, he heard someone shouting but carried on. He said: “I just said to myself now they are drunk and they are fighting each other.” |
| The court has heard how Mohammadi, as a Kurd, sought political asylum from Iran in 2005 and was given indefinite leave to remain in 2010. | The court has heard how Mohammadi, as a Kurd, sought political asylum from Iran in 2005 and was given indefinite leave to remain in 2010. |
| His association with the allotment began when he was referred there in 2008 by the charity Freedom from Torture. | His association with the allotment began when he was referred there in 2008 by the charity Freedom from Torture. |
| He said he went to the allotments once or twice a week and shared a plot with other group members as he found it quiet and peaceful. | He said he went to the allotments once or twice a week and shared a plot with other group members as he found it quiet and peaceful. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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