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Ukrainian suspect's father reveals murder case 'shock' | Ukrainian suspect's father reveals murder case 'shock' |
(about 11 hours later) | |
The father of a Ukrainian man charged with the "terrorist-related" murder of an 82-year-old in Birmingham has said the news left him in "complete shock". | The father of a Ukrainian man charged with the "terrorist-related" murder of an 82-year-old in Birmingham has said the news left him in "complete shock". |
Postgraduate student Pavlo Lapshyn, 25, was arrested after Mohammed Saleem was stabbed as he walked home after prayers from a mosque on 29 April. | Postgraduate student Pavlo Lapshyn, 25, was arrested after Mohammed Saleem was stabbed as he walked home after prayers from a mosque on 29 April. |
He was remanded in custody by a court, also accused of causing three explosions. | |
Sergey Lapshyn told the BBC he "didn't believe his son could kill". | |
Speaking in Ukraine, he said his son arrived in the UK five days before the attack to begin a work placement with a software company. | |
"He was very excited and happy in the first week there that it is hard to believe that a person who feels this happy could do something out of the ordinary," Mr Lapshyn said. | "He was very excited and happy in the first week there that it is hard to believe that a person who feels this happy could do something out of the ordinary," Mr Lapshyn said. |
'Brief conversation' | 'Brief conversation' |
He said his son "always kept things to himself, he wasn't a very social person - to put it mildly. You had to try really hard to strike up a conversation with him". | He said his son "always kept things to himself, he wasn't a very social person - to put it mildly. You had to try really hard to strike up a conversation with him". |
But he added: "I just don't believe he could kill an old man. | But he added: "I just don't believe he could kill an old man. |
"It just doesn't make sense. I don't believe that he was also involved in some explosions. All things may happen in life but I just don't believe he could kill." | "It just doesn't make sense. I don't believe that he was also involved in some explosions. All things may happen in life but I just don't believe he could kill." |
He said: "I took the news as any father would... the situation was not clear, some media reported one thing, and then more details came up." | He said: "I took the news as any father would... the situation was not clear, some media reported one thing, and then more details came up." |
Asked whether he spoke to his son ahead of his trip to the UK, Sergey Lapshyn said: "Frankly, there was no time for that. My wife was at a hospital, her nerves were shattered and I had to comfort her all the time.... We didn't speak a lot at the time." | Asked whether he spoke to his son ahead of his trip to the UK, Sergey Lapshyn said: "Frankly, there was no time for that. My wife was at a hospital, her nerves were shattered and I had to comfort her all the time.... We didn't speak a lot at the time." |
But he said after his son - who also faces a fourth charge of intending to commit acts of terrorism - was arrested he had received a telephone call from him on his mobile phone. | But he said after his son - who also faces a fourth charge of intending to commit acts of terrorism - was arrested he had received a telephone call from him on his mobile phone. |
"It was a very brief conversation. He simply told me not to worry, said that he was given a lawyer, and he kept talking about how his parents must be upset." | "It was a very brief conversation. He simply told me not to worry, said that he was given a lawyer, and he kept talking about how his parents must be upset." |
Pavlo Lapshyn, who comes from the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk, was remanded in custody at Westminster Magistrates' Court. | Pavlo Lapshyn, who comes from the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk, was remanded in custody at Westminster Magistrates' Court. |
He is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Thursday 25 July | He is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Thursday 25 July |
He is charged with Mr Saleem's murder in the Small Heath area of Birmingham, as well as causing explosions on 21 June and 12 July, and under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 with intending to commit acts of terrorism between 24 April and 18 July. | He is charged with Mr Saleem's murder in the Small Heath area of Birmingham, as well as causing explosions on 21 June and 12 July, and under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 with intending to commit acts of terrorism between 24 April and 18 July. |
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