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Woolwich trial: Lee Rigby was victim of 'cowardly murder', court hears Woolwich trial: Lee Rigby was victim of 'barbarous' attack, court hears
(35 minutes later)
Lee Rigby was the victim of "a cowardly and callous murder" by two men who wanted witnesses to see "the consequence of their barbarous acts", the jury heard at the opening of the Woolwich murder trial at the Old Bailey. Two men staged a "barbarous" attack on a British soldier, knocking him down with a car before mutilating him with knives and a cleaver as they attempted to behead him, the jury heard at the opening of the Woolwich murder trial at the Old Bailey.
The fusilier, 25, was hit by a car and attacked with a knife and a meat cleaver as he walked back to Woolwich barracks in south-east London on 22 May. Lee Rigby, 25, was killed in broad daylight in a street close to the Woolwich military barracks in south London as he walked back to his barracks. The incident occurred within yards of a primary school, the jury was told.
The prosecutor Richard Whittam QC told jurors at the Old Bailey that Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, drove a Vauxhall Tigra "straight at" him, at around 30-40mph. Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale deny murdering the soldier in a London street in May 2013. They are standing trial at the Old Bailey in central London.
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. Beginning the case, the prosecutor Richard Whittam QC told the jury the two men had committed a "cowardly and callous" attack on Rigby and had "mutilated his body with a meat cleaver and knives".
"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." The attack happened just after 2pm on 22 May 2013. A Vauxhall Tigra was driven straight at Fusilier Rigby as he walked across Artillery Place. The car hit him at 30-40mph and crashed into a road sign.
Adebolajo tried to decapitate the soldier while Adebowale stabbed and cut him, the jury heard. Whittam said: "From eyewitness accounts it appears that Lee Rigby was rendered unconscious by that deliberate act. The car carried him from the road on to the pavement."
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. The jury were told by the prosecutor: "Both men got out. They were clearly acting together with a common purpose.
"At the same time as Michael Adebolajo used the meat cleaver, Michael Adebowale was using a knife to stab and cut at Lee Rigby's body." "The two men were armed with a meat cleaver and knives. They also had a firearm, a revolver, with them.
Adebolajo and Adebowale deny murder. "They both attacked the motionless body of Lee Rigby."
Members of Rigby's family were in court to hear the crown open its case. Brown paper was taped over part of the dock where the defendants sat so they were shielded from the view of the relatives and friends of the victim.
Whittam continued: "He was repeatedly stabbed and it appears Michael Adebolajo made a serious and almost successful attempt to decapitate him with multiple blows to his neck made with the meat cleaver."
Meanwhile, the jury heard, Adebowale "was using the knife to stab and cut" at the body of the dying soldier.
The two men are then accused of dragging the body into the middle of the road, because "they wanted the members of the public present to see the consequences of their barbarous acts", Whittam said.
He added: "They had committed, you may think, a cowardly and callous murder by deliberately attacking an unarmed man in civilian concerns from behind using a vehicle as a weapon and then they murdered and mutilated his body with a meat cleaver and knives."
Members of the public braved the scene to offer first aid and comfort to Rigby, the jury heard. One woman talked to Adebolajo "despite the fact that he was still holding the meat cleaver and his hands were covered in blood".
Adebolajo is alleged to have threatened a man who came towards him with the gun and Whittam said the firearm was intended to keep members of the public at bay while the two men waited for police to arrive. He said both men held the gun as they waited.
The jury of eight men and four women heard that police then arrived, and "both men immediately moved towards it" armed with weapons and got close to the police car.
Adebowale had the gun, which he "raised and aimed at the police officers", despite it not being loaded.
Whittam said: "The vehicle contained armed police officers … both men were shot and detained … Having shot both these men the firearms officers immediately had to render first aid to them in an attempt to save their lives, and they did so without hesitation."
The attack took place within yards of Mulgrave primary school, and children in the area were shielded from the scenes of horror and hurried to safety.
Rigby served in the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and was attached to the regimental recruiting team at the time of the attack.Rigby served in the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and was attached to the regimental recruiting team at the time of the attack.
Adebolajo and Adebowale are also charged with conspiring to murder and the attempted murder of police officers who arrived at the scene of the attack. Both defendants deny these charges.Adebolajo and Adebowale are also charged with conspiring to murder and the attempted murder of police officers who arrived at the scene of the attack. Both defendants deny these charges.
Both men are also charged with having a gun, a 9.4mm Dutch calibre KNIL Model 91 revolver. The indictment against the accused says they had the gun "with intent by means thereof to cause a person to believe that unlawful violence would be used against him or another person". The jury were told that the two have pleaded guilty to the poessession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Both men are also charged with having a gun, a 9.4mm Dutch calibre KNIL Model 91 revolver. The indictment against the accused says they had the gun "with intent by means thereof to cause a person to believe that unlawful violence would be used against him or another person". The jury were told that the two have pleaded guilty to the possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
The case was due to open last week but has been delayed by legal argument.The case was due to open last week but has been delayed by legal argument.
The two accused appeared in the dock together on Friday, with several security guards.The two accused appeared in the dock together on Friday, with several security guards.
On Thursday jurors were selected for the trial and told by the judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, to deliver their verdicts based only on the evidence they would hear in court.On Thursday jurors were selected for the trial and told by the judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, to deliver their verdicts based only on the evidence they would hear in court.
Prior to selection, a panel of potential jurors was handed a list of four questions and told by Sweeney that they might be excluded from the case if they answered yes to any of them.Prior to selection, a panel of potential jurors was handed a list of four questions and told by Sweeney that they might be excluded from the case if they answered yes to any of them.
They were asked: "Have you or any person with whom you have regular and close personal contact been in the vicinity of a terrorist incident?They were asked: "Have you or any person with whom you have regular and close personal contact been in the vicinity of a terrorist incident?
"Have you or any person with whom you have regular and close personal contact been employed in the armed forces, police force, prison service, security services or Crown Prosecution Service?"Have you or any person with whom you have regular and close personal contact been employed in the armed forces, police force, prison service, security services or Crown Prosecution Service?
"Is there any reason arising from beliefs, past or present occupation, or any other matter that you feel may inhibit the essential requirement to return impartial verdicts according to the evidence in this trial? In particular, do you or any member of your family or a relative or close friend hold political or religious views of such strength that they might materially influence your consideration of the case?"Is there any reason arising from beliefs, past or present occupation, or any other matter that you feel may inhibit the essential requirement to return impartial verdicts according to the evidence in this trial? In particular, do you or any member of your family or a relative or close friend hold political or religious views of such strength that they might materially influence your consideration of the case?
"Is there some other compelling reason requiring you to be excused?""Is there some other compelling reason requiring you to be excused?"
The judge said: "The jurors who try this case must do so impartially, and thus based on only the evidence that those jurors are going to hear in this courtroom and absolutely nothing else."The judge said: "The jurors who try this case must do so impartially, and thus based on only the evidence that those jurors are going to hear in this courtroom and absolutely nothing else."
The case continues.The case continues.
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