Lee Rigby
was the victim of "a cowardly and callous murder" by two men armed
with a gun, meat cleaver and knives, the Old Bailey was told.
One of
the men tried to decapitate Mr Rigby in the middle of the street, yards from a
primary school, the jury was told.
A tribute
to Lee Rigby who died in south east London
He was
spotted on CCTV the day before the attack in an Argos store, purchasing five knives,
it was alleged.
The
Fusilier was first hit by a car before being attacked as he walked back to
Woolwich Barracks in south east London on May 22.
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 30mph to 40mph.
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.
"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."
Adebolajo
tried to decapitate the soldier while Adebowale stabbed and cut him, the jury
heard.
Mr
Whittam said: "They both attacked the motionless body of Lee Rigby.
The death
of the soldier triggered a massive police investigation
"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.
"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."
Mr
Whittam told the jury that members of the public showed "bravery and
decency" in the aftermath of the alleged attack.
"Such
heinous behaviour is in distinct contrast to the bravery and decency shown by
some of the members of the public present.
"Despite
the abhorrence of the scene, one woman went to the lifeless body of Lee Rigby
and stroked him to provide some comfort and humanity to what had unfolded.
"Others
went to see if they could provide first aid.
"Another
woman engaged Michael Adebolajo in conversation despite the fact that he was
still holding the meat cleaver and his hands were covered in blood."
The court
heard that the two men were also armed with a gun.
The
soldier was dragged into the middle of the road before being attacked
Mr
Whittam told the jury of eight women and four men that the firearm was part of
the plan the pair had made, and was used partly to frighten off members of the
public before the emergency services arrived.
As a
police vehicle swung into Artillery Place, both men moved towards it, Mr
Whittam said, and Adebolajo raised the meat cleaver above his head.
Adebolajo
and Adebowale are both accused of attempting to murder a police officer, and
conspiracy to murder a police officer on or before May 22.
Armed
officers shot both defendants and they were arrested, the court heard.
Mr
Whittam said: "Lethal force can only be used where there is a real danger
to life, as clearly there was here."
The
events took place within yards of the Mulgrave Primary School, Mr Whittam said,
to which children were returning from a visit to the library. Members of the
public turned them back to avoid the "awful" scene.
Young and
old people, as well as a heavily pregnant woman, did witness what happened, he
added.
More follows....
SkyNews
Publicity on terrorism should be ban.
ReplyDeleteThese men should be sentenced to death, not life.
ReplyDeleteYou can't imagine what the family is going through, so sad.
ReplyDelete