Aspiring sailor killed after trying to break up ‘e-scooter fight’ | United Kingdom | News

A midshipman was killed when he tried to break up a fight over an electric scooter in Bournemouth, a court has heard. Thomas Roberts, 21, was stabbed by 21-year-old Lawangan Abdulrahimzai last year while fighting with James Medway over the machine.

Medway had spent a “very cold” evening with Roberts on March 12 last year when the incident happened.

Before the fatal altercation, the court was told that Abdulrahimzai had driven around the city center in the early morning on the electric scooter and that before the attack he had tried to headbutt an amateur of clubs.

That same night, Roberts and Medway had visited several bars themselves and were looking to get a taxi home. Seeing the seemingly abandoned electric scooter, Medway suggested they use it as a way to get home.

Nic Lobbenberg KC, for the prosecution, said: “There was an altercation with Abdulrahimzai. Thomas was the peacemaker, he came between the two men.

“For his troubles, he received two stab wounds. The first was to his chest, he cut two bones in his rib, and sliced ​​through his chest cavity and severed the left ventricle of his heart. There was a second abdominal wound.

Lobbenberg, discussing the altercation, said: “Mr. Medway tells Tom, “We don’t need to take a cab home, we can get around. It is not used, we can take it.

“He is immediately confronted by Abdulrahimzai, Tom comes between them and the accused gets in Tom’s face and is very aggressive.

“The accused stands in front of him and he [Tom] slaps the accused in the face with an open palm. Abdulrahimzai pulls out a knife and stabs him twice.

After the attack, the court heard how Abdulrahimzai fled the scene and dropped his mobile phone and the knife he had used in the attack. However, he was arrested the following day at the address where the police had found his phone.

The prosecution told the court: “The knife had been brought by Abdulrahimzai. After the assault, Abdulrahimzai fled and James chased after him but lost it in the nearby woods. Abdulrahimzai dropped his mobile phone He returned to his home in Poole and changed his clothes.On the 13th he was arrested at the address the police had traced his phone to him.

Members of the public intervened to try to help Roberts who was taken to hospital where he died from his injuries.

In CCTV footage from the area, Roberts, who also worked as a DJ at a nightclub, can be seen staggering before collapsing seconds after being attacked.

Abdulrahimzai has admitted manslaughter and denies murder based on the defense of “loss of control”.

The trial continues.