Michael Adebolajo And Michael Adebowale Appear In Court As They Are Charged With The Murder Of British Solider Lee Rigby

A Muslim convert held a British soldier by the hair and tried to hack off his head 'like a butcher attacking a joint of meat' after knocking him down with a car at 40mph, the Old Bailey heard today.

Drummer Lee Rigby was 'mutilated, almost decapitated and murdered' by Michael Adebowale, 22, and Michael Adebolajo, 28, who ambushed him outside military barracks in Woolwich, South East London, the jury was told.

The father-of-one, 25, almost had his head sliced off when his 'motionless' body was attacked in a 'cowardly and callous' execution, the prosecution has said.

The family, fiancée and estranged wife of Lee Rigby were at the Old Bailey, but left the courtroom in tears when the jury was shown CCTV of the moment he was knocked down, dragged into the road and hacked to death.

Michael Adeboljo

Opening the case against them today, a jury was told the men committed a 'heinous' act.
Richard Whittam QC said Drummer Rigby was hit by their car at up to 40mph as he crossed the road, leaving him helpless on the ground, before his alleged killers dragged him into the road.

'The two men were armed with a meat cleaver and knives. They also had a firearm, a revolver, with them,' Mr Whittam said.
'The driver (Adebolajo) was carrying a cleaver in his hand. He knelt down by Lee Rigby and took hold of his hair. He then repeatedly hacked at the right side of his neck just below the jawline.
'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.'

Amanda Bailey saw the events from inside her Peugeot 206, the jury heard.
She saw the Tigra strike Fusilier Rigby and carry him until the car crashed into a road sign.
'The young man flew off the bonnet and landed about two feet in front of the car,' Mr Whittam said.

'She (Bailey) saw that his eyes were open but they looked frozen.'
Miss Bailey says she saw the driver of the car get out with a meat cleaver in his hand and hack at Mr Rigby's neck up to nine times with 'considerable force.'
Shopkeeper Ibrahim Elidemir and Saraj Miah, who described the car hitting Lee Rigby at a 'terrible speed', the court heard.

Michael Adeboljo was filmed shortly after the murder, as he explained his motives live at the murder scene

Mr Miah told the two men 'Don't kill him' but the passenger took out a gun and aimed it at him.
Greenwich Borough Council electrician Thomas Seymour, saw a man attack the neck of Fusilier Rigby.
Mr Whittam told the jury: 'Mr Seymour 'instantly believed that he was trying to cut the victim's head off'.'
Another witness, Gary Perkins, described the defendant's actions as being 'like a butcher attacking a joint of meat'.

Suspect Michael Adebowale was also seen talking to a member of the public

Mr Whittam added: 'They wanted the members of the public present to see the consequences of what can only be described their barbarous acts.
'They had committed a cowardly and callous murder by deliberately attacking an unarmed man in civilian clothes from behind using a vehicle as a weapon and then they murdered him and mutilated his body with that meat cleaver and knives.'

Father-of-one Mr Rigby, from Middleton, Rochdale, Lancs, died from multiple wounds after being attacked shortly after 2pm on May 22.

The victim's mother, Lyn Rigby, got up and left Court 2 when prosecutor Richard Whittam QC said he was going to show the CCTV images to the court.
She was quickly followed by Mr Rigby's wife, Rebecca, who also looked visibly upset.
Adebowale, also known as Ismail Ibn Abdullah and Adebolajo, also known as Mujaahid Abu Hamza, sat in the dock in silence.

The two defendants, both wearing casual clothes, were flanked by seven prison guards.

Relatives, friends and colleagues of Drummer Rigby sat a short distance from the men, screened by paper erected against the glass of the side of the dock.
Adebolajo and Adebowale deny murdering Drummer Rigby, conspiracy to murder a police officer and attempted murder.

Earlier, Mr Whittam told the jury the circumstances of Drummer Rigby's death are 'shocking'.
He said: 'It is important that you do not let emotion or sympathy affect your judgement in this case.
'The prosecution seeks only true verdicts on the evidence as you find it to be, nothing more and nothing less.'
Mr Whittam said the attack was in 'distinct contrast' to the 'bravery and decency' shown by witnesses.
He said: 'Despite the abhorrence of the scene one woman went up to the lifeless body of Lee Rigby and stroked him to provide some comfort and humanity to what had unfolded.


Source: Daily Mail