Student murder accused aimed to scare, court told

A man accused of murdering a student on a summer night in Cambridge has told a jury that he brandished a knife to "scare" not "hit".

Mohammed Algasim, 20, from Saudi Arabia, was stabbed while sitting with friends outside student accommodation near the city's main railway station shortly before 23:30 BST on 1 August.

Prosecutors say Chas Corrigan attacked him with a kitchen knife after "an evening of drinking and using drugs".

The 22-year-old, of Holbrook Road in Cambridge, denies murder and told a trial at Cambridge Crown Court: "I didn't realise he was injured at all."

Jurors have seen CCTV footage showing Corrigan, who is wearing a high-vis top, as he approaches the group.

Corrigan is seen talking to Algasim, who is sitting on a low wall, then walking away, before returning and becoming involved in a confrontation.

He told jurors that he was walking towards the station at the time, after drinking in the Earl of Derby pub.

Corrigan said he had drunk about six pints of Guinness, one or two gin and tonics, and several drinks containing vodka.

He said he had also twice taken cocaine.

The defendant told jurors he was "merry" but "not drunk".

Corrigan, who is a construction worker, said he did not know anyone in the group but thought he had asked for a lighter.

"I cannot remember what was said," he told jurors. "I said all right, no worries, see you later brother."

He said he turned around and walked back to the group because he heard "shouting" and thought he was being "asked something".

Corrigan said Algasim, who was taking part in a language summer school, had got to his feet.

"He just startled me. He was quite aggressive - the way he jumped up," Corrigan told the trial.

Corrigan told jurors he was carrying the knife for protection because he had been attacked in the past.

He has admitted a charge of possessing a bladed article.

"I thought he was going to hurt me," Corrigan said.

"I stepped back. I pulled out the knife to intimidate him and scare him away from me."

Barrister Jane Osborne KC, who represents Corrigan, asked: "Were you intending to hit him with it?"

Corrigan replied: "No Miss."

He said Algasim stepped back then ran.

"I thought I had just scared him off," said Corrigan. "I ran in the other direction."

He added: "It happened so quickly. I didn't really have time to process what had happened."

Osborne asked: "Did you know the man had collapsed?"

Corrigan replied: "I didn't realise he was injured at all."

Prosecution barrister Ruby Shrimpton said blood and urine samples from Corrigan indicated he had been drinking, and had used cocaine and cannabis.

But toxicologists could not say how much he had taken and drunk, or what the effects were at the time he met Algasim, Shrimpton explained.

Prosecutors say police found a high-vis hooded sweatshirt in a bin in nearby Vinter Terrace.

They say the weapon used, a silver kitchen knife with a 13cm-long (5in) blade, was found nearby.

The trial continues.

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