Saudi student 'died within hour of confrontation'

A Saudi Arabian student at a summer school died within an hour of suffering a four-and-a-half inch wound to his neck, a trial has heard.

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

Prosecutors say Chas Corrigan, 22, Holbrook Road, Cambridge, attacked him with a kitchen knife after "an evening of drinking and using drugs".

Corrigan denies murder but admits possessing a bladed article.

Jurors at Cambridge Crown Court have seen CCTV footage showing Corrigan approach the group as he walks along wearing a hi-vis top.

The defendant is then seen talking to Algasim, walking away, then returning and becoming involved in a confrontation.

Prosecuting barrister Nicolas Hearn has said Algasim, who was sitting on a wall on Mill Park Road, did not know Corrigan, who had been drinking and using drugs.

Pathologist Virginia Fitzpatrick-Swallow told the court Algasim suffered an 11.5cm-deep (4.5in) wound to his neck and a vital artery was cut.

Prosecutors say Algasim was wounded shortly after 23:20 on that Friday.

Barrister Ruby Shrimpton, also from the prosecution team, told jurors an ambulance was called at 23:25.

"Members of the public were instructed to apply pressure to Mr Algasim's wound and did so until the first paramedics arrived a few minutes later," said Shrimpton.

"Mr Algasim received extensive emergency treatment, but it was not possible to stem the bleeding from his neck and he died at the scene.

"Mr Algasim's time of death was formally recorded at 00:19."

A member of Algasim's group told jurors that Corrigan was "swaying" when he approached.

Abdullah Saleh A Bin Shuail said he did not know whether Corrigan was "drinking or taking drugs or what".

The witness said Corrigan approached Algasim, spoke to him, walked away, then turned around and walked back.

"He was wound up," Bin Shuail told jurors.

"He said 'what did you say? What did you say?'."

"He got down to Mohammed's level, and he was saying 'I know what that means. I know what that means'.

"He arrived at Mohammed, his right hand in his pocket."

Bin Shuail said Algasim then stood up to face Corrigan.

"They were very close to each other, then suddenly they separated," he added.

"The defendant got a knife out from his pocket and struck Mohammed."

Bin Shuail said the knife had blood on the blade.

"He [Corrigan] was saying 'what are you gonna do?'," Bin Shuail told jurors.

"He was talking loudly and in a threatening way."

Hearn has told jurors that Corrigan had earlier been drinking in the Earl of Derby pub, which is nearby on Hills Road.

Corrigan had told a man in the pub that he was Irish and a member of the Rathmore Club - an "Irish members' club" in Cambridge, Hearn said.

Jurors have also been told that Corrigan was a cocaine user.

Shrimpton told jurors Corrigan was arrested at lunchtime on 2 August and that same day police found a hi-vis hooded sweatshirt in a bin on nearby Vinter Terrace.

Jurors were shown a silver kitchen knife with a 13cm-long (5in) blade that was found nearby.

Defence barrister Jane Osborne KC has previously told jurors her client carried a knife for protection.

She said Corrigan did not intend to cause harm but aimed to wave the knife between himself and Algasim.

She said he had "no idea" that he had made contact.

The trial continues.

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