Woolwich Trial: 'Killer Nearly Beheaded Soldier'

Lee Rigby's mother and widow have left the Old Bailey in tears after hearing how the soldier was nearly decapitated outside a primary school.

Relatives fled the packed Old Bailey courtroom moments before the jury was shown video footage of the soldier being hit by a car, driven by the alleged killers.

There were gasps from the public gallery as the video showed a Vauxhall Tigra knocking the soldier down before crashing into a road sign.

The court was told that the two men then got out of the car, dragged the unconscious soldier into the street and attacked him with a meat cleaver and knives.

Lee Rigby's widow Rebecca arrives at the Old Bailey

The defendants chose to mutilate the soldier in the middle of the road, just yards from a primary school, so people could watch, the court was told.

One witness account, read in court by prosecutor Richard Whittam QC, described how one man "knelt down" by Fusilier Rigby and took hold of his hair.

He then "repeatedly hacked at the right side of his neck", the jury was told.

Another witness described him as being "like a butcher attacking a joint of meat", Mr Whittam added. 

A tribute to Lee Rigby, 25, who died in Woolwich, southeast London

Jurors were also shown a phone camera video clip of one of the alleged killers, Michael Adebolajo, speaking with blood on his hands.

He says: "The only reason we've killed this man today is because Muslims are dying daily by British soldiers.

"This British soldier is one - he is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."

Speaking into the camera, he went on: "I apologise that women had to witness this today but in our lands our women have to see the same.

Lee's mother Lyn left the court in tears after hearing some of the evidence

"You people will never be safe. Remove your governments - they don't care about you.

"Do you think David Cameron is going to get caught in the street? When we start busting our guns, do you think your politicians are going to die? No, it's going to be the average guy, like you and your children.

"So get rid of them. Tell them to bring our troops back so you can all live in peace. Leave our lands and you will live in peace."

More video footage allegedly showed Adebolajo in an Argos store buying five knives on the day before the attack.

The death of soldier Lee Rigby triggered a massive police investigation

On the opening day of the trial, the Old Bailey was told how Mr Rigby was hit by the car from behind as he walked back to Woolwich Barracks on May 22.

Mr Whittam told jurors that Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, drove a car "straight at" him at around 30mph to 40mph.

"Both men then dragged his body into the middle of the road," he said.

"They wanted members of the public to see the consequence of what can only be described as their barbarous acts.

The soldier was dragged into the middle of the road before being attacked

"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 clutched a copy of the Koran in the dock as the jury was told how he tried to decapitate the soldier while Adebowale stabbed and cut him.

"They both attacked the motionless body of Lee Rigby," Mr Whittam said.

"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."

Member of Lee Rigby's family arrive at the Old Bailey

The court heard that the two men, who deny murder, were also armed with a gun.

Mr Whittam told the jury of eight women and four men that the firearm was part of the plan the pair had made.

It was used partly to frighten off members of the public before the emergency services arrived, the court heard.

Mr Whittam said that as a police vehicle swung into Artillery Place, both men moved towards it and Adebolajo raised the meat cleaver above his head.

The jury was shown CCTV and mobile phone footage of three armed police officers arriving at the scene in a marked BMW.

The officers - two men and one woman - are seen running from their car before one shoots Adebowale and another uses a Taser on Adebolajo.

Adebolajo and Adebowale both deny murdering Fusilier Rigby, attempting to murder a police officer and conspiracy to murder a police officer on or before May 22.

The trial continues.

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