A man was beaten to death with a plasterer’s whisk during a fight at an M25 service station,
Cobham Services Murder Trial Wednesday 15th November 2017 A man was beaten to death with a plasterer’s whisk during a fight at an M25 service station, a court has heard. Hughie Saunders, 20, from Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, suffered a “catastrophic” head injury at Cobham services, Surrey, on 26 June and died two days later. Mikey Coyle, 21, of Barnes, south-west London, and Simon Baker, 22, of Green Lane, Outwood, Surrey, deny murder. Opening the trial at the Old Bailey, the prosecution said the defendants “were spoiling for a confrontation”. Sandip Patel QC told jurors that Mr Saunders, who was nicknamed Quhey, had been returning home from a family wedding in Wales in a Ford Focus with a friend, aunt and uncle, when they decided to stop at the petrol station for refreshments.
_psEmbed(“https://uknip.photoshelter.com”); At the same time, Mr Coyle and Mr Baker pulled up on the forecourt in a van loaded with building tools. Hughie Saunders was attacked on the petrol station forecourt at Cobham services As they made to drive off, the men allegedly recognised the victim and turned back, going the wrong way on a roundabout to park in front of the Ford Focus, the court heard. Mr Baker allegedly “squared up” to Mr Saunders and “heated words were exchanged”, the prosecutor said. The incident appeared to “ignite” when Mr Coyle said something and a fight broke out involving all three men which moved into the shop, jurors heard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw91z3vOzUc&t=245s Mr Patel said CCTV footage showed the two men going back to their van where Mr Coyle armed himself with a large shovel and Mr Baker grabbed a whisk. Mr Coyle was allegedly heard to shout: “I’m the man, I’m the man.” The court was told that Mr Baker handed himself in to police on 29 June, saying he had acted in “self-defence. Mr Coyle went to the police a few days later, and said he was at Cobham services on the day of the fight but did not say who with or what happened. The trial continues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMZrXJ1C1i0
