Club member stabbed to death after man threatened him with 'ju-jitsu' | UK news

A football fan was fatally stabbed in the neck after his alleged attacker threatened to “give hell to someone” on a dance floor while karate-kicking, a court heard.

The Old Bailey heard that Ross Hamilton was “looking for a fight” and armed himself with a piece of glass before ramming it into the neck of 31-year-old Reece Newcombe.

Mr Newcombe was found after police were called to reports of a fight on Richmond Bridge, south-west London, in the early hours of November 26, 2022.

Prosecutor Louis Mably KC said the brawl was fuelled by “intoxicating aggressiveness” and Hamilton's decision to arm himself “changed everything”.

Earlier that evening, Mr Newcombe had watched the World Cup match between England and the USA in a fan zone at Richmond Park.

Jurors were told that he then went to Viva nightclub in Richmond, where he got drunk and “had a good time.”

Mr Mably said the alleged attacker, described as a bald man, was also in the club and was behaving “aggressively and erratically”.

The prosecutor said: “He appeared to be provoking people into doing karate kicks on the dance floor, putting his arm around them and behaving aggressively towards them.”

It was alleged that even after the club closed, he continued to behave aggressively and people left the establishment.

Mr Mably said: “He started confronting people and inciting them to go into an alley and fight with him.”

“He said in his own words, 'I'm going to beat the hell out of you in jujitsu.' In short, the bald guy was ready to fight.”

Just before 4am, Mr Newcombe made the “tragic decision” to confront the man, who was already armed with a piece of glass, jurors heard.

After being stabbed in the neck, Mr. Newcombe's friends rushed to his aid.

Jurors were told that the bald man, believed to be Hamilton, later turned himself in to police.

Mr Mably said: “The sad truth is that this fight did not need to happen – it was an event fuelled by intoxicated aggression. It was not that the defendant was defending himself, but that two people were prepared to fight.”

“The defendant armed himself with a weapon and got the fight he was looking for.”

Hamilton, 34, of Isleworth, west London, denies murder, assault and possession of an offensive weapon.

The Old Bailey trial continues.

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