Rabah Kherbane’s client acquitted at half time during trial on machete stabbing outside Stepney Green Underground Station

The prosecution case was based on communications data between the four defendants, witness accounts from members of the public, and CCTV footage of the stabbing. The prosecution suggested this was an attempted murder of the victim.

Rabah Kherbane represented SA, 19 years old at the time, whose case was that far from the CCTV footage showing him assisting in the stabbing of the victim as asserted by the prosecution, SA was in fact courageously — and at great risk to himself given the size and speed of movement of the machete — assisting the victim to prevent the stabbing, by stopping the attackers on multiple occasions.

On the third week of trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, at the close of the prosecution case, the judge accepted a submission that there was no case to answer on behalf of SA. At the direction of the judge, SA was acquitted by the jury.

The judge agreed that all of the evidence from the CCTV footage was the ‘exact opposite’ of the prosecution allegation against SA: the footage showed SA attempting to prevent those assaulting the victim from continuing with that assault.

Rabah Kherbane was instructed by Emma Rahman at HP Gower Solicitors.