Girl ‘smiled during fatal attack’ in Trafalgar Square

Ian Baynham

Ian Baynham allegedly suffered homophobic abuse

A girl smiled while stamping on a man’s body as he lay bleeding on the ground during an attack in Trafalgar Square, the Old Bailey has been told.

Ian Baynham, 62, died after allegedly being subjected to homophobic abuse and knocked to the ground last September.

Witness Jill Shukla told the jury the girl stamped on him four or five times.

Joel Alexander, 19, of Thornton Heath, Rachel Burke, 18, of Three Oaks, and Ruby Thomas, 18, of Lichfield, deny manslaughter.

The court had been told Mrs Shukla was returning with her family from the West End in central London where she had been celebrating her daughter’s 16th birthday when she said she witnessed the violence.

She told the jury how there had been a “very, very loud noise” as he fell over and his head hit the floor.

From left: Rachel Burke, Joel Alexander and Ruby Thomas

All three defendants deny manslaughter

She told the court: “Once he was on the ground I saw the girl stamping on him repeatedly with force, probably four or five times.”

The blows were aimed at the lower chest or upper abdominal area, she said.

Asked what expression was on the girl’s face at the time, Mrs Shukla said: “She was smiling.”

She said the girl was then restrained by somebody.

Another witness, Charles Skelton, described how he saw a female stamp on the victim and heard her shout words “of an offensive nature” towards him.

The case continues.

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