Finsbury Park trial as it happened: Messages sent by Tommy Robinson to terror suspect Darren Osborne revealed in court
Updates from Woolwich Crown Court after Mr Osborne denies murder and attempted murder
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Darren Osborne is on trial for a second day for allegedly trying to kill as many Muslims “as possible” with a van in Finsbury Park.
Woolwich Crown Court previously heard he become “brainwashed” after watching a television drama about the Rochdale grooming sex scandal and appeared to become radicalised after reading posts by Britain First and far-right leader Tommy Robinson.
Mr Robinson and Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First, sent Mr Osborne messages days before the attack, the jury has heard.
Prosecutors said they had not seen the content of a direct Twitter message from Ms Fransen, and that Mr Osborne had screen-grabbed emails from Mr Robinson sent via The Rebel website.
Witnesses told how they overheard the defendant claiming he would "kill Muslims" and describing himself as a "soldier" at a Cardiff pub on the previous evening.
Mr Osborne denies deliberately mowing down 51-year-old Makram Ali, who died of his injuries, and nine other people shortly after 12.15am on 19 June.
Please allow a moment for the live blog to load
Prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC said the “act of extreme violence” was considered by the prosecution to be a terrorist attack.
Mr Osborne, who is said to have accused all Muslims of being rapists and belonging to paedophile gangs, was described by his partner as a “total loner” who would binge drink to “get blotto and forget everything”.
Describing Osborne’s response to watching the BBC drama Three Girls, his partner of 20 years Sarah Andrews said in a statement read to the court: “He seemed brainwashed and totally obsessed with the subject.
“He has been openly saying a lot of racist things and tarring all Muslims with the same brush.”
In the statement she added that she had noticed him reading tweets by former English Defence League leader Mr Robinson.
“I think he was a ticking time bomb. I should have realised what was going on and I feel so bad that I did not see it, so that I could have done something to stop it,” she said.
She added that one of their daughters had been ”too scared“ to bring her Muslim friends home because of the way he was acting.
Opening the trial on Monday, Mr Rees said Mr Osborne ”was trying to kill as many of the group as possible“ as he drove a van into worshippers who had attended Ramadan night prayers near two mosques.
Mr Ali died following the attack and many others were injured, some seriously, the court heard.
Bystanders rushed to the aid of Mr Ali moments earlier after he collapsed, but witnesses said he was conscious before being struck, the court heard.
Mr Osborne denies the the murder of Mr Ali and attempted murder of ”persons at the junction of Seven Sisters Road and Whadcoat Street, London“.
A handwritten note – which complained about terrorists on the streets and the Rotherham grooming scandal, and branded Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn a “terrorist sympathiser” - was found in the cab of the van after the attack.
Mr Rees told the jury: “The underlying theme seems to be that the defendant felt that insufficient was being said or done to counter terrorism and the grooming gangs comprising predominantly Muslim males.
“Against that background, the defendant decided to take matters into his own hands.”
The defendant had driven from Cardiff to London the previous day, originally intending to drive the van into people taking part in the Al Quds Day march, but began looking for another target when this did not prove viable, the court heard.
A number of men tried to prevent the driver’s escape and keep him pinned to the ground as he was heard to say ”I want to kill more Muslims”, Mr Rees said.
Another man in the group remembered the defendant – who was “constantly smiling” – saying: “I’ve done my job, you can kill me now.”
The jury is currently being shown a compilation of CCTV showing Mr Osborne at the Hollybush pub, where witnesses quoted below say they saw him writing a 'letter to Parliament' and claiming he was going to 'kill Muslims'
The CCTV shows the defendant animatedly writing on a piece of paper while sat at a table alone, before returning to the bar and talking to staff and other drinkers.
Mr Osborne was later told to leave the pub after starting arguments with several customers, including a British soldier, and insulting Muslims, the Labour party and Jeremy Corbyn
The footage, which does not have sound, shows Mr Osborne talking to Callum Spence - the soldier who gave evidence earlier - and gesticulating with his hands
Aftere being ordered to leave Mr Osborne is seen leaving the pub and talking to a group of people exiting a taxi, before walking away
The jury is now being shown CCTV of the attack on 19 June.
It shows 51-year-old Makram Ali collapsing and passers-by rushing to his aid. They are seen trying to help him for several minutes before the van hired by Mr Osborne comes into shot and swerves left into the crowd at speed.
Mr Ali and other casualties are seen lying motionless on the ground as onlookers rush to detain the driver.
Mr Osborne has been looking straight ahead, rather than at the screen facing the dock, while the CCTV showing the moment of the attack is played
The court is hearing evidence about the road closures in place for the al-Quds Day march on 18 June, which Mr Osborne had researched and described as 'Muslims getting together and marching for Isis' in a Cardiff pub.
The annual march is a pro-Palestinian event held around the world that marks the creation of Israel, usually on the last Friday of Ramadan
In a brief break, we have just had some clarification from the prosecution on the messages sent to Mr Osborne by Tommy Robinson and Jayda Fransen.
He received a direct Twitter message from Ms Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First, on 3 June. Prosecutors do not know what it said because they have only seen the notification that it was received, rather than the message itself.
The two messages from Mr Robinson were automated emails sent out to a mailing list of subscribers to The Rebel website.
The court is hearing statements from people who met Darren Osborne during his journey to Finsbury Park on 18 June.
A taxi driver in central London said he gave Mr Osborne verbal directions to Grosvenor Square, where the al-Quds Day march concluded.
Later, an architect was approached by Mr Osborne outside a Co-op in Forest Hill, south London at around 8pm
"He asked for address I didn’t recognise and as I got my phone out to look it up, he asked where the nearest mosque was locate....I was taken aback and took a step backwards. He said 'it’s ok, I’m here for a protest.' I said there were no mosques nearby but showed him Lewisham Islamic Centre on the map.
I could see he was very agitated but he spoke calmly to me, then he walked off
Another witness, Cecil Pond, says he gave directions for Finsbury Park to Mr Osborne after being approached in a layby.
He instructed Mr Osborne to follow his car and gave him directions by hand when he turned off.
Later, at 11.10pm, Mr Osborne stopped at a Shell petrol station on Upper Clapton Road but his card was declined when he went to pay.
The man serving said he handed over his driving licence to obtain a 'letter of intent' to pay and promised he would return in half an hour, but never came back.
"I was shocked and surprised as this male appeared to be normal," he said.
Shortly afterwards a couple walking through Finsbury Park said a man ran towards them with a "strange gait" and demanded to know where the "big mosque" was.
At 11.38pm, a chef waiting for a taxi was approached by Mr Osborne also asking where Finsbury Park Mosque was. When asked why he wanted to know, Mr Osborne replied: "There’s going to be some sort of protest."
The van hit shortly after 12.15am