The harrowing 999 call in the aftermath of the Sir David Amess killing has been played out to jurors in court.
Sir David was stabbed 21 times by Ali Harbi Ali after arranging an appointment with the veteran Tory MP in in Leigh-on-Sea on October 15 last year, the Old Bailey heard.
Yvonne Eaves and her partner Darren King arrived at the Belfairs Methodist Church for the next appointment, when they were confronted by Ali wielding a knife, jurors were told.
Ms Eaves made the 999 call, telling the operator that Ali had killed Sir David and was threatening her and her husband.
She said: “Please, please, quick. Now the man is wielding a knife, he’s threatened me… He’s killed David Amess at Belfairs Methodist Church.”
David Amess
Chris McAndrew
When asked to describe further what was going on, Ms Eaves said: “He’s still wielding the knife, he’s saying he’s going to go and finish him off. He’s got the knife, he won’t put the knife down.”
Ms Eaves, who described Ali’s weapon as a “big kitchen carving knife”, then shouted out “come away”, before adding: “It’s horrible, it’s horrible.”
She said: “We tried to get it off him. He won’t. He’s threatened myself, he’s threatened four people here.
Artist sketch of Ali Harbi Ali in the dock at the Old Bailey
Elizabeth Cook
“We need an ambulance as well. He wants to get shot apparently. He wants to be a hero. He wants the police to come and shoot him.”
She went on to say: “He’s wielding the knife now. He said if we don’t leave him he will stab us, me and my partner, and the two ladies from the constituency here.”
The operator then asked about Sir David, to which Ms Eaves replied: “He’s dead. He’s dead. He stabbed him multiple times.”
When asked whether anyone was being held hostage, Ms Eaves said: “No, no, no, we can get out but we cannot get to David to give him any assistance and he’s wielding the knife and he’s saying if you go near him.”
The operator told Ms Eaves armed units were on their way and advised her to take deep breaths.
The court heard how two unarmed, plain-clothes police officers arrived on the scene and apprehended Ali, who dropped the knife.
The audio recording of the 999 call was played at the Old Bailey where Ali Harbi Ali is standing trial accused of Sir David's murder and a charge of preparing acts of terrorism.
The 26-year-old denies the charges against him.
The trial continues.