Murder accused goaded clubbers for a fight - court

Reece Newcombe died following a fight in Richmond on 26 November 2022

A man who was "spoiling for a fight" stabbed a man to death with a piece of broken glass outside a London nightclub, a court has heard.

Ross Hamilton, 34, went on trial at the Old Bailey on Monday charged with the murder of Reece Newcombe, 31, who died following a fight in Richmond, south west London, on 26 November 2022.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Louis Mably KC said the fight had been fuelled by "intoxicated aggression".

Mr Hamilton, of Wood Lane, Isleworth, denied murder, assault by beating and possessing an offensive weapon.

Mr Newcombe had been to watch an England World Cup game at a fanzone set up in Richmond, the court heard.

After the match he went to the Viva nightclub at 19:00 GMT.

Mr Mably said that Mr Newcombe had at some point taken drugs, but that he had had a "good time" and nothing had happened to him until he was attacked.

A police investigation discovered that the fatal wound was caused in an altercation in a small side street opposite the club.

'Karate kicks'

It found that the attacker had caused trouble throughout the night in various different ways at various different locations, including inside the Viva nightclub, the court heard.

"He seemed to be goading people," said Mr Mably, "doing karate kicks on the dance floor and putting his arm around people and behaving aggressively towards them."

At 03:00 - one hour before the fatal incident - the nightclub closed and people spilled on to the street.

The attacker, described as a "bald" man, hung around and continued to behave in an "aggressive and erratic manner", the court heard.

"He was spoiling for a fight" and goaded people, the jury heard.

Finally, shortly before 04:00 the attacker was standing in a side street when Mr Newcombe decided to confront him.

'Tragic'

"That was a tragic decision on his part," said Mr Mably.

"What happened was what the bald man had been hoping was going to happen - he got the fight that he asked for."

But shortly before the fight started the man had armed himself with a piece of broken glass and put it in his pocket for when the time came, said Mr Mably.

He then took the glass out and stabbed Mr Newcombe in the neck, causing the fatal wound, before driving away from the scene, the court heard.

That man was later identified as Mr Hamilton, who handed himself in to police and claimed he had been acting in self-defence, the jury was told.

Mr Mably said: "The sad truth is there was no need for this fight to happen - it was an event that was fuelled by intoxicated aggression.

"It was not a case of the defendant defending himself, but of two people willing to fight.

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

The trial, which is expected to last for for four weeks, continues.