Lee Rigby. Photograph courtesy of the Ministry of Defence
The two men currently on trial for the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich will no longer also face charges of conspiracy to murder a police officer.
Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, are still accused of hitting Lee Rigby with their car before killing and butchering him with knives including a meat cleaver as well as attempted murder of a police officer. They deny all charges.
Mr Justice Sweeney described Adebolajo’s claims that he was a “soldier of Allah” were not a legal defence for murder, saying:
“I have ruled that nothing said by the first defendant and… his evidence, in short he was a soldier of Allah and was justified in doing what he did, amounts in law to a defence to this count…Both defence counsel must and will respect that ruling in their speeches.”
