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Bouncer 'beat students to death' | Bouncer 'beat students to death' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A nightclub doorman murdered two female students and attacked three other women, the Old Bailey has heard. | A nightclub doorman murdered two female students and attacked three other women, the Old Bailey has heard. |
French student Amelie Delagrange, 22, and gap year student Marsha McDonnell, 19, both died after being struck on the head with blunt objects. | French student Amelie Delagrange, 22, and gap year student Marsha McDonnell, 19, both died after being struck on the head with blunt objects. |
All the attacks happened in a small part of south-west London between October 2001 and August 2004. | All the attacks happened in a small part of south-west London between October 2001 and August 2004. |
Levi Bellfield, 39, from West Drayton, west London, denies two murder charges and five other charges. | Levi Bellfield, 39, from West Drayton, west London, denies two murder charges and five other charges. |
Bellfield, a well-built, 6ft 1in tall, left-handed man, has tattoos and worked as a doorman and a car clamper. | |
Similar cases | Similar cases |
Brian Altman, prosecuting, said: "There are such similarities between the offences that the chances of them having been committed by two or more men working independently can safely and sensibly be excluded, such that all the offences were the work of one man and that man was Levi Bellfield." | Brian Altman, prosecuting, said: "There are such similarities between the offences that the chances of them having been committed by two or more men working independently can safely and sensibly be excluded, such that all the offences were the work of one man and that man was Levi Bellfield." |
Miss McDonnell was "bludgeoned to death" just yards from her front door as she made her way home from a night out with friends in February 2003. | |
She died from severe head injuries following the attack in Priory Road. | |
Miss Delagrange died of severe head injuries following an attack on Twickenham Green, west London in August 2004. | |
BELLFIELD CHARGES The murder of Amélie Delagrange (above) at Twickenham Green on 20 August 2004The attempted murder of Kate Sheedy at Worton Road, Isleworth, on 28 May 2004The attempted murder of Irma Dragoshi at Longford Village on 16 December 2003Unlawfully and maliciously causing grievous bodily harm to Irma Dragoshi The murder of Marsha McDonnell on 4 February 2003Kidnapping Anna-Maria Rennie at Hospital Bridge Road, Twickenham, on 15 October 2001The false imprisonment of Anna-Maria Rennie | |
Mr Bellfield is also charged with the attempted murders of Irma Dragoshi, then 33, and former convent school head girl Kate Sheedy, then 18. | |
In December 2003, Mrs Dragoshi was attacked at a bus stop in the village of Longford, near Heathrow Airport with a blunt instrument and was left with amnesia. | |
Kate Sheedy suffered extensive injuries when she was hit by a car which reversed back over her before driving off in May 2004. | |
Circumstantial evidence | Circumstantial evidence |
Mr Bellfield further denies the kidnap and false imprisonment of Anna-Maria Rennie, then 17, on 14 October 2001. | Mr Bellfield further denies the kidnap and false imprisonment of Anna-Maria Rennie, then 17, on 14 October 2001. |
Ms Rennie, who now lives in Spain, was at a bus stop in Twickenham, south-west London, when an attempt was made to bundle her into a car. | |
Mr Altman said: "As he tried to get her to the car, despite being absolutely petrified, she kicked and struggled violently. | |
"It paid off because she managed to break away about 1.5 metres from the car." | |
She described her attacker as fat with tattoos. | |
Mr Altman said there was direct and "compelling" circumstantial evidence linking Mr Bellfield to the crimes. | |
The cases of Miss McDonnell, Miss Delagrange and Miss Sheedy were linked by the "non-coincidental presence" at each of a vehicle associated with Mr Bellfield, he said. | |
The court also heard Miss McDonnell and Kate Sheedy were followed by their attacker as they travelled on well-lit buses, Mr Altman said. | |
The case continues. | The case continues. |