Race claim in Polish man's murder

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The murder of a Polish man after an argument at a garage shop was "at least in part racially motivated," a court has heard.

Thomas Blue, 25, from Glasgow, denies murdering 24-year-old Adam Michalski with a carving knife in Wrexham.

Mold Crown Court heard that Mr Michalski was stabbed four times.

The jury was told Mr Blue "wielded the knife skilfully and with lethal force," but the defendant said he acted in self-defence. The trial continues.

The court was told that early on Sunday, 5 August, Mr Michalski, originally from the town of Sieradz, had been on his way home from a party with his girlfriend and her brother.

The group decided to buy some alcohol from a late-night shop at a garage in Wrexham.

Mr Blue, who was staying in his girlfriend's house nearby, was also going to the same shop to buy some wine.

The prosecution told the court the attack was at least in part racially motivated because there was evidence that the defendant was shouting abuse at the fact that the victim was Polish.

Armed with that knife, he went back onto the streets, looking for Mr Michalski Prosecutor Andrew Thomas

Prosecutor Andrew Thomas said: "Exactly how it started is not clear but the defendant started arguing with Mr Michalski, was shouting at him, and mentioned that he was Polish."

The court heard how after the defendant bought some wine, the pair were involved in a scuffle outside.

"It was a minor incident and no one had been hurt. The defendant had returned to the safety of his home," the jury was told by the prosecutor.

"But Thomas Blue had not had enough. He went home and fetched a large, heavy carving knife.

"Armed with that knife, he went back onto the streets, looking for Mr Michalski.

"Back in Kingsmills Road the two men ran into each other again. They clashed. The difference this time was that now the defendant was armed.

"He wielded the knife skilfully and with lethal force," said Mr Thomas.

Mr Michalski was stabbed twice to the chest, once to the abdomen, and once to the base of the back as he may have been trying to get away.

The fatal wound was to the chest. The knife was driven 10cm through the rib cage, through the base of the lung, and pierced his heart.

Mr Michalski went to the garage to get help, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

He was taken by ambulance to Wrexham Maelor Hospital, but was declared dead within half an hour.