Murder accused was ‘smug and self-satisfied’ after stabbing to death Sir David Amess MP, court hears

Sir David Amess’ assistant said a terror suspect had a look of “self-satisfaction and smugness” in the moments after he is accused of murdering the MP at a constituency surgery.

Julie Cushion told the Old Bailey she greeted Ali Harbi Ali when he arrived to meet with Sir David at a church in Leigh-on-Sea, and said she heard a “piercing scream” at the time of the stabbing.

Ali, from Kentish Town, is accused of murdering the MP for Southend West in revenge for bombing in Syria, and had allegedly been plotting a terror attack on a British politician for two years.

Asked about the moment Ali was brought out of the church by police, Ms Cushion told jurors: “The image will stay with me for the rest of my life. A self-satisfaction – a smugness - is how I would describe it.”

Ali, who denies murder and plotting terror, is accused of stabbing Sir David 21 times after posing as a constituent to secure a meeting with the veteran Conservative MP.

Sir David Amess had been an MP since 1983 (UK Parliament/PA) (PA Media)

Ms Cushion, a trusted aide and friend of Sir David, helped to organise the constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church on October 15 last year.

Giving evidence, she said Ali arrived just before midday and asked to use the toilet. She said there was nothing unusual about his behaviour before he was shown in to see Sir David.

“A very piercing scream was the first thing I heard”, she said, fighting back tears in the witness box. “And then sort of a very loud crash which I assume was furniture going over.

“I got up and walked towards the room. I assumed something structurally had happened in the room.”

Ms Cushion said her colleague, Rebecca Hayton, “came running towards me screaming that David had been stabbed. He was on the floor and at that point I picked up my mobile phone to call for help.

“I do admit I froze for a moment. She had to shout 999 at me, to which I responded and made the call.”

Ali Harbi Ali at the Old Bailey (Elizabeth Cook/PA) (PA Wire)

The court heard Sir David regularly advertised his twice-monthly surgeries on Twitter, and often took a selfie at the start to post online.

Ms Cushion said meetings happened pre-pandemic in the constituency office, which had been fitted with additional security measures in the wake of the 2016 murder of Jo Cox MP.

“After Covid, he was very aware he wanted to be closer to the constituents”, she said “so he decided to go out into the constituency to make himself more accessible.”

Jurors have heard Ali told police he had stabbed the MP “for the sake of Allah”, and sent a WhatsApp message to friends and family seconds after the attack to try to justify his actions.

Screenshot of email contact between Ali Harbi Ali and the office of Sir David Amess (Metropolitan Police/PA) (PA Media)

In a police interview, Ali said he felt an “obligation” to carry out a terror attack in response to MPs voting for the bombing of Syria, the court has heard.

It is said he carried out reconnaissance on the west London home of Cabinet Minister Michael Gove in the months before the attack on Sir David.

Ali is also accused of visiting the constituency office of Finchley and Golders Green MP Mike Freer, as well as carrying out internet research on Sir Keir Starmer, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, and the Tory Party Conference.

In the minutes after the stabbing, Ali is accused of telling bystanders: “I want him dead. I want every Parliament minister (sic) who signed up for the bombing of Syria who agreed to the Iraqi war to die.”

Ali, from Kentish Town, denies preparing terrorist acts and murder.

The trial continues.