Ex-Wasps rugby player, 69, was stabbed to death in the street by knifeman after confrontation as he walked home from pub in London, court hears
- Allan Isichei, 69, had been enjoying a bottle of beer when he was stabbed
- Inner London Crown Court heard words were exchanged with nearby man
- Accused Gurjeet Lall, 36, has denied murder as the trial continues
A former Wasps rugby player was stabbed to death outside his local pub after a confrontation with a man who moved to ‘spit towards him’, a court heard.
Building firm boss Allan Isichei, 69, was allegedly knifed to death by Gurjeet Lall, 36, in Southall, west London, after leaving the Plough Inn on 24 August last year.
The grandfather-of-five, who played for Wasps in the 70s and 80s, had enjoyed a bottle of beer while reading his tablet before heading home.
On his way the part-time rugby coach was captured on CCTV walking past Lall, who was leaning against a wall smoking a cigarette, jurors at Inner London Crown Court were told.
Prosecutor Anthony Orchard QC said: ‘As Gurjeet Lall walks off, words appear to have been exchanged.
Former Wasps player Allan Isichei, 69, who died in Southall, west London. last year
‘You’ll see this on CCTV, he makes movements as if to spit towards Mr Isichei, at this point he turned and stopped.
‘He placed the tablet on a nearby vehicle, and further words are exchanged.
‘Gurjeet Lall proceduced a knife and used it to stab Allan Isichei several times.
‘Allan Isichei struggled with Gurjeet Lall, he almost certainly at that time didn’t realise how badly stabbed he was.
‘He managed to walk a few yards before he stopped.
‘He managed to stagger or crawl towards his home address only 50 metres away.
Allan Isichei was stabbed near The Plough pub in Southall on August 24. 2019
‘He realised he wasn’t going to make it, he rang the doorbell of a nearby house then collapsed.’
An ambulance arrived at the scene and began driving to hospital but was forced to stop due to Mr Isichei’s condition.
A helicopter ambulance arrived and a thoracotomy was performed on his chest, but he died an hour and a half later.
Police followed a trail of blood from the scene back to Lall’s address at Vine Cottages, Hanwell, where they arrested him.
Police and ambulance raced to the scene but were not able to save Mr Isichei who had just left the 17th century pub and he died at the scene.
Mr Isichei, a keen jazz musician, was educated at Kilburn Grammar School in northwest London.
He was the managing director of his family business, Broadway Construction, based in nearby Ealing, which was founded in 1974 as well as a part time coach at Wasps Rugby Club.
Lall denies murder. The trial continues.