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| NEWS | By DAVID ST GEORGE |
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CHAMPAGNE was flowing and a DJ was blasting sounds when the party fun at a packed ‘celebs’ venue turned to horror. Violence flared inside the Barzaar bar in Camden Road, Camden Town, and spilled out onto the street where a popular family man was fatally stabbed. An Old Bailey judge heard this week the details of the tragic death of Ronald Hinkson when his alleged assailant went on trial. More than seven years after the knifing of 32-year-old Mr Hinkson, a former worker at Barzaar was in the dock. Matthew Gerald O’Connor, 42, of Harrington Street, Somers Town, extradited from Thailand last year, denies wounding Mr Hinkson, of Grafton Terrace, Kentish Town, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and murdering him. The six men and six women on the jury – the trial is expected to last several weeks – learned that a crook turned informer was paid a £21,000 reward by police and will give evidence. O’Connor’s QC, David Whitehouse, said that at the time of the bloody brawl at the nightspot, where customers include well-known media people, the street gossip was that there was a racial motive behind the killing, but that was not the case. The QC said Mr Hinkson, a black man, clashed inside the bar with some white men, including O’Connor, who is white but has a black wife, Marguerite. Listening as the trial began were the parents of Mr Hinkson, father of a five month old son Ruben at the time of his death. He worked as a computer graphic designer and came from a close-knit Kentish Town family. At six foot two and weighing 17 stone, he was enjoying a night out with friends when troubled flared at Barzaar in the early hours of Sunday September 14, 1997. The fast-moving events began, said prosecutor Jeremy Benson, QC, with O’Connor shoving a wine glass into Mr Hinkson’s right cheek cutting his own hand in the process. Minutes later in the street, Mr Hinkson was stabbed twice after being knocked to the ground. The court heard that, ironically, as violence erupted in the ground floor bar area, a group of bouncers, who arrived in stretch limos, were enjoying their annual party in the upstairs bar. Mr Benson said: “The allegation is that after glassing Ronald Hinkson in the face this defendant stabbed him to death. Following the incident, the defendant left the UK using a false passport. He went to Thailand.” Free champagne was available as part of a promotion and the public were admitted to the ground floor where three doormen in dark jackets were on duty supervising. Such was the Saturday night attraction that people were queuing to enter. Mr Hinkson, himself a part time doorman licensed by Westminster City Council, arrived with three pals for a birthday celebration. Some of those working at Barzaar knew O’Connor to be present seven days a week and believed he owned the premises. Mr Hinkson was standing in a group near the fire exit when one of his mates lit up a cannabis joint, the court heard. Powerfully built six footer O’Connor reacted angrily and slapped him on the head and warned “don’t do that in my bar”. The premises had a ‘zero tolerance’ on drug taking. Mr Hinkson got involved by asking: “Why do that” and angry O’Connor replied “because it’s my f***ing place” as he smashed a glass into his cheek. The prosecutor said that friends had to restrain Mr Hinkson, with blood running down his face, from retaliating and O’Connor went behind the bar to get a bandage for his own bloody hand. Mr Hinkson and his group were pushed out through the fire exit and when he and two others tried to return to the front entrance O’Connor allegedly led a charge towards them, telling companions: “Let’s do it, lets go.” At the time he was seen with his hand close to his back pocket where, it was claimed, he had a knife. “A customer took a picture of the scene at that moment,” said Mr Benson. Mr Hinkson and two of his pals were overwhelmed in the street. They were knocked to the ground and punched and kicked. O’Connor had been fighting with Mr Hinkson and stabbed him in the neck and chest, it was alleged. “When the violence finished the black men were on the ground. The attackers ran off towards Camden Town and one was heard to say “lets get out of here”. The QC added that Mr Hinkson was taken to the Royal Free Hospital. He had 13 major areas of injury. A stab wound to the neck slit the carotid artery and the blade had also penetrated his heart. O’Connor’s blood was found on items of clothing of the men who were attacked. Four days later detectives raided his flat but he had vanished. His photograph was circulated. On October 16 he obtained a passport in the name of Roy McCann and left the UK. O’Connor was using the bogus identity when, in 1998, he met smuggler Ian Muirhead in the Phillipines and they became firm friends. On visits to London, Muirhead collected cash for him at a bank in Camden Town and later handed it over. He claimed O’Connor confessed to him “I plugged someone,” and quizzed further he said “The black c**t had it coming. He was a leary f***ker. They’ll never get me on forensic.” Following Muirhead’s arrest for dealing in counterfeit goods, he turned Judas and told Crimestoppers what he knew. He maintained that he did not know there was a reward – but he received more than £20,000 pounds. “Clearly you must consider his evidence with great care and caution. He is a man involved in crime and received a substantial reward,” Mr Benson warned the jury. The trial continues. |
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