Antonis Antoniadis, 26, was allegedly targeted in a calculated attack while on holiday in London.
A gang of five young men followed and fatally stabbed a Greek tourist after a failed robbery attempt, a jury at the Old Bailey has heard.
Antonis Antoniadis, 26, who was visiting London from Greece with friends, died on 21 July 2023 — two weeks after being attacked outside a home in New Cross, south-east London. The incident occurred in the early hours of 7 July, after the group had spent the night at a nightclub.
The accused — Shian Johnson, 25, Sofian Alliche, 20, Joshua McCorquodale, 20, Alfie Hipple, 18, and a 17-year-old youth who cannot be named — all from Camden, north London, deny murder and conspiracy to rob. Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC told jurors the attack was a result of “deliberate targeting” following a failed robbery.
According to the prosecution, the five accused had been waiting outside the 32 Portland Place nightclub in Marylebone, in a stolen Kia Sportage, looking for someone to rob. Mr Antoniadis, along with two friends, emerged from the club just after 8am and entered an Uber. Unbeknownst to them, the gang allegedly began tailing the vehicle.
“They had no idea that five young men had been hanging around outside that nightclub all night in a stolen car, looking for someone they could rob,” Mr Emlyn Jones said. “When that group of five saw Antonis come out of the club, they thought they had found a suitable target.”
The Uber was followed for over 30 minutes to New Cross. As Mr Antoniadis and his friends arrived at the residence, one of the friends struggled to open the door. During that vulnerable moment, the attackers allegedly struck.
Four masked assailants approached while a fifth stayed behind in the getaway car, the court heard. Mr Antoniadis, described as reacting instinctively or bravely, struck one of the robbers with a brandy bottle in an attempt to defend himself.
Tragically, this act led to his fatal injuries. At least two of the gang were said to be armed with large knives. Mr Antoniadis was stabbed in the chest and in the thigh, the latter wound severing his femoral artery and causing what prosecutors described as “catastrophic blood loss”.
He also sustained bruises, cuts to his face and head, and defensive wounds on his arms. The gang then fled the scene, leaving him bleeding on the doorstep.
Although the incident wasn’t caught on CCTV, the aftermath was witnessed and heard by several individuals, and investigators have compiled surveillance footage, cell-site data, and other evidence to trace the suspects’ movements before and after the attack.
More Read
The stolen Kia used by the group, fitted with false number plates, was seen on CCTV in the early hours of 7 July driving through Marylebone, Islington, and Camden. Earlier that night, Alliche, Hipple, and the 17-year-old were spotted at a McDonald’s in Camden, while McCorquodale was picked up from his home later in the evening.
Surveillance footage also captured the group in a cul-de-sac in Camden, appearing to change the car’s registration plates. They then drove through various locations before heading towards the nightclub, seemingly in search of a target.
Mobile phone data obtained from the defendants placed them in the same areas as the vehicle throughout the night, supporting the prosecution’s timeline.
Mr Emlyn Jones told the jury, “This was a group prepared to use really serious violence to get what they wanted. And when they didn’t get it — they left Antonis to die.”
All five accused deny the charges. The trial, expected to last several weeks, continues.
