The trial has begun in London for the murder of 26-year-old Greek national Antonis Antoniadis, who was ambushed last July by five individuals aiming to steal a bag he was carrying while returning from a night out.

In the dock are 20-year-old Joshua McCorquodale, 25-year-old Shian Johnson, 20-year-old Sofian Alliche, 18-year-old Alfie Hipple, and a 17-year-old minor.

According to the indictment, the five suspects waited in a stolen car outside the nightclub where Antoniadis, who was visiting London on vacation, had been enjoying his evening. They were waiting to pick out a target.

As was presented in court, the group followed Antoniadis to his girlfriend’s home in New Cross, where they attacked him.

The 26-year-old tried to fight back, using a bottle to hit his attackers, but the stab wounds he sustained to the chest and thigh proved fatal.

After the brutal assault, Antoniadis was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where he died two weeks later, on July 21, 2024.

The Prosecutor’s Opening Statement

“Antoniadis was in London on vacation, as a tourist. He had come with two of his friends, Maria and Tia, and they were spending the week having fun. That night, they ended up at a nightclub in West End, 32 Portland Place, not far from Oxford Circus. As they were leaving central London, they had no idea they were being followed. They didn’t know that five young men had spent the entire night outside the club in a stolen car, looking for someone to rob,” the prosecutor began.

“They followed him for more than half an hour, to Florence Terrace in New Cross. As Maria was trying to find the key to open the door, Antoniadis was approached by four hooded men, while the fifth, the driver, stayed in the car to prepare their getaway. Antoniadis resisted and fought back — at one point he managed to hit one of the attackers with a bottle of brandy he was still carrying from the night out. At least two of the assailants had machetes. One of them shouted ‘ching him’, meaning ‘stab him.’ Antoniadis was then on the ground, surrounded by the four robbers who punched and kicked him, and then stabbed him,” the prosecutor described.

The Greek tourist had defensive wounds on his arms, but the most severe stab injuries were to the chest and right thigh. The blade severed his femoral artery, leading to massive bleeding.

“The four attackers then ran back to the waiting car, got in, and the driver sped off, leaving their victim to bleed to death. They were clearly prepared to use violence to commit the robbery and, given that at least two of them had large knives, they were clearly ready to use serious violence if necessary,” the prosecutor concluded in his initial statement.

The trial is expected to last six weeks.