David Amess murder trial: MP's aide tells of moment she heard a 'piercing scream'

A political aide has described the moment she heard a "piercing scream" during a constituency surgery where her boss Sir David Amess was stabbed to death.

Julie Cushion, a long-term member of the Southend West politician's constituency staff, recalled the moment, just five minutes after Ali Harbi Ali was called to his appointment with Sir David.

The father-of-five suffered more than 20 stab wounds during the frenzied attack at Belfairs Methodist Church on 15 October 2021.

Giving evidence from behind a screen at the Old Bailey, Ms Cushion, who made the first 999 call from the scene at 12.07pm, said the pair had engaged in "chit-chat" when Ali arrived, before being led into a back room to meet Sir David.

Her voice cracking with emotion, she said: "A piercing scream was the first thing I heard.

"And then a very loud crash which I assumed was furniture going over.

"I got up and walked through, I assumed something structurally had happened.

"Rebecca [Hayton, a fellow aide] came running towards me screaming that Sir David had been stabbed, he was on the floor.

"At that moment I picked up my phone to call for help."

Asked how Ali looked, Ms Cushion said: "Self-satisfaction, I would describe it."

Two members of the public who ran to the rescue said Ali appeared in the doorway between them and the prone victim, clutching his bloodied knife and warning them not to come closer, the Old Bailey trial heard.

In a video interview with police, four hours after the stabbing, witness Yvonne Eaves told police: "He (Ali) knew what he had done - he'd achieved something, like: 'I've done it.'

"He wasn't remorseful, he wasn't like: 'Oh my god.'

"He's like: 'I've achieved something."'

The trial previously heard how Ali had allegedly spent years hatching his plot, researching a number of potential high-profile political targets including Michael Gove, Dominic Raab and Sir Keir Starmer, before settling on 69-year-old Sir David.

Ms Cushion, who described Sir David as a "close friend", said meetings had traditionally been held in his constituency office where there was security in place, but he decided to hold surgeries in other locations locally after coronavirus restrictions were lifted because he "wanted to be accessible to his constituents".

Ali had managed to arrange an appointment with Sir David by duping his office into believing he was a healthcare worker moving to the area, who wished to discuss local matters.

Jurors have been shown CCTV footage of Ali's near-two-and-a-half-hour journey from his home in north London to the appointment in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, on train and by foot along busy high streets and residential areas.

He arrived at the church as planned but then sent a WhatsApp message to family and friends seeking to justify his actions, telling Sir David he was "sorry" before stabbing him with a carving knife 21 times and sending Ms Cushion and fellow aide Ms Hayton fleeing to safety.

The court heard Ali had a "warped" ideology and sought to exact "revenge" over Britain's recent foreign policy, notably the bombing campaign on Syria in the mid 2010s, allegedly telling bystanders at the scene: "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, has denied preparing terrorist acts and murder.

The trial continues.