Heroin row led to stabbing of Duncan MacRae, court told

Published: 15 October, 2010
by DAVID ST GEORGE

DRUG addict Duncan MacRae was stabbed to death in a row over a heroin deal at a hostel for the homeless in Holloway, a jury heard this week.

Hours after the fatal stabbing, the killer boarded Eurostar to flee to France, the Old Bailey was told.

The court heard that, with a European arrest warrant out for him, French national Yamine Ladghem-Chikouche gave himself up to police in northern France in March, eight months after the killing.

Prosecutor Mark Fenhalls said he plunged a bread knife eight inches into the back of Mr  MacRae, 55, at the hostel in Caledonian Road.

Mr Ladgem-Chikouche, 24, denies murder. He is defended by leading criminal barrister, Philip Misner.

Mr MacRae, a single man and registered Class A drugs user, occupied a second-floor flat at the Victorian house.

Another long-term resident Derek Cox told jurors on Wednesday:   “Sometimes he was strange but he was harmless and friendly and didn’t cause trouble to anybody.”

On July 15 last year, the defendant, known as M, was staying at a ground-floor flat at the address. Mr MacRae repeatedly came in, pestering a fellow tenant to buy heroin for him.

A dealer was on the phone and when he heard that Mr MacRae wanted drugs, he refused to supply, accusing him of being “a grass”.

Lack of heroin made Mr MacRae irritable, angry and annoyed, said Mr Fenhalls.

M was overheard saying he would deal with the situation and followed Mr MacRae into the hallway.

The sound of raised voices was heard by other residents, followed by screaming from near the front door and then silence.

Police and paramedics were swiftly on the scene and Mr MacRae was found dying in a pool of blood. He had been knifed in the back, his aorta sliced and massive bleeding resulted.

The case continues.