Killer’s bid to fight conviction

Fusilier Lee Rigby

One of the two men found guilty of the murder of Middleton soldier Lee Rigby is appealing against his conviction.

The move has been made by Michael Adebolajo (29), following his conviction with co-defendant Michael Adebowale (22) at the Old Bailey last month.

British Muslim converts Adebolajo and Adebowale ran Fusilier Rigby down in a car before hacking him to death with a meat cleaver and knives in a frenzied attack.

They dumped his body in the middle of the road near Woolwich Barracks in London on May 22 last year.

The jury of eight women and four men sat through weeks of evidence including shocking footage of Adebolajo with bloodied hands confessing to the killing and claiming his actions were ‘’an eye for an eye’’.

Both men were shot by police in dramatic scenes captured by CCTV. Adebolajo was seen dropping the meat cleaver as he sprinted across the road towards a police car, collapsing to the ground when he was shot.

Adebowale, who moved along a wall to draw fire, was seen folding over as he was shot by one of three armed officers.

Both men asked to be called by their adopted Islamic names in court - Adebolajo as Mujahid Abu Hamza, and Adebowale as Ismail Ibn Abdullah - and claimed they carried out the murder because they were ‘’soldiers of Allah’’. The jury was told this was no defence in law.

Mr Justice Sweeney said he will sentence the pair after a key Court of Appeal ruling on the use of whole-life jail terms. A date for the conviction appeal has not been announced.


A memorial tribute to murdered soldier Lee Rigby will be held at Whittles live music venue on King Street, Oldham on Sunday from 3pm.

The event is backed by the 25-year-old fusiler’s father, Phil McClure (53), from Bardsley.

Phil, known as “Geordie”, has teamed up with pal John Dodd, who jointly owns the Whittles live music venue on King Street, Oldham, and fellow business partners Martin Schofield and Neil Houghton to organise a memorial fund-raiser in aid of Help for Heroes at the pub.