Driver died in stabbing at music video shoot

A driver was fatally stabbed after disrupting a music video shoot which involved big snakes and a Komodo dragon, a court has heard.

Stephen Morrisson, 30, was allegedly attacked after he irritated the filming crew and appeared to drive at them.

He was later found seeking help at a petrol station in Epping Forest, Essex, on 23 June 2020, but died in hospital hours later.

Yonas Girma, 29, from Feltham, north London, and 25-year-old Ellis Heather, from Slough, Berkshire, are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of murdering Morrisson, who they had never previously met.

Opening their trial, Maryam Syed KC said Morrisson's girlfriend noticed he appeared to be on drugs when she saw him before the stabbing.

Jurors were told he crossed paths with the defendants, nicknamed Yosh and Rackz, while driving a Vauxhall Corsa at the Wake Valley pond car park in Epping Forest.

The prosecutor said they had assembled a videographer, models and live reptiles to be used as "props" in their video.

It was "in a matter of minutes" that Morrisson was fatally stabbed at the scene, Syed added.

Days later, a witness called 999 to say she had been at the video shoot and had heard that Heather was responsible, the court was told.

She allegedly told police that Morrisson was approaching members of the filming group acting "a bit weird", at one point banging his head on a large tree.

He went on to "drive at" members of the group, including the defendants, forcing them to jump back, jurors heard.

The defendants were said to be "confused" and "angry" about what happened, but the witness said Morrisson did not intend to hit them.

Girma punched or slapped him in the face and Heather swung his arm towards Morrisson, although the witness did not see a knife, the court heard.

As he drove away, bare-chested Morrisson had blood dripping down his neck, the jury was told.

He had a wound to the left side of his torso by the time he reached the petrol station, the court heard.

Morrisson later died in a London hospital.

The trial continues.

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