Michael Smith

Michael Smith was stabbed by a group of youths on Clapham Common on 6 July 1985.

Four youths were tried for his murder but the court acquitted them of the murder on the grounds that the murderer was a mysterious fifth man that vanished after the attack.

Michael Smith had been an accountant and had been walking home alone late at night through Clapham Common when he was attacked.

His body was found by a man out walking his dog.

His post mortem examination showed that he died from multiple stab wounds to the heart and lungs. He had been stabbed 21 times.

The police said:

At the trial, the court heard that the group had been out on a 'queer bashing expedition' and that one of the youths on trial had later boasted to his friends about the murder, saying:

However, the youth was convicted of assaulting Michael Smith and causing him actual bodily harm. The three other youths pleaded guilty to assault at the beginning of the trial.

The court heard that the group had attacked Michael Smith after mistaking him for a homosexual.

The youth that was accused of the murder said that there had been a mysterious fifth person that had actually stabbed Michael Smith and that after the attack he drove off in a car. The youth admitted to having taken part in the attack, but said that he had not been aware that Michael Smith had been stabbed and said that he couldn’t believe that the others were blaming him for the murder. When the youth addressed the jury, he said:

He said that he only found out about the murder after hearing about it on the radio and putting two and two together.

Michael Smith was from New Zealand.