A Moroccan asylum seeker accused of murdering a pensioner in Hartlepool made his first appearance at the Old Bailey, by videolink from prison. According to the prosecutor, Ahmed Alid was “motivated by terrorism” when he committed the murder of 70-year-old Terrence Carney and the attempted murder of Javed Nouri on Sunday, October 15, 2023. The incident occurred shortly after Carney had withdrawn money from a cash machine in the town center.
During the court hearing, Ben Lloyd, the prosecutor, provided details of the events leading to the arrest of Alid. Police received a report of a fight at a house in Wharton Terrace, Hartlepool, and upon arrival, found Nouri stabbed multiple times. Nouri claimed that his housemate, Alid, had stabbed him and left with a knife. A second victim, Carney, was found nearby with fatal stab wounds. Alid was apprehended in the vicinity with a large knife stained with blood and was discovered to have blood on his clothes and injuries to his hands. While in custody, he shouted “Allahu Akbar,” and although most of what he said was not understood, translations have been obtained. Alid “in effect admitted the offending” during a police interview, according to Lloyd.
The police believe that the crime was motivated by terrorism, and Alid, a Moroccan national, was arrested by Counter-Terrorism Policing North East and Cleveland Police. During the court appearance, Alid complained of being ill and unable to talk. His defense counsel requested a doctor to see him. He was remanded in custody until October 27.
The incident in Hartlepool prompted Conservative MP Jill Mortimer to raise the issue of asylum seekers in the House of Commons. She claimed her office was constantly approached by asylum seekers and that her staff felt intimidated. She called for action to remove those with no right to be in the country. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak assured her that the government was working to tackle illegal migration and return those who have no right to be in the UK. He emphasized that only the government should decide who comes to the country, not criminal gangs.