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Jury hears case of man ‘tipped into the Thames’
A PARTYGOER was tipped into the Thames and drowned after a violent confrontation on the Embankment, a jury heard this week, writes David St George.
Fights broke out on pleasure boats moored near Waterloo Bridge as drunken revellers queuing in the street above tried to board.
“People threw bottles down and bottles were thrown back,” said prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw QC, at the Old Bailey.
Heavily involved in the rowdy disturbances were a group of Nepalese men. One of them, Bishal Gurung, 23, the son of a Gurkha and living in Surrey, was chased along the Embankment at 4am, beaten up and then dropped from the parapet into the river.
“He was lifted bodily and thrown in while he was semi-conscious. The strong currents swept him away. It wasn’t until two weeks later that his body was discovered,” Mr Laidlaw added.
Although large numbers of people were present and many witnessed the shocking events, none came forward to help the victim or the police and that hindered a murder investigation, the jury heard.
Rocky Gurung, 21, and Kemik Thakali, 20, deny murdering Bishal on April 13 last year, and are alleged to have played major roles. They are from Morden, Surrey.
Four others, Missan Gurung, 25, from Brixton, Roman Thapa, 21, from Woolwich, Sushant Gurung, 21, of Morden and Lav Gurung, 21, of Feltham, West London, also deny the murder count. In addition the defendants deny violent disorder. The trial continues and is expected to last several weeks.
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