Parents' tears as court sees CCTV of store boss's death

The parents of a store manager watched in tears today as a jury was shown CCTV images of him being stabbed to death.

Jamie Simpson, 33, died defending the Easter weekend takings from raiders at the Matalan shop in Dalston.

His father, Lambert Simpson, had tears in his eyes and wife Lorna put her hand to her mouth as the images were played on a dozen screens at the Old Bailey.

The jury has heard how three raiders, one armed with a knife, were hidden by a security guard in a stairwell after the store shut in 2008.

Cameras showed a hooded figure, said to be Kobina Essel, opening the emergency exit leading to the stairwell and entering the shop. Another camera showed Mr Simpson with the takings in his office with the safe door open. Another figure, allegedly a 17-year-old youth who cannot be named for legal reasons, also entered the shop floor. Then the first figure leaped towards Mr Simpson close to the cash registers, they wrestled on the ground and the victim was stabbed. The two figures then made their escape without the takings, which they had hoped would be up to £30,000.

Although only one of the robbers stabbed 19-stone Mr Simpson, seven alleged members of the gang are charged with his murder.

The court has head that the ring leader was Simeon Juma but "the even more sinister" figure was Roy Williams, the store security guard who acted as "the inside man."

The jury heard that the other two defendants alleged to have entered the store were Anthony Maina and the 17-year-old.

The seven defendants all deny the murder of 33-year-old Mr Simpson.

They are Jamal Chambers, 18, of no fixed address, Essel, 18, of east London, Jumah, 25, of Manor Park, Williams, 31, of Edmonton, Duane Owusu, 20, of no fixed address, Maina, 20, of Canning Town, and the 17-year-old. Jumah, Essel, Maina and the youth admit conspiracy to rob. The three other defendants have pleaded not guilty to that charge. The case continues.