Security guard, 33, weeps in court as he is cleared of murdering Emeli Sandé’s grime rapper ex-boyfriend ‘Hypo’ at Jubilee weekend party
- Laurie John-Phillip, 33, was cleared of murder and manslaughter by jurors
A security guard wept in court as he was cleared of murdering Emeli Sandé’s grime rapper ex-boyfriend, known as ‘Hypo’ at a party.
The 39-year-old performer, real name Lamar Jackson, was killed at Woodford Town Football Club in east London, just after midnight on June 3, 2022.
Mr Jackson, whose tracks included Flex On My X, First Night and No L’s, had dated the singer Emeli Sandé for about a year before splitting in 2017.
Jurors heard how he gasped: ‘I’ve been stabbed’ before collapsing and dying in the marquee where the 45th birthday party was being held.
Laurie John-Phillip, 33, nicknamed ‘Bigga’ due to his height and build, was working as a security guard at the party. He denied murder, claiming he acted in self-defence when he was was attacked with a knife by the rapper, who suffered fatal injuries in the struggle.
The jury accepted his account and cleared John-Phillip of murder and manslaughter.
Security guard Laurie John-Phillip, 33 wept in court as he was cleared of murdering Emeli Sandé’s grime rapper ex-boyfriend, known as ‘Hypo’ at a party
Rapper Hypo, whose real name is Lamar Jackson, 39 (pictured right) died after collapsing during a party in East London. Pictured with his ex-girlfriend Emeli Sandé
As John Phillip buried his head in his hands and wept, women could be heard sobbing in the public gallery.
Mr Jackson lived in Hackney and was well-known as a gang member in the area, said prosecutor Brian O’Neill, KC.
Tickets for the birthday party, held on the bank holiday for the Queen’s platinum jubilee, were sold for £50 and around 500 people were there.
John-Phillip arrived at the venue around 4pm while Mr Jackson turned up 8pm in a black Bentley driven by his friend Obi Benson-Okpala.
CCTV shows an incident between Mr Jackson and John-Phillip at about 10.30pm, jurors were told.
John-Phillip’s cousin Kieron Caesar, nicknamed ‘Tiny’ was also involved, the court heard.
Mr O’Neill said: ‘Around midnight the lights came on and people began to leave.
‘As Mr Benson-Okpala was walking out, Mr Jackson was about ten feet to his right.
Jurors heard how Mr Jackson gasped: ‘I’ve been stabbed’ before collapsing and dying in the marquee where the 45th birthday party was being held
‘All of a sudden, he heard a woman shouting that someone had been stabbed.
‘Mr Benson-Okpala looked to his right and saw Mr Jackson collapsing slowly onto his back on the ground.
‘He ran to help, as did lots of other people. He also rang 999 and at one point went to get his car in order to take Mr Jackson to hospital because the ambulance seemed to be taking so long to arrive.
‘A man named Graeme McLean was standing to the right of the stage at around midnight when he became aware of a commotion inside the marquee involving about twenty people to the left of the stage.
‘That however came to an end, as did the music, and he began to leave.
‘As he was leaving, he heard women screaming and saw a man on the ground, and this was outside the marquee.
‘He then saw another man jump forward and strike Mr Jackson on the chest.
‘That person had come from behind Mr Jackson and over his right shoulder, striking him with his right hand into the upper left chest area.
The 39-year-old performer, real name Lamar Jackson (pictured), was killed at Woodford Town Football Club in east London, just after midnight on June 3, 2022
‘Mr McLean saw one impact- to him it looked like a closed fist- he did not see a knife.
‘The person who struck Mr Jackson then left the venue.
‘Mr McLean heard the deceased, whom he knew as Hypo, say “I’ve been stabbed”.
‘A red stain, about the size of a pool or snooker ball, began to appear on Mr Jackson’s clothing and he collapsed to the ground.
‘The person who administered that fatal blow was Mr John-Phillip, and having done so he immediately left the venue, with two others- his cousin Mr Caesar and another man named Jalani Francis-Coa.
‘Having pushed their way through the crowds the three of them made there way to Mr Francis-Coa’s car and left the area.’
Mr Jackson was pronounced dead at 12.44am despite the efforts of the emergency services.
John-Phillip, admitted to killing Mr Jackson (pictured) but claimed he acted in self defence. He has been cleared of murder and manslaughter
Police went to John-Phillip’s home at 9.45am on 4 June but he was not there, the court heard.
A solicitor contacted the police and made arrangements for him to hand himself in later that day, Mr O’Neill said.
He told police ‘I did not murder Lamar Jackson’ and then made no comment, the court heard.
John-Phillip, of Derby Road, Enfield, north London, denied murder and manslaughter.
He was cleared of both charges.
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