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Teen who admitted murder of Tonbridge man in town park named for the first time

16:40, 30 March 2023

updated: 13:13, 05 June 2023

A teenager who fatally stabbed a young man with a Rambo knife has been named for the first time.

Rocco Mustafa, 18, previously admitted murdering Tonbridge man Tom Waugh in the town last year in an alleged "robbery gone wrong".

Thomas Waugh died in Tonbridge after being stabbed with a Rambo knife
Thomas Waugh died in Tonbridge after being stabbed with a Rambo knife

It comes after "well-liked and sociable" Mr Waugh, 20, died from his injuries after he returned to a park to try to help his friends escape.

Due to his age at the time, Mustafa couldn't be named until he turned 18.

Mustafa's mother Claire White, of Chipstead Valley Road, Coulsdon is also on trial accused of assisting an offender. It is alleged she collected him by car the day after the killing.

The trial at Maidstone Crown Court for a second 17-year-old boy, who denies the offence and cannot be named, has heard how he had previously been taunted with the words "snitch and grass" during a prison conversation with his lawyer.

The jury has now retired to consider its verdicts on White and the unnamed teen accused of taking part in the murder. Both deny the offences.

A huge police presence was seen in Tonbridge after Mr Waugh was stabbed. Picture: Sean McPolin
A huge police presence was seen in Tonbridge after Mr Waugh was stabbed. Picture: Sean McPolin

Barrister Stephen Moses KC told the court the teenager - accused of taking part in the killing - would not be called into the witness box.

Instead, the barrister read out a list of what lawyers term "agreed facts", including how in September 2020 the teenager's mother reported hearing inmates banging on the cell door during a phone call to her son.

He said a lawyer later visited the youngster and was present when a male prisoner continued to bang on the door.

Mr Moses added: "The room had glass windows on the door. The prisoner was banging on the window and rattling the door, which remained locked.

"The male called him a snitch and a grass. The solicitor described it as intimidating. This happened more than once."

Letters written on behalf of the teenager were read to the jury.

Then the 48-year-old woman, accused of assisting an offender to escape justice, told the jury: "It's untrue..completely untrue."

Christopher Surtees-Jones, defending, asked if she had helped the teen to flee the area believing he had carried out the murder.

Search teams combed the river following the incident
Search teams combed the river following the incident

The former dental nurse replied: "Absolutely not."

Prosecutor Nicholas Corsellis KC then explained how on August 19 last year, Tom Waugh had been socialising with two friends in a park in Tonbridge before he was killed.

He said the three pals were approached by two teenagers, at least one of them armed with a large Rambo-style hunting knife.

"They then set about the friends but during the robbery Tom managed to run away but returned to try to rescue his friends," he said.

"He picked up a stick to cause a distraction. The result was he was pursued by both teenagers intending to rob him of his telephone...but the robbery turned to retribution.

Forensics teams shut of multiple streets in the town after the incident. Picture: Sean McPolin
Forensics teams shut of multiple streets in the town after the incident. Picture: Sean McPolin

Mr Corsellis alleged that the knife was plunged between the young man's ribs, severing the pulmonary artery, and had left Mr Waugh with an "unsaveable injury".

Despite that, Mr Waugh was able to call 999 and told the operator he had been stabbed and asked for help

Mr Corsellis added: "They were the last words he would say and he died shortly afterwards."

It was then claimed the attackers fled to a nearby house and disguised their appearances and the knife was disposed of before efforts made to destroy their clothes.

The unnamed 17-year-old has denied murder, robbery and attempted robbery while White has pleaded not guilty to assisting an offender.

The trial continues.

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