My early statements were lies, admits London hammer attacker

LONDON // In his first defence statement in July Philip Spence denied even touching a claw hammer and accused his co-defendant, Neofitos “Thomas” Efremi of the vicious attacks that left three Emirati sisters with crushed skull and life-threatening injuries.

Spence, of Alperton, north-west London, now admits bludgeoning Emirati sisters Khuloud Al Najjar, 36, and her sisters Ohoud, 34, and Fatima, 31, from Sharjah, during a raid on April 6 at the suite of the Cumberland Hotel in Marble Arch, central London. But he denies attempted murder.

Khuloud woke up in the early hours, prompting Spence to pull a hammer from his leather jacket and rain blows on the sisters’ heads in front of their terrified children, Southwark Crown Court heard.

“Philip Spence was not in possession of a claw hammer and nor had he used or touched such an implement on that day of any previous day in connection with this matter,” his original statement read.

“Philip Spence did not attack any person in the suites 7007 or 7008 but was aware there was an attack perpetrated by Thomas Efremi who was at all material times present in suites 7007 and 7008 while Philip Spence was there.

“Philip Spence was not aware that Thomas Efremi had on his person a hammer and it was not part of any agreement between them that any weapon would be used while stealing from suites 7007 and 7008.”

However, Spence accepted in front of the jurors that his original statements were lies.

“The whole point of this was to make out it wasn’t me,” he said.

He also told jurors he could not remember a vile boast he made at the police station because he was high at the time. Spence allegedly said: “There ain’t no blood on the hammer, I licked it all off, it went down my mouth,” in a barrage of unsolicited comments.

“The shocking truth, Mr Spence, is that you are exactly that person – merciless and barbaric, that’s true isn’t it,’ asked Simon Mayo QC, the prosecutor.

“That is not true, I’m a different person now to what I was back then,” came the reply.

The trial continues.