CORONER HEARS THE FULL TRAGEDY OF LEE RIGBY'S MURDER

ABOVE: Dental expert Dr Frederick Martin had to identify Lee Rigby due to the seriousness of his wounds

We would like to emphasise that Lee would not want people to use his name as an excuse to carry out attacks against others.

Lee Rigby's family

1st June 2013

By Ed Riley

MURDERED soldier Lee Rigby had to be identified by dental records because of the severity of his injuries, it was revealed yesterday.

The Army drummer suffered “extensive and serious” stab injuries after being slashed repeatedly in the head with a meat cleaver and a knife, a coroner was told.

Graphic details of the gruesome killing emerged as the inquest into his death was opened at Southwark Coroner’s Court.

Drummer Rigby, 25, was hacked to death near an Army barracks in Woolwich, south-east London, as he returned from a day working at the Tower of London.

His lifeless body was then dragged into the middle of the road as the two killers encouraged passers-by to look at what they had done.

Detective Chief Inspector Grant Mallon, of Scotland Yard’s Counter-Terrorism Command, outlined the horror of the soldier’s death.

He told the inquest: “As he walked into Artillery Place, a vehicle is seen to swerve into the carriageway on which he was walking and strike him.

“The two occupants of the vehicle then exit the vehicle and attack him with a cleaver and a knife.”

He said investigations into his murder were continuing.

Dental expert Dr Frederick Martin had to identify Lee as a post mortem found he died from “incised wounds”.

Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, were both gunned down by armed police at the scene.

Adebowale appeared in court on Thursday charged with Drummer Rigby’s murder.

And last night Adebolajo was discharged from hospital and was being quizzed by detectives.

Adjourning the inquest to a date to be fixed, deputy coroner Lorna Tagliavini said: “I would like to take this

opportunity to give my personal condolences to all members of Lee Rigby’s family.”

Meanwhile, the soldier’s family last night appealed for calm.

They spoke out following a spate of attacks on mosques and plans for a rally in central London today by far-right extremists, which has been banned.

In a statement issued through the Ministry of Defence, they thanked the public for their “overwhelming support”.

They added: “We would like to emphasise that Lee would not want people to use his name as an excuse to carry out attacks against others.

“We would not wish any other families to go through this harrowing experience and we appeal to everyone to keep calm and show their respect in a peaceful manner.”

As a sea of floral tributes continued to grow at the scene of Lee’s death, politicians and religious leaders joined worshippers outside Woolwich Mosque yesterday in a show of unity.

Among those present was East Ham Labour MP Stephen Timms, 57, who was himself stabbed by an extremist at his constituency in 2010.

A friend of murder suspect Adebolajo appeared in court yesterday charged with three terror offences.

Preacher Abu Nusaybah, 28, who gave an interview to BBC2’s Newsnight last week, is accused of distributing extremist literature and videos.