Finsbury Park attack trial - as it happened: Darren Osborne claims another man took wheel of van and then 'vanished like Dynamo'

Father-of-four denies being behind the wheel of van as it hit Muslim worshippers

More tributes were left yesterday to the victims of the Finsbury Park attack (AP)

The alleged Finsbury Park attacker has claimed another man ploughed a van into Muslims and then “vanished”.

Darren Osborne returned to the stand on Wednesday morning, telling the jury the deadly attack was carried out by a man called Dave, who was not seen by witnesses or recorded on CCTV.

“He’s like Dynamo, he’s an illusion, an illusionist, he can make himself vanish perhaps, I don't know,” he told the jury.

Mr Osborne claims he, Dave and another man called Terry Jones planned to attack a pro-Palestinian march in London but that he had no knowledge of an attack in Finsbury Park and was not driving at the time.

Prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC said the defendant’s “absurd” account was a “desperate attempt” to get himself off the hook.

He denies charges of murder and attempted murder over a van ramming Muslims leaving Ramadan prayers on 19 June, which killed one man and injured nine other victims.

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Prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC accused the defendant of “fabricating” the account, which was not presented to lawyers until Friday, after hearing the evidence against him.

The defendant told the jury he met Dave and Terry in a pub in Treforest, but two managers from The Pick and Shovel previously described him as a “loner” who drank by himself.

The father-of-four said the original plan was to kill a Labour politician who allegedly wrote a reference for an abuser, but that “we just wanted more casualties”.

Mr Osborne said the next target was the Al-Quds Day march that took place in central London on 18 June, and admitted hiring the van to ram it into pro-Palestinian marchers expected to include Mr Corbyn and Mr Khan.

Mr Osborne said road blocks and security “thwarted our plans” so they decided to look for a nearby mosque and settled on Finsbury Park because it was inside Mr Corbyn’s constituency.

He said he drove there alone without a specific plan and that Dave “hopped” inside the van as it drove through a tunnel and switched into the driver’s seat shortly before the ramming.

He claimed he moved into the passenger footwell to change his trousers, adding: “All I remember is peering over the van as he turned left in the collision and I just remember the impact, it reminded me of a Hungry Hippo... and then the door opened and Dave was gone.”

While being cross-examined by Mr Rees, he said he could not explain how Dave disappeared without being caught on CCTV or seen by dozens of witnesses.

Police have found no evidence of anyone apart from Mr Osborne inside the van and said there was no point where it could have stopped in Finsbury Park to let another person get in.

Survivors told the court there was only one person inside the cab during the attack, and saw only one man – Mr Osborne – flee the vehicle afterwards.

Footage previously played to the court showed Mr Osborne telling police he was the van’s driver after being arrested and he allegedly told another officer: “I’m flying solo, mate.”

Mr Osborne claimed he decided to abruptly submit the defence statement on Friday after “a lot of soul-searching”.

He could not explain several inconsistencies between that statement and his testimony in court.

Mr Rees told him: “I suggest that Dave and Terry’s participation in these events is a total fabrication - it’s a fabrication that came about when you saw the prosecution could prove the case against you.”

Key Points

• Prosecution tells court Darren Osborne carried out attack alone out of 'hatred for Muslims'
• Jury urged to disregard 'absurd' claims a man called Dave ploughed van into crowd and disappeared
• Father-of-four claims he planned attack with two men called Dave and Terry Jones
• Defendant tells jury they originally wanted to attack Rochdale politician and kill Jeremy Corbyn at pro-Palestinian march
• Prosecution argues Dave and Terry are 'fabrications' created on Friday in response to their case
• Mr Osborne told police on the night: 'I'm flying solo, mate', jury told
• Witnesses tell court only one person was inside van when it killed Makram Ali

[31 January 2018 10:58 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Osborne claims Dave hid himself in the passenger footwell and when asked why he didn't question it adds: "We're a strange bunch."

Mr Rees says: "It's all made up, isn't it, to explain why there's no evidence at any point about two people being seen on CCTV or by witnesses in the front of the van."

[31 January 2018 10:59 · Lizzie Dearden]

Asking how Mr Osborne switched driving with Dave while the van was moving, he said they "shimmied over real quick...simultaneously."

[31 January 2018 11:00 · Lizzie Dearden]

Asked why he wouldn't just park up briefly to swap, Mr Osborne replies: "We're a peculiar bunch of guys."

He says he can't remember who suggested swapping and that he can't remember if there was any reason why he couldn't continue driving to the pub, where he claim he thought they were going

[31 January 2018 11:02 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Osborne now says he wanted to swap because "I wanted to get down in the footwell to sort my trousers out."

He says he was "sweating" and "perhaps" had got urine on them, adding: "It was a long day...there was a mixture of all sorts of things."

[31 January 2018 11:04 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Rees suggests it would have been easier for Mr Osborne to remove his trousers if he was still sitting in the seat and visible, especially for a 6ft 2ins man.

"We're a peculiar bunch of guys," he adds. He insists he's "quite agile" but says he did not take off his trousers or shorts underneath.

[31 January 2018 11:06 · Lizzie Dearden]

Questioned on what happened in the footwell, Mr Osborne says: "Things happened...I can't remember, maybe I decided against it, I don't know I can't remember, it doesn't really seem significant."

[31 January 2018 11:07 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Rees argues it is significant: "All of this, I suggest, is a desperate attempt to try to place Dave - who wasn't there - in the driver's seat. It's an absurd account, isn't it Mr Osborne?"

He says the prosecutor is wrong.

[31 January 2018 11:10 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Rees says that by the time the van started its final lap Mr Ali had collapsed.

Asked whether he was surprised that Dave drove into a group of Muslims, he replies: "He was a troubled man, he was very angry about what's happening in this country."

Mr Rees asks: "A bit like you?"

"A bit like me," Mr Osborne replies. "Why should it surprise anyone?"

[31 January 2018 11:13 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Rees is questioning the defendant on how only one person - him - is seen getting out the van on CCTV and by witnesses.

"You know full well, Mr Osborne, that only one person got out of the van and that person was you. Dave may be a funny fellow but he's not a magician, is he?" he says.

Mr Osborne replies: "He's an illusionist, he can make himself vanish perhap, I don't know"

[31 January 2018 11:13 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Rees says he can't remember allegedly saying: "I've done my job, you can kill me now."

But he does not challenge allegations by witnesses that he said it.