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 11:15 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Rees asks why he would say something like that if he was not the driver and was not expecting Dave to carry out the attack.

"I can't remember saying it," he says.

Mr Rees says the phrase "rather suggests you have completed your mission, that you had driven into the crowd".

[31 January 2018 11:20 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Osborne says he "cannot explain" why he told police officers at the scene and in interviews he was the driver, initially claiming he had lost control the van.

He is not responding to his own quotes from bodycam footage, including "at least I had a proper go"

[31 January 2018 11:22 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Osborne repeats "I have no answer" when challenged on why he made the recorded comments including "a few off tonight and a few less".

"Rambling," the defendant says.

[31 January 2018 11:22 · Lizzie Dearden]

"I wouldn't suggest I'm a madman, just angry," Mr Osborne says.

[31 January 2018 11:25 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Rees is going over evidence from his partner Sarah Andrews that he was being treated for depression, was taking anti-depressants, and had considered suicide.

The prosecutor says he was examined by a psychiatrist, who found no illness that would have diminished responsibility

[31 January 2018 11:27 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Osborne has launched into a rant about Muslims: "Our children are being raped, no Muslim girls are raped, all white girls...they all read from the same book and the star of that book is the Prophet Mohamed."

He alludes to grooming gangs and asks if the prosecutor is "angry", adding: "If 1,000 Muslim girls would be raped by white men, imagine what would happen."

[31 January 2018 11:29 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Osborne has "no answer" on why he told police he accelerated a van into Muslims and that no one else was involved in the attack.

"I have no explanation, no answer to that," he adds.

Mr Rees says: "The reason you didn't advance Terry and Dave in police interviews...is that their involvement is a complete fabrication to try and get you off the hook."

Mr Osborne: "It's for the jury to decide."

Mr Rees: "It's for you to answer the question."

[31 January 2018 11:31 · Lizzie Dearden]

Mr Rees has sat down and the defence has no further questions.

The judge, Justice Cheema-Grubb, is asking Mr Osborne to look at his written defence statement that was submitted for the first time on Friday.

It says he was instructed to drive to Finsbury Park, where Terry and Dave would identify a new "Muslim target", for him to drive into.

He now says his statement isn't true.

[31 January 2018 11:31 · Lizzie Dearden]

We are going on a 15 minute break

[31 January 2018 12:03 · Lizzie Dearden]

The defence confirms that its case is finished and the jury has been told they will not be needed until 2pm at the earliest.

It gives time for barristers to prepare their closing speeches and the judge to draw up legal directions