Phillipe Personnier

Phillipe Personnier was stabbed to death in a pub toilet at the Paxtons Head in Knightsbridge on 12 February 1990.

The police were called to the Paxton Head shortly before closing time to discover him dead.

He had suffered four deep stab wounds to his lung, liver and arms, and died almost immediately.

He was from France. He had been in London for just one week and had been studying at the International College in Piccadilly and had been living in Wembley. His body was identified by his mother, who had lived in Earl's Court Square.

A 21-year-old Frenchman and a cook, who had lived in Longridge Road, was tried for his murder at the Old Bailey but acquitted in September 1990.

The Frenchman had been arrested shortly afterwards at his home, but no blood was found on his clothes, or the knife that the police claimed had been the murder weapon. However, he had been picked out in an identity parade by a soldier as the murderer.

It was said that a young soldier, who had been stationed at the nearby Knightsbridge barracks, had witnessed the murder.

However, he had been the only witness to the murder, and after he gave his evidence at the trial at the Old Bailey, the judge ruled that there was no case to answer. It was heard that the soldiers identification of the French cook had been undermined in every way.

It was heard that the soldier had said that he had seen a blond man stabbing Phillipe Personnier in the toilets of the pub at around 10.25pm on 12 February 1990, but the French cook had had black hair.

It was also heard that he had said that he had heard the French cook talking to his friend in English, which the defence said would have been unlikely for two Frenchmen.

The soldier had said that when he had gone into the toilet at the pub that the door had been held against him and that he had had to push it open. He said that he then saw two men, saying, 'One had his back to him. He was pulling with his left hand a man who was facing him'. He said that the two men were struggling and that it was then at the stabbing took place after which the attacker escaped.

The murder weapon was not found.