ATKINSON: KILLER CAUGHT BY ADJUSTING THE CONTRAST ON CCTV PIC

Central News, Press Room, Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, LONDON, EC4.
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08 July 2011

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A killer who stabbed an Eastenders extra to death dramatically admitted the murder after he was caught out by a new CCTV image.

Brian Atkinson, 25, was filmed plunging a knife into the chest of 26 year-old Kevlin Eurie in front of shocked drinkers.

He later claimed he acted in self-defence but this was contradicted by enhanced CCTV footage of the darkened room.

The new evidence only emerged just as the jury were about to be sent out to consider their verdict at the Old Bailey last week.

It has since emerged that the footage was improved simply by increasing the brightness of the image.

Atkinson today changed his plea and admitted the murder. He now faces 25 years behind bars.

The court heard Atkinson had been attacked by members of his girlfriend’s family for getting her pregnant.

He believed Mr Eurie had encouraged the attack and vowed revenge.

On October 16 last year spotted Mr Eurie at a party at the Greengate pub in Plaistow, east London.

Witnesses noticed there was immediate tension between the two men.

Atkinson launched his attack at 4.40am when a drunken male guest caused a disturbance by using the women’s toilets.

‘It may be the commotion provided the defendant with the opportunity to take his revenge,’ said Mr Denison.

One witnesses saw Atkinson walk towards the victim and pull something from his waist band.

‘At first she could not see what it was. He grabbed Kevlin from behind and hit him three or four times to the head, dragging him to the ground,’ Mr Denison said.

‘He then plunged this object he held into the right side of Kevlin’s chest.

‘When he pulled it out she could see it was a knife.

‘People quickly pushed the defendant away but she saw him walking around with the knife in his hand and he came back towards where Kevlin was, as if he wanted to do him more harm.’

CCTV cameras also caught the flash of a blade in Atkinson’s hand but the footage was too dark to capture every movement.

But a new copy was made to give to the jury when they retired and it was noticed this was much brighter.

It showed that Atkinson was not acting in lawful self defence – although he claims the victim was waving him forward for a confrontation.

Mr Eurie, who had taken various small parts in TV dramas and had appeared in the soap several times, bled to death after the single knife wound punctured a major blood vessel in his chest.

Atkinson, of Medcalf Road, Enfield, denied murder.

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Brian Atkinson was jailed for at least 17 years for the murder of Eastenders extra Kevlin Eurie.

In a statement read to the court, the victim’s mother Juliet Farrell said the justice system had left her and her family ‘mentally exhausted’.

She added: ‘Kevlin’s murder has left our family devastated and unable to move on with out lves.

‘We will have to live with the circumstances of his death for the rest of our lives.

‘The anxiety and stress of the judicial process and trial have left us mentally exhausted.

‘Brian Atkinson didn’t only take one life that day, he destroyed my life and the lives of his partner and son.’

The victim’s seven year-old son is receiving counselling and told his mother: ‘I would give anything to see daddy’s smiling face again.’

Atkinson pleaded guilty a week after his trial was aborted following the emergence of the ‘enhanced’ CCTV.

Judge Martin Stephens QC explained: ‘A week ago I was about to ask a jury to retire to consider its verdict.

‘There was important evidence before the jury consisting of CCTV footage on the DVD player in court.

‘The critical incident was shrouded in darkness so that it was impossible to make out vital movements of the victim or yourself.

‘However shortly before the jury was due to retire, counsel informed me a new copy had been prepared for the jury so they could view it in the privacy of their room and I was told it was significantly clearer than the copy shown in court.

‘Having seen the new DVD I decided it was in the overall interests of justice that the jury should be discharged.’

Judge Stephens said that the new footage had been improved simply by increasing the brightness.

Detectives said the original CCTV footage had been processed by an outside company, but the new version was done ‘in house’.

Judge Stephens said the starting point for the minimum term was 15 years rather than 25 years because he could not be sure who brought the knife into the pub.

He told Atkinson: ‘In my judgement this attack was you taking advantage of an opportunity to take a fearful revenge. Mr Eurie was unarmed and defenceless.

‘In my judgement you confronted Mr Eurie when the opportunity arose and coldly stabbed him. There was no provocation of any real meaning that went on that night.

‘No-one could fail to be deeply moved on hearing the effect of your dreadful deed on his family but I have to pass sentence according to law.

‘In my judgement the correct sentence is one of life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years.’

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