Samiulahaq Akbari allegedly attacked people after asking them if they were English (Metropolitan Police)

An asylum seeker from Afghanistan asked people in a branch of Tesco if they were English before attacking them, a court has heard.

Footage taken in the Thornton Heath branch of Tesco Extra in south London allegedly shows Samiulahaq Akbari approaching victim Nicholas Speight from behind and tapping him on the shoulder.

Akbari, 32, then asked Mr Speight what his nationality was and then swung a large knife at him after being told he was English, the Old Bailey was told.

Prosecutor Heidi Stonecliffe said that Mr Speight could not have predicted that “events would unfold with such frightening speed”.

She said: “On that evening in January this year this defendant had set out deliberately to threaten, harm and kill members of the public by virtue of their nationality, or what Mr Akbari perceived to be their nationality – they were English.”

View photos CCTV footage allegedly shows the asylum seeker lunging at victims with a knife (Metropolitan Police) More

Mr Speight managed to escaped uninjured “by luck” but Akbari is alleged to have attacked two other men just 10 minutes later - at a nearby Kebabish restaurants and at the Plough on the Pond pub in London Road, Croydon.

John Hoy, who was sitting at a table in the restaurant with friends following a pool tournament, was asked “aggressively and repeatedly” by Akbari where he was from, according to the prosecution.

Akbari is alleged to have pulled a huge knife from behind the counter before lunging it at Mr Hoy before he fled when the men fought back.

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Having arrived at the pub, Ms Stonecliffe say that Akbari then confronted Barry Watkins and demanded to know his nationality.

Ms Stonecliffe said: “He and his friends replied that they were English, at which point the defendant started lunging at them with the knife.”

The group managed to defend themselves behind a table and Akbari later fled.

View photos Akbari denies attempted murder and wounding with intent More

Akbari’s cousin, who dialled 999, told emergency services: “He said he wants to kill the English people. I can see his eyes, he’s serious.

“He will do it. He’s trying to run and he will kill someone. Please come quickly.”

Police found Akbari lying in a back garden “pretending to be out of it” so they would leave him alone after attempting to evade capture.

Ms Stonecliff said Akbari’s actions were “deliberate and considered” despite predicting that Akbari would tell jurors he was “too drunk” to have any intention of killing someone.

She added: “He knew exactly what he was doing and he took care not to be caught.”

Akbari denies attempted murder and wounding with intent.

The trial continues.

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