Man stabbed to death in front of his family 'for asking parents of crying child in restaurant if she was okay'



Father Alan Smith, 63, had been celebrating daughter's birthday

Alleged kille r Matthew Quesada, 26, l eft, grabbed knife and tracked him down to second restaurant, court told



Mr Smith's frantic daughter tried to step between her father and the attacker, jury hears



Quesada's mother and girlfriend accused of assisting an offender



Victim: Alan Smith was stabbed in a 'frenzied attack' in a diner after asking if the alleged killer's crying daughter was alright, a court heard

A father out celebrating his daughter's birthday was brutally knifed to death in front of his horrified family just because he asked if a crying child was alright, a court was told yesterday.

Alan Smith, 63, was stabbed at least five times as he sat with his partner, daughter and son-in-law in a cafe in east London.

His alleged killer, Matthew Quesada, became enraged when Mr Smith approached him in the BB Cafe to ask if his young daughter, who was crying, was okay, the jury heard.

Quesada responded 'What's it to you? What's it got to f****** do with you?' before storming out of the cafe.

'Humiliated and angered' by what happened and 'bent on exacting revenge' Quesada, then aged 25, ran to his girlfriend's home to drop off the girl and grab a weapon.

With a knife concealed up his sleeve, He then raced after the family as they entered a second diner - the Roma cafe - where they had gone to eat to avoid any further trouble.

It was there that Quesada allegedly launched a 'frenzied and wordless' attack, stabbing Mr Smith in the head and body.

As Estelle Jenkins tried to get between her father and his attacker, Mr Smith struggled up from the bolted down table before falling to the floor where he kicked out in a vain attempt to stop the onslaught, the court heard.



Quesada only fled when the victim's son-in law Mark Jenkins threw a chair at him, halting the attack, as Mr Smith's horrified partner Denise Facey looked on, the court was told.

As Mr Smith's life ebbed away an air ambulance doctor had to perform emergency heart surgery on a cafe table that formed a 'make-shift operating table.'

He was flown to hospital where he died from his wounds, three of which were fatal.

Accused: Matthew Quesada's mother Victoria Passley-Quesada, left, and girlfriend Maria Brigette are both standing trial alongside him accused of assisting an offender



Quesada, now 26, denies murdering Mr Smith on March 26 last year.

Roger Smart, prosecuting, told the Old Bailey jury Quesada accepts he stabbed Mr Smith and the issue will be his state of mind at the time.

The court heard in the lead up to the alleged murder, Mr Smith was waiting for his family to arrive at the BB Cafe in London's Leyton when Quesada entered with his crying daughter.

After a few minutes when the crying did not subside and while Quesada washed his daughter's hands in the sink, Mr Smith approached to ask if everything was alright with the little girl, it was claimed.

However, the father-of-two reacted angrily and tried to push past a waiter to get into the kitchen but was blocked,

He then tried to use the cafe's phone, but stormed off with his daughter after he wasn't allowed.

The Old Bailey heard that as Quesada went next door to borrow a phone Mr Smith's family arrived.

As Mr Smith told them they would eat elsewhere, Quesada was overheard saying 'I need the piece' over the phone as he stood glaring as Mr Smith and his family left the cafe.

As they walked off Quesada shouted out: 'You see. You? I'll see you.'

Mr Smart said: 'A warning. A man in an aggressive state. A man humiliated, angered by what had happened inside the BB Cafe, bent on exacting revenge.'

'Frenzied attack': Mr Smith's family tried to leap between him and alleged killer Matthew Quesada during the stabbing in Roma Cafe, the court heard The time between the call and the murder was just four minutes, it was said. Minutes later he was seen running after Mr Smith and his family as they entered the Roma Cafe on the Lea Bridge Road where they had gone to eat instead. Mr Smart said: 'He entered only a minute or so after the deceased and his family had sat down in the cafe and approached the table at which they were all sitting. 'Mark Jenkins was facing the door to the cafe and noticed Quesada when he approached their table. Mr Jenkins saw that the defendant had hidden a knife inside the cuff of his sleeve. 'As he got to their table, the defendant leaned across and without uttering a word, lunged at Mr Smith. 'The defendant attacked Mr Smith in a frenzied knife attack, making a plunging motion and hitting the deceased's head and body. 'At this point Mr Jenkins jumped up and stepped away from the table. The defendant repeatedly lunged at Mr Smith across the table hitting him at least five to six times.

Confrontation: The court heard the attack was sparked when Mr Smith asked if the crying baby was alright as he waited to meet his family in the BB Cafe in Leyton

'Mr Smith tried to get out from the bolted down table. He managed to get to his feet and his daughter Estelle Jenkins tried to get between her father and the defendant.

'Mr Smith fell to the floor and kicked out at Quesada, trying in vain to protect himself from the attack.'

Warded off by Mr Jenkins, Quesada was spotted jumping over the back gardens from his girlfriend's flat before getting into a waiting car and speeding off.

A day later Quesada who had shaven off his distinct Afro style hair and changed his clothes was arrested along with his mother Victoria Passley-Quesada inside her car in south London.

He had on him his British passport, flight details for that day's flights to Sao Paulo in Brazil, along with a holdall.

His mother Passley-Quesada, 54, of Purley, Surrey, is accused of hiding him from the police, looking up flights, and helping him in his bid to escape.

His girlfriend Maria Brigette, 26, of Hibbard Road, Leyton, east London, is accused of updating him on the police investigation. Both deny assisting an offender.