Three men have denied killing Finbar Sullivan, a 21-year-old film student, who was allegedly surrounded, kicked, punched, and fatally stabbed in a brawl at London's Primrose Hill. Ernest Boateng, 25, Alexis Bidace, 25, and Oliuwadamilola Ogunyankinnu, 27, entered not guilty pleas to charges of murder, manslaughter, and violent disorder at the Old Bailey. A fourth individual, Khalid Abdulqadir, 18, faces charges of grievous bodily harm with intent, violent disorder, and possession of a knife, but did not appear in court.
Prosecutors allege that Sullivan, a student at the London Screen Academy, was attacked around 6:40 p.m. on April 7. He had entered the park with friends shortly before becoming the target of a group of seven alleged attackers. According to the prosecution, Boateng kicked Sullivan, causing him to fall, and then punched him while he was on the ground. Bidace is accused of punching and kicking Sullivan alongside Ogunyankinnu. Another unidentified male allegedly inflicted the fatal stab wounds to Sullivan's thigh, causing an injury described as 'unsurvivable.' A second victim also sustained stab injuries during the incident.
Sullivan, who also produced music videos for drill rap artists under the name Sully Shot It, was pronounced dead at the scene. His father, Christopher Sullivan, a musician, described his son as a "beautiful, lovely, outgoing, loving boy" and called his death "the worst tragedy I could ever imagine."
Judge Mark Dennis KC has set a further case management hearing for September 25, with an eight-week trial scheduled to commence on April 5 of next year.