A MAN found guilty of murdering a Bournemouth DJ was previously convicted of a double murder involving a rifle in Serbia, a court has heard.

Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai, 21, was convicted of the murder of Tom Roberts outside Subway in Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, following a two-week trial at Salisbury Crown Court.

After the majority verdict was given by the jury, prosecutor Nic Lobbenberg KC told the court about the defendant's previous convictions.

Mr Lobbenberg KC said Abdulrahimzai was convicted in Serbia of murder where two people were killed.

The defendant murdered two people who were also from Afghanistan, the prosecutor said.

The court heard an argument broke out about the business of transporting migrants to the west.

Bournemouth Echo:

Mr Lobbenberg KC said the defendant shot 18 rounds from a 7.62 calibre Kalashnikov, with at least six rounds hitting each victim.

The range of the shooting was said to be relatively short - between three and 10 metres - the court heard.

The prosecutor said the defendant then left the scene in a taxi and went to an illegal camp.

The defendant was tried by the courts in Serbia under the name Huan Yasin but he had fled the country. He was found guilty in absence of murder and illegally carrying a weapon. He was sentenced to imprisonment for 20 years - the maximum sentence for a person of his age in Serbia.

Abdulrahimzai was wanted in Serbia since August 12, 2018. He was tried and convicted on November 16, 2020. There was an appeal in February 2021 and the conviction was upheld.

Bournemouth Echo: Lawangeen AbdulrahimzaiLawangeen Abdulrahimzai (Image: Dorset Police)

He had been identified by a taxi driver who transported him that evening, Mr Lobbenberg KC said.

The court heard this conviction only became apparent to UK authorities after the commission of the stabbing in Bournemouth through police making enquiries of Interpol and overseas.

The Serbia murder offence took place Dobrinci area between July 31, 2018, and August 1, 2018, Mr Lobbenberg KC told the court.

Judge Paul Dugdale, who presided over the Salisbury Crown Court case, told the jury why they were not made aware of the Serbia conviction during the trial.

He said the offence in Serbia was a "terrifying case" involving an automatic firearm "possibly linked to the business of human trafficking".

“Factually it is very different from the tragic 26 seconds we have been dealing with in this case," the judge said.

He said knowledge of the conviction could not have assisted them fairly in deciding whether Abdulrahimzai intended to kill or cause serious harm to Mr Roberts.

Judge Dugdale said there would have been a real risk it might have prejudiced the jury's judgement.

The defendant was also convicted of two counts of illicit sales of drugs on February 22, 2017, in Italy. He received a suspended sentence for these matters.

Abdulrahimzai, of Hill Street, Poole, will be sentenced for the murder of Tom Roberts at Salisbury Crown Court on Wednesday, January 25.

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