Victim died after he was attacked on his 30th birthday

A gang of teenage muggers murdered a hotel chef as he celebrated his 30th birthday for just �12, a court heard today (Monday).

Krzysztof Rusek, who lived in Neasden, was knifed through the heart after the four attackers demanded cash from him and his friends as they walked home from Fulham on June 7 this year.

The Old Bailey heard the Polish national died from ‘massive’ internal bleeding while his friend was saved when a blade hit bank cards in his wallet.

Ruairi Bicknell, 18, from West Kensington, two 17-year-olds and a boy aged 16, who can not be named for legal reasons, fled the scene in different directions before allegedly changing their clothes following the attack, jurors were told.

Simon Denison, QC, prosecuting, said the gang had been prowling the park ‘looking for victims’ when they targeted Mr Rusek in the early hours.

He said: “They were all hooded, they were all carrying knives, and they were all intent on using those knives to commit robberies together.

“The defendants took one victim each - knives out, pointing the knives at them - demanding money.

“One of Mr Rusek’s group handed over all the cash that he had - a little over �12 in coins.

“We don’t know what Krzysztof Rusek tried to resist or if he did nothing.

“He is no longer alive to tell us what happened, and the others didn’t see it.”

Bicknell and one of the 17-year-old boys will admit they were present at the scene but will claim they did not take part in the robbery or know their companions had knives, the court heard.

The other two youths are to argue that they were not at the scene.

Bicknell and the three teenagers all deny murder.

The trial continues.