Man charged with murder of Saudi student who was stabbed in Cambridge

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a student from Saudi Arabia who was stabbed to death while on a 10-week placement in Cambridge.

Police were called to Mill Park at 11.27pm on Friday following reports of violence.

Mohammed Algasim, from Saudi Arabia, was pronounced dead at the scene at 12.01am on Saturday despite the best efforts of paramedics, Cambridgeshire Police said.

The street, near to Cambridge railway station, consists largely of apartment blocks, and floral tributes had been left on the pavement outside one of these buildings.

A message, on a piece of paper taped to a barrier behind the tributes, said “may your soul be at peace” and had heart shapes drawn on it.

It also said “inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un”, which is an Arabic phrase meaning “to God we belong and to Him we return”.

Police said that 20-year-old Mr Algasim had been on a 10-week placement studying in Cambridge.

EF International Language Campuses Cambridge, a private school offering English language courses to overseas students, said it was “deeply saddened” to confirm one of its adult students had died.

Cambridgeshire Police said on Monday that it is believed Mr Algasim was “stabbed in an unprovoked attack”.

A post-mortem examination is due to take place on Tuesday.

The force said that Chas Corrigan, of Holbrook Road, Cambridge, has been charged with murder and possession of a knife in a public place.

The 21-year-old appeared before Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday and is due to appear before Cambridge Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday.

A 50-year-old man, also from Cambridge, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

He remains in custody.