Walsh feared stabbing

THE man who attacked Nine reporter Sophie Walsh in London while shouting “Allahu Akbar” was an Algerian asylum seeker wanted on criminal charges, a court has heard.

Ms Walsh (pictured) was doing a live cross in London on protests in Europe in reaction to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis when she was attacked on June 3.

She was grabbed and punched by Soofuue Yakr, 25, who she feared was wearing a suicide vest.

Yakr was carrying a screwdriver but did not use it to attack the reporter.

Southwark Crown Court in London heard that Yakr, who has pleaded guilty to the assault, was already wanted on charges in Newcastle before he was arrested for the June attack.

Carol Summers, prosecuting, said Yakr ran up to Ms Walsh and pushed her with both hands.

“He then lunged at her as if he was going to take her down. He started to do a stabbing motion on the left hand side of her stomach, although there was a stabbing motion she felt nothing sharp,” she said.

“No injuries, but as he was doing this he was shouting Allahu Akbar in a loud voice,” she said.

Ms Walsh was able to push him off but was “terrified” she would be stabbed and that he was a “terrorist”. “Ms Walsh had been mid-sentence during a live news broadcast to Australia at the time and could be heard screaming. When the attack happened the channel was showing a montage of the protest.”

The case was adjourned until August 20 at Newcastle Crown Court. Yakr would be deported if he was sentenced to more than 12 months’ jail.