A tragic incident unfolded outside the Colour Factory nightclub in Hackney Wick on February 11 last year, resulting in the death of 26-year-old Trei Daley, who was fatally stabbed during a fight that began when one of the assailants threw a burger at a woman, a trial has revealed.
The accused individuals, 35-year-old Christopher Appiah-Blay and 39-year-old Mawien Mawien, both facing charges of murder, are currently on trial in connection with the incident. Trei Daley had been celebrating a friend’s birthday when an altercation ensued between his group and the defendants, whom they had not previously encountered.
Prosecutor Julian Evans KC acknowledged that physical altercations outside nightclubs were not uncommon, but they rarely escalated to this level of violence. He attributed the tragic outcome to the defendants carrying knives, which they used during the fight.
The sequence of events leading to the fatal confrontation began when Trei, his brother Rico, and a friend met for food and drinks at a Kingsbury bar. Trei then drove them to the Colour Factory at approximately 1:15 am.
Around 4 am, as the nightclub closed and patrons began exiting, a commotion erupted outside near a fast-food establishment called Wicked Fish.
Inside Wicked Fish, Christopher Appiah-Blay became embroiled in an argument with a young woman, described as rude, rowdy, and a nuisance. The dispute escalated, with Appiah-Blay allegedly throwing a drink at her after she retorted with profanities. Some of the spilt drink landed on Trei and his friend Malachi Robinson.
The woman continued to taunt Appiah-Blay, who retaliated by throwing a burger at her, splattering sauce in her hair. Trei intervened, urging Appiah-Blay to calm down and inquiring about their actions. The situation briefly de-escalated for approximately five minutes before Rico, Trei’s brother, engaged in a dispute with Mawien.
Mawien reportedly claimed ownership of the area and threatened to bring reinforcements. As tensions soared, Trei threw the first punch, igniting the fatal fight.
The altercation involved Trei facing off against Appiah-Blay while Trei’s friend, Sheldon Bastien, confronted Mawien. Shortly after Trei threw a punch, Appiah-Blay drew a knife. During the struggle, Mawien allegedly stabbed Bastien in the back, resulting in minor injuries. Tragically, Appiah-Blay stabbed Trei twice in the chest, with one of the stabbings penetrating his heart.
Trei was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead just an hour after the fatal attack. Mawien Mawien, residing at Portland Close in Chadwell Heath, and Christopher Appiah-Blay, from Wick Road in Hackney, now face charges of Trei’s murder and wounding Bastien.
