Driver who disrupted music video shoot in car park was stabbed, court hears
A witness is telling a murder trial what happened before a driver was stabbed during a music video, featuring snakes and Komodo dragons, in Essex
Last updated 4th Jun 2026
A driver was fatally stabbed after disrupting a music video shoot involving big snakes and a Komodo dragon as “props”, a court has heard.
Stephen Morrisson, 30, was allegedly attacked after he irritated the filming crew, hit his head on a tree, and appeared to drive at them, the Old Bailey was told.
He was stabbed in the chest and found mortally wounded after seeking help at a petrol station in Epping Forest, Essex. He died in hospital the same day, on June 23 2020.
Yonas Girma, 29, known as Yosh; and Ellis Heather, 25, known as Rackz; are accused of his murder, even though they had never met him before.
Opening their Old Bailey trial on Wednesday, prosecutor Maryam Syed KC said Mr Morrisson’s girlfriend, Daniella Patten, had noticed he appeared to be on drugs when she saw him earlier on June 23.
Ms Patten, who knew Mr Morrisson would take cocaine and sometimes ketamine, had gone to meet him after he broke down and she took him food and helped him buy petrol.
Meanwhile, the defendants had been involved in the “carefully planned” arrangements for filming a music video.
A videographer, technical assistants, models and extras were assembled as well as live reptiles to be used as “props” in the video, the prosecutor said.
The group of men and women had converged on two filming locations in Essex, including the Wake Valley car park.
It was there that their paths crossed with Mr Morrisson who was driving a Vauxhall Corsa, jurors were told.
At 7.34pm, one of the women in the filming group was pictured posing with a large snake draped around her neck with her boyfriend, Girma, in the background, Ms Syed said.
It was “in a matter of minutes” that Mr Morrisson was fatally stabbed and the defendants left the area, jurors heard.
By the time he reached the petrol station, Mr Morrisson was in “distress and pain” with a wound to the left side of his torso.
Days after the death, a witness called 999 to say she had been there and had heard that Rackz – Heather – was responsible, the court heard.
In May 2024, they provided a detailed account of what happened at the video shoot.
The witness allegedly told police that she had noticed a young man, Mr Morrisson, approaching members of the filming group.
He was being “a bit weird” and “very loud” and at one point was banging his head on a large tree, she said.
He went on to “drive at” members of the group, forcing them to jump back with the defendants – she knew as Yosh and Rackz – at the front, the court heard.
The witness recalled Mr Morrisson appeared to be drunk and had done a “couple of circles” of a tree before driving towards them.
According to the witness, the victim appeared as if he was going to run them over or “scare them” but broke hard and fast.
They said he did not hit anyone and, from what she saw had the intention to stop, the court heard.
The defendants were said to be “confused” and “angry” about what happened, jurors heard.
Girma punched or slapped him in the face and Heather swung his arm towards Mr Morrisson although the witness did not see a knife, the court heard.
As he drove away, bare-chested Mr Morrisson had blood dripping down his neck, the jury was told.
Girma, from Feltham, north London and Heather, from Slough, Berkshire, deny wrongdoing.
The Old Bailey trial continues.