Man guilty of murdering Saudi Arabian student in Cambridge
BBC World
March 2, 2026
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A man has been convicted of murdering a Saudi Arabian student in Cambridge. Chas Corrigan, a 22-year-old construction worker, was found guilty of stabbing Mohammed Algasim, a 20-year-old student attending a language summer school, in the neck with a kitchen knife during an altercation on 1 August 2023. The incident occurred near Cambridge’s main railway station after Corrigan, who had been drinking and using drugs, approached Algasim and his friends. Despite claiming he only brandished the knife to scare them off, jurors determined that the attack was intentional and led to Algasim's death within an hour.
The trial revealed that Corrigan, wearing a high-vis jacket, approached Algasim’s group, engaged in conversation, and then returned with the knife after hearing shouting. CCTV footage showed the confrontation escalate, leading to the fatal stabbing. Corrigan admitted possessing the knife but denied intent to kill. Toxicology tests indicated he had consumed alcohol and drugs, including cocaine, though the exact impact on his actions remained unclear.
Prosecutors highlighted the severity of Algasim’s injuries, including a deep neck wound that severed a major artery, as evidence of the defendant’s guilt. Corrigan’s father also faces charges for assisting an offender. The case has drawn attention to issues of safety and justice for international students in the UK, particularly those
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Originally published on BBC World on 3/2/2026