Man stabbed to death in front of his family

A father out celebrating his daughter's birthday was brutally knifed to death in front of his horrified family just because he asked if a crying child was alright, a court was told yesterday. Alan Smith, 63, was repeatedly stabbed at least five times as he sat with his partner, daughter and son-in-law in a cafe in east London.

His alleged killer, Matthew Quesada, became enraged when Mr Smith approached him in the BB Cafe to ask if his young daughter, who was crying, was okay, the jury heard. Quesada responded 'What's it to you? What's it got to f****** do with you?' before storming out of the cafe.

'Humiliated and angered' by what happened and 'bent on exacting revenge' Quesada, then aged 25, ran to his girlfriend's home to drop off the girl and grab a weapon. He then raced after the family as they entered a second diner - the Roma cafe - where they had gone to eat to avoid any further trouble.

With a knife concealed up his sleeve, Quesada then allegedly launched a 'frenzied and wordless' attack, stabbing Mr Smith in the head and body. As his daughter Estelle Jenkins tried to get between her father and his attacker, Mr Smith struggled up from the bolted down table before falling to the floor where he kicked out in a vain attempt to stop the onslaught, the court heard.