Man stabbed to death outside Gants Hill pub ‘in row over ex girlfriend’, court told

A jealous “stalker” was knifed to death just hours after he threatened his terrified ex-lover, a jury has been told.

Robert Darby, 42, was stabbed in the heart outside The Valentine pub, Perth Road, Gants Hill in a row over Jason Moore’s former girlfriend Adele Raynor, the Old Bailey heard.

Mr Darby, of Byng Street, Poplar, died the day after he was attacked in August 2005.

Moore, 43, and businessman Martin Power, 47, both fled the country after the killing, the court was told.

Moore turned himself in late last year while Power was arrested in Malaga, Spain, in April and was extradited to stand trial in the UK.

Both men now deny murder.

Prosecutor Simon Dennison said Mr Darby was an “intimidating individual” who was obsessively stalking Moore and Ms Raynor.

“It came to a head on the morning of Wednesday, August 24, 2005 when Mr Moore and Mr Power were together in Mr Power’s car, a silver BMW, in Gants Hill and Mr Darby was in that area in his car, a black BMW,” Mr Dennison said.

“That morning Mr Darby was in a manic mood, he had stalked and threatened Adele Raynor and she had called the police, terrified of him.

“Just before midday Mr Darby and the two defendants came together, it was clearly prearranged.

“In the tension that there was... the violence was inevitable.”

Moore involved his friend Power in the dispute and the pair met Mr Darby outside The Valentine pub where he was stabbed, the court was told.

The jury was told the confrontation appeared to have arisen out of a jealousy Darby felt towards Moore, over the fact he believed he was seeing his ex-girlfriend Ms Raynor.

Moore and Power, both of no fixed address, both deny murder.