RIYADH: A British construction worker has been found guilty of murdering 20-year-old Saudi Arabia citizen Mohammed Al-Qasim who was studying English in Cambridge, the BBC has reported.
Chas Corrigan, 22, of Holbrook Road, had been drinking and using cocaine before he stabbed Al-Qasim in the neck on Aug. 1, 2025, prosecutors said on Monday.
Corrigan denied murder but admitted possession of a knife and told the court that he had waved it, intending to scare and not injure.
He told the court he did not realize that Al-Qasim was injured at all, and that he could not remember the exact details of their conversation. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Family members and friends of Al-Qasim told Arab News previously that the young man’s killing was a “devastating shock.”
“Mohammed was deeply loved and left a lasting impression on all who knew him, especially as the only son to his parents, born after four daughters,” said uncle Abdulrahman Al-Qasim.
The senseless murder was caught on video, which was shown to jurors, depicting Corrigan speaking to Al-Qasim and his friends.
He walked away before returning and becoming involved in an altercation.
Corrigan told jurors he had been drinking in a nearby pub and had consumed around six pints of Guinness, one or two gin and tonics and several drinks containing vodka, and had also used cocaine twice.
Despite this, he told jurors that he was “not drunk,” and claimed that he was carrying a kitchen knife for self-defense after having been attacked in the past.
Although he could not remember the details of the conversation, Corrigan said that Al-Qasim “startled” him, adding “I thought he was going to hurt me.”
Prosecutors said a silver kitchen knife with a 13-centimeter blade was later found among plants in a nearby street.
Corrigan’s father Peter, who is in his early 50s and lives in Vinter Terrace, has admitted assisting an offender. He is also waiting to be sentenced.
EF International Language Campuses Cambridge, where Al-Qasim was studying, previously said in a statement to Arab News: “Mohammed was a bright and kind young man who quickly became a valued part of our community.
“He was known for his positivity, curiosity, and warmth toward everyone around him.”
