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Brit boxer, 24, faces decades behind bars for murder in Malaga
The young expat beat and stabbed a man to death in a petty road rage incident on the Costa del Sol
A British boxer has been convicted of murdering a Spanish teenager in a “road rage” attack on the Costa del Sol. Lewis Briggs, 24, was found guilty of fatally stabbing 19-year-old Ulrich Perez in a surprise attack on November 18, 2020.
The jury returned a majority verdict of 8-1, concluding that Briggs had intentionally killed Ulrich, who had just returned from running an errand for his mother. The attack occurred after Ulrich berated Briggs for driving too fast towards a zebra crossing in Malaga.
The defendant, who apparently used to box professionally, admitted to getting out of his Mercedes with a knife and stabbing Ulrich, but claimed it was an accident. The assault occurred near Diana Park, between Marbella and Estepona.
However, the jury foreman stated that the evidence showed that Briggs had kicked and stabbed Ulrich in a “surprise attack”, leaving him no chance to defend himself.
The murder was captured on CCTV camera, which was shown in court during the six-day trial. The footage is believed to have played a key role in the jury's verdict, along with a police report into the crime.
The public prosecutor has requested a sentence of 22 years for murder and an additional two years for fraud. The judge warned Briggs that he would receive “at least 15 years” in prison.
The convicted man’s mother, Michelle, burst into tears after hearing the verdict and the potential sentence. Briggs was led away in custody pending sentencing, which is expected to be announced in the coming days.
Following the horrifying attack, the defendant changed the number plates on his rental car before fleeing Spain and flying back to the UK to avoid arrest, although he blamed all of this on his late father. However, police caught up with him in December 2020 and he was extradited to the Costa del Sol.
From the stand, Briggs apologised to his victim’s family, saying: “I want to say sorry. It was never my intention to kill anyone. It was an accident”.
Image: Policia Nacional
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