Jack Merritt ‘stabbed to death in toilets confronting’ London Bridge terrorist

A new account of events claims Jack, 25, came across the killer preparing for his rampage in the toilets.

London Bridge hero Jack Merritt was stabbed to death while ‘confronting terrorist Usman Khan in the toilets’, according to a new report.

After murdering the former Cambridge University student, the perpetrator then returned to a conference he had been attending and threatened to detonate a suicide vest which later proved to be fake.

Lisa Trayers, 48 – the former partner of John Crilly, 48, who fought the attacker with a fire extinguisher – told The Sun that her ex had recalled the tragedy to their son shortly after the incident in Central London on November 29.

People at the Learning Together programme event had noticed Khan had disappeared and went to look for him, she claimed.

She said: ‘Jack had gone into the ­toilet — that’s when he’s claimed his first victim and stabbed Jack.

‘He must have been strapping himself up.’

The terrorist – who was wearing a ‘big bubble jacket and wouldn’t take it off’ – then went back to the conference room in Fishmongers’ Hall and claimed he was going to blow the building up.

He stabbed his second victim after terrified attendees began to throw chairs at him, according to Ms Trayers.

They then ‘chased him out of the building’ and he continued his rampage outside before being shot dead by police.

Both Jack, 25, and ­second victim Saskia Jones, 23, were killed by single knife wounds.

Lisa, who is from Manchester, added that the course coordinator had driven both Crilly and Khan to the event.

Crilly was originally jailed for 20 years for murder and robbery.

However, his murder conviction was quashed after a Supreme Court ruling on joint enterprise law.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and served 13 years.

Crilly was mentored by Jack before being released in 2018.

Following the attack, the London Bridge hero said Jack was the ‘best guy I ever met’.

Another account of the incident from Byonn Bain, who was speaking at the event, claimed Jack was the ‘first line of defence’ when shouting was heard in the building.

Speaking to the BBC Mr Bain said: ‘It felt like a war zone…total chaos but these guys stepped up in the moment and did what few would do and put their own lives in harm’s way.

‘He was brave in his own regard. He was the first line of defence.

‘He was the first person to confront him at the door.

‘I saw people die. I saw things that I’m never going to be able to unsee.’