Christie flies home to `grieve in peace' after brother's stabbing

There were angry scenes at Heathrow airport yesterday as Linford Christie flew back to Britain from Australia, following the news that his younger brother, Russell, had been stabbed to death.

Russell, 34, a former computer operator, died in hospital early on Friday from stab wounds to his neck. Police found him lying in the street in Portobello Road, Notting Hill, west London, after being alerted by members of the public to a report of fighting. A 32-year-old man is due to appear in court tomorrow charged with Russell's murder.

Christie walked into the arrivals hall at Heathrow shortly before 7am. A melee ensued with journalists during which cameramen were pushed and jostled with baggage trolleys. The athlete looked angry and shouted: "Just stop it, yeah."

A woman in his group told reporters who attempted to speak to the athlete: "Don't even think about it." Later, a spokeswoman said: "There's no comment. Linford's got to grieve in peace."

The Olympic gold medallist - who commands a minimum fee of pounds 30,000 a race - has a personal fortune estimated at pounds 4m and drives a Mercedes with the number plate RUN 100. His brother was unemployed when he died on Friday.

The glittering highlights of Linford's career - becoming "the fastest man on Earth" on winning the 100m gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 - contrast baldly with his younger brother's track record.

James Russell Christie was born in London in June, 1962, two years after his parents, James, now 71, and Mabel, who died last year aged 65, had arrived from Jamaica.

Linford, the fourth of seven children and now a grandfather at 36, spent several years in Kingston, Jamaica, with his grandmother, Lilian Morrison, before joining the family in 1967. Russell was already five.

In the early years, Russell was more interested in sports while Linford was seen as the academic one, nicknamed "Brainbox". But when they left school, Linford started to take athletics seriously and as he sped towards Olympic success, his younger brother became increasingly bound up in crime.

In a chapter of his autobiography, Harassment, Linford, who rarely speaks of his private life, described how Russell became embroiled in a running feud with some white people in the area. Despite Linford's protective big brother behaviour, the problem escalated, with police involvement which, according to Linford, amounted to harassment. On one occasion, Linford wrote, police officers raided the family home looking for Russell.

Over the past few years, the two brothers have lived increasingly separate lives. One family friend said: "Linford has not been particularly close to his brother for several years now, even though he still loved him.

"However, he is an emotional man and is sure to be upset, not only because he was his brother, but also because he will be worried about the effect Russell's death has on their father."

In 1989 Russell was jailed for three years after being convicted at Guildhall Crown Court of holding Zoe Groves hostage and beating her with a baseball bat. On another occasion, he spent five months in custody on remand, before being cleared of robbery charges.

Simon Williams, 32, an unemployed man of no fixed abode, is due to appear at Marylebone Magistrates' Court today, charged with the murder of Russell Christie.