Regional journalists have won the right to name an alleged murderer after a court ruled he was five years older than previously believed.

Titles including the Bournemouth Echo and Dorset Live are now able to identify Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai, who is awaiting trial at Winchester Crown Court charged with the murder of Tom Roberts.

Abdulrahimzai, an asylum who was born in Afghanistan and arrived in the United Kingdom in December 2019, originally stated after he was arrested that he believed he was 16.

But, according to PA’s South Coast reporter Ben Mitchell, subsequent checks by the court have determined he was an adult born in October 2001, making him 20 at the time of the alleged offence and 18 when he entered the UK.

As a result, reporting restrictions previously protecting Abdulrahimzai have now been lifted by the Honourable Mrs Justice Cutts.

The judge said: “The defendant, Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai, is charged with an offence of murder.

“There is no dispute that since 2019 he has been an asylum seeker from Afghanistan.

“It has been clear that since his arrest and before that an age assessment was required for him, not just for criminal proceedings but also for the local authority.

“The difference between the age he was given by his uncle and the age given by the age assessment has been somewhat substantial.”

She added: “I am told he will be returned to Feltham Young Offenders Institution and arrangements will be made to transfer him to an adult prison.”

Abdulrahimzai is charged with the murder of 21-year-old Mr Roberts outside a Subway sandwich shop in Bournemouth on 12 March.

His trial is due to start on 11 January 2023.

Jo Martin KC, defending, told the court: “As for Mr Abdulrahimzai, he does not know what age he is and that remains the position but he does acknowledge that he is an adult.”