Sofia City Court Orders Permanent Arrest for British Murder Suspect

The Sofia City Court ordered permanent arrest for Mason Steven Christopher, accused of murdering Emil Botev on Tuesday, reports the bTV national channel.

The court ruled that Christopher must remain in custody awaiting trial. If found guilty, he could get between 10 and 20 years in prison. The next hearing is appointed for June 19.

Christopher, 25, a British citizen with long term residence permit in Bulgaria, is accused of stabbing Botev, 18, in the lung, heart and the stomach in the Groublyane district in Sofia on Tuesday evening. Botev died of his wounds in hospital. 

According to witnesses, a brawl between two groups of teenagers escalated into a fight. Christopher hit Botev in the face and then stabbed him repeatedly. 

Police found in Christopher's residence a large number of knives. 

According to some Bulgarian-language media, Christopher was residing in the Druzhba district in Sofia, earning his living as a tattoo artist. He is reportedly a football hooligan, living under the false name Steven Sherwood.

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