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Court told man was stabbed after row about girlfriend
A HORNCASTLE man allegedly stabbed his friend to death after being accused of sleeping with his girlfriend, Leceister Crown Court heard.
Kieran Podd, 36, of Mareham Road, Horncastle, has denied murdering Paul Richards-Jones on March 12.
The trial, which started on Monday, was dramatically adjourned on Tuesday after Podd complained of a headache.
Judge Pert QC told the jury that Podd had suffered a head injury while in prison. The accused was taken back to Leicester Prison for treatment.
Earlier, the court heard Podd and Mr Richards-Jones were having “a laugh” and drinking together on the day of the alleged murder, which allegedly took place in Podd’s home.
The court was told Podd said in interview later that day, Mr Richards-Jones had entered his house uninvited.
After using the upstairs bathroom, Podd returned to see Mr Richards-Jones holding a knife.
Mr Richards-Jones then accused Podd of sleeping with his girlfriend and tried to look for her upstairs.
It was allegedly when Podd tried to stop him that Mr Richards-Jones was stabbed after they both grappled with the knife.
The accused claimed he fell backwards and Mr Richards-Jones fell on top of him with the knife pointed towards him.
Podd maintains that Mr Richards-Jones’ death was as a result of self-defence and it was an accident.
The court heard that immediately after the incident, Podd made an emergency 999 call to say that he had been fighting a man with a knife (Mr Richards-Jones) and that the knife had gone into him and that he thought he was dead.
Podd made a second 999 call, reiterating that Mr Richards-Jones was dead. The death was confirmed at 9.35pm at the scene by paramnedics.
Police officers arrested Podd at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder.
A post mortem examination carried out in Nottingham showed that Mr Richards-Jones was killed by a single stab wound to the heart.
Mr Richards-Jones’ father, Charlie Wray, told the court that the pair had visited his house earlier in the day and that they were laughing and joking.
He said: “They had a right proper laugh and were drinking from the same bottle.”
Mr Wray told the court that Mr Richards-Jones and Podd visited him regularly, usually to share a drink.
“I thought they got on,” he said.
On the day he died, Mr Richards-Jones told Mr Wray that he was going catch a bus to Lincoln, but then came back.
Mr Richards-Jones was under the impression that his girlfriend, Katherine Graham, was hiding in Mr Wray’s house and had previously accused Mr Wray of “knocking off” with his girlfriends.
Podd was in the house at the time and managed to calm Mr Richards-Jones down after he had gone upstairs looking for her.
The trial continues.
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Sunday 26 May 2013
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