A teenager has told a jury he repeatedly punched a man he is accused of murdering before the man died in a collision. Logan Anderson was giving evidence at Teesside Crown Court on Thursday in the trial over the death of Daniel Ambler.
The court has heard how a Nissan car was deliberately driven at Daniel Ambler at the Esso Asda Express Service Station in Seaham, County Durham, on January 15 this year. A vehicle hit the 23-year-old and continued to crash into the petrol station shop. Matthew Donkin KC, prosecuting, said Daniel was crushed and died immediately.
Court hears of family feud and alleged targeting
The jury has been told how a "feud between families" erupted into violence and five defendants allegedly arrived as a team and "targeted" Daniel. Barry Anderson, 52, of Canon Cockin Street, Sunderland; Ashton Anderson, 20, of Noble Street, Peterlee; Barry Logan Anderson, 19, of Shotton Bank, Hartlepool; Ajay Henry, 18, of Melrose Crescent, Seaham; and Tyler Leadbetter, 18, of Elgin Avenue, Seaham, all deny murder. Ashton Anderson has admitted violent disorder.
The prosecutor previously told the court how Logan Anderson chased Daniel from the bus stop towards the petrol station forecourt. He said: "It's the prosecution case that Logan Anderson attacked him [Daniel] with a weapon."
Logan Anderson describes confrontation
Logan Anderson told the court he had been told items had been stolen out of a car. He said he went with his dad Barry to a bus stop where they knew Daniel was with two males. He said: "My dad was just meant to go around and confront them, that's why I held back a bit. But the jeep went to the bus stop and everyone scattered."
"We were going to ask for the keys. If they had started a fight, there will be a fight. But we didn't want to start a fight. If they were to start a fight, there's not much we can do about it. We'd have to fight back pretty much." Logan said he thought there was a 50/50 chance there was going to be a fight and that he was prepared to fight for his dad's bag back as it was worth a lot of money. He said: "It wasn't just some £5 bag, it was an expensive bag."
Punches and disarming the hammer
Logan said Daniel threw the first punch and he ran after him. He told the court Daniel was armed with a hammer and he wanted a fight. The defendant described how he disarmed Daniel, saying: "I punched him, he stumbled and that's when I could rip it off him."
Logan rejected Mr Donkin's claim that Daniel was desperately running away from him. He told him: "No, he stopped at the top and wanted to fight." Mr Donkin told Logan that Daniel was on the ground at his feet and said: "You hit him on the head with the weapon." Logan told the court: "It's possible I hit him on the head. I wasn't aiming anywhere."
Asked if he remembered seeing Daniel bleeding, Logan replied: "It looked more like his nose and mouth. That came from the first few punches." He told the court he had punched Daniel Ambler "a few times" in the face, causing it to bleed. Logan said the punches happened at the very start of the fight when Daniel took the hammer out. He said: "The first punch, and second and third, maybe a few more."
When asked by the prosecutor if he remembered Daniel screaming in pain, he said: "No, that didn't happen." He told the court the witness got that wrong. Logan said: "I hit him a few times but I wouldn't say it was that violent no."
During his evidence, Logan said revenge, retaliation and violence was never discussed by him and his family. He said: "The worst I did, after my dad was stabbed, was smash a few windows and that says something." The trial continues.
