The trial of four people accused of murdering a teenager who was killed by men armed with a Rambo-style knife in an attack that lasted just two minutes is continuing.
Tristan Kerr, 17, had been playing Fortnite with friends when he was fatally attacked at a house in the old mining village of Abertridwr, Caerphilly, on Thursday, February 5. Tristan managed to run out of the house with his friend Conah Davies, but told him: "I’m hurting. My side."
He said to his friend: “I love you bro, You’re a goodun you are.” Sobs could be heard from the public gallery as prosecutor Michael Jones KC read the words out.
Tristan collapsed two more times, bumping his head as his legs went from underneath him. Mr Davies ran back to the house to get a phone and upon returning he held Tristan in his lap, rubbing his hair and trying to reassure him, but he stopped communicating.
Defendants deny murder
Earlier the trial at Newport Crown Court had heard Ricardo Elliot, 26, whose address was given as HMP Parc, Elexi Manny, 24, of no fixed abode, Georgie Mears, 19, of Cavendish Close, Thornhill, Cardiff, and Connor Palfrey, 24, of Aberfawr Terrace, Abertridwr, all pleaded not guilty to murder.
As the trial got underway on Tuesday Mr Jones told the jury the defendants were driven to the address by Manny and that "within moments" all four were walking inside the house before Tristan was fatally stabbed to his chest in the living room by Mears.
The court heard Mears was armed with a Rambo or hunting-style knife and that Palfrey had a wooden stick. Mr Jones said: “The fatal incident took less than two minutes, just moments from them arriving and walking into the house together to them leaving and driving away together. As to Tristan, such was the catastrophic nature of the injuries inflicted on him he died at the scene."
Footage and flight to Hereford
Ring doorbell footage showed Tristan leaving the house at Lower Francis Street while trying to steady himself on a bin before he eventually collapsed beside a parked car. In the footage eyewitnesses could be heard crying out: "Trist, Trist!" As details of the footage were shown to the court sobbing could be heard from the public gallery while a woman left the courtroom in tears on Tuesday afternoon.
The four defendants then fled to Hereford, the court heard. Upon arriving in Hereford, Mears was seen being sick out of the back of a VW Polo which was being driven by Manny.
Mears was wearing different clothes, with the prosecution stating that his clothes and the knife were disposed of during the journey. Neither have been recovered by police. Mears, Palfrey and Elliot were seen walking away from the Keys Court flats in Hereford while Manny and Ms Holden drove away.
Sometime later, the three male defendants returned to the flat. They spent some time waiting outside. Just after midnight Palfrey could be heard on doorbell footage pointing out that a window had been left open and telling Elliot to climb in, which Elliot did.
Manny’s car had been stopped by police at 10.28pm and she was arrested. Armed police then attended Keys Court just before 6am and Mears, Palfrey and Elliot were arrested.
Trial continues
The hearing resumes. The next witness to give evidence is Conah Davies, who is also known as “Custard”. A pre recorded video interview of Mr Davies will first be played to the court.
Mr Davies said it was quite late in the afternoon when he and Tristan met, went to get coffee and then went to the home of Ieuan Crane in Abertridwr where they played Fortnite on the PlayStation. Within two or three hours Odhran Gulliford arrived and the door was left unlocked. The trial at Newport Crown Court, which is expected to last between four and six weeks, continues.
