Murder-accused chased man 'to get money back'
Family handoutA self-confessed drug dealer accused of murdering a man in a gang attack only chased him to get some money back, a court has heard.
Prosecutors said Lewis Bell, 26, was hunted like prey and fatally stabbed in the back in September in Stockton as part of a drugs feud.
Liam Matthews, 26, Sean McLeod, 23, and Ashton White, 18, all deny murder.
Mr McLeod said he had just been told Mr Bell had been robbing visitors to a crack house but had no plan to harm him, adding he felt "horrible" that the victim had died.
Jurors have heard the case revolved around a crack cocaine den on Norton Road in Stockton whose management suspected Mr Bell of robbing other visitors causing reputational damage.
On the night of 18 September, Mr Bell was chased from the drugs den and attacked on a nearby residential street, his death caused by a 5in (12.5cm) stab wound to his back which penetrated his lung causing catastrophic blood loss.
GoogleMr White previously told the court he had "deliberately missed" when he swung a hammer at Mr Bell while Mr Matthews said the victim was only meant to get a "kicking".
Mr McLeod told jurors he sold drugs at the crack house for several months "just like everyone else there", but denied being in a management role.
He said he had been speaking to Mr Matthews moments before the chase with his co-accused telling him Mr Bell had been "robbing in the area".
Mr Bell then ran away when he saw them, with the two men and Mr White giving chase, the court heard.
Asked by his barrister, Mark McKone KC, why he believed Mr Bell had run, Mr McLeod said: "Just out of guilt."
He said there was no discussion or plan but the trio ran after him with Mr Matthews at the head of the pack.
"I thought [Mr Matthews] was going to get the money back," Mr McLeod said, adding: "I thought I was just helping out get the money back."
He said he was unarmed and had no personal grievance against Mr Bell.
Mr McLeod admitted punching Mr Bell once to the face but said he left when the victim was "knocked out", adding: "There was no point in me staying there."
He said he then fled to London after hearing Mr Bell had died, telling jurors he was shocked and panicking.
The court heard he initially made no comment in his police interview, then lied to officers by saying he did not know any of the people at the crack house.
'Horrible for family'
When asked if he was deliberately misleading officers or being awkward, Mr McLeod said no but he was intoxicated by drugs at the time and was "just in another world".
Mr McKone asked Mr McLeod if he had deliberately harmed or encouraged anyone else to seriously injure Mr Bell.
"No I didn't," Mr McLeod replied.
When asked how he felt about Mr Bell's death, Mr McLeod replied: "Horrible.
"No family should ever go through the pain of having to bury their son or brother or loved one."
A fourth man, Macauley Wright, 26, of Humewood Grove in Stockton, has admitted assisting an offender by calling a taxi to take some of the accused away in the aftermath.
The trial continues.