I only slapped him, says man accused in Prout murder trial
THE suspected ringleader in the alleged torture murder of Jimmy Prout only slapped him across the face, a jury was told.
Zahid Zaman has been giving evidence at the trial where he and three others are accused of murdering the vulnerable dad-of-two in Percy Main last year.
Prosecutors claim Jimmy was subjected to a campaign of humiliating violence, which “belongs in the Dark Ages”.
The court previously heard the suspected abuse included them allegedly cutting open the 43-yearold’s scrotum, removing a testicle and forcing him to eat it.
It is also claimed he had his teeth removed with a hammer and chisel and was forced to have sex with a dog before being murdered last February and dumped on wasteland in North Shields
Zaman, Myra Wood, Ann Corbett and Kay Rayworth deny killing Jimmy and causing or allowing his death and are standing trial at Newcastle Crown Court.
Suspected ringleader Zaman had been accused of being controlling and manipulating the group and of inflicting the majority of the “barbaric” violence on Jimmy.
But, giving evidence yesterday, the 43-year-old said he only ever slapped Jimmy during one assault in November 2015.
Speaking of that assault, Zaman said Corbett was furious with Jimmy and was accusing him of spreading nasty rumours about the group.
He said: “At that point, Ann erupted. There was a big piece of wood, which I think was off the cooker, and she picked it up and started whacking Jimmy.”
Tim Roberts QC, for Zaman, asked: “Where were the blows landed?”
Zaman replied: “She hit him on the chest, head, back, neck, shoulders and left finger.”
Mr Roberts said: “Was anyone else present?”
Zaman added: “There was myself, Myra, Kay and Jimmy.”
Mr Roberts asked: “Did anyone else do anything?”
Zaman said: “I slapped Jimmy across the face, fairly hard.”
The court was told that this was the only occasion Zaman was violent towards Jimmy.
Asked about the alleged incident where Jimmy had his testicle removed, Zaman said: “Myself, Myra and Kay were in the living room, Ann and Jimmy went to the kitchen and Ann said she was going to cut his testicle off. I thought it would never happen there’s no way she would do it.”
Mr Roberts said: “What happened?”
Zaman replied: “From what I perceived, he just lay there and let her do it. I couldn’t understand why he let her do it. She cut his testicle then she was laughing and she put it in a cup with water and made him eat it.”
Mr Roberts asked: “Did you play any part in it?”
Zaman said: “No sir, I said to Jimmy ‘you need to go to hospital’ but he was not bothered.”
Zaman, who uses a wheelchair, described to the jury how Jimmy did all his odd jobs and helped him with his day-to-day life.
When asked why neighbours described Jimmy being treated like a “slave” and a “lacky”, Zaman said: “I disagree with that completely because Jimmy was always willing to help.”
The court previously heard Jimmy died in his house on February 9 2016 and all four of them helped in dressing the body and moving it in a wheelchair before dumping it on wasteland.
Zaman, Wood, 50, Rayworth, 56, all of St Stephen’s Way and Corbett, 26, of no fixed address, all deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult.
They have all pleaded guilty to doing acts intending to pervert the course of justice between February 5 and March 26.
The trial continues.