WHY?
Murder trial jury told of stabbing of girl in broad daylight
A WOMAN was allegedly murdered “in cold blood” in a broad daylight knife attack as children made their way home from school, a court heard.
Jodie Wilkinson was walking along Newcastle’s Stanhope Street with friends when an altercation blew up “out of nothing” with a group of strangers.
It is alleged one of the men possibly made a racist remark.
Then, without warning, David Waterston allegedly approached Jodie, who was “on the periphery” of the disorder, from behind and stabbed her before knifing a man she was with.
The wound to Jodie’s abdomen caused massive internal bleeding and despite efforts to save her, she died from her injuries.
Waterston, 42, denies murdering the 27-year-old and is standing trial at Newcastle Crown Court.
Sharif Kalimba, who was with Jodie’s group, is also on trial accused of violent disorder, a charge a number of other men from the other group have admitted.
Prosecutor Nick Dry told jurors: “What we say the evidence will show is that both of these men played their part in an episode of violent disorder which unfolded without warning in broad daylight on a busy city street as children were turning out from school and members of the public were going about their own lawful daily business.
“The incident sparked by that exchange between Darryn Jordan and Kalimba, who despite the efforts of his friends refused to desist as the incident escalated.
“But worse, much worse than that, we the prosecution say, the evidence will show that one of those recruited by George Stewart, Waterston, went much further, arming himself with a knife which he used to deadly effect, stabbing, killing, murdering Jodie Wilkinson without warning and in cold blood, before then turning the knife on Dale Welsh who was fortunate not to suffer the same fate.
“An attack he had planned, arming himself and using his local knowledge of the area, aware that his route would bring him out at a point near to where he had previously seen Jodie’s group on Stanhope Street, determined they would not escape for a second time.
“Cutting them off, approaching his victims from behind as they stood on that grassed area at the back of the bus stop, giving them no chance to react or defend themselves.”
The court heard CCTV in and around Stanhope Street on the afternoon of Monday, October 17 shows the moments leading up to the alleged double stabbing and the aftermath, while witnesses also saw what happened.
Mr Dry said: “You will hear from witnesses who were present at the time, some of them local to the area and to whom David Waterston was well known, residents of the same estate just going about their normal business who had the misfortune to be caught up in the frightening events that led to the murder of Jodie Wilkinson.”
He added: “The trouble, as is often the way, blew up out of nothing.
“The parties unknown to each other only for a chance meeting on Stanhope Street to provoke verbal abuse and a fast escalating situation.”
The court heard Jodie’s group included Dale Welsh and the defendant Kalimba, and others.
The other group included Kyle Bennett, Darryn Jordan and George Stewart, who have admitted violent disorder, as has Shaun Young, who was allegedly with Waterston when they went to the scene near Waterston’s home after becoming aware of trouble.
Mr Dry said: “By way of summary before we look to the footage, the flashpoint occurred at about 3.30pm on Stanhope Street as Jodie Wilkinson’s group walked up towards the Iceland store and Darryn Jordan headed in the opposite direction towards the home of Kyle Bennett at Queens Court.
”The parties were not known to each other at the time but as they passed it seems something was said, possibly racist in tone, by Jordan towards Kalimba, which caused him to react angrily and eventually pursue Jordan down towards Queen’s Court.”
Someone, sensing trouble, went to Waterston’s home at Hamilton Place and Waterston and Young ran towards the trouble, the court heard.
Mr Dry said: “In fact by the time they arrived tensions had subsided. Kalimba and Reece Spearman had joined Jodie Wilkinson and the others and were making their way back up Stanhope Street towards the Iceland store.”
Shortly afterwards, Kalimba returned to the scene to retrieve something, thought to be legal highs. Mr Dry said: “His return reignited hostilities but the majority of the group, including Jodie Wilkinson, showed little interest in joining him, initially waiting much further up Stanhope Street before coming to a halt some distance away.
“By contrast, Bennett and Jordan were arming themselves with pieces of wood, with George Stewart rallying the troops. Because it was at this stage, 3.42pm to be precise, that Stewart called Waterston, a telephone call which quite clearly prompted the almost immediate emergence of two figures from Hamilton Place.
“First out of the house, and not in dispute, was Shaun Young, he sprinting down through the estate towards Queen’s Court.
“Then a second figure, Waterston says the Crown, following on within a few seconds, only this time taking a slightly different path, forking right along Stanhope Way, running directly towards the position where Jodie Wilkinson and other members of her group were waiting for Kalimba around that bus stop area.
“Within seconds he was upon her, stabbing her without warning.”
A local who knew Waterston and was nearby with two children, saw him making a “thrusting motion” towards Jodie’s side, the court heard.
CCTV shows Jodie collapse into railings as members of the other group chase Kalimba.
A 999 call made by Jodie was played to the court. She says: “I’ve just been stabbed”. The call operator says: “Hello can you hear me” but gets no reply. A voice can then be heard saying: “Help, help”.
The emergency services arrived within minutes but nothing could be done to save Jodie who died at 5.02pm.
A post-mortem revealed she died from internal bleeding caused by a wound to her left upper abdomen. It was almost 5cm long and 11cm deep, completely or partially severing four major blood vessels in addition to damaging her liver, stomach and pancrease.
Waterston, of Hamilton Place, denies murder, wounding with intent and violent disorder.
Kalimba, 20, of no fixed address, denies violent disorder.
The trial continues.