Court hears killer boasted of attack
AMAN who has admitted murdering a father-of-two in a knife attack later said “we got him good”, a murder trial jury has been told.
Jake Melia, 21, of Eastbourne Road, Liverpool, has admitted murdering Mark Mason in Rhyl.
But James Davies, 21, of Moscow Drive, Liverpool, Anthony Baines, 31, of Sutcliffe Street, Liverpool, and Mark Ennis, 31, of Bedford Road, Liverpool, all alleged members of the same gang, deny murder and maliciously wounding Justin Trickett and Sam Illidge with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm. They are on trial at Mold Crown Court.
Prosecution witness Stephen John Jones, 43, said the attack in the car park of Home Bargains last October was in retaliation after it was believed Mark Mason and another had set upon two of a rival gang while they were drug-dealing at The Cob in the resort.
Mr Jones said he saw Melia and Davies leaving a flat with knives to get revenge after they came under attack themselves earlier that day.
Mr Jones, 43, originally from Wrexham, said he had been staying at a woman’s flat in Wellington Road, known as a “safe house” which the Pensarn Boys gang used to supply heroin and crack cocaine.
Giving evidence via a live television link at Mold Crown Court, he said he sold drugs himself and also for the Pensarn Boys, which involved six or seven people.
He said Mr Mason used drugs and was involved in selling – he worked for another gang.
He said the day before he died, Mr Mason had asked him if the Pensarn Boys would be working at The Cob the following day. He told him they probably would and asked why he wanted to know.
He said Mr Mason replied: “‘Cos they will not be there for long.” He had said he was going to “do them in”.
Mr Jones said: “I told the lads I was working for that there might be a bit of trouble the next day. I was working for the Pensarn lads and I didn’t want to see them get done in. They were quite blase about it really, not that concerned, like it was an unfounded threat. They just sort of laughed it off. I was more concerned about it.”
He said Davies and Melia went out to sell drugs at The Cob. They left carrying fishing rods with them, which the prosecution say was a cover.
When they returned to the flat, Mr Jones said he knew something had happened. Their clothes were soaking wet and muddy. They said they had been in the river – they had been attacked by two men in balaclavas with machetes and knives.
“I don’t think they were injured. They were quite animated, seemed a bit shook up. They thought it was Mason,” he said.
He said they spoke to others on the phone and left with a knife each.
He said: “I was going to go with them to help them – but I was not planning on murdering someone. I did not go – they said that they had it under control.
“I thought they may have gone to get money or drugs off him.”
After the attack, Mr Jones said he was asked to take money and personal belongings from the safe house in Wellington Road.
He saw Davies and Melia with Baines and Ennis on a cycle path between Towyn and Pensarn.
Mr Jones alleged Davies said he had slashed Mr Mason’s face. He added that Melia said something like “we got him good.” He did not see or speak to any of them after that time.
The jury heard that Baines accepted he was Mr Jones’ boss at the time and a drug-dealer in Rhyl.
The trial has been adjourned until tomorrow.