Masked men tried to lure dealer, court told
MASKED men stormed into a flat looking for a drug dealer, then tried “to lure” him there, intending to hurt him, a court was told.
Ryan Palmer, Peter McCarthy, Raymond Thompson, Leon Clifford, Lewis Evans, Leon Symons and a 16-year-old boy deny murdering Harry Baker and are on trial at Newport Crown Court.
Giving evidence yesterday, witness Michael Sparks said: “It was clear there was going to be violence used towards him.”
Mr Baker was 17 when he died. His body was found at the Intermodal Terminal in Wimborne Road in Barry just before 6am on August 28 last year.
The court heard he had been staying with Poppy Davies and her partner, Michael Sparks, who were both drug users, in Northcote Terrace, Barry.
Ms Davies told the court she met Mr Baker – known as Mitch – three or four weeks before his death and knew him as a drug dealer.
She said she agreed to let him and his friend, Louis Johnson, or
J, stay at her flat in return for free heroin and crack cocaine.
Asked if she had ever seen them carrying weapons, she replied she had seen Mr Baker with a kitchen knife and Mr Johnson with a machete.
The witness said McCarthy and his partner, Sarah Baker, arrived at her flat at around 9.30pm on August 27.
She said McCarthy was looking around her flat, then let in two males who had their faces covered. They were Symons, known as “Ells”, and the 16-year-old. She said Clifford was there, too.
Ms Davies told the court they were in her flat for about half an hour before “Paddy” Thompson and “Pac-Man” Palmer arrived.
Mr Sparks said it seemed like the males were trying “to lure” Mr Baker there.
He said: “They were saying: ‘No-one sells on our patch. How dare they come here? Try and sell on our patch. We’ll show them.’ I was worried for him. I was afraid he was going to get hurt.” Ms Davies said it became “unpleasant” in the flat and she took herself away to feel safe.
Her partner added: “They became very aggressive. They came in with face masks on first of all, demanding: ‘Where is he? Where is he?’ They were referring to Mitch.
“McCarthy said he was going to the toilet, but he was looking around the flat. He was clearly looking for someone.”
He said Symons and the 16-year-old started asking after the quality, size and price of Mr Baker’s deals. Mr Sparks said he eventually “kicked everyone out”.
Ms Davies said Mr Baker called her at 11.45pm to ask if she needed anything. She added: “I never heard anything from him after that.”
She said she had another phone call from his number at around 4am, but it was not Mr Baker.
Ms Davies said: “They said: ‘We’ve got your boy’s phone hahaha. You won’t be seeing him again.’”
The defendants all deny murder. Clifford, 22, who does not have a fixed address, admits manslaughter.
Palmer, 33, from Aberaeron Close, Barry; McCarthy, 36, from Bassett Street, Barry; and Thompson, 47, from Hillary Rise, Barry; deny violent disorder.
Symons, 21, who does not have a fixed address, and the 16-yearold boy also deny violent disorder. Evans, 61, from Merganser Court, Barry, denies assisting an offender. The trial continues.