Harry Baker death suspect ‘knew what he had done’
ONE of the people accused of murdering Harry Baker was overheard talking about burning clothes to “get rid of evidence”, a court has heard.
Peter McCarthy, 36, is one of seven people on trial at Newport Crown Court following the death of Harry, whose body was was found at a container terminal in an industrial estate in Barry, in August last year.
The prosecution alleges the 17-yearold was murdered in a dispute over drugs.
Harry was stabbed several times and suffered injuries to his brain, stomach and pancreas.
McCarthy, Ryan Palmer, Raymond Thompson, Leon Clifford, Lewis Evans, Leon Symons and a 16-year-old boy all deny murder and are on trial.
Yesterday, the trial heard evidence from bar worker Julian Matthews, who gave McCarthy and his girlfriend a lift to Newport on the day police announced their investigation into Harry’s alleged murder.
Mr Matthews said as they drove near the docks on the way to Newport they saw a lot of police activity and McCarthy began making a number of phone calls.
Mr Matthews said: “He s**t himself. I knew he was going down. He knew what he had done.”
He told the court McCarthy then telephoned his mum and said he might be getting arrested for murder – and that if the police went to her house he would hand himself in.
The witness also said during the journey McCarthy talked about burning his clothes “to get rid of evidence”.
And he told jurors he heard McCarthy make a call to an unidentified person.
Recalling the chat, Mr Matthews said: “He [McCarthy] said, ‘You f***ing idiot. Why didn’t you throw the knife in docks? Why did you throw it in the f***ing hedge for?.’”
The trial also heard evidence from Clifford’s ex-girlfriend Jessica Davies. She said she asked him about his involvement in the incident.
Miss Davies said: “I knew when he said he would not swear on his mother’s grave he was lying. I told him I wanted nothing more to do with him – we were over.”
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-year-old boy also deny violent disorder. Evans, 61, from Merganser Court, Barry, denies assisting an offender.
The trial continues.