Accused – I saw man get run over at beauty spot

AMAN jointly accused of murdering Callum Hill at a Cornish beauty spot told a jury he saw the young man’s own friends run him over.

The claim came during the trial of four men following an incident at Kit Hill near Callington on March 26, 2020 which saw 22-year-old Mr Hill, from Plymouth, suffer a number of injuries and die in hospital two days later.

Andrew Hatrey, 38, and Kristian Humphries, 30, of Callington and Gunnislake respectively, are both charged with Mr Hill’s murder. Alexander ‘Billy’ Humphries, 27, from Callington, is charged with assault causing grievous bodily harm with intent against Hatrey, on the same day.

Hatrey, Kristian Humphries, Alexander ‘Billy’ Humphries and Daniel Humphries, 24, from Callington, are all also charged with conspiracy to commit violent disorder on March 26, 2020.

All four men deny all the charges. Kristian Humpries, took to the witness box to give evidence about his involvement in the incident which led to Mr Hill’s death.

Answering questions from his defence barrister, Christopher Quinlan QC, Kristian Humphries explained he had been at a house party with Andrew Hatrey - who was in a relationship with Kristian Humphries’ sister – earlier on March 26, 2020 but had left the property. He told the jury Hatrey had pulled up next to him in the street in a Vauxhall Zafira and told him to “get in”.

Kristian Humphries said he became alarmed when Hatrey began to drive up towards Kit Hill car park. He told the court he had not agreed with Hatrey to assist with his ‘straightener’ – which the jury had previously heard was supposedly organised by Hatrey so that he could fight Billy Humphries over a drug-related debt. He said he attempted to talk him out of it as it could result in Hatrey being recalled for breaching his licence conditions for a previous offence.

Kristian Humphries told the court that when he saw Hatrey get a cricket bat out of the boot of the car it was “time to leave” and he began to walk off. He then saw another car arrive and heard a voice saying “come on then”. Then he heard three car doors open and close and turned back, claiming that he thought “it’s not a fair fight”.

He said he saw Hatrey and another man – supposedly Callum Hill – two or three feet apart, with Mr Hill on his knees. Then he heard car doors shut and the revving of an engine. Spinning around he saw a Renault Megane head towards himself, Hatrey and Mr Hill, adding “it made contact with the man on his knees” hitting him “to his back and the back of his head... his body whipped forwards towards the ground”.

He said the car “definitely went” over Mr Hill, but while it hit both him and Hatrey, he was not sure if it went over Hatrey. He told the jury he got to his feet and saw the car drive at him again. He said he was hit a second time and thrown to the ground. He said “they drove at me for a third time” and said he was hit again adding: “I went across the bonnet onto the windscreen... and over the top of the car”.

He admitted he later lied to police about his involvement, claiming he was “scared of retaliation from the people who had run me over”. He insisted he had no part to play in Mr Hill’s death.

The trial continues.