Brothers ‘stabbed man to death in row over a bag’
TWO brothers have gone on trial accused of stabbing to death a man outside their home in Torquay in a row over a stolen man bag.
Jack and Ben Milton are alleged to have killed Aaron Parrington, 34, during an attack on Ellacombe Church Road in September of last year.
Exeter Crown Court was told that Mr Parrington was engaged in an ongoing feud with Ben Milton, who was then 18, and had threatened to beat him up. But when he got to the house the brothers were waiting for him and attacked him with weapons.
Witnesses described mayhem in the street and a blood-soaked Mr Parrington collapsing. As he lay dying Jack Milton, then aged 19, is said to have shouted: “I hope he f ***** g dies.”
Mr Charles Row KC, prosecuting told the jury: “At about 3.25pm on September 17, Mr Parrington was stabbed multiple times while in a residential street in Torquay and killed.
“The prosecution case is that these two defendants acted together and murdered him.”
He said the background to the case was the alleged theft of a Trapstar man bag.
Shortly before he was killed Mr Parrington phoned Ben Milton and threatened to beat him up, said the prosecutor.
“The Crown’s case is that in anticipating of the confrontation to come
Ben Milton armed himself with a large kitchen knife while in the home he shared with his brother Jack.”
Ben Milton left the house and met his older brother, who was sitting on steps nearby, and showed him the knife. A few moments later there was a violent clash after Mr Parrington arrived with a teenage male and started kicking the front door of the house.
Mr Row said there were a number of witnesses to the violence, including neighbours and people passing by. It was a confusing scene and over quickly.
The prosecution say that while Mr Parrington was already bleeding from a stab wound he was hit hard with a wooden pole wielded by Jack Milton.
While members of the public tried to help the injured man, Jack Milton is said to have shouted abuse from his doorstep, saying, “Get off him, let him die. He won’t kick this f ***** g door again. Make sure he dies.”
It is also alleged he said: “Look at the pussy. I f ***** g killed him. That’s what happens if you come through my door.”
By the time paramedics arrived they could not save Mr Parrington.
A pathologist found he had sustained three deep wounds. One to his neck that penetrated 10cm; one to his left chest that was 13cm deep; a third to his lower right chest that was 17cm deep.
He was pronounced dead at the scene at 4.42pm. The brothers were quizzed by police but denied being responsible for the stabbing.
The prosecution say Ben Milton used the knife initially.
A witness says he also saw Jack Milton use the knife, the court heard.
Ben, now aged 19, and Jack Milton, now aged 20, have each pleaded not guilty to murder and having a kitchen knife in public.
Prosecutor Mr Row said: “Whilst Aaron shouldn’t have threatened Ben and kicked in the door at his home the response was out of all proportion.
“Aaron sustaining deep and catastrophic stab wounds. One to the neck and two to the abdomen. These injuries causing his death.”
He added: “The prosecution say his death was murder. The defendants acted together in a joint enterprise with the shared intention of killing or causing really serious harm. The violence used went way beyond self-defence. Aaron suffered multiple stab wounds.”
The trial continues.
A NEW military medal has been announced by the Defence Secretary to recognise personnel who fulfil “crucial operational roles” but are not necessarily exposed to physical threats.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the Wider Service Medal (WSM) will be the first award for those whose duties are outside traditional “risk-and-rigour” criteria.
The King has approved the WSM and recipients could include those deployed on the UK’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent, the MoD added.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Our modern armed forces are among the best in the world and do incredible work across the globe.
“The Wider Service Medal recognises the wide range of roles our personnel play in ensuring success on operations. It also recognises the ever-changing nature of warfare, underlining the importance of operations which deter adversaries in a pre-war world.”
A Tudor crown on the medal symbolises the monarch’s “central role and inspiration” for government, armed forces and the Civil Service, the MoD said.
The image is circled by text that reads “For Wider Service”.
Arrows pointing from the crown indicate “reaching out across the world in all directions” and the surrounding laurel wreath denotes service and achievement, it added.
The ribbon has a central purple stripe with four narrow stripes on either side.
Purple is said to symbolise government and the colours of the finer lines represent the multiple departments that make up its operations. Land is green, sea is dark blue, and air light blue.
Army personnel, Royal Air Force pilots and supporting ground crew aiding Nato’s air policing patrol in Estonia and Romania will be eligible for the WSM, the MoD said.
Members of the Royal Navy deployed in the Middle East could also receive one.