Murder trial is told of brawl before stabbing
A REVELLER told jurors how ‘everyone was just screaming and fighting’ on the street where a man was fatally stabbed during a large brawl.
The woman, who prosecutors said was a friend of murder accused Mamadou Jallow, also told how she put one injured man in the recovery position following the incident.
Mr Jallow, 21, Daniel Kamara, 22, and Darius Evans, 18, all deny murdering 24-year-old Joe O’Brien during a fracas on Oldham Road in Failsworth, near the Royal Oak pub.
All three men also deny involvement in the stabbing of another man during the same incident, in the early hours of April 21.
On the third day of the Liverpool Crown Court trial, jurors heard a video interview the woman gave to police two days after.
She admitted she was drunk at the time, and said she had been in Club 409 on Oldham Road in the early hours. She described how lots of people started leaving the club at closing time, at about 2.30am, and it was after that when a fight broke out.
Jurors were told that she had heard a man on the phone speaking to someone prior to the fight.
In the interview, the woman said: “I’m not sure who he was on the phone with, but a fight broke out further down.
“He was telling someone to come. Everyone was just screaming and fighting each other.”
She told the interviewing officer that the car arrived ‘seconds later’ after the phone call.
There were about 15 people fighting in the street, she said.
Prosecutors have said that an argument broke out near a taxi rank nearby on Oldham Road.
The jury have also heard that a Vauxhall Astra containing three men, including Mr O’Brien, from Blackley, arrived at the scene in the early hours. After getting out of the car, Mr O’Brien is said to have ‘behaved in a way that was threatening,’ prosecutor Charles Garside QC said.
Prosecutors allege that during the fracas Mr Jallow stabbed Mr O’Brien before running away.
During the incident, another man was also stabbed and suffered two wounds.
Prosecutors allege Mr Jallow also stabbed him.
The prosecution claim that all three defendants are guilty of murder.
The defendants are expected to admit they were in the area at the time of the alleged attacks, but they are expected to deny they were armed, and deny that they attacked anyone.
Mr Jallow, of Ashley Lane, Moston; Mr Kamara, of Beswick Drive, Failsworth; and Mr Evans, of Broome Grove, Failsworth, all deny murdering Mr O’Brien.
They have also pleaded not guilty to offences of wounding with intent, an alternative count of unlawful wounding, and having an article with a blade or point.
Proceeding