Pair guilty of stabbing Davices, 22, to death at flat in the city centre
TWO OTHER MEN AND A WOMAN WILL ALSO BE SENTENCED IN CONNECTION WITH TRAGEDY
TWO Nottingham men have been found guilty of the murder of a 22-year-old who was stabbed to death at a flat in the city centre.
Following a seven-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court, a jury deliberated for three days before returning guilty verdicts on Courtney Mcleary and David Francis, who together killed Davices Anderson at an address off Huntingdon Street.
Neither defendant showed any emotion as the foreman delivered the verdicts, finding Mcleary, 54, of High Cross Leys, unanimously guilty and 61-year-old Francis, of Swale Grove, Bingham, guilty by a majority of 10 to two.
They also found co-defendants Danny O’keefe, of Keswick Court, Sneinton, and Gregory Bailey, of Comyn Gardens, St Ann’s, both 50, guilty of assisting an offender in relation to the death of Mr Anderson.
It can also now be reported that a fifth defendant, 45-year-old Lisa Barlow, also of High Cross Leys, previously pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of assisting an offender.
Remanding all of the men into custody, Judge Nirmal Shant KC set a sentencing date to April 29.
On day one of the trial on Wednesday, February 28, disturbing footage was played to the jury showing Mr Anderson crying “help me, help me” as he collapsed in the entrance to the block of flats having been fatally stabbed. On the clip, he is seen bleeding from a number of wounds to his body, having been attacked with a weapon by Mcleary.
Prosecutor Andrew Vout KC, opening the trial to the jury, said: “At about a quarter to eight on the morning of April, 28, 2023, Davices Anderson was stabbed at least three times. One stab wound was to the left side of his forehead, one stab wound was to his left thigh and one stab wound was to his chest. The weapon used to inflict this wound penetrated the chest wall and then entered his heart.
“Courtney Mcleary and his friend, David Francis, were parties to the attack in which those injuries to Davices Anderson were caused. We say that you can be sure that Courtney Mcleary, and David Francis, were parties to the attack in which those injuries to Davices Anderson were deliberately caused. Both of them intended to cause Davices Anderson really serious harm.”
Mcleary said he was “wrestling” with the victim who was holding a knife and an axe with a makeshift blade when co-accused David Francis jumped on him and he landed on Mr Anderson, who was known as Ricardo.
Mr Vout said after being arrested, Mcleary gave a prepared statement to the police in an interview. He said in it he said: “I was in the kitchen cleaning up from dinner when I heard Ricardo shouting in the living room. I went into the living room and Ricardo was holding a knife in one hand and an axe in the other hand.
“The axe had a makeshift blade taped to the back of it as a pick style blade. Ricardo was threatening (my partner) with the axe, saying she owed him money and that he was going to rape her, it was terrifying. I went in and stood in between Ricardo and her, I was telling Ricardo to ‘calm down and leave it,’ but he carried on.
“Ricardo started going crazy saying he would put the axe in our heads if anyone tried to leave the house, and he was going to kill us. I was petrified, he started moving the axe as though he was going to attack with it. By this point I had a knife in my hand and moved towards Ricardo to grab the knife and axe that he had. I was wrestling with him.
“I was trying to get them off of him when David Francis jumped on us both. We both fell down to the floor with David Francis on top of us. David jumped on to me, and I fell onto Ricardo. I am unsure if I stabbed Ricardo, or if the knife Ricardo was holding went into him.
“When he got up off the floor he ran straight outside. I never intended to kill or cause Ricardo serious harm. I was trying to stop him from attacking me and my partner.
“All actions I took were to defend myself and (her).”