Hung jury in murder trial of teenager accused of stab attack

JURORS have been unable to agree on a verdict in the murder trial of Lee Turner after two days of deliberation.

Lee Turner, 33, died from a single stab wound to the heart following an altercation on a playing field in Swindon known locally as The Venney, at about 2.15pm on Sunday, October 10, 2021.

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, stood trial at Bristol Crown Court accused of his murder, which he denied on grounds of self-defence. Over the course of the trial, which spanned two weeks, the court heard the defendant and two friends had travelled to Swindon to deal drugs that weekend and operated from a flat above a fish and chip shop. On the day of Lee Turner’s death, they travelled to the Venney where they smoked cannabis and played music as they waited for a new batch of drugs to sell.

The court heard Lee Turner arrived, who had previously requested drugs on the Jojo line, and is said to have become “aggressive” when told the trio had none and repeatedly said his name.

Lee Turner grabbed one of the defendant’s friends and put a knife to his throat and threatened him if he did not receive money, the court was told. The defendant gave him the money after the stricken associate was freed from a grapple hold, but Mr Turner allegedly turned on the defendant and charged at him with two knives. The defendant claimed he delivered the single stab with a kitchen knife to Mr Turner’s chest in self-defence because he was “scared and thought he would kill me”. The incident was inadvertently recorded by Mr Turner who pocket dialled a contact and the voicemail recorded the exchange.

Bristol Crown Court heard how the prosecution is likely to ask for a re-trial. A hearing will take place at a later date.