Court told of fatal wounds

Home Office pathologist Peter Acland told Worcester Crown Court that Gall, 18, had been stabbed through the mid-upper left arm and in the abdomen.

He said the abdominal wound would have been caused by two rapid thrusts, the first of which punctured the stomach, divided the pancreas and the edge of the liver.

The second sliced two arteries, a muscle and scored the spinal column.

When asked by Stephen Coward, prosecuting, about the likelihood of Gall suffering the arm injury while wielding the knife, Dr Acland said: "It's a possibility but I would think it is difficult to envisage."

William Davis, defending, had suggested Gall's brother, Ricky, who with three friends had arrived on the scene shortly after the stabbing, could have disposed of the knife which Mohammed claimed belonged to Gall and has never been found.

Sgt Daniel Bowen-Jones, of Worcester police, told the court of an extensive search of Redditch town centre by six search specialists from Kidderminster, Worcester and Redditch on the night of the killing.

The search included drains, whellie bins, open areas, roofs and a balcony around Royal Square, as well as Mohammed's Lodge Road address and a builder's skip nearby.

"This search was a very, very thorough search. Should an item have been missed I would be shocked," said Sgt Bowen-Jones.

Sgt Graham Mitchell, of Redditch police, had told the jury of Mohammed's version of events after Gall was stabbed.

Sgt Mitchell said Mohammed told him: "I got a call on my mobile from someone I didn't know who said they wanted me to go up to the town and some guys I don't know asked me for some draw, but I don't do it any more and started to walk away.

"One of them followed me and punched me five times to the side of my head and the guy pulled a knife.

"I grabbed it and we tussled."

Sgt Mitchell cautioned Mohammed and later arrested him after hearing of Gall's death.

First Midland Red West driver Mark Green told the court of his arrival at the scene.

Passer-by Mr Green said: "There was a black lad leaning over a white lad on the floor shouting 'My mate's just been knifed' and there was another lad hysterical on the phone shouting 'My mate's been stabbed. His guts are on the floor. I want an ambulance now'."

A key witness broke down in tears as he gave an eye-witness account of his friend's death.

Sean Collier, 17, said: "Omar reached for a knife, grabbed his left arm and tried to push him away.

"As he drew the knife into Liam, Liam nutted him and I heard the sigh of the knife going into him.

"I turned round and saw Liam slowing down behind us."

Collier told the court: "I seen his intestines hanging out.

"Liam lost the feelings in his legs and fell, banging his head on the kerb and losing consciousness."

Collier admitted lying in his initial statement to police.

"We left out that Omar had stabbed Liam 'cause I was confused and thought something bad would happen to him when he came out of hospital.

"I didn't want to be known as a grass," he told the jury.

Collier denied suggestions from Mr Davis that Gall started the violence but later admitted Gall knew how to "look after himself" in a fight.

Mr Davis suggested it was Gall who drew the knife and ended up being stabbed in the resulting scuffle.

When the trial opened last Tuesday, Stephen Coward QC, prosecuting, told the court Mohammed, 19, of Lodge Road, Redditch, was seen using a knife on Gall in a scuffle in an alleyway off Market Place on Wednesday, September 20.

Mohammed fled the scene and told his stepbrother he had been attacked but made no mention of the knife, the court heard.

He was later singled out at Redditch Police Station by one of Gall's companions and only then claimed Gall had pulled the knife on him.

"He had the knife. I had to grab it. It was him or me. What was I supposed to do?" Mohammed told police.

The killing was the result of an argument over stolen goods, the court heard.

The trial continues.