A MAN WHO ACCIDENTALLY KILLED A FRIEND AFTER A ROW

A MAN WHO ACCIDENTALLY KILLED A FRIEND AFTER A ROW OVER A #2

DEBT WAS JAILED FOR FIVE YEARS TODAY.

(THURS)
TRAGIC VICTIM ANDREW TUCKER NEVER REGAINED CONCIOUSNESS AFTER

ENRAGED FELLOW TENANT DESMOND WILLIAMS, 21, PLUNGED A FOUR AND A HALF

INCH KITCHEN KNIFE INTO HIS HEART.

MINUTES AFTER THE ATTACK, JOBLESS 21-YEAR-OLD TUCKER WAS RUSHED

TO HOSPITAL BUT HE DIED DESPITE DOCTOR’S EFFORTS TO SAVE HIM.

AT SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT, WILLIAMS WAS CLEARED OF MURDER AFTER

HE CLAIMED HE HAD ONLY GRABBED TO KNIFE TO DETER TUCKER FROM

FIGHTING.

BUT HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER.

JAILING WILLIAMS FOR FIVE YEARS, JUDGE GERALD BUTLER, QC, SAID

THE INCIDENT WAS BOTH ‘SAD AND TRAGIC’.

THE COURT HEARD TEMPERS FLARED WHEN WILLIAMS RETURNED TO HIS

HOME IN HUMBER ROAD, CHARLTON, SOUTH LONDON, ON APRIL 30 LAST YEAR.

MORE

CENTRAL/DEBT 2

AFTER CALLING IN ON TUCKER WHO LIVED IN THE FLAT BELOW WILLIAMS

DEMANDED THE RETURN OF A #2 DEBT, THE COURT WAS TOLD.

BUT TUCKER REFUSED TO PAY UP AND CHALLENGED WILLIAMS TO A

FIGHT.

‘TUCKER WAS SEEN TO GO BACK INTO HIS ROOM AND TAKE OFF HIS

WATCH BEFORE RETURNING TO WHERE WILLIAMS WAS STANDING.

IT SEEMS

TUCKER WAS INVITING A FIGHT,’ PROSECUTOR MR ANDREW LLOYD-ELEY, QC,

SAID.

WILLIAMS RUSHED UPSTAIRS AND GRABBED THE LETHAL WEAPON.

‘HE THEN CAME BACK DOWN THE STAIRS WITH THE KNIFE IN HIS RIGHT

HAND AND STRUCK A BLOW AT MR TUCKER WHICH PIERCED HIS HEART,’ MR

LLOYD-ELEY ADDED.

THE TERRIFIED ATTACKER THEN FLED THE SCENE IN HIS CAR BUT WAS

ARRESTED THE FOLLOWING DAY IN DEPTFORD HIGH STREET.

GIVING EVIDENCE, THE UNEMPLOYED PLASTERER CLAIMED HE HAD ONLY

TAKEN THE KNIFE AS A DETERRENT.

‘I JUST WANTED TO WARN HIM OFF.

I THOUGHT THE KNIFE WOULD PUT

HIM OFF FIGHTING WITH ME,’ WILLIAMS TOLD THE JURY.

HE WENT ON TO SAY THE STABBING HAD BEEN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.

‘I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

I JUST SAW ANDY FALL TO THE

GROUND AND BLOOD STARTED COMING OUT OF HIM.

‘I DIDN’T REALIZE I HAD STABBED HIM UNITL I GOT INTO THE CAR

AND LOOKED AT THE KNIFE AND SAW THE BLOOD,’ HE SAID.

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CENTRAL/MISTAKE 3

A WITNESS TO THE ATTACK, WILLIAMS’S 16-YEAR-OLD COUSIN MICHAEL

BALSAL TOLD THE COURT WILLIAMS STOOD BACK IN DISBELIEF AFTER PLUNGING

THE KNIFE INTO HIS VICTIM’S CHEST.

‘I SAW DESMOND RUSH AT ANDY.

HE THEN STOOD BACK IN AMAZEMENT.

IT LOOKED LIKE HE JUST STOOD BACK AND DIDN’T KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

‘IMMEDIATELY BOTH ARMS CAME DOWN BY HIS SIDE AND HE JUST STOOD

THERE FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS,’ MICHAEL TOLD THE JURY.

IN COURT, WILLIAMS CLAIMED HE WAS OWED #10 NOT #2 AS HAD BEEN

ALLEGED BY PROSECUTION.

HE WAS CLEARED OF MURDERING TUCKER ON APRIL 30 LAST YEAR BUT

FOUND GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER.

ENDS
MMMM

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