‘I only meant to stab him in the arse’

A gambler stabbed a grandfather to death in the street minutes after buying an eight-inch carving knife in a hardware store, a court heard.

Joseph Tripp, 35, paid £5 for the blade following a petty row with 54 year-old victim Derek McAllister at a betting shop in East Finchley, north London.

He then squatted between two parked cars before lunging out to stab Mr McAllister in the back, it is claimed.

Mr McAllister, who had celebrated his birthday the day before the attack, died two weeks later on 13 January 2016.

At the start of Tripp’s trial for murder at the Old Bailey, the jury was told he suffers from a personality disorder that means he gets agitated and speaks out from the dock.

Tripp then interrupted the judge to say he only spoke out if he felt it was unfair.

He later interrupted the prosecution opening speech several times and the judge adjourned for a short break after Tripp shouted at the prosecutor: ‘He’s lying.’

The court also rose early for lunch after Tripp again complained about the prosecution opening.

Mr McAllister, a qualified electrician, had started using drugs and alcohol after his wife died and he lost his job because of a hand injury.

On 29 December 2015 Mr McAllister went out for a walk with his new partner Kelly Jones and his dog to collect Ms Jones’ methadone prescription from the chemist.

They claimed a free coffee at the Coral bookmakers in East Finchley High Road and sat down to watch the TV screens.

Tripp, who was a regular at the betting shop, was captured on CCTV eating a Dominos takeaway pizza before leaning down to offer some to Mr McAllister’s dog.

‘There was a disagreement,’ said prosecutor Richard Horsell.

‘It is unclear what that disagreement was about but Tripp became involved in a heated argument with Kelly Jones and Mr McAllister.’

‘There was no more than a push or a shove. Witnesses described it as “handbags”..’

Mr McAllister and his partner left the betting shop but the argument continued until they walked away at around 3.02pm.

Tripp was seen pacing up and down inside the betting shop as customers attempted to calm him down, the court heard.

He then left the shop and walked quickly up the road in the direction of Mr McAllister, jurors were told.

After passing them on the opposite side of the road, Tripp ran into East Finchley Store on the High Road and looked at the display of knives.

He rejected the shopkeeper’s suggestion of a box set and picked out an eight in carving knife costing £4.99.

‘He was in no mood for doing deals,’ said Mr Horwell.

‘For what he had in mind he only needed one knife. It wasn’t any old knife, it was an eight inch carving knife.

‘The shopkeeper didn’t find anything unusual about his behaviour and described him as calm.

‘We suggest he was not calm because he left the shop and unwrapped the knife as he walked.’

Mr McAllister had stopped outside a branch of KFC and was ‘oblivious’ to Tripp approaching him from behind, the court heard.

‘With the knife he had just purchased Joseph Tripp walked quickly and and lunged at him, stabbing him in the back,’ said Mr Horwell.

The blow was delivered with such force it cut into Mr McAllister’s spine and penetrated both the kidney and spleen.

Mr McAllister was taken to hospital by a passing motorist while another witness tried to follow Tripp away from the scene.

Twenty minutes after the stabbing Tripp rang the manager of the betting shop to try and find out what was happening, the court heard.

He later claimed that he did not intend to hurt Mr McAllister and ‘just meant to stab him in the arse’, jurors were told.

When interviewed by police he told officers: ‘What have I done wrong? I got attacked in the bookies, it’s on camera, the geezers attacked me then I gone shopping with my mum.

‘I ain’t got weapons, I wouldn’t attempted murder anyone. I’m the f***ing victim.’

Tripp, of Hill Road, Muswell Hill, north London, denies murder.

The trial continues.
ends