‘Murdered in Camden homeless camp’

A killer beat a man with a plank of wood then stabbed him to death in a fight at a homeless camp, a court heard.

Dwight Merrick, 45, came to blows with 44-year-old Shaun Latimer-Kayser in Camden Square Gardens in north London last 27 September 27.

Mr Latimer-Kayser fought back and punched Merrick in the face prompting the defendant to grab a blade from a nearby barber shop, the Old Bailey heard.

Bald and bespectacled Merrick appeared in the dock wearing a black suit and tie as prosecutor Sean Larkin, KC, told jurors opened the case.

‘The allegation is that Mr Merrick stabbed to death Shaun Latimer-Kayser using the blade or sharply pointed article in Camden Square Gardens.

Merrick, nicknamed ‘Yardy’, had cycled to the camp on a Lime Bike, the court heard.

Jurors were told they will view mobile phone footage of the initial fight between the two men.

‘Mr Latimer-Kayser is on the ground. Mr Merrick is on top of him. Mr Merrick gets up with a plank of wood and strikes Mr Latimer-Kayser on the ground.

‘It seems in the first set of incidents, Mr Latimer-Kayser punched Mr Merrick on the nose or the face.’

Merrick made his way to the barber shop and ‘almost certainly’ picked up a weapon before returning to the arches where Mr Latimer-Kayser was stabbed to death, said Mr Larkin.

Merrick returned to the barbers to collect his belongings before leaving the area, jurors were told.

A few days later, Merrick flew to Jamaica on somebody else’s passport but was refused entry and sent back to the UK where he was upon his return, the court heard.

Merrick gave no comment to police in interview but Mr Larkin added: ‘We do not expect there will be any dispute that he stabbed Mr Latimer-Kayser. The issue will be whether he did so lawfully.’

Jurors were also shown maps detailing where Mr Latimer-Kayser live, the location of the fight and the address of the barber shop where Merrick is alleged to have grabbed a weapon.

Merrick, of Hanson Close, Beckenham, denies murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place.

The trial continues.
ends