Man 'snorted ketamine' in Chinese restaurant before 'stabbing friend to death'
A killer took ketamine in a drug-fuelled night at a Chinese restaurant before he stabbed his friend in the heart, a court has heard.
James Preston, 21, admitted to fatally stabbing Joseph Holland, 25, a killing he initially tried to cover up by placing a note, which stated "it was me or him", next to his friend's lifeless body at his home.
Preston was captured on CCTV footage "snorting ketamine" with his pals at Jumbo Chinese Restaurant on Princess Drive, Dovecot, on June 7 this year, the court was told. But things took a deadly turn after the drug binge continued at a pub later that night before the mates went to Preston's house to continue their night.
A funeral was held for Joseph Holland at GreenAcres Cemetery (Liverpool Echo)Police officers discovered Mr Holland in a pool of blood inside a locked bathroom at Preston's home in Fincham, reports Liverpool Echo. The night began with Preston, Mr Holland and others including Preston's half-brother, Darren Mulholland, and a friend called Sean Rudd meeting for a sit-down meal.
Footage shown to the jury at Liverpool Crown Court filmed another man, referred to in court as Anthony, passing Mr Rudd a small white package. Mr Rudd was seen to hold his hand to his nose, before passing the package under the table to Preston. Preston was also seen putting his hand to his nose before Mr Holland does the same.
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Nigel Pimblett, manager of the Homicide Support Unit at Merseyside Police, gave evidence to assist in talking the jury through the timeline of events in the case. After the footage was played, Mr Ford asked: "What is it they are doing?" Mr Pimblett said: "Taking drugs." Mr Ford asked what kind of drugs, and Mr Pimblett replied: "From the toxicology reports on Mr Holland, I believe it was ketamine."
After leaving the restaurant, the group headed to the Deysbrook Pub on Deysbrook Lane, West Derby, for drinks. But CCTV from the entrance of the pub showed at one stage, Preston and Mr Rudd again appearing to snort white powder from the back of their hands as they stood outside. Mr Ford said: "This may be an obvious question but what are they doing there?". Mr Pimblett replied: “Taking drugs".
Joseph Holland was found dead in the early hours of June 8 (Merseyside Police)Later that evening Preston, Mr Holland and Mr Rudd took a taxi to Preston's family home. On the way, they were recorded stopping at a Shell garage, where Mr Holland bought cigarettes and cans of beer. Mr Ford said in the prosecution opening that Mr Rudd was later recorded on CCTV and a Ring doorbell camera leaving the house.
He said: "What caused Mr Rudd to leave the address was that, without any warning, the defendant punched him to the side of the head and told him he was a rat. Mr Rudd tried to get away but was kicked by James Preston who continued to shout at him for no apparent reason he was able to understand. They were physically separated by Joe Holland and the moment passed. The incident was enough to cause Sean Rudd to leave."
The footage of Mr Rudd leaving the house was played to the jury, with Mr Pimblett highlighting that the 36-year-old appeared to put his hand to his face on two occasions. He told the jury: "I believe at that stage he had been assaulted and was putting his hand to his face." The jury also heard some audio recorded by the Ring camera. As Mr Rudd walks away, Mr Pimblett pointed out that what sounded like the words "you're out of order" were said by either Mr Holland or Preston, as Mr Rudd appeared to have been too far away by the point the comment was made.
Other short clips of CCTV were played to the jury, including a rear view of Preston's house showing the window of the downstairs bathroom, where Mr Holland's body was found, from the outside. At 01.05am, the jury saw the light of the bathroom turn on, with some faint movement visible through the frosted glass. At 1.41am, there was further movement and the window opened, before the light was switched off again. Heavy condensation was also visible on the window at that stage.
A few minutes later, Preston was seen getting into a taxi which took him to Liverpool Lime Street train station. The jury has heard he boarded a train to London, but changed at Runcorn station and got on a service to Birmingham. Mr Ford said his phone was traced to Dover but Preston handed himself in to police in the Kent area, where he was arrested and found to be in possession of his passport. In interview, he answered no comment to all questions but provided a prepared statement, saying he had been the subject of an assault by Mr Holland and had acted in self-defence.
The jury heard Mr Holland's body was found by a pathologist to have 11 "incised wounds", including two deep stab wounds to the left side of his chest that penetrated his heart, lung and liver. Preston denies murder and an alternative count of manslaughter. On Monday, lead counsel for the prosecution, Mark Ford, KC, told the jury that the handwritten note was found next to Mr Holland's bloodied body.
Mr Ford said: "The Crown say the defendant James Preston was the aggressor on June 8, he was not acting in self-defence. You may want to consider some issues, for example, the number of blows, the force of some of those blows, the actions of the defendant before and after the killing and his flight to the Kent coast in the aftermath. What about the note? We say that note was nothing more than an attempt by the defendant to falsely justify his murderous act and to avoid responsibility for what he had done. That’s why we say on behalf of the Crown that this defendant is guilty of Joe’s murder." The trial is ongoing.
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