A gang carrying clubs and bats smashed up Anthony Lowe's car before he knifed Keiron Beccano in an act he told police was an accident
An attempted murder accused plunged a knife deep into a man’s heart after seeing a gang smash up his car with clubs and bats, a court heard.
Cardiff Crown Court heard Anthony Lowe told police he may have stabbed Keiron Beccano “accidentally” and then fled to London, claiming he had “some things to sort out”.
Prosecutor Lucy Crowther said the victim suffered “life-threatening injures”.
The court heard the incident occurred on Sunday, August 28, last year in a cul-de-sac in Mill Place in Ely, Cardiff.
Prosecutors said the incident began when a gang of young men ran into the street at around 1.40pm, some carrying clubs and bats.
Ms Crowther said some of them started “smashing up” Lowe’s black Ford EcoSport, which was parked outside his flat.
She said: “The prosecution accept that what the gang was doing was not lawful and it was not justified. It was intimidating but it was not directed at a person – it was directed at a vehicle.”
The court heard Lowe saw the damage to his car and decided to confront the gang members.
Much of the confrontation was caught on CCTV, which was shown to the jury of seven men and five women.
Prosecutors say Lowe chased the gang away before going back into his flat to arm himself with a kitchen knife.
The defendant was caught on camera disarming Mr Beccano on the ramp outside his flat before “lunging” at him and stabbing him in the chest.
Ms Crowther said: “The defendant plunged a knife into Mr Beccano’s heart. It went into and through his heart.”
Passer-by Benjamin Collins saw the victim collapse and called 999.
In a witness statement he said: “He was gasping for air, his eyes were rolling, and I thought he was going to die.”
Mr Collins said he saw Lowe running away from the scene carrying a “large” knife with blade between 6in and 8in.
The court heard he told police Mr Beccano was “covered in blood” and bleeding “heavily” from the chest.
Police found a crowd of about 40 people gathered in the street and discovered a large patch of blood on the ground.
Mr Beccano was rushed to accident and emergency at the University Hospital of Wales, before being transferred to cardiac intensive care.
Ms Crowther said: “He required emergency surgery for life-threatening injuries. The knife had been plunged deep into his heart.”
A surgeon noted injuries to the heart valves, walls and tissues, as well as a 5-6cm laceration to the abdomen.
Prosecution and defence agree the injuries were “really serious” and amount to grievous bodily harm.
Lowe, represented by Alisdair Williamson QC, argues he was acting in self-defence.
The court heard police managed to make contact with the defendant on the phone via his girlfriend.
Ms Crowther said: “He told officers he was going back to London and would hand himself in there. He said he had some things he needed to sort out.”
Lowe handed himself in at Peckham Police Station on September 22 where he was arrested and brought to Cardiff Bay Police Station for interview.
The defendant stated he saw about 15 youths running towards his flat and thought they were responsible for other anti-social behaviour in the area.
He said he decided to confront them but realised they were older than he thought and carrying weapons, including a Taser-like device one tried to use on him.
Lowe told officers: “I was scared for my life.”
He accepted stabbing Mr Beccano, adding: “I was protecting myself. I didn’t want to touch him – he was the aggressor.”
Prosecutors argue he could have stayed in his flat and phoned the police rather than arming himself with a knife.
The defendant states he could not find a phone and was worried the gang would come into his home.
Ms Crowther said: “The prosecution say Lowe lost his temper and decided to take matters into his own hands.
“By arming himself he had the intention of engaging in fighting and causing really serious bodily harm.”
Lowe, 35, from Murphy Street, London, denies attempted murder, plus alternative counts of grievous bodily harm with intent and inflicting grievous bodily harm.
The court heard the victim is making a “good recovery”.
The trial continues.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/attempted-murder-accused-plunged-knife-12776287
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