Teenager accused of drug debt murder tells jury of moment he stabbed dead man's brother

Giving evidence in the witness stand, the 16-year-old said he stabbed Sebastian Jones after entering the property, in Caslon Crescent, in Stourbridge, on February 25 last year to rob the householders of cannabis and cash.

John Jones, 36, also known as one of the ‘Gummy Twins’, was shot dead in an upstairs bedroom shortly before 7.30pm while his younger brother Sebastian, 26, was set upon downstairs by a group of males, resulting in him suffering a punctured lung.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court on Monday the youth, who cannot be named because of his age, said he did not hear a gunshot and that he was unaware that anyone had been killed until days later when his mother told him there had been a shooting.

He told the jury he felt "remorse" over what happened.

Trial judge Mrs Justice Stacey asked him what he meant by that remark. The youth, who was aged 15 at the time of the alleged attack, replied: "I feel sorry about what happened and I should never have done it."

He told the jury that he agreed to go to the property after being promised there was cannabis and a lot of cash kept there. He said his face was covered and he was carrying knife given to him by a friend.

"At the time my mom was on her own and needed the money. It was a chance to get some money."

He said he was "pretty sure" he was the one who first opened the door when the group arrived at the house, in Norton. He said he and another youth entered a ground floor room and two men were in the room. He said when they asked the men for the drugs and money, Sebastian Jones stood up and ran towards the other youth.

"In the heat of the moment I thought he was going to hurt my friend," the youth said. "I stabbed him - just once."

He is among six males accused of killing John Jones.

Mrs Justice Stacey told the jury that adult co-defendant Kevin Waldron, 41, would not be taking the stand to give defence evidence during the trial. Another co-defendant Scott Garrington, 51, who allegedly provided the cars and a meeting point, was absent from Monday's hearing on medical grounds.

The prosecution’s case is that co-defendant Ravi Talware, 32, of Cavalier Circus, in Bushbury, Wolverhampton, used a single barrelled shotgun to fire the fatal shot that killed John Jones.

The three adults and three youths deny murder, manslaughter, attempted murder, wounding, and possessing the firearms. Talware, as well as Waldron and Garrington, both of Bridgnorth Road, Wollaston, deny perverting the course of justice. Two of the youths admit knife possession while a third youth and the others deny that charge.

The trial continues. Reporting restrictions apply.