Reagan Asbury murder trial: Killer crept up on teenager ‘like an animal stalking its prey’, court told

Chairs and glasses were hurled across Walsall Town Hall where the IBF Youth World Lightweight title between local man Luke Paddock and Derby-based Myron Mills took place on October 14 last year.

The violence continued outside in the street after the trouble makers were rejected. It was there that the prosecution say Derby fan Tyrone Andrew, 21, stabbed 19 year old Reagan Asbury, from Pelsall.

It is alleged that during the disorder he also wounded two others and attempted to stab a fourth man. Hours after fleeing the scene he caught a flight to Amsterdam, travelling onto Barcelona where police eventually caught up with him. He was extradited back to the UK in January.

The jury heard that the Derby fans, sitting on a VIP table, were being very loud. Mr Michael Burrows, QC, prosecuting, said they were banging on tables and lunging forward ‘as if they wanted to kick off’.

Supporters of Luke Paddock were also giving rise to concern and told to calm down but were not thought to be a threat, said Mr Burrows.

However during the Paddock – Mills fight, the last of six bouts that evening, the Derby fans became more aggressive and intimidating, provoking rival spectators, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

A brawl broke out with tables being overturned and chairs and drinks being hurled across the room. So furious was the violence that the announcement of who had won the fight – Myron Mills on a split decision – was delayed.

Security staff escorted the main culprits out of the hall. Outside, it is said that Tyrone Andrew waited by the entrance, instead of moving away from the building, watching Walsall fans stream out.

He ‘stood his ground’ as some of the local supporters advanced towards him with ‘both sides willing to fight’, said Mr Burrows.

One of the Walsall group appeared to rugby tackle Andrew to the ground while others joined in, punching and kicking him. During this altercation he stabbed one man in the stomach and back, the court heard.

CCTV footage shows Andrew getting to his feet, picking up what appeared to be a knife as he did so, and confronting some of the home fans, stabbing another man before running off to where his friends stood.

The jury heard that there had already been a confrontation between Mr Asbury and one of the defendants friends, Declan Kemp-Francis. Mr Burrows said that Andrew jogged up behind the victim – ‘he did so stealthily, like an animal stalking his prey’ – before raising his right hand and stabbing Mr Asbury in the neck.

At the same time another of Andrew’s group Lavelle Patrice is alleged to have thrown an object, thought to be a glass towards Mr Asbury who staggered back into the town hall for help.

He was given oxygen but medicals were unable to stop the bleeding and attempts were made to resuscitate him after he stopped breathing. He was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham where he died the following night.

A post mortem revealed that the wound was 7cm deep and had almost severed his jugular vein.

Mr Burrows said that Andrew approached Ryandeep Sidhu who was parked in Lichfield Street and handed him the blood stained knife. Kemp-Francis drove the defendant back to his flat in Derby, Patrice leaving in a separate car.

There, Andrew changed clothes and at 3:21am, from another address, ordered a taxi to take him to Birmingham Airport. He missed his flight to Amsterdam after falling asleep, but caught a later plane at 11:15am.

Andrew, of St Helen’s Street, Derby, denies murder. Appearing with him in the dock, Kemp-Francis, 23, of Dickens Square, Sunny Hill, Derby, and Patrice, 22, of Heavenwood Grove, Littleover, Derby, are both charged with violent disorder and Singh, 22, of Lidgate Close, Derby, is accused of assisting Andrew by taking possession of the alleged murder weapon.

Kemp-Francis is also charged of assisting the defendant by driving him away from the scene. All four deny all the charges. The trial continues.