Pool player knifed man to death over rules of the game, court hears

A pool player stabbed a man to death in the street after a row in a pub about the rules of the game, a court heard.

The scene of the fatal stabbing in Bilston last year

John Joyce, aged 20, was knifed several times and received a fatal stab wound to the chest as he tried to disarm Lyndon Smith on August 17 last year, prosecutors allege.

Smith, 47, had been playing pool with Mr Joyce and his party, a group of Irish travellers, in the Market Tavern in Bilston, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

After an hour Smith asked Michael Keenan, a pub regular who was in Mr Joyce’s group, why he wasn’t playing.

Good natured banter followed in which one challenged the other to a game betting £20 on the outcome, said Mr Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting.

But the men could not agree on which rules to play by and Smith became angry, leaving the pub and driving to his home less than a mile away, returning with a knife, the court was told.

CCTV footage played to the jury shows Smith stabbing the six-inch blade into the counter of the bar before returning it to his waistband and searching the pub for the Joyce party, who had left minutes earlier.

He then departs for his car followed by two customers, a man and a woman, one of whom opens his passenger door, but Smith drives away with the door still ajar.

Mr Heywood said both customers seemed to be arguing with the defendant. “It appears these two are remonstrating with Mr Smith. She seemed to mimic Mr Smith’s stabbing gesture,” he said.

Smith is seen driving away with his headlights off. He found Joyce’s party further up Church Street and raised the knife to the window as he pulled up, said Mr Heywood.

The footage then shows Smith getting out of the car and wielding the knife. “John Joyce goes for him and in response Mr Smith appears to stab at his left hand, stomach and the side of his chest,” said Mr Heywood.

The scene on Walsall Street, Bilston, on August 18 last year

Smith also attacked Mr Joyce’s uncle, James McDonagh, and his friend Michael Keenan after breaking away and running towards Walsall Street, the court heard.

Smith had been playing pool at the Dog & Partridge pub in Bilston earlier that evening and had visited the Market Tavern, where his wife worked, the jury was told.

Smith, of Owen Road, Bilston, denies murdering John Joyce. He also pleads not guilty to wounding Mr McDonagh and intending to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Keenan.

The case continues.