Sam Davies murder trial: First defendant claims he only wanted to scare off victim

Sam Davies was not supposed to be killed or even injured, the murder trial of the Lincoln resident has been told.

As the prosecution case finished on Wednesday, February 16, the first defendant to give evidence was Joe Jameson, who is accused of murder and making threats to kill.

Co-defendant Eimantas Gochman – one of five other Lincoln men standing trial for murder along with a 17-year-old boy – is said to have carried out the stabbing as a ‘hit’ on Jameson’s behalf.

However, Jameson told Nottingham Crown Court that he had only wanted Mr Davies “scared off” because he was too frightened to do it himself.

He added that Gochman – whom he had met for the first time that day – contacted him immediately after the attack.

With his voice cracking, Jameson said: “He rang me. I could hear running. He started saying things went wrong and Sam got hurt. 

“I said ‘what the **** are you on about?’ He said he had ****ed up.

“I said ‘how bad was it?’ and he said ‘I don’t know, I think it was bad.’”

Jameson later said that he didn’t know at that point that Mr Davies had been stabbed and the first he knew that the victim had subsequently died was when police arrested him at gunpoint the following day on suspicion of murder.

Jameson, who was 23 at the time of the killing last year, told the court that he was a cannabis dealer who was supplied by co-defendant Daniel Heydari.

Jameson said Mr Davies – a friend he had known for about three months – worked for him supplying cannabis.

The jury was told by Jameson that about a fortnight before Mr Davies was fatally stabbed, the two of them had fallen out over Mr Davies starting to use the drug Xanax again.

“As soon as he started [using the drug again], it was very obvious he was worse. It was horrible to see that happen to someone,” said Jameson, who added that he told 23-year-old Mr Davies that if he was going to continue using Xanax, he couldn’t work for him any longer.

Jameson said Mr Davies took that “very badly” and was shouting and swearing.

On the day of the attack – May 27, Jameson became aware that Mr Davies had messaged a third party saying that he wanted to kill Jameson and his mum and rob his mates.

Jameson told the jury that Heydari had shown him a copy of the message and then asked if he wanted to be fixed up with someone who could help sort out Mr Davies.

Jameson agreed and Heydari is said to have then contacted co-defendant Billy Gill, who in turn got in touch with Gochman.

Mr Davies was duped into attending the park between Coleridge Gardens and Browning Drive.

Jameson’s barrister Kharim Khalil QC asked his client: “Did you wish Mr Gochman to kill him?”

“No,” said Jameson.

“Or cause him really serious harm?” asked Mr Khalil.

Again Jameson said not and was asked what his intention had been.

“I just wanted him scared off,” he said, adding that he had tried to call off Gochman meeting Mr Davies.

The jury heard that Mr Davies was late for the arranged 10pm meeting and when it got closer to 10.30pm, Jameson told Gochman to wait ten more minutes.

“I said ‘if he’s not there by then, just go. Sorry, I’ll sort something for you coming out,’” Jameson told the court.

“And was that your intention – that he should go and nothing should happen?” said Mr Khalil.

“Yes,” replied Jameson.

In another part of his evidence, Jameson denied making threats to kill Mr Davies to Mr Davies’ partner Olivia Dann earlier in the day.

And he said that ten minutes before his arrest on May 28, Heydari – whom he described as a “power” and “boss” – had told Jameson that he wanted him to get arrested, bailed and then tell Heydari what had been said.

Jameson was asked by his barrister how his relationship with Heydari had developed while they had been on remand.

“We’re not friends anymore,” he replied. “In fact, we might even be enemies.

“We’ve been in the same cell for about seven months. It’s been horrible, absolutely horrible.

“He would attempt to coerce me into saying things, he would read my evidence when I wasn’t in the room, when I spoke to my solicitor he would grill me.

“He would blame me for him being there, he would make out that I had ***ed him over.

“So many things every day broke me down. I didn’t even feel like being a human being.”

All seven defendants face one count of murder, which they all deny.

They are Billy Gill, 21, of Hatcliffe Gardens; Daniel Heydari, 25, of Chestnut Street; Joe Jameson, 24, of Whitehall Terrace; Eimantas Gochman, 20, of Sturton Close; Eric Kesel, 19, of Browning Drive; and Charlie Wakefield, 21, of Broxholme Gardens.

A 17-year-old boy cannot be legally identified due to his age.

Jameson is also accused of making a threat to kill, which he denies.

The trial continues.