Ammonia murder case against man 'plain wrong'

Four men deny murdering Andrew Foster in an ammonia attack

The case against the "Tony Soprano of Jarrow" accused of murdering a man with ammonia is "plain wrong", his lawyers have said.

Prosecutors allege Youssef Wynne orchestrated four ammonia attacks across South Tyneside as part of the illegal drugs world, the last of which killed Andrew Foster, 26.

His barrister told Newcastle Crown Court there was no evidence of Mr Wynne's involvement.

Mr Wynne and three other men deny charges including murder.

The court has heard Mr Foster, who made and sold illegal cannabis sweets, suffered a fatal asthma attack after being sprayed in the face at his home in Wrekenton, Gateshead, on 20 August.

Prosecutors said it was the fourth so-called "taxing" raid - in which drug dealers steal from and scare off competitors - organised by the gang in an 11-day period, with a woman losing an eye in one of the other attacks.

It is alleged the attacks in South Shields, Hebburn, Jarrow and Wrekenton were organised by Mr Wynne and carried out by his "enforcer" Paul Fawcett, assisted on the last three occasions by John Wandless.

The fourth defendant, Josh Hawthorn, is accused of helping to organise the fatal attack on Mr Foster.

'Blank page'

In his closing speech to jurors, Mr Wynne's barrister Timothy Cray KC said prosecutors had sought to "cast blame on virtually anybody" connected to Mr Foster and drug dealing in the area "no matter how loosely".

Mr Cray said the "rush to blame" had seen Mr Wynne portrayed as a "ruthless" and "highly profitable" drug dealer controlling the supply across South Tyneside.

"He’s the Tony Soprano of Jarrow or Tommy Shelby if you prefer your Peaky Blinders," Mr Cray said, adding: "That's where the [prosecution] are pitching it."

But there was no evidence of Mr Wynne being a "Mr Big" involved in the attacks and nothing to support the prosecution's claims they were "taxing" raids, Mr Cray said.

"Whether this was taxing or whether it was organised as taxing is an utter blank page in evidence," Mr Cray added.

He said the case against Mr Wynne was "plain wrong" and the evidence showed he did "nothing".

Mr Cray said: "[Mr Wynne] has nothing to do with any of this and the true verdicts in this case are not guilty."

Four men are on trial at Newcastle Crown Court for murder

Mr Cray said there was "no bad feeling" between Mr Wynne and Mr Foster but the victim did have issues with several other people he owed money to.

He said according to Mr Foster's partner, there were others he was involved in arguments with, including a former flatmate, with incidents including their window being smashed.

"According to what she says, there were loads of people after Andy and they were all not [Mr Wynne]," Mr Cray said.

He also said there was no evidence Mr Wynne was a "big time" drug dealer with an assessment of his financial transactions by prosecutors failing to prove anything.

Mr Cray said a prosecution expert told the court he could not be sure Mr Wynne's money came from drug dealing but "even if it is we are talking street level".

Mr Cray said: "He gets more from his mum and his girlfriend than the proceeds of alleged drug dealing."

'Not that smart'

In his closing speech for Mr Hawthorn, Mark Fenhalls KC said the 22-year-old was much younger than the other accused, who were all in their 30s, and with an IQ of 69 was "on the boundary of significant learning difficulties".

Mr Fenhalls said Mr Hawthorn, a self-confessed "small-time drug dealer", was also "susceptible to suggestibility" and was "not in a position to do a great job" of remembering and answering questions.

"Is this the sort of man you would trust to take over the number two role in this plot? No," Mr Fenhalls said.

He said the prosecution had begun by saying Mr Hawthorn was an "organiser" and "number two to the mastermind" but then contradicted itself by saying "because he was suggestible and not that smart he was easily manipulated".

Mr Fenhalls said the prosecution could "not make up its mind" about Mr Hawthorn because there was "not really the evidence to justify" any involvement by him.

He said the prosecution put a lot of weight on several phone calls between Mr Hawthorn and Mr Wynne on the day of the attack on Mr Foster, but there was no record of what was actually said

"The prosecution invite you to guess and speculate about what was said," Mr Fenhalls told jurors, adding Mr Hawthorn had "no role to play" in what was alleged.

"There's no evidence he participated in these attacks at all," Mr Fenhalls said, adding: "He had no idea what was going on."

The defendants and their charges are:

• Youssef Wynne, 39 and of Wuppertal Court, Jarrow, denies murder, robbery, assault causing actual bodily harm, inflicting grievous bodily harm and two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent

• Paul Fawcett, 33 and of Balkwell Avenue, North Shields, denies murder, robbery, inflicting grievous bodily harm and two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent

• John Wandless, 33 and of no fixed abode, denies murder, robbery, inflicting grievous bodily harm and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm but admits handling a stolen VW Golf and arson for destroying the car

• Josh Hawthorn, 22 and of Ashfield, Jarrow, denies murder and robbery

The trial continues.