Akeem Francis-Kerr: Murder-accused blames friend for Walsall club stabbing

Akeem Francis-Kerr died on the way to hospital after being stabbed at a nightclub

A man accused of murdering a clubber on a dance floor in a dispute over where he was standing has told his trial it was his friend who stabbed him.

Akeem Francis-Kerr died after being wounded in the neck at Valesha's in Walsall, West Midlands in March.

Prosecutors said Edward Wilson killed him from "anger arrogance or jealousy".

However, the 39-year-old told jurors he did not know there had been a stabbing until his friend admitted he may have "got" him after they left the club.

Mr Wilson, from Oldbury, who denies murder, began giving evidence at his trial at Stafford Crown Court on Wednesday.

Prosecutor Maria Karaiskos KC said it was the crown's case that he attacked the 29-year-old on the dancefloor after returning from the toilet to find him standing in a recessed area of the club, where he had been standing since he arrived at about 04:00 GMT.

Mr Francis-Kerr was wounded at about 05:00 and died within an hour on 11 March, the court heard.

Mr Wilson said that there had been an "altercation" with the victim because he asked him to move from the spot, but said he was not aggressive.

Bouncers pulled Mr Francis-Kerr away, but Mr Wilson told the court he had no idea he had been stabbed, adding that afterwards his friend wanted to leave the club so they tried the front door, which was locked, and then used a fire exit.

Edward Wilson said he left the club via a fire exit after the altercation because the front doors were locked

The pair and a female friend got into Mr Wilson's Audi and left, but returned to retrieve a phone the female friend said she had left behind.

While waiting for her, his friend said "something along the lines of 'I think I got him' - I asked, what do you mean?" he told jurors.

"He said he thinks he had stabbed him. I said what do you mean you've stabbed him? I didn't even know until he told me."

Mr Wilson said he did not know there had been a stabbing, but he "kind of took him seriously" then they spoke no more about it.

"I felt the world come crashing round my shoulders - why would you do that? There was no need to do anything like that, it wasn't that serious," he added.

He told jurors he did know not for sure there had been a stabbing until his arrest, adding that he "didn't think it was the same person I had an altercation with in the club".

'Shocked and scared'

Defence barrister Nigel Edwards KC asked him why he did not tell police it was his friend who had committed the stabbing, and Mr Wilson said he was fearful that it would put his son and his mother in danger.

"I was shocked, I was scared," he said.

He also admitted he had lied to police after his arrest.

"Just now, today, is the first time I've told anyone I knew what happened. I've got my son, my mum to think about. I need to get back to them, so I'm going to say it now," he said.

Mr Wilson told the court the reason he had his passport with him when he checked into an apartment in Sheffield days after the stabbing was because his former partner, who lived in the city with her son, was planning to book a holiday to the Maldives for them, so needed his details.

He denied he was there to "hide out" but admitted he was "keeping out of the way" after the incident.

The trial continues.

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