Harry Baker murder trial: Accused met stabbed teenager, 17

Harry Baker's body was found in a container yard in Barry Docks, in August 2019

A man charged with a teenager's murder met him the night before he was found dead to "score" drugs, a court heard.

Raymond Thompson is one of six charged with killing Harry Baker, 17, who was stabbed nine times and his body was found at Barry Docks, in August 2019.

Mr Thompson, 48, who denies murder along with five other men and a boy, told Newport Crown Court he wanted heroin to celebrate his birthday.

Prosecutors have said Harry was killed by drug users and "rival" drug dealers.

In court, Mr Thompson admitted he took heroin daily, drank half a bottle of vodka for "breakfast" and suffered "blackouts".

The court was shown CCTV of what the prosecution call the "ambush" of Harry, before he was chased through Barry by a group, to the docks.

Mr Thompson admitted he saw "two youngish boys, brandishing knives" during the ambush.

The trial is taking place at Newport Crown Court

He said co-defendant Leon Symons and a 17-year-old defendant who cannot be identified "pulled out knives too".

"I just run because everyone else run, I wasn't intending to do anything," he added.

His defence barrister Siobhan Grey, said he contacted the victim on 27 August 2019, with Mr Thompson saying the reason was "to score".

'Terrible, shaking anxiety'

He said it was to buy an extra "bag of heroin" and other drugs to celebrate his birthday, and he then met Harry with his partner on Arno Road, Barry, in the early hours of 28 August, the day Harry was later found dead.

Referring to that meeting however, the defendant said "I can't remember any of it".

Drinking the vodka was to stop him experiencing a "terrible, shaking, anxiety sweat", Mr Thompson said.

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Mr Thompson denies involvement but admitted he had previously met the his 17-year-old co-defendant, who cannot be identified, outside a Lloyds Bank..

He also known co-defendants Ryan Palmer and Peter McCarthy for years, and Leon Symons had come to his flat once and that he had met Leon Clifford once.

Along with Mr Thompson, Mr Clifford, 23; Lewis Evans, 62; Ryan Palmer, 34 and Peter McCarthy, 37, all from Barry; Leon Symons, 22, from Ely, Cardiff, and the 17-year-old boy all deny murder.

The trial continues.