Lee McKnight murder: Co-accused says teen had knuckleduster

A drug-dealing "middle man" has told jurors a knuckleduster-wearing teenager attacked a man with punches and kicks before calling his dad to help.

The body of Lee McKnight, 26, was found in the River Caldew in Carlisle on the morning of 24 July.

Carlisle Crown Court heard Mr McKnight - who owed drug money - had been asked to an address in Charles Street during the early hours.

Six people, including a father and son and a mother and daughter, deny murder.

Those on trial, all from Carlisle, are:

Jamie Davison, the "middle man", had known Mr McKnight, a fellow drugs peddler, for more than 10 years and had been supplied by him before their roles were reversed, the court has previously heard.

Jurors were told Mr McKnight went to ground owing about £13,000 to Mr Davison, who tried unsuccessfully to make contact before lockdown struck. By summer 2020, Mr McKnight's debt was £2,000.

Mr Davison told the court on Wednesday he had asked Arron Graham to provide support for when Mr McKnight visited Coral Edgar's home in the early hours of 24 July - to drop off some cannabis - fearing Mr McKnight "might start fighting".

Mr Graham arrived with Jamie Lee Roberts, who was then aged 17, shortly before Mr McKnight was allowed inside, jurors were told.

Mr McKnight was "quite lairy" and "on some type of substance" the court heard, and was "very surprised" to see Mr Davison - who had been staying with Coral Edgar.

"I told him to sit down and he sort of postured into a fighting stance. Like he was ready to fight with me," Mr Davidson said.

After Mr Davison struck out, the court heard it "became a full fight" and the pair grappled from the living room into the kitchen, where Mr Davison heard Mr McKnight "making noises of pain".

"When I finally managed to get my head up and look what was happening, Jamie [Lee] Roberts was striking him in the back, on the back of the head," Mr Davison told the court.

Mr Davison said he had not wanted Jamie Lee Roberts to become involved and he had asked him to stop.

He said the teenager, with a knuckleduster on his right hand, also ignored Mr Graham's request to stop, adding: "I also saw him brandishing a horse whip but I didn't see any strikes."

Mr Davison told the court he believed the teenager may have thought Mr McKnight was there to be "taxed" - a term used to describe someone being robbed of drugs - but denied mentioning this to him.

The court heard Mr Davison did not intend for Mr McKnight to suffer serious injury.

"People wanted to ring an ambulance. Jamie Lee objected," he said.

After bleeding, Mr McKnight "deteriorated" and "became unresponsive", and the "erratic" teenager called his dad, Paul Roberts, the court heard.

Mr Davison said he saw Mr McKnight being carried to a Nissan Navara, which he said was driven away by Paul Roberts, and had assumed it was to hospital.

"I knew he was alive. I checked for his pulse," Mr Davison said. "Jamie Lee Roberts thought he wasn't alive. I knew he was."

Paul Roberts later returned and "jumped out" of the Navara "immediately", the court was told.

Mr Davison got into the passenger seat, he said, and "forced" Mr Graham to drive. They dumped the vehicle in woods before walking back to Carlisle, jurors heard.

Mr Davison said he had only discovered Mr McKnight had not been taken to hospital when he was at Carlisle police station.

The court has previously heard Mr McKnight suffered 36 lacerations to his head and other injuries thought to have been caused while he was secured to a chair.

His body was found, barefoot and partially wrapped in a curtain, by a farmer at about 05:00 BST.

The trial continues.

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