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Oct 20, 2023

Wrexham murder accused tells jury he acted in self defence

A MAN who had been arrested within hours of plunging a knife into his friend's

A MAN who had been arrested within hours of plunging a knife into his friend's chest asked police what the football score was, a court heard.

The trial of Mark Harley Jones, of Chester Road in Wrexham, continued at Mold Crown Court on Tuesday.

He admits causing the death of Kyle Walley, aged 19, but denies murder.

Mr Walley died on July 11, 2021, after being stabbed at his flat in Rhosymedre as the pair drank together ahead of the European Championship football final.

On Tuesday, Jurors were able to examine a knife seized at the crime scene, passing it between themselves in a clear tube.

They were then taken through a number of agreed facts, during which several videos were played to the court.

These included the Snapchat clips which emerged online in the hours leading up to the incident at the flat of 19-year-old Kyle Walley, and the time before Jones was arrested.

In them, the defendant can be seen drinking at the Rhosymedre flat, before the situation deteriorates into shouting and Jones says: "I can't help it, it's my ADHD lad."

In one clip, Mr Walley can be seen injured as the defendant hurls abuse at him, then in later videos, Jones speaks to the camera.

Among other things, he says: "Man's gonna get done for murder, get me?

"Stabbed him up, you know - ha. He deserved to get 'cheffed' up.

"Man's gonna get sent down for life, but f*** it."

The court saw other video excerpts, including bodycam footage from the police officers who apprehended Jones.

During the arrest, he said: "I'm sorry," and cried loudly in the street.

Then in a police vehicle, he repeatedly told officers "it's not my fault," and told them he had "loads of mental health problems" including bipolar, psychosis, schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder.

Bodycam footage also captured how whilst waiting for treatment for a laceration to his hand at the hospital, Jones turned to a police officer and asked: "Do you know what the score is on the football?"

Taking to the witness stand himself, Jones was asked by Andrew Ford KC, defending, to tell the court about the events of July 11, 2021.

He told the Jury he'd been invited to Mr Walley's flat to watch the football final, and that initially, all had been well.

But then they began drinking, he said - a practice he claimed to generally avoid, describing himself as a "lightweight."

On this occasion he drank three bottles of cider and some whiskey.

While Mr Walley was on the phone, Jones began to tease the victim.

He explained: "I like winding people up when I'm drunk, I don't know why; I turn into a d***head."

Jones told the court Mr Walley began to get "hyper" and "angry" after drinking, and the situation was compounded by the fact he'd put on one of the victim's jumpers, believing it to be his own.

"What do you remember happening next?" Mr Ford KC asked him.

Jones replied: "In the kitchen, him pulling a knife out. He tried chopping my neck, so I grabbed it (the knife.)

"I turned it round and I struck him once to the chest."

Asked of his intentions, Jones said: "To get him away from me - he sliced me first. Self-defence."

The court had heard previously about footage posted on Snapchat of Jones stamping on his victim's motionless body and face.

Asked why he'd done that, he said: "I was stamping on his head because I was scared. I was seeing things.

"I could see his body coming back up and trying to swing for me - and I didn't take my meds in the morning as well. The voices came back."

Asked how he reflected on the incident now, he told the court: "It's horrible. I can hear him (Mr Walley) talking to me now."

John Philpotts KC, prosecuting, asked the defendant to elaborate on why he'd been kicking the lifeless body of the victim.

He answered: "I could see his body levitating trying to swing at me - his blood got in my blood, I can hear him now, everywhere I go.

"I can hear him from the TVs, telling me to kill people."

Mr Philpotts suggested the defendant had been pretending to have psychotic symptoms, as well as that he'd cut his own hand to create the appearance of a defensive wound - both of which were denied.

Jones was also asked to account for the fact that Mr Walley had two stab wounds - when he claimed to have stabbed him only once.

He continued to deny stabbing the victim twice, suggesting "the police" had done it after he'd left to make him "look like a d***head."

Mr Philpotts concluded: "Mr Walley never pulled a knife. You stabbed [him] twice as you planned and intended to do for days. You murdered Kyle Walley."

The defendant said: "No. I didn't plan anything - why would I want to ruin my life?"

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