Blackpool murder accused was 'involved in robbery' a day before, prosecutors allege

Prosecutors allege one of the robbers is Christopher Carrington, 26, who is one of four men on trial for the murder of Blackpool man Kris Kam.

Mr Kam suffered a fatal knife wound to his leg in an attack on Queen Victoria Road on October 26, 2019, and died the next evening.

Carrington, of no fixed address, Shaquille Cumberbatch, 27, of Montrose Avenue, Edgware, London, Kevin Gracia, 26, of Hilltop Avenue, London, and Munochismo Eriken, 28, of South Green, London, all deny his murder.

Preston Crown Court was told the day before the stabbing a robbery took place on Grasmere Road, in which a young man was attacked and his blue mobile phone stolen.

The prosecution alleges the phone stolen in the robbery on October 25, was found by police investigating the stabbing of Mr Kam as they searched a flat on Central Drive, said to be linked to the defendants.

In addition, motorist Joseph Walsh, who partly witnessed the robbery and stopped his car, later identified Christopher Carrington in a parade as one of two men involved.

Giving evidence, Mr Walsh, who came forward after a police appeal, told jurors that between 4pm and 6pm he was travelling along Grasmere Road towards Blackpool town centre in his Renault Clio when he saw an incident near Levens Grove.

He said at first he thought it might be friends play fighting but it was "quite obvious very quickly that wasn't the case."

He added: "The victim was on the floor half on the road, half on the pavement, face down in a puddle.

"As I was approaching I was trying to call 999 and one of the guys there was mouthing through the window to me saying he was already on the phone to the police or ambulance.

"After he said that I cancelled the call I was making and got out of the car.

"He was absolutely covered in blood to the point where I couldn't see his face. He was conscious, if you can call it conscious, he had two people holding him up but was able to communicate."

Asked about the robbery he added: " It was very dark, it was raining but it was still clear enough for me to be able to see his face.

The Honorary Recorder of Preston, Judge Robert Altham, gave jurors a direction that they must exercise caution when considering evidence of identification because "experience has shown a witness who has identified a person can be mistaken, even when the witness is honest and sure they are right."

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