Witness in Cody Fisher trial admits lying about defendant's confession after nightclub murder

A nightclub murder trial witness admitted lying to the police to deflect blame from himself and on to an accused defendant who drove him home from the scene.

Jayon Paton-Blake told the jury he "made up" a claim that Kami Carpenter confessed to stabbing 23-year-old footballer Cody Fisher to death at Crane nightclub.

Mr Paton-Blake said the statement he originally made about the events of Boxing Day 2022 were "not solely true" and that he had "downplayed [his] part".

He also said he'd started the group fight on the dancefloor, which ultimately led to Mr Fisher receiving a fatal knife wound to the chest.It is alleged Carpenter stabbed the victim after Remy Gordon, aged 23, from Rednal, instigated a "revenge attack" following an incident in Popworld, Solihull, two nights earlier.

They, along with 19-year-old Reegan Anderson, all deny murder and affray.

Mr Paton-Blake, giving evidence, confirmed Carpenter drove him away from the Crane nightclub after the incident. Initially, he described Carpenter as "calm" and said: "We didn't talk a lot on the way home."But following a break in the proceedings for a legal discussion, he was presented with his original statement to the police in which he claimed Carpenter was "wound-up" and confessed to stabbing a man in the chest.

Mr Paton-Blake told the court the statement was "not solely the truth". Asked which parts were not truthful he said: "Most parts. That conversation didn't take place."He claimed his statement had "downplayed [his] part", adding he also lied to his father and aunt about what happened at the Crane nightclub.

Mr Paton-Blake said he "made up" Carpenter's supposed confession as he went on to say the defendant had actually said "we had a fight".

He told the jury: "I was involved more in the fight than I made out to be. Because I was scared, thinking the police wouldn't believe me." He admitted thinking he had to tell a lie otherwise he "wouldn't be able to go free".

Prosecutor Michael Duck KC pressed him on the issue and asked how claiming Carpenter had confessed to stabbing someone would 'help your position'.Mr Paton-Blake replied: "To take the blame from me." Asked to clarify whether he was in fact responsible for stabbing Mr Fisher the witness answered: "No. I said that to completely take myself out of the picture."Mr Paton-Blake denied he was "frightened" to tell the truth or that anyone had asked him to change his initial account. Following further questioning he said: "[Because] I started the fight in the club."

Asked if he felt some blame Mr Paton-Blake replied "a little", and later elaborated: "I'm not sure who it was. It wasn't Cody. I went head-to-head with someone and pushed."He denied headbutting and said: "No. Pushed heads against someone. I stood towards him in an aggressive way because my friends were having an altercation."In cross-examination, Carpenter's defence KC Charles Sherrard said: "I'm not going to try and get into your head but in the back of your mind, whether rightly, wrongly or whatever the reason, did you think if you offered up something to the police then 'I might just be able to walk out of this'?"Mr Paton-Blake answered 'yes'. Mr Sherrard continued: "The person you offered up was the person you knew the least wasn't it?"

Again, Mr Paton-Blake replied 'yes', and went on to confirm he and Remy Gordon were close friends.Mr Sherrard asserted it was "part of the stitch-up" of Carpenter to suggest that Gordon only involved himself in the group fight on Mr Fisher to defend Carpenter. Mr Paton-Blake denied that was the case and said: "He was involved in the fight. He was fighting."He added: "It's not about painting a picture. That's what I saw."

The trial continues.

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