Care home chef and ex-councillor was stabbed in the neck at his Erdington flat, jury told

A 25-year-old man killed a care home chef and ex-councillor by stabbing him in the neck at his flat in Birmingham, a murder trial jury has heard.

Wallis Webb, 65, was found dead at a property in Baldmoor Lake Road in Erdington on Tuesday 6 February.

The Crown alleges that Mr Webb was killed in the early hours of 31 January at his home in Birmingham.

Sakander Hussain, of Knights Close, Erdington, is on trial for the murder, which he denies.

Opening the case against Hussain, prosecutor Edward Brown KC said Mr Webb lived at Cranleigh House in Baldmoor Lake Road, also in Erdington.

Mr Brown told jurors sitting at Birmingham Crown Court that the victim “was stabbed, his attacker using a knife, and the stab wounds killed him”.

The Crown’s barrister added: “The most severe knife injuries were to Mr Webb’s neck.

“And the attack took place at his home address. The person who killed him, says the prosecution, was this defendant.”

Alleging that Mr Webb, who lived alone, was killed between 2.55am and 3.58am, Mr Brown continued: “In this case we will be looking closely at the evidence covering this short period of time, in those early hours of the 31st of January and at what happened shortly before, and what happened in the following minutes, hours and days.”

Mr Webb was found dead in a bedroom on 6 February, the court heard, after his brother, who lives in Spain, called West Midlands Police when Skype calls went unanswered.

The court was told Mr Webb was gay and frequented Birmingham’s Gay Village, used chat sites on the internet to meet men and had a regular friend for over 10 years who he would spend time with, although they were not settled partners and did not live together.

The court was told that 10 minutes after his long-time friend left the flat, Mr Webb was seen to leave the property and drive off in his car five minutes later at 2.45am on 31 January.

CCTV footage recorded a few minutes later showed Mr Webb’s car in the Frederick Road area.

Mr Brown added that a figure, alleged to be Hussain, was seen being picked up by the car after it flashed its headlights. It then arrived back at Mr Webb’s address at 2.55am.

Mr Brown said of Mr Webb: “He and his passenger get out of the car and head towards Cranleigh House.

“The passenger appears to have a backpack on his back. It follows that Mr Webb was seen to be alive at 2.55am.”

Data from a smart TV inside the flat showed it was last used at 3.07am, while Mr Webb’s phone was last “activated” at 3.37am.

The prosecution KC added: “Fourteen minutes later, at 3.51am by now, Mr Webb’s bank card makes a purchase of £128. That purchase on his card must have been from inside (the flat).

“At 3.58am a figure can be seen to leave Cranleigh House with what appears to be a backpack and a bag.

“The prosecution case is that that person is this defendant Sakander Hussain.”

During the trial, Mr Brown told the jury, it would become clear why the prosecution had identified the timespan of 2.55am to 3.58am “during which Mr Webb must have been attacked and killed in his flat.”

The trial continues.

At the time of his death, the family of Wallis Webb said: “To try to compress a life into short sentences does not do anybody justice. This is by far the hardest of them all.

"Wallis was a councillor for a short period of time, because he really believed in trying to help others and felt strongly about the hardships people now have to endure without the help so many need.

"This is yet another life taken in a shocking and senseless manner."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…