Man accused of murdering Andrew Darn said 'it was a tragic accident' a Newcastle court has heard

A man who ran a sandwich shop in North Tyneside, accused of murdering an employee of a neighbouring garage, has told a jury the stabbing was a "tragic accident".

Alder Willis, 68, is on trial for the murder of 35-year-old, Andrew Darn, who was fatally stabbed on an industrial estate near the Tyne Tunnel in March.

A jury at Newcastle Crown Court has heard there had been an ongoing feud between employees at the Deli and the local garage over parking since 2010.

Giving evidence in his defence, Alder Willis told the jury that he followed Andrew Darn’s car in response to him laughing and smirking at his partner, following an altercation outside the deli on the 26 March.

The next morning, he told the jury, he had been using a knife to cut open boxes, when Mr Darn approached him and was “extremely angry".

Alder Willis told the court he tried to “diffuse” the situation and did not think Andrew Darn would “lash out".

However, he said Mr Darn hit him “twice, possibly three times" on his jaw and nose, and told the jury it was "very painful" and "frightening".

Alder had already explained the knife was in his pocket when the confrontation began.

Mr Willis’ barrister, Peter Makepeace KC, then asked him: “Did you have it (the knife) in your hand consciously?” Alder replied: “No".

Asked if the movement of his right arm was a "conscious decision", he replied: “It was just instinctive. He was there coming towards me and I just turned away and put my arm out like that to stop him coming forward, instinctively".

He was later asked: “Did you think you had stabbed him at that point?” To which he replied: “Definitely not, no."

The court has previously heard Andrew Darn died of catastrophic internal bleeding as a result of a single stab wound, during the incident. Alder Willis told the jury he was "in shock" when he realised the father-of-three had died.

He then explained to the jury that he drove his dog home and called a solicitor in order to give himself up.

In cross examination, Alder Willis denied his claim of "self defence" was a lie and also denied threatening Andrew Darn previously on more than one occasion.

The prosecuting barrister, Francis FitzGibbon KC, said: “You threatened to kill him or have somebody else kill him?” Alder Willis replied: “no, that’s not true."

When asked about the stabbing, the prosecution said: "The fact is, you meant to do really serious harm, didn't you?"

Willis replied: "I did not. It’s not true."

When pushed by the prosecution, he was asked: "In the moment you stabbed him, you meant to kill him, didn’t you?" He replied: "No, absolutely not."

Willis later added in his defence: "I didn’t intend to stab Mr Darn. It was just a really tragic accident that it happened that way".

Yesterday (Thursday 22 August), the jury was shown the knife that was allegedly used and heard witness statements, including one from a taxi driver who was supposed to be going on holiday with Mr Willis, in which he said: "It doesn’t look like I’m going to Benidorm son, I think I’ve killed someone."

Alder Willis denies murder and the trial continues next week.

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