Tommy Boom 'brutally killed in Northampton park by 21-year-old with fearsome hunting knife', says prosecution

The trial of two men accused of fatally stabbing Tommy Boom began today (Tuesday, January 7) at Northampton Crown Court, after the jury were sworn in on Monday (January 6).

Mr Boom, aged 31, died shortly after midnight on Thursday, July 18, after being stabbed in Millers Meadow, known locally as Semilong Park.

Defendants Daniel Larman, 21, and Kieran Okocha-Sleight, 21, both previously of Paget House in Kings Heath, deny the charge of murder following Mr Boom’s death in July last year.

Prosecution lead, Gordon Aspden KC, opened to the jury, stating: “Tommy was well-known to police here in Northampton. He was mixed up in drug dealing and the inevitable crime and violence that goes with it.

"The Crown’s case is that, in that murky world, these two defendants murdered Tommy with a large hunting knife — a killing which was quite brutal in its execution.

“The defendant, Daniel Larman, delivered the fatal blow, but he didn’t act alone. He did so with the encouragement, assistance, support, and backup of his accomplice, and second defendant, Okocha-Sleight. It is the Crown’s case that they were acting together throughout.

“The two defendants arrived at the park together with a hunting knife — a large, fearsome, and illegal weapon. At the park, they used that huge blade to murder Tommy Boom. Afterward, the defendants returned to the flat they shared at nearby Paget House.”

East Midlands Ambulance Service received a 999 call at 12.01am from a “distressed” and “frantic” homeless woman, who pleaded with the operator to send an ambulance immediately to the park. She said Tommy was dying in front of her.

Paramedics arrived promptly and made efforts to save him, but Tommy was pronounced dead at 12.31am.

A post-mortem revealed that Tommy died of a deep stab wound to the left side of his chest. He sustained two significant sharp-force injuries: the fatal stab wound and a slashing injury to his left arm.

Showing the jury photographic evidence, Mr Gordon said: “It doesn’t take me to point out just how deep that knife went in.” He added: “Death followed rapidly.”

The post-mortem found that Tommy’s killer had used "severe" force to inflict the fatal injury, according to Mr Gordon.

Mr Gordon told the court that the day after the murder, the defendants disposed of evidence linking them to the crime, including the knife and their blood-stained clothing and footwear.

The court heard how, on Friday, July 19, police located and arrested the two men at an address in Birmingham.

Mr Gordon added: “Again, they were together. They were acting together jointly and as one throughout all of these connecting events.”

The motivation behind the stabbing has not yet been revealed. The trial continues.