Upton residents describe desperate efforts to save Josh Bains despite gunfire

Residents in Upton have given evidence over what they saw on the night Josh Bains was killed.
Josh BainsJosh Bains
Josh Bains

Josh Bains died within minutes of being shot in the chest with a handgun in High Street, near Webb Drive, Upton on Thursday, October 4 at about 9pm.Birmingham Crown Court heard yesterday that the 27-year-old had probably met up with his alleged killers - Kayongo Shuleko, 26, of Edmonton, London and Jerome Smikle, 27, of St Leonard's Road, Far Cotton, Northampton, who both deny murder - in their Ford Focus car to discuss an alleged £40 drug debt owed to Josh by Smikle.Josh arrived on High Street in Upton in a VW Golf with three of his friends and Shuleko and Smikle were in a light-coloured Ford Focus, which parked up in front of the Golf.

Josh got out of the VW Golf and into the back of the Ford Focus.

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After 73 seconds spent in the car he got out of the vehicle and was shot in the chest in less than half a minute.In the third day of the trial (Friday) a number of eye-witnesses gave evidence about what they saw on the night Josh died.

One witness who took the stand was out walking his dog with his wife and was about 50ft away from the incident as they walked towards the gated entrance of Upton County Park.

After hearing the gunshots he and his wife threw themselves to the floor to take cover and tried to peer through the bushes to check what was happening.

"He just stood still in the street and that's when I saw him collapse," the witness added.

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"He literally fell backwards as if he has been knocked out in a boxing match."

Moments later the couple both got up and ran to the aid of Josh - who they saw collapse in the street - and desperately shouted out to ask for a first aid kit.

The witness phoned the police while other residents rushed to look out of their windows to see what was going on.

Prosecuting, William Harbage QC asked the witness: "Was it clear to you that he was severely wounded?

"He was. Correct, yes," he answered.

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Another lady who was in bed rushed downstairs to provide blankets, bandages and towels.

And two more witnesses hopped out of a car they were travelling in with another friend.

Between them they held Josh's hand and stroked his hair while pressure was still being applied to Josh's chest.

Emergency services were called to the scene by residents tending to Josh but he died at 9.44pm.

It is alleged that between them, Smikle and Shuleko fired five shots, one of which hit Josh in his chest and killed him. Both deny murder.

The trial continues.