Defendant in David Miller case told to '˜go to the police before they come to you' by friend, court is told

This comes after details emerged of the case in which four defendants Ian Cuthbertson, 49, Michael Hallett, 37, Joseph Catlin, 30, and Zena Kane, 35, all of no fixed address are on trial for murdering Mr Miller at his flat in Patterdale Walk, in the Boothville area of Northampton.

The body was found in the flat partially dismembered, with the prosecution stating that the four defendants had made crude attempts to get rid of the body.

Taking the stand at yesterday was Lee Fortescue, a member of the street drinking community in Northampton, of which the defendants were also part.

Peter Joyce QC, prosecuting, questioned Mr Fortescue about where he was on Saturday, June 11, the day after the alleged murder.

Mr Fortescue told Northampton Crown Court he was walking his dog on the Drapery between 11pm and midnight, when he bumped into Cuthbertson.

When asked about what state Cuthbertson was in, Mr Fortescue said he was “in bits” and “panicky.”

The prosecution then asked what Cuthbertson had said to the witness, and Mr Fortescue responded: “We killed him.”

Mr Fortescue also said that from what he understood, they had mutilated his body.

Mr Joyce asked the witness to clarify who Cuthbertson was referring to when he said they killed him. He answered “Zena, Mick and Joe”.

The court heard that Cuthbertson had told his friend about some of things that had happened after Mr Miller had died.

He also went on to say that he had done nothing, that he just stood there.

Mr Fortescue then advised his friend to “go to the police, before they come to you”.

Mr Aina QC, defending on behalf of Cuthbertson, cross examined Mr Fortescue.

The witness confirmed that Cuthbertson had been panicky and said that a they had kicked a man to death, but Mr Aina asked whether his client had immediately qualified that by saying he had done nothing, and that it was the other defendants, to which Mr Fortescue responded: “Yes.”

“So what he was saying was that he was present when the man was kicked to death, he stood there, and told of the involvement of the other three?” asked the defence.

The witness told the court that Cuthbertson had been subject to taunts while acts were being carried out following Mr Miller’s death.

Mr Aina then summarised and said: “He was being insulted because of his demeanour at the time. In other words: ‘get involved! Grow a pair’.”

All four deny the charges and the trial continues.