Northampton man stabbed to death was 'in wrong place at wrong time', court hears as murder trial opens
A murder trial over the death of Daniel Fitzjohn began at Northampton Crown Court today (February 4) after the 34-year-old was stabbed to death in Randall Road, Kingsley, on June 24 last year.
Daniel Quinn, 28, from Wolverhampton, is accused of allegedly chasing down Mr Fitzjohn on foot before stabbing him twice with a knife.
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Hide AdParminder Sanghera, 25, also from Wolverhampton, is on trial for conspiracy to murder and is accused of being at the scene with a machete and driving Quinn away after the alleged stabbing in a grey Mini.
But today, prosecutor Mary Loram QC told the jury that extensive CCTV of both the chase and the attack would show Mr Fitzjohn was 'on the outskirts' of the rapid events that led up to his death.
She said: "Neither defendant knew Mr Fitzjohn before that evening. In fact, you may conclude that, tragically, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
The trouble began on June 14 when a confrontation began at Fairfields News shop in Kingsley. While Mr Fitzjohn waited in a taxi outside, CCTV inside the shop showed Quinn squaring up to one of Mr Fitzjohn's friends, who Quinn allegedly sold drugs to.
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Hide AdWhen a fight broke out between the two outside the shop at around 21.40pm, Mr Fitzjohn stepped in and punched Quinn in the face - allegedly leading to Quinn getting in the grey Mini he arrived in and driving straight at the group of four friends. Then the Mini drove off.
"That should have been the end of it," Miss Loram QC said. "But it wasn't."
"The taxi [carrying Mr Fitzjohn and his friends] went to Brookfield Road to drop them off.
"But then the taxi driver noticed the return of the grey Mini."
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Hide AdThe court heard it was then that Quinn and Sanghera got out the Mini and ran at the group brandishing a knife and a machete respectively.
In the foot chase that ensued across Kingsley, Quinn allegedly chased Mr Fitzjohn - and when he caught up to him he stabbed him twice in the abdomen.
Miss Loram QC told the jury: "You will hear from witnesses, ladies and gentlemen, that during that chase, Daniel Fitzjohn shouted 'you don't know me, you've got the wrong guy'."
Sanghera then reportedly drove Quinn away in the grey Mini, the court heard.
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Hide AdMr Fitzjohn fell down between two cars on Randall Road. He was taken to hospital, but was pronounced dead less than half an hour later.
Miss Loram QC said: "It is the Crown's case that Quinn delivered those fatal wounds, while Sanghera was part and parcel of what happened... his behaviour makes him guilty of murder."
The court will hear the outline for the defence tomorrow (February 5).