A BOUNCER accused of murdering a debt collector he owed more than £20,000 told a friend he was not a ‘cold stone killer’, a court heard.
Scott Davidson, 23, and his then girlfriend Rachael Horton, 19, are accused of killing Martin Ithell, of Robinsons Croft, Boughton Heath earlier this year.
On day four of the murder trial, the jury at Liverpool Crown Court heard evidence from a friend of Davidson’s who had told him during a prison visit that he had not murdered Mr Ithell.
Jordan Swift-Simpkin, a security guard who knew Davidson through working at Destiny and Elite nightclub at Cheshire Oaks, Ellesmere Port, also told the court that Davidson had asked him to carry out a robbery on a garage to help pay back a debt for a Subaru car he had bought and named ‘Scooby’.
Andrew Thomas, defending Rachael Horton, of Hawthorn Road, Little Sutton, asked Mr Swift-Simpkin if he had gone to prison to visit Scott Davidson and asked if he had said he had shot Martin Ithell and the witness replied ‘yes’.
Mr Thomas also asked if Davidson had said he also stabbed Martin ithell and Mr Swift-Simpkin also replied ‘yes’.
Mr Thomas also asked the security guard that during his prison visit Davidson had said Rachael Horton had not stabbed Martin Ithell and Mr Swift-Simpkin replied ‘yes’.
Richard Pratt, QC, defending Davidson, asked if Matin Ithell had pulled out a hand gun and then he asked was it in that context that Davidson had shot Martin Ithell?
Mr Pratt said: “Scott Davidson had said to you, ‘you know me, I am not a stone cold killer. I am not a murderer, I would not have planned this.’” Mr Swift-Simpkin replied ‘yes’.
Mr Swift-Simpkin said: “He (Davidson) said Martin Ithell had come to his house. Rachael was out. They were having a bit of an argument. Rachael came home, she ran into the kitchen and Martin Ithell followed her. There was banging and screaming. Martin Ithell came back out and Scott Davidson shot him.”
Mr Swift-Simpkin also told the court that Davidson had said Mr Ithell had been wearing an earpiece and said into it that he had been shot.
Mr Swift-Simkin added: “Early this year Scott rang me up and said did I want to do a job with him. I thought it was security work. He rang me back and said it was to carry out an armed robbery on a garage.
“I was shocked at first and said why would he want to do that? He told me he had got into debt and was desperate and needed the money.
“He said around about £16,000 he owed somebody. He told me it was foolproof and wanted me to round up any customers (in the garage) and it was easy as that. He said he had bought a Subaru he called Scooby. I said he was mad getting into debt over a car. He said ‘I know’. I told him I wasn’t interested. I said you need to go and speak to whoever you owe money to, give them the car. If that doesn’t work, go speak to your mum and dad.”
(Proceeding)