THE CUSTOMER of an alleged drug dealer accused of murdering Lee Butler asked the judge presiding over the trial: “Who the f*** are you, mate?”
Murder accused Lewis Brown is said by prosecutors to have used witness Colin Sumner’s home in Stowford Road, Barton, as a base around the time of 39-year-old Mr Butler’s death last October.
They say he returned to Mr Sumner’s flat within minutes of fatally stabbing his alleged victim at around 5.50pm on October 8 off Bayswater Road.
But giving evidence at Oxford Crown Court on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Sumner denied seeing redheaded Brown, known by his nickname ‘Ginge’, in the wake of the stabbing.
And, as he became increasingly agitated over his hour in the stand, the witness ended up demanding of Judge Ian Pringle QC: "Who the f*** are you, mate? You might be a judge mate but don't start telling me what to do."
He said he’d bought drugs from ‘Ginge’ but denied running drugs for or with him.
Mr Sumner, who had since moved away from Stowford Road, said he’d seen Brown carrying knives in the past ‘for protection’ but that he didn’t blame him. He also had knives, later found by police under a sofa in his flat.
Prosecutor Charles Ward-Jackson asked: “What sort of area is Barton?” He replied: “Nasty place, mate.”
READ MORE: Case against Lewis Brown outlined by prosecution
On Tuesday, jurors heard that Brown had allegedly accused Mr Butler of ‘chatting s***’ about the drugs prosecutors claim he was selling.
Yesterday, a succession of Barton drug users confirmed that they had bought drugs from the defendant and the ‘Bob’ drugs line that prosecutors claim Brown was running.
Quizzed about the quality of the drugs, David Stokes said the product was ‘extremely strong’. He added: “Ended up overdosing on it once.”
The quantities, however, were small. Mr Stokes told the jury that small deals were ‘what you expect when you buy drugs’.
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Another witness, Derek Greig, said of the underweight deals: "You would be lucky if you got a £2 bit. You're paying £10 and all you got was like a fifth of a £10 bit." An alleged associate of Brown’s, ‘Reece’, was said to have given him additional wraps to make up for the light weights.
The jury heard from Raymond Bulgin, who was sold crack cocaine by Brown on the afternoon of the alleged murder. The defendant could be seen on CCTV outside the Spa shop in Underhill Circus, Barton, removing an item from his mouth and handing it over. Asked what the item was, Mr Bulgin said: “It’s obvious. Crack cocaine.”
Another witness, Kelly Gardner, saw Brown on the day of the killing. He looked ‘angry and stressed’, but told defence barrister Frida Hussain QC that he looked as if he’d had ‘plenty to drink the night before’.
All the witnesses denied suggestions that a third man, ‘Jake’, was involved in the ‘Bob’ drugs line. Mr Grieg told the prosecutor he’d never seen any sign Brown was being forced to sell drugs.
None had had any trouble with Brown, with Mr Bulgin agreeing the defendant had ‘always been good’ towards him.
Brown, of Barton Village Road, Oxford, denies murder and possession of a knife. The trial continues.
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