Fred Shand murder trial: Further eight witness statements heard by court – including five members of police force

Leading on from when the first five written witness statements were read aloud in court, a further eight were heard by the jury at the trial into the killing of Kingsthorpe student Fred Shand today (Wednesday).

The first two were from eyewitnesses who recalled their account of the incident from their vehicles, and the other five were from members of the police force involved either in recovering evidence or arrests being made.

One statement, provided on April 12, was the first to be read in court. The male witness was travelling in the opposite direction from the other witnesses heard previously, with the Cock Hotel on his left and the green on his right.

The next was from another man at the scene, who provided video evidence on March 24 after he witnessed the incident while travelling towards Kings Heath and waiting in the right hand lane on Harborough Road to turn right into Mill Lane.

Both of these witnesses provided their descriptions of the males involved and their clothing, what they believed they saw happen, and at what point they proceeded to leave the scene in the moving traffic.

The court then heard statements from PC Scott Underwood, PC Bradley Bowman, PC Natalie Walker, police sergeant Robert Monk, PC James Matthews, and PC Gale.

PC Underwood was requested to attend and assist the scene of the stabbing at around 3.35pm, after Northamptonshire Police had been alerted of the incident.

The court heard him recall his role in giving Fred CPR at the roadside, before it was declared that there was nothing more that could be done.

PC Bradley Bowman’s statement informed the court that he was on route to the location he was dispatched to when information was received about the co-defendants making their way to what the court knows to be their final destination – the 17-year-old defendant’s home.

Both PC Bowman and PC Natalie Walker’s statements refer to the use of police sniffer dogs in uncovering evidence. One dog uncovered clothing in the shed closer to the house, and another dog uncovered the black sheath of the second knife in the shrubbery at the back of the garden.

Police sergeant Robert Monk confirmed the black sheath and bladed article were uncovered, as well as another weapon located nearby in the garden under an overturned pet bed, the court heard.

Both PC James Matthews and PC Gale’s statements informed the jury about their involvement in the arrests at the home of the 17-year-old defendant. PC Matthews arrived at the property at 3.45pm on March 22.

The court heard that the older defendant was arrested and cautioned at 3.48pm and according to PC Matthews’ statement, it took between 30 seconds and a minute for the older defendant to tell him that the person who did it was inside the house.

PC Matthews’ evidence also told the court that the younger defendant was found in the attic conversion of the property and arrested.

The court heard from PC Gale’s statement that he was the one who discovered the younger defendant in the attic conversion, after moving a chest of drawers and seeing his feet. The 15-year-old defendant was handcuffed, arrested and cautioned at 5.06pm.

What else has happened in the trial so far?

The two teenage boys from Northampton, who were aged 14 and 16 at the time but are now 15 and 17, pleaded not guilty to their murder charge before Northampton Crown Court on April 24. They cannot be named for legal reasons.

Miss Jane Bickerstaff KC, the prosecuting barrister, kickstarted the trial on Wednesday (July 12) with the prosecution opening after the jury was sworn in on Monday (July 10).

The court heard the younger defendant, aged 15, faces an additional charge of carrying an article with a blade or a sharp point in a public place – which he has already pleaded guilty to.

The court heard 16-year-old Rohan Shand, known as Fred, died after being stabbed near the Cock Hotel in Harborough Road at about 3.35pm on March 22 while on his way home from Kingsthorpe College.

Miss Bickerstaff KC, of the prosecution, told the court it was the 15-year-old male defendant that carried out the stabbing and he was accompanied by the 17-year-old in the planned “joint enterprise attack” – shown by CCTV footage in court.

The stabbing followed an altercation outside McDonalds in the Drapery, which the court heard took place the day before (March 21).

A male had his “face sliced with a belt buckle” during that “dispute” and the two defendants were a friend of his. The co-defendants believed Fred Shand was at the forefront of the group responsible.

The court heard that after the co-defendants arrived at Kingsthorpe College later than planned on March 22, they rode on scooter towards the town centre via Harborough Road.

The entire incident was over in seven seconds after Fred, his teen male friend and the two co-defendants came together for the first time at 3.34pm on March 22 on the green in Harborough Road, the court heard.

The co-defendants fled the scene on foot to the home of the 17-year-old, where they were detained by police shortly after – along with what is believed to be the murder weapon, a second knife and clothing worn during the incident.

During the second day of the trial (Thursday, July 13) – the first in which witnesses were called on to give evidence by the prosecution – the court saw 360 degree imagery to give them an understanding of the area, as well as video footage that has been recovered from March 22.

On the morning of the third day of the trial (Friday, July 14), the pathologist that conducted Fred’s post-mortem examination gave her expert evidence on the cause of death.

This was followed by evidence given by the teen friend who was with Fred on the day of the fatal stabbing.

Kickstarting the second week (Tuesday, July 18), the two eyewitnesses who followed the co-defendants home after the incident were called to give evidence.

The final live witness took to the stand to conclude the morning sitting, when the court heard he saw the blade pulled from the younger defendant’s trousers.

Five written witness statements were read aloud to conclude Tuesday’s sitting (July 18) – one of which detailed a nine second phone call the 15-year-old defendant had with a friend ahead of the incident.

The trial continues.