A two-time convicted drug dealer claims he beat a teenager to death "because he pulled a knife out on me".
Keiron Williams is one of nine defendants currently on trial accused of murdering Michael Toohey at an internet café in Liverpool city centre in the early evening of April 16 this year. The 18-year-old died after allegedly being chased into Mobiles Junction and Internet Café on Monument Place, off London Road, and battered by a gang who were "called in" by a 14-year-old boy.
A jury previously heard that the deceased had been pressured into selling drugs by a man referred to as "Gerry", with the incident coming against the background of a "war" between rival dealers. Williams was the first of the eight men and one youth in the dock to be called to give evidence today, Friday.
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On the stand, he stated that he had raced to the scene after being told that Mr Toohey had threatened his young co-defendant with a knife. The 28-year-old also said that the teenager then brandished this weapon once he had pursued him into the shop.
Jurors were first told that Williams, of no fixed address but previously of Grieve Road in Fazakerley, grew up in the Everton area but had a disrupted childhood as his parents were "on drugs". He is unable to read or write as a result, and was convicted of being concerned in the supply of heroin at the age of only 13.
The court was told in 2008 he witnessed his friend Joseph Lappin being stabbed to death at Shrewsbury House - a youth club in Everton. Then, in 2017, Williams was jailed after pleading guilty to supplying heroin.
The dad-of-two was released in August 2019. He said he did not return to drug dealing as he "didn't want to go back to prison".
Asked by his barrister John Jones KC whether he knew Mr Toohey prior to April this year, Williams said: "I'd previously heard about him on the estate, just being round the estate. I'd never come across Mr Toohey, never been in contact with him or crossed his path.
"I never had a problem with Michael Toohey at all. I just saw him round the estate, driving cars, on his pedal bike, and that was it.
"I never had no relevance to Michael Toohey. He never had nothing to stop and speak to me about."
On the Saturday Mr Toohey died, Williams recalled how he spent the morning at home before leaving at around 1pm. He left in his white Volkswagen Golf, "stopped off at Townsend Lane to get a butty" and then went to watch the football team he played for in action.
The goalkeeper said he did not feature during the match on Breckside Park in Anfield as he had previously "dropped the ball in the semi final of the Challenge Cup". Williams stayed until half time before departing at around 2.45pm, then watched Liverpool FC's 3-2 win over Manchester City in the FA Cup semi final on television at his auntie's house with family members - including his brother Anthony - as well as fellow defendant Steven McInerney.
At around 5.30pm, Keiron Williams had left the address in his car and was planning to visit Superdrug in Liverpool One in order to buy toiletries. But, only 10 minutes after he had last seen him, he received a call from Anthony Williams once he had reached the "bottom of Dale Street" telling him the 14-year-old and two friends had been accosted by Mr Toohey "by TJs" (near the TJ Hughes building on London Road).
Flanked by three security guards in the witness box, he said: "I'd only just left, so it was a bit surprising. The phone call was to say Mr Toohey had him on London Road with a knife.
"It was to get there and defend the kids and make sure they were ok and safe. Nobody asked me to do anything.
"He asked where I was. I told him I was just going round the roundabout by the museum.
"Anthony just said he's got him on London Road. It was to see who was the closest.
"He never said go, he just said he's got him on London Road and I immediately went there myself. I knew he was being confronted with a knife off the phone call I received off my brother.
"He just said Mr Toohey's got him on London Road with the knife - I had to immediately divert from where I was going. I went straight to the aid of the kids."
Williams said he did not know that others were making their way to the scene as well. He said he had followed Mr Toohey into the premises "to ask him why he was getting at the boy with knives".
Inside, the teen was stood by the till alongside two members of staff and "had his hands down his shorts going backwards and forwards". He and Williams argued over the counter "to say stop it with these kids, trying to bully the kids".
The other men then entered, at which point Mr Toohey retreated to a back room. Williams said: "As I've gone over the counter, the other men have gone over the counter as well.
"I just leapt over the counter. I was getting no answers about why he'd been doing this to the kids, that's why I've followed him into the back.
"Toohey reached into his left pocket and has gone to pull something out, and I've hit him. As I've hit him, he's gone to the floor and the lights have gone off.
"He was obviously going to pull the knife out. I've just reacted, it's split seconds.
"I saw the handle of the knife. I know that he'd just threatened the boy with a knife just before."
When asked what he thought Mr Toohey was going to do, Williams answered: "He was going to stab me. I didn't give him time to stab me.
"It went pitch black immediately after the punch. It went into complete darkness.
"I felt something on my leg. I can't recall exactly what it was, just something at the bottom of my leg.
"I immediately, within a split second, thought of the knife. I stamped out once, and I stamped on him - I thought I was stamping on the knife."
Keiron Williams, the 14-year-old - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - 33-year-old McInerney, of Bridport Street in the city centre, and 32-year-old Anthony Williams, of Hillbrook Drive in Walton, deny murder and manslaughter. Another brother - 24-year-old Michael Williams, of Carlake Grove in Walton - as well as 21-year-old Callum Hewell, of Stratton Road in Kirkby, 25-year-old Matthew Wynn, of Mosslawn Road in Kirkby, 20-year-old Jack Knox, of Oakdale Close in Kirkby, and 26-year-old David Shelley, of Chiltern Drive in Kirkby have pleaded not guilty to the same charges, and the case continues.
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