Telford murder trial: 'At no point did my fiancé say he had used the rake' says partner

Care worker Amy Smith took to the witness box to describe the brawl that broke out between her partner Ashley Harris and one of their neighbours, Anthony Wootton, on Sunday, July 16 last year.

Mr Wootton had walked off around the area after the altercation but was found dead in a car park in Gresley Close the next day. It is alleged Harris struck Mr Wootton with a rake, which effectively split his spleen.

Harris has denied murder and a lesser charge of manslaughter.

Miss Smith told the jury that she had provided refuge in her and Harris's home in Armstrong Close, Telford, for Mr Wootton partner Carlene Garrett.

Ms Garrett had injuries after a day of arguing with him, the jury was told. The shouting had gone on from 10am to about 5.15pm when things escalated into the street.

"I could hear shouts and screams and maybe a lot of banging throughout the day, the arguing had been going on and on and on, as usual," she told the jury at Stafford Crown Court on Thursday.

"Carlene had come into the street about 5.15pm, I was sat in the living room on my sofa and Ashley was in the kitchen.

"I heard her screaming for help and I waved for her to come over to my house and she was let in the front door."

"She looked badly beaten up."

The jury was told that 32-year-old Harris had made his way out through the back door, making his way to the front of the property.

A rake, which had been propped against the back wall of their house, was later seen a foot away from where Mr Wootton and Harris had been rolling around outside.

Miss Smith said: "Ashley and Anthony were on the driveway. I could see Ashley on top of Anthony.

"It was like a scuffle on the floor, they were rolling around.

"Ashley was restraining Anthony. I saw a rake on the left hand side of him on the grass.

"I was screaming 'Stop, stop, stop, Ash stop'. I just wanted him to come off and for it to be all over. I was distraught at everything and the sight of Carlene."

The two men stopped and got up and the jury was told that Mr Wootton walked off, directing the comment "I will be back for you later."

Miss Smith said that Harris had put the rake back into the back garden.

"I asked Ashley if he had used the rake. He said no, he did not use the rake."

They later learned that Mr Wootton's body had been found and Miss Smith told the jury that she had been aware that a murder inquiry was under way.

Jurors heard that Harris had told Miss Smith that a neighbour had suggested disconnecting their camera doorbell and taking the rake over to her house.

Miss Smith had also stayed at the neighbour's house and was shocked by her saying the rake was under her shed in the garden.

"I revealed this in discussion with the police," she added.

"At no point did Ashley say he had used the rake. It was a stupid decision to hide the rake and I told the police."

The courtroom heard a recording of an 11-minute call to 999 which Harris took part in, and various video clips showed Harris talking to the police in the street.

Detective Constable Lisa Roberts, who was part of the team of detectives based at Malinsgate Police Station investigating Mr Wootton's death under Operation Gallop, took a statement from Harris in which he had told her that he had taken a few seconds to wrestle Mr Wootton to the ground. The whole fight had lasted two or three minutes, the statement read.

"He had been walking fine," the statement said. "I had felt a bit sorry for him, nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors."

Under examination by prosecutor Darron Whitehead, DC Roberts told the jury that at no point did Harris indicate the presence of a rake during her time taking statements from him,

The trial will continue on Monday.