Levi Paschal, 34, and Clementine Jones, 31, allegedly stabbed Lee Casey, 39, to death in Rush Common, Brixton, south London, when he bravely tried to stop them mugging his friend
Two lovers murdered a father in a park five months after they robbed a man at knifepoint in his home, the Old Bailey heard.
Levi Paschal, 34, and Clementine Jones, 31, allegedly stabbed Lee Casey, 39, to death in Rush Common, Brixton, south London, when he bravely tried to stop them mugging his friend.
The Old Bailey heard that the murder happened when the couple attempted to rob a second acquaintance.
In March last year, the couple had allegedly tricked their way into associate Donnovan Hylton’s flat on Stockwell Road and attacked him.
Paschal pinned Mr Hylton with his knee to the floor and pointed a long thin knife at him while Jones began to hit him on his head over a £20 debt, then rifled through his pockets, jurors heard.
Mr Hylton blacked out and when he awoke the pair had left the flat, leaving him bleeding profusely on the floor.
He called the police, describing his two attackers and giving the name he knew Jones by, ‘Shayanne’.
When police arrived, he showed them a Facebook photo of ‘Shayanne’ for identification.
The officers gave him first aid, then took him to hospital to treat his open wounds on his face and leg.
The pair allegedly went out to rob a second acquaintance of Jones, Lenworth ‘Shortman’ Jackson, in a drug deal Jones set up in Brixton Hill at midday on August 29
Five days later Jones and Paschal were both arrested and interviewed. They were then both released pending further police enquiries.
Six months later on August 29, the pair allegedly went out again to rob a second acquaintance of Jones, Lenworth ‘Shortman’ Jackson, in a drug deal Jones set up in Brixton Hill at midday.
Mr Jackson did not know Paschal was coming, and was waiting with his girlfriend.
The pair walked up to Jackson, and Paschal asked him for a cigarette.
When Jackson said he did not have any, Paschal produced a large knife. Mr Jackson ran, and Levi Paschal followed him, before Mr Jackson fell.
Paschal stood over him and slashed at him with the knife, shredding his jacket to pieces.
Lee Casey stepped in to protect Mr Jackson, before he was fatally stabbed once in the ribs by Paschal, the court heard.
Lee Casey stepped in to protect Mr Jackson, before he was fatally stabbed once in the ribs by Paschal, the court heard. Lee Casey was treated at the scene before being taken to King’s College Hospital, where he died two hours later
The pair and Mr Jackson then left the common before emergency services arrived at the scene.
Lee Casey was treated at the scene before being taken to King’s College Hospital, where he died two hours later.
Mark Heywood, QC, prosecuting, said: ‘In the middle six months of last year, the two defendants, Levi Paschal and Clementine Jones, twice went out to rob.
‘On each occasion, their purpose was to take from others and provide for themselves – to feed their own needs.
‘The target was identified and engaged in each case by Clementine Jones.
‘It was she who set out to discover that the individual had what the pair needed – money or money’s worth: illegal drugs.
‘She made the contact and then introduced her partner, in life and in crime, Levi Paschal. He then followed through.
‘His role – as they both knew – was to use whatever violence was necessary, with a weapon, to achieve their aim.
‘On each occasion, for different reasons, the robberies went wrong and the violence that did not fully achieve its purpose.
‘But on each occasion, very serious violence and a knife was undoubtedly used, as both expected it would be.
Jones (pictured), of Clapham, and Paschal, of Stockwell, both deny murder and conspiracy to rob.
‘In one instance, a man was wounded repeatedly to the head and face.
‘In the second, the target escaped serious injury by just a whisker – but someone else, someone who came to his rescue, was fatally injured, he was stabbed in the vital organs with a single heavy blow with a large knife.
‘The prosecution says that they are a robbery team and they twice attempted to rob.
‘They are also criminally liable for the very serious harm they caused in putting their plans into effect.
‘The defendants say they did not try to rob and, each for their different reasons, say they are not criminally liable for the harm which you will hear was undoubtedly done.
‘On the evening of 7 March of last year, Levi Paschal and Clementine Jones went out together in order to rob Donovan Hylton.
‘They went to his home together and, through the actions of Clementine Jones, tricked their way into his flat, and as soon as Levi Paschal was there, they attacked him.
‘Levi Paschal threatened Mr Hylton with a knife and Clementine Jones hit him. She went through his pockets.
‘Mr Hylton blacked out and by the time he regained consciousness the pair had gone together, leaving him bleeding profusely from his open wounds.
‘He called the police who found him, took his account straight away and took him to hospital for the urgent treatment he so desperately needed.
‘Nearly six months later, on 29 August of last year, Levi Paschal and Clementine Jones again went out together in order to rob.
‘This time their target was someone else Ms Jones knew, a man called Lenworth Jackson. The robbery was to take place in Rush Common, just off Brixton Hill.
‘When they got there, as before, Levi Paschal produced a knife in order to carry out the robbery on Lenworth Jackson.
‘Unfortunately, a man called Lee Casey intervened to try to protect Lenworth Jackson.
‘Lee Casey paid for that with his own life: in trying to rescue Mr Jackson he was stabbed to death himself.’
Jones, of Clapham, and Paschal, of Stockwell, both deny murder and conspiracy to rob.
The trial continues.