The partner of a man battered to death in his own home picked out one of his alleged murderers in an identity parade, a jury has been told. Warren Burns died three days after being attacked at his home on Heysham Avenue in Withington, south Manchester.
Jurors at Manchester Crown Court have heard that 'three men' knocked at the door 'uninvited' then 'went upstairs to find him'. Prosecutors say Mr Burns, 37, was 'kicked, stamped on, punched and beaten' on May 21.
Mr Burns' partner Lucille Lee was said to have been 'terrified' and 'ran' from the house with their 10-week old son. Brandon White, 21; Ryan White, 29; and Damian White, 33, are on trial accused of murder. The trio, who are related, have pleaded not guilty.
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The prosecution claims a 'grudge of sorts' between Mr Burns and the White family may have 'rumbled away in the background for years'. In the second week of the trial, jurors were read a number of 'agreed facts', details which are not disputed by the defendants.
The jury has heard dad-of-two Mr Burns died in on May 24. Two days later, Ms Lee attended Longsight police station and was shown a video identification parade, which Damian White had taken part in.
He was one of nine people depicted in a film presented to her, the court heard. Prosecutor Nicholas Lumley KC told jurors Ms Lee picked out Damian White from the film and told the officer his name.
Asked 'very briefly to explain what she saw the person she had identified do', Mr Lee replied: "They came to my house and ran up the stairs." Earlier in the trial, defence barristers set out the cases of each of the defendants.
Damian White admits manslaughter but denies murder, his barrister said. He denies kicking or stamping on Mr Burns, but accepts 'punches were thrown'.
Ryan White denies having any involvement in the attack on Mr Burns. While Brandon White's case is that he acted in self-defence.
Jurors have heard that in 2018 Mr Burns had been 'witness to an alleged murder, the killing of Noel White, to whom each of the accused were related'.
Ryan White was Noel's brother and Damian his cousin, the court heard. At the time, Mr Burns was said to have been 'good friends' with Damian White. The jury has heard that Noel White was involved in a fight with a man called Hedley Plummer outside the Indigo Bar in Rusholme.
Mr White, the court heard, sustained fatal injuries. Mr Plummer was arrested and charged with Noel White's murder and Mr Burns, who had been with them at the bar, 'provided police with a witness statement', the jury heard.
Mr Plummer, the jury was told, stood trial and claimed he had been acting in self defence. Mr Burns was said to have been 'reluctant' to give evidence at the trial and as a result, wasn't called to do so as a witness by the Crown Prosecution Service.
In December, 2018, Mr Plummer was found not guilty of Mr White's murder, the court was told. The White family 'cut ties' with Mr Burns afterwards, the jury heard.
A fourth defendant, Casey-Jay McDonagh-Andrews, 19, of Lloyd Street South, Fallowfield, is standing trial along the Whites. She denies assisting an offender in relation to Brandon White. She was said to be his girlfriend at the time.
The pair were planning to stay at a Travelodge in Manchester and she had £700 cash on her person at the time, jurors have heard. Her barrister said that Ms McDonagh-Andrews didn't believe that any offence had been committed by Brandon White, and that he understood he had been a witness to an assault inflicted by others.
Brandon White, of Radstock Close, Fallowfield; Ryan White, of no fixed abode and Damian White, of Woodham Road, Northern Moor, all deny murder. Casey-Jay McDonagh Andrews denies assisting an offender.
Proceeding
