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Arsenal fan Benjamin Morse murder trial: Suspect handed brother mobile phone during arrest, court told

A police officer who arrested a murder suspect has told a jury how he allegedly handed a phone to his brother to be disposed.

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Victim Benjamin Morse

Pc Stephen Williams and another officer detained Nidal Alboraiki outside his home in Foxhunt Road, Halesowen, hours after he is alleged to have murdered Benjamin Morse in a Bank Holiday hit-and-run.

CCTV footage seen by the jury shows Nidal Alboraiki’s brother Ahmed come out from the house and approach as the arrest takes place on the driveway.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday, Pc Williams, said: “As we attempted to handcuff Nidal his brother, Ahmed Alboraiki, was approaching.

“There was a conversation. I could not understand it. It was in Arabic. Ahmed Alboraiki was told to back off and to keep away. I was fearful of officer’s safety at the time.

“Nidal Alboraiki passed his brother Ahmed Alboraiki a mobile phone.”

“The phone had come from Nidal’s left-hand pocket in his jogging trousers. He managed to reach in and retrieve the phone from his pocket. He passed that to Ahmed Alboraiki.

“When he passed it I was annoyed it had happened. I had taken Nidal by his left elbow which allowed him the flexibility to reach in his pocket.”

Pc Williams and the other arresting officer, Pc Hayley Denyer, allege that Nidal Alboraiki had resisted arrest and not complied with their verbal commands.

After taking the phone from his brother, Pc Williams said Ahmed Alboraiki was immediately went back inside the family home.

Within around 15 minutes another officer had arrested him on suspicion of assisting an offender. He was later charged with seeking to pervert the course of justice, which he denies. The phone PC Williams said he saw has not been recovered by the police.

Gulam Ahmed QC, defending Ahmed Alboraiki, 19, said his client denied taking a phone from his brother and went back to the front door – not entering the property – to shout to his father.

Mr Ahmed, said: “According to my client he came out and asked you ‘why are you arresting my brother?’

“When he asked you that question, you said ‘murder’ which is why he went back to the house and shouted to his father. He was there no longer than five or six seconds.

“He doesn’t actually go in the house, he stands there and comes back to where you and Nidal Alboraiki were.”

PC Williams replied he could say “categorically, without reservation” that Nidal Alboraiki, 21, handed his brother a phone and that he saw Ahmed Alboraiki, 19, enter the property.

Mr Morse, aged 36, of Yewtree Road, Halesowen, was struck by a Vauxhall Corsa in Beach Street, Halesowen, in the early hours of May 1 having just been dropped off by a taxi with a group of friends.

The prosecution allege there was an exchange of some kind between Nidal Alboraiki, 21, - who accepts driving the Corsa - and the group which prompted him to drive towards them.

He denies murder and seeking to pervert the course of justice by trying to dispose of the Corsa.

The trial continues.

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