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Police found alleged Black Country murder victim in pool of blood, trial hears

A police officer found a man lying in a pool of blood" after attending a 999 call at a Black Country flat, a murder trial heard.

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Amjad Khan. Picture: West Midlands Police

Pc Stephanie Cochran administered CPR on Amjad Khan, 32, after he was allegedly attacked by Derek Brennan, 32, and his nephew Daman Sehra, 22, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

The defendants - who both deny murder - fled out of a window before police and paramedics arrived at the property in Yardley Close, Oldbury, on June 8 last year, it is claimed.

The property belonged to Lisa Sehra - the mother of Daman and sister of Brennan - who called 999 following the assault.

Pc Cochran told jurors she and her colleague, Pc Suky More, attended the property just after midnight, on June 8, following a report of a "distressed female shouting 'help me please, get police'".

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On arrival, the officers were directed upstairs to a living room area where they found Mr Khan lying unresponsive on the floor.

Pc Cochran said: "There was a male on his left side facing the wall in a pool of blood. I turned him on his back to get a response.

"There was a lot of blood on the floor. He had serious injuries on his face and a puncture wound to his forehead."

She tried to feel for a pulse using a pair of gloves but could not find one.

Mr Khan was also not breathing, she added. Both Pc Cochran and Pc More carried out CPR until paramedics arrived.

When asked if the assailants remained in the flat, Ms Sehra "pointed to the window and said they had jumped out prior to your arrival", Pc More told the court.

"She [Ms Sehra] was shouting 'you have to save my friend, you have to do something," said Pc More.

Mr Khan was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he died five days later after suffering head injuries.

In the audio recording of Ms Sehra's 999 call to emergency services, she was heard in a tearful and panicked state shouting "please help me" and "my friend has done nothing".

The tape began with Ms Sehra being largely inaudible as the call operator tried to calm her down, before asking "what's going on?"

'They beat hiim up'

She told the call handler "I'm going to my friend now" and said "my friend is breathing again".

Ms Sehra continued: "My brother and son. They haven't been [here] a lot of time.

"My friend came to visit. They jumped on him and beat him up. They have done this.

"My friend has done nothing. I will never forgive them for this."

Neighbours reported hearing shouting and a woman's screams coming from the flat that night.

One neighbour reported seeing a hooded man run off down the road, while another heard one man shout "I love you" and another shout "you're dead".

Wayne Bywater, who lived at a neighbouring flat, said he heard a "female screaming" as he walked home from the pub.

"When I got to the front door, the screaming was really loud," he said. "On a scale of one to 10, it was about eight.

"I could still hear the screaming when I went into the flat. It was non-stop.

"I went back to the front door and opened it. I looked left and saw a male running across gardens in front of the flats.

"I couldn't see the person's face. He looked medium built, five foot six [inches]. He had a grey hoodie on with his hood up."

Screaming

Diane Bennett said she heard commotion coming from a first-floor-flat at about midnight and called police.

"At 12am, I heard a woman screaming. The scream alarmed me so much I called police and 999," she said.

"I got woken up by shouting outside. I heard two males shouting outside. I heard one male shout 'I love you' and I heard another male shout 'you're dead'."

Peter Tino, another neighbour, also reported hearing commotion on June 8.

He said: "I was getting ready for bed.

"At this time I heard the sound of raised voices. It was the sound of a male and female voice. The voices were raised, not shouting. I didn't pay much attention because it is not uncommon.

"It was coming from a neighbouring address.

"I woke up about one hour later and there was ambulances and police at my neighbour's address."

Sehra, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the ground of diminished responsibility, as well as a charge of assault by actual bodily harm.

He has also been charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, which he denies.

Brennan, of Halesowen Road, Netherton, pleaded not guilty to murder, manslaughter, grievous bodily harm and actual bodily harm.

The trial continues.

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