Murder accused had 'quarrelled' with alleged victim over drugs but 'nothing physical', court told

Brian Willington is accused of stabbing 41-year-old Martin Latham in Asda's car park in Heath Town, Wolverhampton, on September 6 last year.

The defendant, who took to the witness stand on Thursday, told the court he had been "fighting back" after being set upon by people after 9pm.

The 33-year-old, of Hawkley Close in Moseley, told Wolverhampton Crown Court he had known Mr Latham for several years and the pair had "got on fine".

They would smoke a "little bit of mamba together" outside the site, outside the Art Gallery and on some occasions outside the Asda.

And Willington used to sell or swap his medication with the victim, telling the court: "Yes, quite a few times. At the beginning, it was a spliff – one joint – of mamba, sometimes money, sometimes a lot of spliffs."

The victim had told the defendant he was "getting off drugs", that the medication was better to take and the two had quarrelled but it was "never physical" over the tablets, jurors heard.

The 33-year-old defendant left school aged 14 or 15 due to being expelled for bad behaviour and started smoking cannabis around age 12. He started drinking around the age of 14.

Over the years he developed a high tolerance to alcohol and could drink between 12 and 16 cans of strong lager, nine per cent, a day and not be sick, and had undertaken "numerous detoxes".

Willington said he had taken mamba frequently while he was homeless, from 2017 to 2019, and had then smoked it on-and-off until he was admitted to Dorothy Pattison Hospital, in Walsall, on August 21 last year.

The court heard how the defendant had previously been attacked with a hammer, in November 2019, and had become paranoid. He had previously tried to take his own life on various occasions, the judge heard.

Jurors were told he had suffered a stroke after an overdose and had suffered from nerve damage, which left him with a limp, and that as of September last year he was "managing it" and alcohol helped.

Willington had been at a flat with a group, including Mr Latham, on September 6 last year and had been on the phone with his partner for about 14 minutes – also having another call lasting a further two minutes – before making a decision to leave.

The defendant, who was questioned by his defence barrister Mr Gregory Bull, told the court: "I said I'm going to have to go, my missus is phoning me, but can I have some of the fag [cigarette]? I was passed what I believed was a cigarette and took a few drags and then I was asked 'what do you think of that'?

"I had no clue what they were talking about [and they explained it was mamba]. I said 'what the f*** did you give me this s*** for?"

Willington headed outside and onto the Asda car park to collect his dog and got involved in a fight, after another man had approached him. He denied carrying or using a knife but admitted whatever he had in his hands must have caused the victim's injuries.

The defendant said he didn't remember going to retrieve his dog, or claims he had said "sorry" at the scene, after the attack and had later discovered he had blood running down his face in the aftermath.

Willington, of Hawkley Close in Moseley, denies murder and denies having an article with a blade or a point in a public place. The trial continues.