Car-jack victim's injuries 'made accused's ex girlfriend talk to police'
The former partner of a drug addict accused of car-jacking a pensioner told a court she had decided to make a statement after police told her the extent of his injuries.
Stacey Johnson told Wolverhampton Crown Court she had not believed Andrew Jones could do such a thing at first.
Jones, aged 34, of Manley Close, West Bromwich, is accused of carrying out the attack on 79-year-old Reginald Stocking on May 10.
Mr Stocking was left in a pool of his own blood and suffered brain damage.
Jones denies robbery, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, burglary and witness intimidation.
He is alleged to have stolen a TV from an address in Groveland Road, Dudley Port, just eight hours later.
At the third day of Jones' trial, Miss Johnson told Wolverhampton Crown Court she had not told the police about the car-jacking at first because she was frightened of Jones.
But she had later decided to make a statement after being told how badly Mr Stocking was hurt.
"They said Andrew had hurt this man really badly. That he had bleeding on the brain and that I needed to tell the truth."
She previously told the court Jones had phoned her on May 10 and told her he had 'jacked' a man. And this is what she had told police.
Miss Johnson said she had also later met Jones along a tram line where he usually scored drugs.
During cross-examination, Miss Johnson admitted that when she had spoken to police officers she had been 'frightened' and did not know what to do.
"I did not want to get in trouble. I did not want to go to jail," she said.
Mr Jas Mann, defending Jones, questioned what she had told the court about the telephone call saying it had not been about the car jacking but 'chit chat' about buying drugs.
Miss Johnson refuted this.
Mr Mann said: "So there had been this car jacking but you are going merrily along to a nearby tram line to meet my client and get drugs. You were even eating ice cream."
Miss Johnson said at the time she had not been aware how seriously Mr Stocking had been injured.
"I did not know that until the police told me," she said.
Earlier, she had told the court Jones had later arrived at her flat and bought a 40-inch screen out of silver-grey car. Miss Johnson said she had been asked by Jones to bring along a sheet to cover the TV
But Mr Mann said this had not been a TV at all but a mirror - again Miss Johnson refuted this.
The trial continues.
