Louis Simpson murder trial: Victim 'fired gun in his flat to test it out'

Lisa Adcock, a long-time friend of 46-year-old Herman 'Louis' Simpson, told Nottingham Crown Court: "He shot at the mop bucket and some tiles. There were four bullet holes in the tiles."

The .22 rifle with shortened barrel and stock had been at the address for two or three weeks before Mr Simpson was knifed by Dylan Jackson at the flat in Compton Road, Compton where 66 rounds of ammunition - and four spent shells - were found after the fatal attack, it was said.

Miss Adcock, who lived nearby with her partner and did domestic jobs for Mr Simpson in exchange for drugs, said: "Everybody in his group of friends knew he had the gun. It was not a secret. He probably had it for protection."

She also said she had seen Jackson at the flat around six months before the stabbing.

Miss Adcock was in the kitchen when Mr Simpson was knifed six times - once through the heart - after Jackson tried to sell him ash instead of heroin on April 13, the court heard.

She told the court: "When I walked into the room I saw Dylan standing over Louis with a knife in his hand. Louis had blood on him and had been stabbed.

"Dylan turned and looked straight at me. I thought he was going to come after me because I knew him but he walked straight out of the flat without a word."

Miss Adcock said she did not see him carrying Mr Simpson's gun, which the court heard he took with him, along with the money for the ill-fated £3,000 heroin deal.

She rang her partner Frank O'Connor who rushed to the scene from their home. He told the court: "She was screaming, screeching and crying 'no, no, no.'

"Louis was slumped in a chair. His breathing was very shallow. I shouted to Lisa to get a towel. He was holding his left side and there was blood on his hand. I tried to put pressure on the wound.

"Everything was horrifying. I was just trying to do the best I could to help him."

Ambulance staff were giving Miss Adcock advice on what to do over the phone until paramedics reached the scene.

Dr Catherine White, a critical care team member, said the wound to the heart was so severe it was unsurvivable. She certified him dead at the scene.

The gun was later found in a fridge dumped on waste ground near Crosby Close in Wolverhampton where Jackson had been living before fleeing to Bath following the stabbing. He was arrested on April 29.

He admits being responsible for the fatal stabbing but claims it was in self defence after Mr Simpson pointed the gun at him.

Jackson pleads not guilty to murder and the case continues.