Joss Stone murder plot: Jury shown weapons

By CRAIG BROWN
Published on 23/03/2013 00:50

THE jury in the trial of two men accused of plotting to kill singer Joss Stone was shown weapons discovered at their home and in their car at the time of their arrest.

Junior Bradshaw, 32, and Kevin Liverpool, 35, were arrested a few miles from her Devon home in June 2011.

The pair deny conspiracy to murder, rob and cause grievous bodily harm.

Two samurai swords, a hammer, knife, pistol, crossbow and a length of garden hose were found in both the Fiat Punto and at the Manchester home of the pair.

They were arrested while driving in Cullompton, Devon, close to where the singer lives. The jury at Exeter Crown Court heard the weapons were found in their car, along with balaclavas, gaffer tape and gloves.

With the conclusion of the prosecution case yesterday, details of the men’s past were revealed to the jury.

Liverpool was shown to have previous convictions for assault and for having bladed articles or knives in public places, while Bradshaw has been jailed 11 times for breaching a signing-on order telling police where he lived after he was convicted of exposing himself outside Leeds town hall in 2006.

The court heard that Bradshaw was later given a hospital order that led to him being admitted to a mental health unit in Manchester.

On Thursday, the scribbled ramblings of Liverpool revealing his plans to kill the singer, right, were shown to the jury.

He talked of the need to buy a semi-automatic gun, a gun holder, a silencer and infrared equipment, as well as a “ninja sword”.

Liverpool had also written a reminder to buy a hooded top, car insurance, a safe and open a bank account.

He wrote of “war”, “warlord #1” and of “missions” to “rob” and “discipline”.

The diary was seized by police when they raided Liverpool’s one-bedroom flat in Longsight, Manchester. Detective Constable Katherine Joyner took the jury of ten men and two women through the diary.

She said there were quite a few references to urban slang words, such as “wet” - meaning to repeatedly stab someone until their clothes are soaked with blood – and “popo” – short for police.

Liverpool had also written a list, numbered 1, 2 and 3, of “rob”, “wet/injure” and “death”.

The notes included details of the date and place of birth of Stone and a biography of her musical career, including albums she has released.