Ex-pub boss tells murder trial he found man covered in blood

A FORMER pub landlord told a murder trial today how he went outside his bar to find a man lying on the pavement with "blood coming out his nose, his mouth and everywhere else".

Clifford Brown, 29, who used to run the Clifford Arms pub in Broxburn, West Lothian, said somebody had run into his pub to tell him there had been a stabbing outside.

Mr Brown told the High Court in Livingston that he ran outside to find a man, who turned out to be Barry Fleming, 28, lying on the pavement in a pool of his own blood.

He was giving evidence on the first day of the trial of Christopher Bouhadi, 25, who denies murdering Mr Fleming, of Broxburn, West Lothian at Station Road, Broxburn, on 29 May last year.

He told the jury: "I was in the pub when the incident happened. I was in the main bar.

"There was someone shouting in the door that someone had been stabbed. I went outside to see if it was real.

"I saw a man lying on the road. On the pavement. He was sort of on his back. There were people around him. There was someone between his legs trying to hold him up.

"There was blood coming out his nose, his mouth and everywhere else.

"I went straight back into the pub. I went in to make sure whoever had done this hadn't gone into the pub and also to check the CCTV, to see where he had gone."

Mr Brown confirmed he didn't know Barry Fleming, or his alleged attacker.

The solicitor-general, Frank Mulholland QC, prosecuting, questioned Louise Harrower, 30, a police photographer for Lothian and Borders Police, about pictures she had taken at the scene of the alleged crime.

The solicitor-general asked: "Picture 24 is a close up of various bloodstained cloths, and blood running down Station Road. Is that correct?"

Ms Harrower replied: "That is correct"

He further questioned her about a wheelie bin, which was found next to a food store, Papa Chillies on East Main Street in Broxburn, on the day of the alleged crime.

Ms Harrower confirmed there appeared to be something pointed sticking out the lid

The solicitor-general said: "It appears to be a a knife, which is blood stained. Is that correct?"

Ms Harrower replied: "That is correct."

She also confirmed the knife was around a foot in length, and that the blade of the knife was around 8 inches long.

Mr Mulholland then asked her about a Nike t-shirt.

The solicitor-general asked whether the t-shirt appeared to be blood stained, and Ms Harrower confirmed it appeared to be so.

Mr Mulholland then asked: "This t-shirt was removed from Christopher Bouadhi on 29 May, is that correct?"

Ms Harrower replied: "That is correct"

In addition to pleading not guilty to murder, Bouadhi, also of Broxburn, denies having an article, namely a knife in his possession, and attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of it within a refuse bin.

The trial before Lord Philip, and jury, continues.