Joss Stone murder accused ‘hadn’t heard of her’

One of the two men accused of plotting to kill singer Joss Stone said he had not heard of her before and thought he was “just going on a day out” on the morning the pair were arrested, a few miles from her home.

• Accused claims he thought he was on day out.

• Court told police stopped car with stash of weapons.

Junior Bradshaw, 32, and co-accused Kevin Liverpool, 35, were stopped at around 9am on June 13 near Cullompton in Devon, having driven down from Manchester in a Fiat Punto.

Exeter Crown Court heard last week that a stash of weapons - including a samurai sword and a knife - was found in the car, along with a series of maps relating to the area.

The two men, both of St Stephen’s Close, Manchester, deny charges of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and conspiracy to rob.

Day out

Giving evidence today, Bradshaw told his defence counsel, Martin Meeke QC, that he did not know where he was going when the pair set off, seven hours before their arrest in Devon. He also said he had never heard of the 25-year-old pop star before.

Mr Meeke said: “The day you were arrested - you and Liverpool set off from his flat in Manchester, didn’t you?”

Bradshaw replied: “I think so.”

Asked who had the idea to go, Bradshaw again said he could not remember.

Mr Meeke asked Bradshaw where the pair were going, to which the defendant replied: “We were just going on a day out.”

He said he did not remember what time they left, or where they were going.

Mr Meeke asked: “Do you remember what you were going to do when you arrived where you were going?”

Bradshaw, dressed in a dark hooded top, said: “No.”

The defendant told the court he used to listen to R&B and hip-hop at the flat with his co-accused.

Asked by Mr Meeke if he had ever heard Liverpool mention the name “Joss Stone”, Bradshaw replied: “No.”

Exposure

He denied having heard of soul singer Miss Stone - who gave evidence last week - before the case against him started.

Bradshaw was asked several questions about the events leading up to his arrest, but said he could not remember or did not know the answers to them.

He also told the court he could not remember details about his previous time in prison, including for exposure, but said he had been treated in hospital in Manchester for schizophrenia.

He denied asking a postman in Devon where Miss Stone lived - contradicting evidence from local postman Alex Greening, who last week told the court he was on his rounds on the morning of June 13 2011 when he was approached by two men in a car inquiring about Miss Stone.

Mr Greening said the occupants appeared to be lost, driving at around 10mph, a few miles from Miss Stone’s home. He said they showed him a photo of Miss Stone, but told them he did not know where she lived.

Denial

Asked by Mr Meeke if the pair had driven from Manchester to Devon to kill the singer, to do her serious harm or to rob her, Bradshaw replied: “No.”

Under cross-examination Simon Morgan QC, prosecuting, asked Bradshaw again what he thought he and Liverpool were doing when they left Manchester in the early hours. Bradshaw replied again: “Just going on a day out.”

Mr Morgan replied: “You left at 2am. You know the difference between night and day. So where could you be going at 2am?”

Bradshaw, originally from Huddersfield, replied: “I don’t know.”