Mimmie Wilhelmson
The second man jointly charged with the stabbing at Oceana on May 20 this year denied having anything to do with the incident, a court heard on Thursday.
Darren Le Roy Henry, 24, of Barmouth Avenue, Middlesex, told Kingston Crown Court that he had at no point harmed the victim, Karlos Frederick, and he denied the charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Mr Henry is jointly charged with the stabbing.
Mr Henry denied punching Mr Frederick in the face and claimed he had not seen the fight between the other defendant, Mr Wong, and Mr Frederick. He also said he had not seen the knife.
Mr Henry told the court he was taken by surprise when the bouncer tapped him on the shoulder and told him he was suspected of stabbing. Mr Henry was then taken to a police station.
In the police station
“I was quite scared, I have never been in a police cell before. I didn’t know what was happening to me,” Mr Henry told the court.
Mr Henry said that before the incident, he had been comforted by his friend Hoopong Wong, as Mr Henry had been in an argument with his girlfriend and was very emotional.
Because of this, Mr Henry hit the wall. “So I hit the wall out of frustration with myself. I was feeling stupid,” he told the court.
The men were chatting at the top of the stairs on the third floor landing, when Mr Federick walked past.
Mr Henry’s reaction to Frederick
According to Mr Wong’s evidence given in court on Wednesday, Mr Frederick had said: “What’s up bro? Niggers don’t cry, fix up.” Mr Wong also told the court that he was called a “chink” by Mr Frederick.
Mr Henry said he could not remember what Mr Frederick said at the time, but remembered that the tone of his voice was “not nice”.
“I said something like ‘Shut up! You don’t know what’s happened. Stay out of it,’” Mr Henry told the court.
Mr Henry then described how he went down the stairs to go out and get some fresh air, and how all he could think about was his girlfriend.
Evidence of blood
Later at the police station, blood from both Mr Henry and Mr Frederick was found on Mr Henry’s left hand. Mr Henry also had bloodstains on his t-shirt.
Mr Henry denied that he had harmed Mr Frederick. He claimed that his own blood on his hand was from hitting the wall, and suggested that Mr Frederick’s blood on his hand and the bloodstains on his t-shirt might have been from close contact with Mr Wong when walking next to each other in the club.
No investigation has been made into whose blood it was on the t-shirt.
The altercation
Mr Wong, 25, of of Byron Way, Middlesex, admitted to stabbing Mr Frederick five times in his thigh and armpit. However he denied the charge of wounding with intent, and told the court it was an accident.
He continued giving his evidence from Wednesday, telling the court earlier that the incident started with an argument between Mr Frederick and himself and that Mr Frederick pushed Mr Wong, who lost his balance.
Mr Wong described on Wednesday how they “rolled down the stairs” as the fight became more violent.
He said the men landed at the bottom of the stairs with Mr Frederick on top of Mr Wong and the fighting continued.
Mr Wong said that he saw a knife on the floor, which he picked up as he feared it could be used against him.
Who the knife belonged to has not been confirmed.
Mr Frederick suffered three stab wounds to his right thigh, one to his left thigh and another in his armpit. One stab wound penetrated Mr Frederick to the bone, the court heard.
The court also heard that, since the incident, Mr Frederick had surgery and stitches above his left eyebrow and has ongoing issues with feeling and movement in his legs.
The case continues.