Woman admits giving cash and mobile to Reagan Asbury killer
A "frightened" woman smuggled cash out of the country to help a killer drug dealer flee after stabbing a boxing fan to death, a court has heard.
Melisa Birkinshaw travelled to the Netherlands with "a lot of cash" and a mobile phone for Tyrone Andrew, who went on the run after fatally wounding Reagan Asbury in Walsall.
The 22-year-old now faces a stint behind bars after assisting the killer, who remained at large for three months.
Prosecutor Mr Antoine Muller said: "Once he has made he quick escape to Amsterdam, she provided him with a phone and a lot of cash to permit his movement further.
"She facilitated his ability to be there and remain there further."
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Keen footballer Mr Asbury, from Pelsall, was killed by a single wound to the neck, which was 7cm deep and had almost severed his jugular vein.
Andrew, of St Helens Street, Derby, was cleared of murder following a trial but jailed for 14 years after being convicted of manslaughter.
At a hearing on Monday, Birkinshaw admitted she allowed cash to be transferred into her bank account before withdrawing it for Andrew following the stabbing.
The defendant, of Cavendish Court, Derby, also purchased a mobile phone and gave it to the killer after travelling to meet him in the Netherlands.
Defence barrister Mr William Bennett said Birkinshaw, who has no previous convictions, was scared of Andrew.
He told Birmingham Crown Court: "Having agreed to help him, she was frightened of him, and remains frightened of him, and got herself way out of her depth."
The incident occurred after a near 600-strong crowd gathered at Walsall Town Hall for the IBF Lightweight fight between Derby-based Myron Mills and Walsall fighter Luke Paddock in October 2017.
Violence soon flared as fans awaited the result of the fight, with tables turned over, chairs hurled across the venue and glasses thrown.
Jurors were told footage captured Andrew creeping up behind his victim “like an animal stalking prey” before stabbing him in the neck.
Former Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy pupil Mr Asbury was rushed to Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital after onlookers attempted to save his life but he died several hours later.
Andrew's co-defendants Declan Kemp-Francis and Ryandeep Sidhu were both jailed for 30 months for perverting the course of justice.
Kemp-Francis, of Dickens Square, Derby, helped Andrew flee while Sidhu, of Lidgate Close, Derby, took hold of the knife used to kill Mr Asbury.
After returning home, Andrew ditched his blood-stained shirt and got into a taxi to Birmingham Airport to board a flight to Amsterdam.
Birkinshaw admitted doing acts tending or intending to pervert the course of justice between October 13 and December 29, 2017.
She was released on conditional bail and is due before the court for sentence on July 12.
