Mansoor Mahmood murder trial: Victim threatened alleged attacker before death, court hears
A murder victim threatened his alleged attacker with a knife months before he was killed, a court heard.
Mansoor Mahmood had armed himself with a blade when he tried to harm Niron Parker-Lee near a chip shop, Birmingham Court Court was told.
Taking the stand during his trial, defendant Parker-Lee claimed Mr Mahmood and his mallet-wielding accomplice pounced on him while he was riding his bike in early 2016.
The 20-year-old self-proclaimed drug dealer said: “I was scared. I didn’t know what was going to happen.”
Parker-Lee, of Blewitt Street, Pensnett, Dudley, denies murdering Mr Mahmood but claims he stabbed the 24-year-old in self-defence in Brierley Hill’s High Street on October 15, 2016.
The case so far:
Prosecutors allege Parker-Lee plunged a ‘Rambo-type’ knife into the father-of-two’s body after they battled in an alleyway over a drugs dispute.
Giving evidence on Friday, Parker-Lee said he was riding his bike when a purple Audi pulled up next to him, with Mr Mahmood in a black Vauxhall Corsa behind it.
Mr Mahmood left the vehicle, shouting at the defendant about dealing drugs ‘on his turf’, Parker-Lee said.
The defendant told jurors he then ‘pedalled as fast as he could’ while a man in the Audi attempted to hit him with a mallet.
He dropped his bike outside a chip shop, jumped over the counter and grabbed a knife for protection, the court was told.
Arrested
Parker-Lee said he then spotted Mr Mahmood with a knife as his bike was shoved into the back of one of the cars.
The defendant said he carried the alleged murder weapon – given to him by his cousin – for ‘protection’ after becoming scared to venture into Brierley Hill following the encounter.
During the trial, jurors were told Parker-Lee was arrested more than 10 months after Mr Mahmood was stabbed. When asked why he refused to answer questions during police interview, he said: “I was scared that no one would believe me.
“After all the things I read in the press and the news, everyone had decided I was guilty without even hearing what had actually happened that day.”
The trial continues.
