The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
One of the teenagers accused of perverting the course of justice by disposing of the weapon alleged to have been used in the incident that led to the death of Spalding man Warren Free has changed his plea and admitted the offence.
The boy, who was 16 at the time of the incident, entered his new plea on Wednesday (July 8), admitting he disposed of the metal pole. He was then formally convicted by the jury on the directions of the trial judge Mr Justice Goss.
The boy remains on trial for murder alongside five other teenagers.
Stuart Trimmer QC, prosecuting, in his closing speech, urged the jury to convict all six youths of murder.
He said: “They were six individuals all delivering violence to a man on the floor who was effectively defenceless. The Crown say they all did their bit. Some greater. Some took the lead. Some were encouraging others to do it.
“They all joined in what we describe as a totally cowardly attack by fit young men and women on one man lying prone on the ground. This is not self defence. This was an attack. He was no threat to any of them.
“It included vicious behaviour by girls. You must put out of your minds that girls don’t do that because on this occasion the Crown say they did.
“I would be surprised if any of these defendants wanted, at the end of the day, Warren Free to die. They didn’t but at the time their actions were intentional. Afterwards when the red mist has risen they may regret it but at the time this was no accident. It was intentional violence. “
The prosecution has alleged that Mr Free (42) suffered fatal injuries after he confronted a group of teenagers in the early hours of the morning about noise they were making in a park at the rear of his property in Coronation Close, Spalding.
It is alleged that Mr Free was kicked, punched and stamped on by the teenagers before a 15-year-old girl struck him over the head several times with a metal pole.
He went home to bed but friends were later unable to rouse him. An ambulance was called and he was airlifted to hospital but passed away within 24 hours from a head injury.
Six teenagers all deny the murder of Warren Free on August 29, 2014. Three of the defendants, including a girl, were 14 at the time while the others were a girl of 15 and a 16-year-old together with Jake Edwards (now 18), of Mill Green Road, Pinchbeck.
A boy, who was 14 at the time, denies a charge of perverting the course of justice relating to the disposal of the metal pole in the Coronation Channel in Spalding.
All six of the defendants elected not to give evidence.
The trial continues.
