A COUPLE told a murder trial of a street fight outside their home on the night a man died, saying: “There were arms flailing everywhere.”
Joshua Harling, a 19-year-old accountant from Headington, Oxford, died after suffering a ‘stab’ wound in Chinnor Road, Thame on July 22 last year.
Prosecutors allege that Nathan Braim, 20, of Broadwaters Avenue, Thame, and Benjamin Eyles, 19, of Monks Hollow, Buckinghamshire, killed Mr Harling – which they both deny.
Mr Harling was later found in his crashed car but could not be saved.
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Before the accident, it was alleged that he was involved in a fight on a residential street close to where the car crashed.
On Thursday, Daniel Hart took to the witness stand at Oxford Crown Court and described seeing a fight outside his home.
He continued giving evidence yesterday morning, saying of the fight: “There were arms flailing everywhere.”
A statement on behalf of Laura Hart, Mr Hart’s wife, was then read out in court.
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The statement, dated July 30, read: “At around 6.45pm, I was at home with my family.
“I heard my husband say ‘it’s all kicking off again outside the house’.
“I went into my lounge and stood at the window – I could see glass smashed all over the road and my husband said a man had karate-kicked a car window.
“I saw a guy with blood on his face looking very agitated.
“The incident lasted about three minutes, maybe less.”
Joshua Harling murder trial: Thame dad says he saw fight near his house
Pathology evidence was then given out in the court.
Dr Matthew Lyle, who conducted the post-mortem on Mr Harling at the John Radcliffe Hospital, confirmed that prior to the 34 injuries found on Mr Harling’s body, he was in good physical health.
Dr Lyle said from the ‘stab’ wound, it was ‘certainly possible the blade was longer than 10 centimetres’.
After the injury, Mr Harling got into a car and drove away from the scene.
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Dr Lyle said of situations where these injuries occur: “Sometimes you see people can keep fighting or try to run away – for a short period of time, people are able to think or, in this case, get into a car and drive away.
“In my view, if you have a sharp knife going into the body, cutting into the sternum would be difficult – it’s a sharp bone, so in my view, this is a more serious level of force.”
Judge Ian Pringle QC then informed the jury of the latest guidance he had been given, saying members of the jury are encouraged to wear a mask when in the court and in their retirement room.
He then informed members of the jury that he does not think the case will finish the week commencing Monday, February 1.
He told the jury that the case would resume at 10.45am on Monday.
The trial continues.
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