TWO men standing trial for murder are blaming each other for carrying out the fatal stabbing of Craig Hepburn, a court heard.
Luke Elliott, 24, and Anthony Driver, 36, deny killing Scottish piper Mr Hepburn in a frenzied attack in Marsden on July 6 last year.
They also deny the attempted murder of a second man, 19-year-old Conor Paton.
The jury sitting in Leeds Crown Court has heard throughout the four week on-going trial how Driver said he saw Elliott stab Mr Hepburn and he was a ‘peacemaker’ trying to stop the attack.
But Elliott told the jury he was not there when the attack happened and arrived to see Driver standing in Old Mount Road and found Mr Hepburn lying on the ground.
Elliott told how he checked the man, who was wearing a Manchester City shirt, for a pulse before running off with Driver to a house in Mount Road.
Witnesses who were at that house told how Elliott allegedly admitted ‘stabbing two people and how one of them was dead’.
Defence counsel for Driver and Elliott yesterday closed their cases for the jury.
Mr Andrew Hall QC for Elliott, accused Driver of creating a ‘pack of lies’ to blame Elliott for the attack and then set about telling them to ‘young impressionable people’ many of whom were drinking and taking drugs that night.
Mr Hall submitted that in a small village like Marsden ‘a rumour mill’ had already started with the group of witnesses, before they were interviewed by police.
Mr Hall accused Driver, who witnesses described as appearing ‘shocked’ and ‘close to tears’ after the attack, as ‘contaminating witnesses’ who he knew would later give evidence supporting his case.
But Mr John Elvidge for Driver, told how Driver had been consistent with his account throughout and was telling the truth.
He drew the jury’s attention to co-accused Elliott who had admitted he had lied about the route he took through the village that night when he was not captured on CCTV.
Elliott also later admitted he lied about wearing gloves but denies washing them and a lock-knife, as witnesses have described, which were later found to have Mr Hepburn’s DNA on it.
Mr Elvidge said: “He (Elliott) lied about his activities that night. He lied about not being on Old Mount Road.
“It’s Driver not Elliott who has told the truth, before, during and after this terrible incident.
“Elliott is not offering any explanation because he has none to give.”
Driver, of Grange Cottages, Marsden, and Elliott, of Main Avenue, Cowlersley, deny murder and attempted murder.
They also deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent and perverting the course of justice.
The trial continues on Tuesday due to the Bank Holiday.
