Panicked cocaine robber said he stabbed murdered Gosport drug runner “really hard” before smoking crack
A panicked cocaine robber said he stabbed a drug runner several times after returning to a flat with a “big bag” of the drugs before smoking crack, a court heard.
Tommy West, 18, and his brother Aiden West, 24, went armed with knives and covered up as they planned to rob Levi Kent, 22, of cocaine on November 24 last year, jurors at Portsmouth Crown Court were told.
Levi was lured to shops behind Nobes Avenue to sell cocaine after refusing to defer payment. He was then knifed while in his Vauxhall Corsa which crashed into a wall and garages as he attempted to escape. The brothers then chased Levi to nearby Keyes Road where he collapsed in the street.
Tommy West, of Fisgard Road, Gosport, has admitted murder, robbery and possession of a blade. His half-brother Aiden West, of Tudor Close, Gosport, denies murder and possession of a blade.
The court heard how the West brothers went to Kylie Mancell’s flat at Dundas House in James Close after her friend she was with had invited them over. In the witness’s video interview with the police she told officers the brothers wanted drugs and were planning to rob Levi. “They went to rob him the first time and took knives but Levi got spooked after seeing (Aiden West) bending down by the car. The (West brothers) came back to mine,” she said.
Tommy West then rang up Levi to reassure him after he feared he was going to be robbed before they arranged to meet again, Ms Mancell said. Tommy West armed with a “big” red knife and Aiden West a smaller knife then left again after covering their faces with a T-shirt and bandana.
A short while later, sometime after 2.30am, the buzzer rang at Ms Mancell’s flat. “(Tommy West) was saying ‘let me up, let me up,’ so I let them up. (Tommy West) said he had got the drugs and had stabbed Levi five times in the side and Levi had punched him in the ribs,” Ms Mancell said.
“(Tommy West) said (Levi) was trying to drive off with his head hanging out the window when the car crashed into some garages and a wall. He said the car blew up.”
The witness said Tommy West had black soot all across his face and there was a “big blob of blood” on Aiden’s shoes. Ms Mancell said she asked Tommy West what had happened to the knife and was told he had thrown it on a nearby roof.
Ms Mancell told officers Tommy West had a “big bag of cocaine” and recalled him saying he had stabbed Levi “really hard”. She left the flat to go to the shop with the mutual friend who had persuaded her to allow the West brothers over before returning to finding them smoking crack cocaine.
The brothers changed out of the clothes they were in before getting a taxi from the flat their mum Joanne West had organised.
Speaking of the plan to rob Levi of the cocaine, Ms Mancell added: “They didn’t go to kill him. They brought knives for protection.”
Emergency crews arrived at the scene before Levi was taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The case also includes other people who have admitted offences or been charged. Peter West, 42, of Fisgard Road, and Michael Figgins, 64, of St Ann's Crescent, are also on trial, with each charged with two counts of assisting an offender.
Other people in the matter include the brothers’ mother Joanne West, 45, of no fixed address, who has admitted two counts of assisting an offender. Liam Savage, 37, of Trinity Green in Gosport, has also admitted two counts of assisting an offender.
Sarah Flynn, 36, of James Close in Gosport, was charged with two counts of assisting an offender.
(Proceeding)