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| Man 'murdered porn charge ex-Pc ' | |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| A former police constable facing charges of downloading indecent images of children was stabbed to death by a neighbour, a jury has been told. | |
| Daniel Marcel Williams said he was "going to have" Geoffrey Harries, 49, hours before he died, the court heard. | |
| The former Dyfed-Powys Police officer was stabbed 20 times in June 2008 in a "brutal and merciless attack". | |
| At Swansea Crown Court, Mr Williams, from Trimsaran, Carmarthenshire, denies murder and claims self defence. | |
| The opening of the trial heard that Mr Harries was on bail after appearing in court and had moved in with his wife to his mother's house at Trimsaran, near Llanelli, three miles away. | |
| They lived seven doors away from the defendant. Residents on the estate were unhappy that Geoffrey Harries had moved there with his wife and one of those people who voiced their anger was Williams Paul Thomas QC, prosecuting | They lived seven doors away from the defendant. Residents on the estate were unhappy that Geoffrey Harries had moved there with his wife and one of those people who voiced their anger was Williams Paul Thomas QC, prosecuting |
| The court heard that neighbours, especially Mr Williams, who lived with his brother, Chad, were unhappy at his arrival. | |
| Paul Thomas QC, prosecuting, said Mr Williams and his brother had been stopped as they were leaving a pub. | Paul Thomas QC, prosecuting, said Mr Williams and his brother had been stopped as they were leaving a pub. |
| He said: "Chad Williams was arrested for drink driving and his brother started picking a fight with the police. He shouted the word 'paedo' more than once." | He said: "Chad Williams was arrested for drink driving and his brother started picking a fight with the police. He shouted the word 'paedo' more than once." |
| 'Slashing tyres' | 'Slashing tyres' |
| Mr Thomas said Mr Williams mentioned Mr Harries's address and said: "Send a car there in about 20 minutes. I'm telling you, I'm going to have him." | Mr Thomas said Mr Williams mentioned Mr Harries's address and said: "Send a car there in about 20 minutes. I'm telling you, I'm going to have him." |
| The jury was told that a police patrol car was sent to the estate to keep watch on Mr Harries's house but left after 30 minutes when it "seemed quiet and calm". | |
| But the prosecution alleges Mr Williams had "a long-standing fascination with military equipment and knives" and showed the jury a 6in combat knife bought by the defendant. | But the prosecution alleges Mr Williams had "a long-standing fascination with military equipment and knives" and showed the jury a 6in combat knife bought by the defendant. |
| Mr Thomas said Mr Williams was dressed in a black hooded top and possibly a black balaclava and gloves when Mr Harries later spotted him outside the house. Geoffrey Harries was still a human being, however frail he may have been - no-one had any right to kill him Paul Thomas QC, prosecuting | Mr Thomas said Mr Williams was dressed in a black hooded top and possibly a black balaclava and gloves when Mr Harries later spotted him outside the house. Geoffrey Harries was still a human being, however frail he may have been - no-one had any right to kill him Paul Thomas QC, prosecuting |
| Mr Thomas said: "Mrs Harries went upstairs to bed and looked outside the window to see Daniel Williams crouched behind their van. | Mr Thomas said: "Mrs Harries went upstairs to bed and looked outside the window to see Daniel Williams crouched behind their van. |
| "She guessed correctly that he was slashing the tyres - she told her husband and he went out. | "She guessed correctly that he was slashing the tyres - she told her husband and he went out. |
| "Within a few minutes Geoffrey Harries was bleeding to death." | "Within a few minutes Geoffrey Harries was bleeding to death." |
| Mr Thomas said neighbours heard the defendant saying to Mr Harries: "I've got the proof. I've got the papers. Stay away from kids". | Mr Thomas said neighbours heard the defendant saying to Mr Harries: "I've got the proof. I've got the papers. Stay away from kids". |
| Mr Thomas said: "It was a brutal and merciless attack." | Mr Thomas said: "It was a brutal and merciless attack." |
| 'Repulsive charges' | |
| The court heard Mr Williams later denied involvement in the killing until police found Mr Harries's blood on his boots, jeans and hooded top. | The court heard Mr Williams later denied involvement in the killing until police found Mr Harries's blood on his boots, jeans and hooded top. |
| He then changed his story and said it was an act of self defence, the court was told. | He then changed his story and said it was an act of self defence, the court was told. |
| Mr Thomas said: "There were no allegations that he [Mr Harries] had ever assaulted a child but the charges against him were understandably repulsive to the minds of right-thinking people. | Mr Thomas said: "There were no allegations that he [Mr Harries] had ever assaulted a child but the charges against him were understandably repulsive to the minds of right-thinking people. |
| "Residents on the estate were unhappy that Geoffrey Harries had moved there with his wife and one of those people who voiced their anger was Williams. | "Residents on the estate were unhappy that Geoffrey Harries had moved there with his wife and one of those people who voiced their anger was Williams. |
| "Geoffrey Harries was still a human being, however frail he may have been. No-one had any right to kill him. | "Geoffrey Harries was still a human being, however frail he may have been. No-one had any right to kill him. |
| "If he had lived and been convicted he would have received the appropriate punishment handed down by a court of law. | "If he had lived and been convicted he would have received the appropriate punishment handed down by a court of law. |
| 'Quite volatile' | 'Quite volatile' |
| "Individuals cannot take the law into their own hands." | "Individuals cannot take the law into their own hands." |
| Pc Samantha Dawson told the court she was called to a disturbance at The Bird in Hand pub in Trimsaran after a report of anti-social behaviour at 1120 GMT. | Pc Samantha Dawson told the court she was called to a disturbance at The Bird in Hand pub in Trimsaran after a report of anti-social behaviour at 1120 GMT. |
| She told the court: "After getting there, I saw a Ford Escort leaving the car park. | She told the court: "After getting there, I saw a Ford Escort leaving the car park. |
| "It was being driven by Chad Williams and his brother Daniel was in the passenger seat. | "It was being driven by Chad Williams and his brother Daniel was in the passenger seat. |
| "There were about 20 people outside the pub who were in high spirits but our presence seemed to create an atmosphere. | "There were about 20 people outside the pub who were in high spirits but our presence seemed to create an atmosphere. |
| "The situation felt quite volatile. Danny Williams was agitated that we had arrested his brother. | "The situation felt quite volatile. Danny Williams was agitated that we had arrested his brother. |
| "He was pacing back and forth and had taken his jacket off and looked as though he was preparing for a fight." | "He was pacing back and forth and had taken his jacket off and looked as though he was preparing for a fight." |
| Pc Dawson said they took Chad Williams to a police station in Carmarthen for questioning over the drink-driving offence. | Pc Dawson said they took Chad Williams to a police station in Carmarthen for questioning over the drink-driving offence. |
| She and a colleague returned to their own station when they had a call to return to the village. | She and a colleague returned to their own station when they had a call to return to the village. |
| Pc Dawson said: "When I arrived I noticed four stab wounds in his [Mr Harries's] back and there was a large amount of blood. | Pc Dawson said: "When I arrived I noticed four stab wounds in his [Mr Harries's] back and there was a large amount of blood. |
| "He was wheezing, struggling and his breathing was pained." | "He was wheezing, struggling and his breathing was pained." |
| The officer said she knew Mr Harries was a serving police officer until he resigned but she had never met him. | The officer said she knew Mr Harries was a serving police officer until he resigned but she had never met him. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |