Man accused of murder was seen 'holding head in hands' in coffee shop after fatal collision
05.09.2023 - 20:51
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
A man accused of murder was seen in a Costa Coffee shop after a fatal collision 'crying' with his head in his hands, a jury has heard.
CCTV footage was played to a jury at Plymouth Crown Court showing Luke Dann, 37, in the coffee shop shortly after David Kelly, 42, was killed in a fatal collision on in Leigham Manor Drive, Longbridge.
Dann, a city businessman, is accused of murdering Mr Kelly but denies the charge and an alternative charge of manslaughter.
The court heard from a number of witnesses on the second day of a trial, including from a woman who said Mr Kelly was at her home before the incident to organise supplying her with cocaine, Plymouth Live reports.
Lorraine Smart said her cleaner Laura Smith had arranged for Mr Kelly to attend the home after they discussed purchasing cocaine.
But after Ms Smith and Mr Kelly left to obtain the drugs, the cleaner came back in a panic and said he was dead on March 21 of this year.
Ms Smart said Ms Smith returned in a "pure panic", "like a headless chicken" saying "he's dead, he's been run over, he's been run over". She said she told Ms Smith she had to go back to the scene as she couldn't leave it and she later went along to see the scene herself in her own car, following Ms Smith's car. There she saw a man performing CPR on Mr Kelly.
She admitted she didn't tell the truth when police first came to speak to her, as she wanted to protect Ms Smith.
Under cross examination by defence barrister John Ryder KC she confirmed that Ms Smith seemed very happy to purchase what he called "crack cocaine".
Asked if she thought the man who turned up "would have the crack with him" she said she did. Asked if she was under the impression Ms Smith and Mr Kelly would both come back to her home