Gypsy Queen Sheffield: Murder suspect accuses friends of victim Macauley Byrne of stabbing him by accident

Sheffield Crown Court has heard during a trial how Bovic Mupolo, aged 21, of Fleury Rise, Gleadless, Sheffield, has pleaded not guilty to murdering 26-year-old Macaulay Byrne following an alleged ‘fight’ involving Mr Mupolo and Mr Byrne outside the Gypsy Queen pub, Beighton, just before 10pm, on Boxing Day, 2021.

Mr Mupolo said he knew who Mr Byrne was because he knew his sister Carys Byrne but he did not know him personally and there had been no ill-feeling towards him as they crossed paths in the pub.

He told the jury: “As I was walking through I heard a group say some racial remarks and that caused me to turn around and go back out because I wanted to see what the issue was. I heard someone in the group say under their breath, ‘what are these black b******s doing here?’.”

Mr Mupolo said he told Mr Byrne he did not have any issues but he did not know ‘what your lads’ problem is’ and he then claimed Mr Byrne had said, ‘get out of my face, n****r before I stab you’.

The defendant also claimed that after Mr Byrne punched him he charged back at him and grabbed him and used him as a ‘shield’ as he pushed him outside.

John Harrison KC, prosecuting, has claimed Mr Mupolo pushed Mr Byrne and they were allegedly involved in a fight that started at the pub steps and spilled into the car park during which time Mr Mupolo allegedly stabbed Mr Byrne.

Mr Harrison added that during the incident Mr Mupolo’s 25-year-old friend Layton Morris had allegedly been involved in another fight with others before helping Mr Mupolo get away and get a change of clothes.

But Mr Mupolo claimed he had been ‘terrified’ and there had been ‘hands flying everywhere’ trying to get at him before Mr Byrne was pushed down the steps into the car park.

He added: “It looked like he had something in his hand and he was getting ready. I do not know what it was but that’s what it looked like to me.”

Mr Mupolo said he was trying to make sure he did not get pinned down and he kicked out because he thought Mr Byrne had a weapon.

He added: “I did not have a knife. I was just trying to defend myself.”

Mr Mupolo told defence barrister Nicholas Rhodes KC he had not stabbed Macaulay Byrne and he had not been aware Mr Byrne had been wounded until later on.

He added people were shouting racist insults and accusing him of stabbing Mr Byrne but he replied he had not stabbed anybody and as he and Mr Morris were subjected to further racist abuse they were chased away.

Mr Mupolo said: “They were shouting shoot them n*****s, kill them n*****s, and they were shouting these things to instill fear in us.”

Mr Harrison said Mr Mupolo and Mr Morris took a taxi to Swinton and changed clothes at Mr Morris’ address before going to a pub in Rotherham and to two bars in Sheffield.

Under cross-examination from Mr Harrison, Mr Mupolo confirmed his defence was that Mr Byrne’s stab wounds must have occurred in the area between pub doors and they must have been inflicted by Mr Byrne’s friends by accident.

Assistant pub manager Dawn Blake stated she had seen a group of males squaring up outside before Mr Byrne approached the pub steps and she called 999 and said he had been stabbed.

Pub manager Susan Campbell stated she saw Mr Byrne behind the bar looking ‘extremely grey’ with his left side soaked in blood and she joined others in applying pressure to his wound. Mr Harrison said Mr Byrne was taken to Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital but he died of stab wounds later that evening.

Layton Morris, of Sidney Street, Swinton, near Mexborough, Rotherham, has pleaded not guilty to assisting an offender by helping Mr Mupolo with his departure and a change of clothes.

Mr Morris said in a written defence statement that a group of males had been staring at them and he had had his jumper pulled over his head and he had been kicked.

He added that some people shouted racist abuse and threats so they left and got a taxi to his home where they changed clothes and he claimed he was not aware there had been a stabbing. Defence barrister Dermot Hughes said Mr Morris will not be giving further evidence.

The trial continues.