Murder suspect accused of chasing and stabbing man to death in South Yorkshire

A murder suspect who told police he was disgusted to learn another man had allegedly assaulted a woman has been accused of chasing and stabbing the man to death.
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Sheffield Crown Court heard on December 9 how Martin Wilson, aged 38, of Monsal Crescent, Athersley South, Barnsley, is accused of murdering Stephen Riley who died after suffering two stab wounds during the evening of June 26.

David Brooke QC, prosecuting, told the on-going trial Mr Riley had been arrested for allegedly assaulting his pregnant ex-partner which he denied and he was released on bail.

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Mr Wilson and his partner alleged Mr Riley had shown them an intimate image of his ex-partner, according to Mr Brooke, and Mr Wilson told police he had been disgusted to learn Mr Riley had allegedly assaulted his ex-partner.

Pictured is Barnsley man Stephen Riley who died aged 43 after he suffered stab wounds on June 26 in Athersley, Barnsley.Pictured is Barnsley man Stephen Riley who died aged 43 after he suffered stab wounds on June 26 in Athersley, Barnsley.
Pictured is Barnsley man Stephen Riley who died aged 43 after he suffered stab wounds on June 26 in Athersley, Barnsley.

Mr Brooke said CCTV footage showed Mr Riley had visited Mr Wilson’s home on June 26 and left before Mr Wilson came out and the two were later allegedly seen arguing, accordng to witness reports.

Shortly afterwards, a resident in Athersley called the police, according to Mr Brooke, and said a man had come into her garden and was banging on her window saying, “help me, I have been stabbed”.

Mr Brooke said: “The police and paramedics came and found the victim Stephen Riley, aged 43, slumped over a small garden wall at the front of her property.

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"There was a large pool of blood around the body and he was unconscious and not breathing.”

Pictured is Sheffield Crown Court.Pictured is Sheffield Crown Court.
Pictured is Sheffield Crown Court.

Mr Riley had no pulse and had a stab wound through his ribs, left lung and heart as well as a second stab wound to his back, according to Mr Brooke, and he was pronounced dead at Barnsley Hospital just after midnight.

Mr Brooke said: “There was no pulse. They found a deep laceration to the upper left of the rib cage, which was a stab wound penetrating through the ribs, left lung and into the heart.

"There was a second stab wound to his back area above the hip. He was taken to Barnsley Hospital but could not be resuscitated and was declared dead just after midnight.”

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Mr Brooke added: “The prosecution case is that Stephen Riley was attacked that night by Martin Wilson and Wilson had chased Riley some distance from his home before stabbing him twice to death.”

The defendant, who had been seen out with a bicycle that evening, told police he had no knowledge of Mr Riley’s death apart from what he had seen on social media and claimed he and his partner had been drinking heavily on June 25 so he had not left home on June 26.

But Mr Brooke said it was later established that there is no dispute that Mr Wilson and Mr Riley had been engaged in a confrontation during which Mr Riley suffered a fatal stab wound with a knife that has never been found.

But he stressed the issue is whether Mr Wilson, who has pleaded not guilty to murder, had acted in self-defence with the suggestion that Mr Riley had possessed the knife.

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The jury heard, as admissable evidence, that Mr Riley and Mr Wilson have convictions for violence to their names.

The trial continues.

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