Murder suspect with a machete claims he did not intend to kill Sheffield man Anthony Sumner

Sheffield Crown Court has heard during a trial how Richard Sampson, aged 49, of Prince of Wales Road, near Woodthorpe, Sheffield, and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have been accused of murdering 42-year-old Anthony Sumner on Windy House Lane, at Manor, Sheffield.

Michelle Colborne QC, prosecuting, claimed the accused laid in wait for Anthony Sumner on July 29, 2021, armed with a machete and a knife and wearing masks and hoods after Mr Sampson believed Mr Sumner had broken his windows.

She said: “Richard Sampson set about him with a machete, aiming at his head and upper body deliberate blows which landed and cut him to his left wrist and arm as he tried to fend him off.”

Ms Colborne said the youth was armed with a knife and he jabbed at Mr Sumner’s chest area.

However, Richard Sampson accepted inflicting injury but he claimed he had not intended to cause grievous bodily harm or to kill Mr Sumner.

He claimed he did not stab the deceased and he did not know the other person had a knife or that this person was going to use one to stab Mr Sumner.

Mr Sampson told the jury Anthony Sumner had previously confronted him about grassing him up to staff at an Asda store and he had wanted a fight before Mr Sampson discovered his windows had been smashed.

He claimed he had been with his co-accused when they came across Anthony Sumner and his friend and when he had chased Mr Sumner he did not have a weapon.

Mr Sampson said: “I ran towards the bins and I found a machete and a hammer behind the bin stood up – I grabbed the machete. I left the hammer.”

He added: “What was going through my head was what if he had got the machete before me?”

Mr Sampson said Mr Sumner started throwing plants pots and Mr Sampson said he was trying to protect himself and he had only slapped him with the flat side of the machete.

He added he swung the machete after Mr Sumner had swung a conifer tree at him.

Mr Sampson said: “When I was hitting him with the blade I knew I would injure him but I did not intend to cause him serious harm.”

Anthony Sumner collapsed and died just after midnight on July 30, 2021, according to Ms Colborne.

Ms Colborne claimed the youth called a relative and allegedly confessed he had stabbed someone.

Both Mr Sampson and the youth, of Sheffield, have pleaded not guilty to murder and to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

Ms Colborne said two people at another property claimed to have witnessed the attack as Anthony Sumner allegedly had a machete swung at him and a second male allegedly attacked him with a knife to the chest area.

She added Anthony Sumner suffered injuries to his head consistent with a machete and injuries to his chest consistent with a knife, and the stab wounds and blood loss and breathing problems had led to his death.

The jury has begun considering verdicts.