Sheffield man Ben Jones forced his way into home of Jordan Marples-Douglas and killed him

A Sheffield Crown Court trial heard how Ben Jones, aged 26, formerly of Archdale Road, Manor, Sheffield, and his step-brother Aaron Johnson, aged 22, of Mawfa Crescent, Norton, Sheffield, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of 23-year-old Jordan Marples-Douglas at his home on Woodthorpe Road, near Richmond, Sheffield.

Kath Goddard QC, prosecuting, claimed Mr Marples-Douglas died as a result of a drug-debt owed to Mr Johnson and an arrangement had allegedly been made for Jones and another man – who is at large - to pursue and enforce the debt.

However, Mr Johnson was found not guilty of murder on April 12 but Jones was found guilty by a jury of murdering Mr Marples-Douglas.

Ms Goddard said: "He was stabbed repeatedly about the head and body while he was in the bedroom of his home. The cause of death was a combination of the internal injures he had suffered and the loss of blood.”

Jones had denied being an enforcer but accepted punching Mr Marples-Douglas on his doorstep which started a fracas on March 6, 2020, that resulted in Mr Marples-Douglas suffering a significant stab wound penetrating his chest.

He told the jury he had been visiting Mr Marples-Douglas to buy drugs when he claimed Mr Marples-Douglas became upset about the presence of the missing man - who is at large – and Jones said he struck Mr Marples-Douglas.

Jones claimed Mr Marples-Douglas had a “Rambo” knife and the other man had a knife and they were swinging at each other before Jones’s friend punched Mr Marples-Douglas.

Jones claimed he had struggled to get the knife off Mr Marples-Douglas before he “poked” him in the face with it before punching him.

He claimed he did not know Mr Marples-Douglas had suffered stab wounds and claimed he had tried to disarm him.

Jones claimed he was guilty of manslaughter but he was found guilty of murder and he will be sentenced at a later date.

Ms Goddard said CCTV showed Mr Jones and the missing man visiting Mr Marples-Douglas’s home before two friends of Mr Marples-Douglas’s partner found him in his bedroom covered in blood.

She added Jones and the other man had appeared to force their way in as the door opened.

Ms Goddard said Jones’s father became concerned when he saw a knife outside his property and he reported his car – allegedly used by his son and the missing man - had been torched and police found another knife in the vehicle.

Mr Johnson had told the court he had not been involved in any discussion about buying drugs or a debt collection and he was acquitted.

Ms Goddard said Dina Aweimrin, aged 22, of Oakdale Road, Nether Edge, Sheffield, allegedly arranged travel for the missing man, who was her boyfriend, and he is believed to have flown to Somalia.

Ms Aweimrin has pleaded not guilty to assisting an alleged offender claiming she thought her boyfriend had to leave because of an ill relative and she did not know Mr Marples-Douglas had been killed. The jury is still deliberating.

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