Sheffield man denies murder of Macaulay Byrne in Boxing Day stabbing at Gypsy Queen pub

Bovic Mupolo, aged 22, of Fleury Rise, Gleadless, Sheffield, has denied murdering Macaulay Byrne following an alleged ‘fight’ involving Mr Mupolo and Mr Byrne at the Gypsy Queen pub, Beighton, and a ‘fight’ between Mr Mupolo’s friend Layton Morris and others, according to a Sheffield Crown Court trial.

Prosecuting barrister John Harrison KC told the jury on November 8: “At about 9.55pm, on Sunday, December 26, 2021, South Yorkshire Police received a 999 call from the assistant manager of The Gypsy Queen public house on Drake House Lane, at Beighton, in Sheffield.

“The caller reported that a man had been stabbed and was on the floor behind the bar area. This man was Macaulay Byrne. In due course, the emergency services arrived to try their best to save him. Mr Byrne was taken to Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital but he died of his wounds at 11.15pm.

“The stab wounds which caused his death had been inflicted outside the Gypsy Queen during a fight in the car park. It’s the prosecution case that Macaulay Byrne was stabbed by Bovic Mupolo during their fight and Layton Morris who went to the pub with Mupolo was his friend and helped to try and hide his involvement.”

Mr Harrison said the background to the case is unclear.

Bovic Mupolo has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Macaulay Byrne, and Layton Morris, aged 25, of Sidney Street, Swinton, near Mexborough, Rotherham, has pleaded not guilty to assisting an offender between December 26, 2021, and January 2, by allegedly facilitating Mr Mupolo’s departure from the scene and a change of clothing.

Mr Mupolo and Mr Morris, had originally been at the Masons Arms pub, at Wickersley, Rotherham, according to Mr Harrison, before they took a taxi to the Gypsy Queen, where they did not buy a drink but were seen going in and out of the pub.

Mr Harrison said: “A short time later they are stood at or near the door with a group of other men including Macaulay Byrne. An argument or altercation starts which results in Mupolo pushing Mr Byrne outside and Morris getting involved in another fight with others.”

He added Mr Mupolo and Mr Byrne were allegedly involved in a struggle or a fight outside the pub that started at some steps and went into the car park. Mr Harrison claims CCTV footage captures ‘momentary flashes’ of something detected in Mr Mupolo’s hand and that he can allegedly be seen lunging towards Mr Byrne’s left side as Mr Byrne raises his left arm to defend himself.

The court heard Mr Byrne suffered two fatal stab wounds and two other stab wounds as well as injuries to his right upper limbs and his left upper and left lower limbs. Mr Harrison said Mr Mupolo and Mr Morris allegedly fled, took a taxi to Swinton and allegedly changed their clothes at Mr Morris’ address before going back to the Masons Arms, and then to Sheffield’s Crystal Bar and the Viper Rooms.

Police later recovered clothing from Mr Morris’ home, according to Mr Harrison, including a sweatshirt allegedly worn by Mr Mupolo which had blood and mucus which matched the deceased’s DNA. Mr Harrison also said that there had been regular phone communication between Mr Mupolo and Mr Morris which ceased on December 27, 2021.

The court heard Mr Morris handed himself into police on January 2 and he answered ‘no comment’ to all questions and when Mr Mupolo was arrested he too answered ‘no comment’ to all questions.

Mr Harrison said Mr Mupolo is expected to assert he had been attacked and he had been defending himself, he had not had a knife and someone else must have stabbed Mr Byrne. And Mr Morris is to claim he had no knowledge of the stabbing and that neither of the defendants had been involved.

The trial continues.