Sheffield men deny being involved in Jordan Marples-Douglas murder over drug-debt

A Sheffield Crown Court trial has heard on March 10 how Ben Jones, aged 26, formerly of Archdale Road, Manor, Sheffield, and his step-brother Aaron Johnson, aged 22, of Mawfa Crescent, Norton, Sheffield, have 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 Mr Jones and another man – who is still at large - to pursue and enforce the debt.

She added CCTV showed Mr Jones and the other man arriving and leaving Mr Marples-Douglas’s home on the evening of March 6, 2020, before two friends of Mr Marples-Douglas’s partner found him in his bedroom covered in blood.

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 injuries he had suffered and the loss of blood.”

Both Mr Jones and the other man had allegedly been seen in the back garden of Mr Douglas-Marples’s home, according to Ms Goddard, before Mr Jones and the other man allegedly forced their way in as a door was opened.

The court heard paramedics attempted CPR upon Mr Marples-Douglas as blood was pumping out of his chest and he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

Ms Goddard said Mr Jones and the other man later ended-up at Jones’s father’s home on Archdale Road who became concerned when he saw a large knife outside his property.

Mr Jones’s father also had to report that his car, which had allegedly been used by his son and the other man, had been torched and police later found another large knife in the back of the vehicle.

The other man allegedly went to his girlfriend Dina Aweimrin’s home at Nether Edge, Sheffield, and Ms Goddard claimed he told Ms Aweimrin’s family he was going away because he had a poorly relative.

Ms Goddard added Ms Aweimrin researched and booked a flight for her boyfriend from Manchester to Dubai from where he is believed to have flown to Somalia and remains at large.

Ms Aweimrin, aged 22, of Oakdale Road, Nether Edge, Sheffield, has pleaded not guilty to assisting an alleged offender.

Mr Jones, of no fixed abode, claimed to police he had been to the home of Mr Marples-Douglas to buy drugs and the other man he was with had struck and chased Mr Marples-Douglas who swung a machete while the other man had a knife.

He also claimed he had tried to disarm Mr Douglas-Marples and he had not seen the other man stab Mr Marples-Douglas.

Mr Johnson declined to answer any questions from the police.

Ms Aweimrin claimed she had booked and paid for taxis and flights for her boyfriend because she thought he had an ill relative and she had no knowledge Mr Marples-Douglas had been killed.

The trial continues.

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