Five people on trial at Hull Crown Court deny murder and manslaughter
Martin Chadburn died in April(Image: hull4heroes.org.uk)
Two of the young women accused of murdering 53-year-old Army veteran Martin Chadburn during a confrontation in the early hours of the morning went to Blackpool shortly after the violent incident. The five people arrested after the “street violence” later made either misleading claims that “missed” key details shown on CCTV pictures or made no comment, it was claimed at Hull Crown Court.
Three young women – including twin sisters – and two men are said to have been part of a “group attack” that left Mr Chadburn, a Hull 4 Heroes development officer, slumped unconscious with an “non-survivable” brain injury. They were likely to claim that they acted in self-defence, the court heard.
Before the court are 20-year-old twin sisters Britney Naylor, of Dibsdane, Orchard Park estate, north Hull, and Bethany Naylor, of Deerhurst Grove, Bransholme, Hull, as well as Kristjan Suits, 35, of Queens Road, Hull, and Lucasz Matusiak, 27, of Needlers Way, Hull, along with Shaytoyia Farrow, 21, of Peter Street, Blackpool. They all deny murdering Mr Chadburn on April 21 as well as the lesser offence of manslaughter.
David Brooke KC, prosecuting, said that the incident happened in Hull city centre after about 3.30am on Sunday, April 19. Police were called to an incident and found a man, Martin Chadburn, on the ground, bleeding from the head and unresponsive.
It quickly became apparent that Mr Chadburn had been left seriously injured in the incident. The emergency services were called and he was taken to hospital.
“He was found to have a non-survivable brain injury,” said Mr Brooke. Mr Chadburn died two days later on April 21. He had suffered a fatal bleed on the blow caused by a blow or blows to the head.
Mr Brooke said that, after the violent incident, Britney Naylor and Farrow went to Lancashire seaside resort Blackpool. Police spoke to Britney Naylor on a video call through a neighbour.
In that call, she claimed that she had been to hospital after supposedly suffering a “broken nose” and having her “face smashed” during the street incident. “There is no evidence of any hospital visit,” said Mr Brooke.
Britney Naylor claimed that “two men attacked her”. She and Farrow were at an address in Blackpool and they were arrested that evening.
Bethany Naylor was arrested on April 20. She had telephoned the police before this. She admitted being involved and claimed that one of the men made comments.
MORE FROM THE TRIAL
Mr Brooke claimed that “quite a lot of that detail” that she gave about the incident “does not appear to be accurate” about what happened. “It misses out crucial parts, including her own aggression,” claimed Mr Brooke.
Farrow had telephoned the police but her claims “missed out” certain details, including that she was said to have stamped on the back of Mr Chadburn while he was slumped on the ground. She made no comment during police interview.
Suits claimed in a statement that he saw an argument between an aggressive man and some women. He claimed that he remained a bystander throughout and denied any assault. Matusiak made no comment during interview.
Mr Brooke said earlier that Mr Chadburn and a male friend of more than 35 years had been out for the night. They had been in the city centre since 6pm on the Saturday night and they were “intoxicated”.
The last pub they visited was The Star in Carr Lane and they left about 3.30pm to get a taxi home.
The three women, the Naylor twins and Farrow, came into contact with them in the area of The Star. Mr Chadburn’s friend said that he could not remember what sparked a confrontation.
The friend was, according to a woman on the scene, said to have made comments towards the three women but Mr Chadburn was “quieter”. The men were told to “f*** off” but other comments were made, it was claimed.
“Unfortunately, it did not end there,” said Mr Brooke. It was claimed that Bethany Naylor said: “I aren’t having this” and she set off to follow the two men.
Bethany Naylor was said to have stubbed out a cigarette on the neck of Mr Chadburn’s friend. Farrow and Britney Naylor followed her.
The other two men, Suits and Matusiak, became involved. They had earlier been on their own separate night out but saw what was happening.
“It’s obvious that they became involved in what was a developing situation,” claimed Mr Brooke. They ran up. Britney Naylor punched Mr Chadburn in the face and he threw a punch at her.
Matusiak was said to have punched him five times, causing Mr Chadburn to roll onto the ground. It was “so hard that it put him to the ground”. Farrow was said to have stamped on his back while he was on the ground.
“By the end of this, Martin Chadburn is on the ground with a fatal brain injury,” said Mr Brooke. There was a tear in an artery and he suffered a brain injury.
It was a case of “street violence and a joint enterprise”, claimed Mr Brooke. “This was plainly unlawful group violence,” he said.
The trial, estimated to last about four weeks, continues.
