Family's search for robber ends in John Lewis' murder, court hears

John Lewis had joined forces with members of Andrew Smith's aggrieved family, including his uncle Stephen Smith, to track down the man they believed had carried out the violent robbery.

Jurors at Teesside Crown Court were told that Mr Lewis and Stephen Smith had gone to Jonathan Porritt's flat to recover the stolen goods on May 14 this year.

They heard that the defendant then stabbed Mr Lewis through the heart after being goaded by his girlfriend, Jodie Parker, to not let them 'bully' him.

Nick Dry, prosecuting, said different members of the Smith 'clan' were determined to recover the bike and mobile phone after Andrew Smith had been beaten and robbed two days earlier.

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He said: "Mr Smith’s family had been looking to recover property and cash that had been taken.

"He (Mr Porritt) initially denied all knowledge and told Mr Smith’s mother it had nothing to do with him.

"But she contacted members of her family who then also attended the defendant’s address, including her brother in law, Stephen Smith and his best friend, John Lewis."

Crescent Road in Middlesbrough. Picture GOOGLE

Mr Dry said a heated confrontation started between the defendant and Mr Lewis after he found Porritt hiding upstairs in the flats in Crescent Road, Middlesbrough.

It was at this point that the 28-year-old pulled a kitchen knife from the waistband of his trousers and stabbed Mr Lewis through the heart.

CCTV footage shown to the jury caught the defendant chasing the best friends from his home whilst brandishing a knife.

An eye witness to violent event will tell the court that Porritt was threatening to kill them and was heard to shout 'I don't care' and 'I would do it again' after inflicting the fatal stab wound.

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Mr Smith drove his friend, who was bleeding heavily from this injury, to James Cook University Hospital where he later died.

Mr Dry added: "It was Stephen Smith's recollection that immediately prior to the stabbing, Jodie Parker had been shouting at her boyfriend that he shouldn't be bullied."

The jury heard that Mr Porritt maintains that he acted in self-defence after being attacked by the two men in his own home with Mr Lewis using a metal knuckleduster during the assault.

Mr Dry said: "The Crown’s case is he lied throughout interview, saying two lads had come round and attacked him, put him to the floor in the hallway where they were kicking him."

The trial of Mr Porritt, who denies murder and possession of a knife, continues.