Bolton: Murder trial opens into fatal stabbing of Tyrone Williamson

Tyrone Williamson was aged 25 when he died on December 11 last year following violent scenes on Battenburg Road in Bolton.

Now 42-year-old Anthony George has been brought before Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, charged with murdering Mr Williamson.

Simon Blakebrough KC, prosecuting, said: “It is the prosecution’s case that Anthony George murdered Tyrone Williamson in the street.”

Mr Blakebrough said George, of no fixed abode, stabbed Mr Williamson after an argument broke out after George had visited Mr Williamson’s home on Battenburg Road.

The trial opened at Minshull Street Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

He told jurors George was accused of stealing Mr Williamson’s mobile phone and that other people at the house also accused him of stealing money.

Mr Blakebrough said George then produced a knife and was thrown out onto Battenburg Road.

He said: “He was heard by more than one witness threatening to slit someone’s throat.”

He added: “And chillingly he was heard to have said what was going to happen to them for accusing them of stealing the phone and money.”

While on Battenburg Road, George then got into a car that had pulled up.

Mr Williamson then went up to the car and a confrontation began.

It was during that confrontation that, Mr Blakebrough says, George fatally stabbed Mr Williamson three times.

Jurors were played CCTV footage of the events on Battenburg Road just after 6.30pm which showed the argument as George sat in the front seat.

But the stabbing itself was obscured by the car.

Mr Blakebrough said Mr Williamson told a friend he had been stabbed and collapsed almost straight away.

A friend tried to give him CPR before paramedics and a consultant were called and after attending to Mr Williamson in the street he was taken to hospital and handed over to the trauma team at around 7.45pm.

Despite their efforts to revive him, Mr Williamson was declared dead that evening with a post-mortem examination showing stab wounds to his heart, lung and intestines.

Mr Blakebrough said: “Any one of the three stab wounds shown would have proved fatal, according to the pathologist.”

A fourth stab wound was also found on Mr Williamson’s forearm.

He told the jury that George then went to a friends house before leaving again where he was attacked in the street by a group of men ‘it seems in revenge’ for what had happened to Mr Williamson.

George was injured and taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary where he was arrested and kept under police guard.

He was interviewed by police three times on January 6, 2022, answering 'no comment' to the questions put to him and was charged with murder the same day.

Liam Walker KC, defending, said George could not "remember sufficiently what happened".

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He told jurors George had been drinking excessively that night and his memory had also been affected by the serious assault he had suffered in the aftermath, while his mental health conditions including PTSD and ADHD also made recalling the events difficult.

Mr Walker told the court George’s case is he could not have formed an intention to do Mr Williamson serious harm, he did not intend to cause serious harm and he had been acting in self-defence.

The trial continues.