Murder accused (15) tells court he had "no problem" with victim killed in street attack

The 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is one of four defendants on trial over the death of 51-year-old Jerry Appicella, who died after being beaten in an alleyway in December 2019.

The youth, giving evidence at Sheffield Crown Court, on Monday, said he had known Mr Appicella but they were not friends.

Asked by Mr Mark George QC, defending, if he had any reason to want to hurt him, he replied: “No”.

CCTV footage played in court shows the youth carrying a metal pole several times on the night of the attack.

He is seen entering the Go Local shop in Denaby, on one occasion carrying the metal pole.

The footage shows him calling Mr Appicella a “nonce” after being told to stop “playing with his d***” but the youth said this was “just banter”.

The youth is seen on the CCTV leaving the shop with Mr Appicella's phone and, after returning the phone, while armed with a metal pole, telling Mr Appicella to come outside.

Asked by Mr Mark George, defending, why he had done so, he told the court it was “just horseplay” and some girls outside the shop “didn’t want to go in with (Jerry) in there”.

The youth is then seen on the footage taking a bottle of vodka out of the shop, before later returning it.

The prosecution claim these were attempts to “lead” Mr Appicella out of the shop.

CCTV footage shows Mr Appicella leaving the shop with the four defendants nearby.

The youth said Mr Appicella had shouted abuse at one of them, Shae Nicholson, and later made a rude hand gesture towards Nicholson.

Mr Appicella was badly beaten in a ginnel later and died from head injuries.

The youth is on trial for murder alongside Nicholson (20), of Lincoln Close, Denaby; Martell Brown (24), of Colliery Road, Conisbrough; and Kian Gerrard (19), of Lincoln Close, Denaby Main. They are all are accused of murdering Mr Appicella, of Denaby, in the alleyway near the shop on December 3, 2019.

The court has heard Brown told police he had seen the attack but had not been involved and Nicholson was the only one who had hurt Mr Appicella.

Gerrard also claimed he was there when the attack happened but had not got involved.

Nicholson has admitted manslaughter but denies murder.

The youth and the two remaining defendants deny murder.

The trial continues.