A NEIGHBOUR gave a homeless person a weapon to protect himself from youths before a father was murdered, a court heard.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard how the resident handed the broom handle to the homeless man to look after himself before James Gibbons, 34, died after being stabbed near his home in Iris Mews, Laindon on May 2.

A 16-year-old boy is standing trial accused of murdering him by stabbing him four times in the abdomen.

The witness told the court a group of youths were bullying the homeless man.

He said: “I gave him the broom handle so he could protest himself. I didn’t get it back and I didn’t know if the man had been in trouble with police before.

“I didn’t tell police about the broom handle as I thought I would get in trouble for it. Mr Gibbons said the kids had been bullying the homeless man all day.

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“He told them to leave the man alone and to stop being bullies. I came out of my house after hearing a loud bang sound as if something hit metal railings.

“The kids were running away and the homeless man told me one threw a brick at him.

James also came out to see what happened and then the kids came back and one said James had touched his private parts.”

The court was shown CCTV of youngsters around the witnesses house and one young boy throwing a brick before the witness handed the broom handle to the homeless man.

The court previously heard Mr Gibbons had stepped in to help a homeless man being confronted by a group of youths.

Echo:

The jury were previously told the father was aggressive and drunk and hit a boy with a metal pole.

Speaking in court yesterday the witness added: “After the kids came back they surrounded James and there was shouting, pushing and kicking.

“I didn’t see James touch any of the kids. They then all ran after James down an alley I went too to see if he was ok.

I could hear screaming and the saw James laying on the floor.”

The trial continues.