Stab wound to victim’s heart proved fatal
A Gosport man attacked during a cocaine robbery died from a stab wound to the heart that was “inevitably fatal”, a court heard.
Levi Kent, 22, was repeatedly stabbed when he was lured to shops behind Nobes Avenue on November 24 having refused to defer payment on a deal to sell cocaine, Portsmouth Crown Court previously heard.
The victim was stabbed in his Vauxhall Corsa before attempting to escape and crashing his car into a wall and garages. Levi was then chased into Keyes Road before he was attacked again.
Tommy West, 18, of Fisgard Road, Gosport, has admitted murder, robbery and possession of a blade.
His half-brother, Aiden
West, 24, of Tudor Close, Gosport, denies murder and possession of a blade.
The court heard from pathologist Deborah Cook, who revealed Levi suffered “six knife injuries to the body” including three to his right thigh. But it was the single blow with “moderate force” to the heart that proved “inevitably fatal”.
Dr Cook said of the stab wound: “Outside of a major trauma centre he could not have survived. Death was not instantaneous. He would have been able to move around before collapsing through weakness and dying. He would have been capable of purposeful activity for a few minutes.”
The pathologist said Levi had also suffered defence injuries to his right wrist and a number of grazes and lacerations on his face, left arm and knee. A blunt injury to his head was consistent with collapsing onto tarmac.
Dr Cook concluded the cause of death was from a “stab wound to the chest involving the heart”. She told the court Levi had cocaine in his system consistent with recreational use.
Peter West, 42, of Fisgard
Road, and Michael Figgins, 64, of St Ann’s Crescent, are also on trial, with each charged with two counts of assisting an offender.
Joanne West, 45, of no fixed address, and Liam Savage, 37, of Trinity Green in Gosport, have admitted two counts of assisting an offender. Sarah Flynn, 36, of James Close in Gosport, was charged with two counts of assisting an offender.
(Proceeding)
He would have been able to move around before collapsing through weakness and dying