Man murdered fellow train passenger in front of teenage son in row over blocked aisle, court told

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A father was stabbed 18 times in front of his 14-year-old son after a heated row with a fellow train passenger over blocking the aisle, a court has heard.

Darren Pencille attacked 51-year-old Lee Pomeroy five minutes after boarding a London-bound train at Guildford in Surrey earlier this year, the jury at the Old Bailey was told.

The 36-year-old defendant denies murdering Mr Pomeroy on the busy carriage on 4 January, but has admitted possession of an offensive weapon.

Prosecutors claim Mr Pencille plunged a blade into the victim’s neck, opening up his jugular vein and carotid artery, before stabbing him another 17 times in the face, torso, thigh, arm and hands.

Opening the trial, Jake Hallam QC told the jury: “Within five minutes of boarding that train, Lee Pomeroy had been stabbed in the neck by the first defendant, Darren Pencille. It was the first of 18 knife wounds that he inflicted upon him.”

The prosecutor added: “A little over an hour after he boarded the train, and despite the best efforts of the emergency services who rushed to save his life, Lee Pomeroy was dead.”

Jurors were shown CCTV footage of an attack on the unarmed dad and were told the violence was witnessed by other passengers.

The court also heard that Mr Pencille’s girlfriend, 27-year-old Chelsea Mitchell, picked him up after he left the train and bought hair clippers and razors for him to change his appearance. She has pleaded not guilty to assisting an offender.

Mr Pomeroy was killed the day before he was due to celebrate his 52nd birthday. At 1.01pm on Friday 4 January, he and his son boarded a train in Guildford bound for London Waterloo.

They got into the same carriage as Mr Pencille and made their way down the aisle.

The prosecutor suggested that the father and son may have been “blocking” Mr Pencille’s way, prompting the response: “Ignorance is bliss.”

The defendant made the comment twice, prompting Mr Pomeroy to ask what he meant, the court heard.

It led to a row which quickly became “heated”, Mr Hallam said. He described the row as “fast-moving, unexpected and tragic”.

According to one passenger, Mr Pencille was the aggressor, calling Mr Pomeroy a “pussy” and “c***” in front of his teenage son.

He said Mr Pencille shouted: “You touch me, you touch me and you see what happens at the next stop.”

Mr Pomeroy was said to have demanded an apology, saying: “You should not have humiliated me in front of my kid.”

According to another witness, Mr Pencille was swearing and accusing Pomeroy of following him up the train. Mr Pencille called the victim racist, even though he had not said anything racist, according to a woman on the train.

Mr Pomeroy allegedly responded: “I’ve never dealt with someone with special needs before.”

Part of their heated exchange was recorded on a mobile phone. The defendant allegedly said: “C***, you heard what I said, you f****** heard what I said. Go, put your hand on me.”

Mr Pomeroy was said to have replied: “Listen, right. I dare you, I dare you. I dare you. Put your hand on me. Put your hand on me ‘cos it won’t end nicely. Put your hand on me!”

Seconds later, Mr Pomeroy was stabbed in the neck, the court heard.

The trial continues.

Additional reporting by agencies