April 26, 2007
Football fan 'killed in cab fare row'
A MILLWALL fan killed his friend by stabbing him through the eye in a drunken row over a minicab fare, a court has heard.
Craig Griffin, 21, attacked Barry Johnson, 39, hours after they both watched a Crystal Palace versus Millwall match, it is claimed.
Mr Johnson's flatmate found the victim lying on his back at his home in Mottingham with the blade of a kitchen knife sticking out of his right eye.
He also had a stab wound to his back and died from internal bleeding and brain damage in hospital two days later.
Prosecuting John McGuiness QC told the Old Bailey on Tuesday how Griffin stabbed Mr Johnson with 'severe force'.
The court heard both men had watched the football match separately on Saturday, February 18 but ended up drinking together in the Prince of Wales pub in Mottingham Road later that day.
Mr Johnson went back to his home in Albert Road and Griffin arrived around 11.30pm to return a jacket he had borrowed, it is alleged.
The two men carried on drinking and taking cocaine and were later joined by Mr Johnson's flatmate John Davy.
Mr Johnson called a taxi to take Griffin home and gave the minicab driver a £50 note to fetch cigarettes from an all-night garage, it is claimed.
But a row broke out when Griffin returned to the house because he had used up the money to pay the driver to take him to a number of cash points.
Around 2am Mr Davy was woken up by a banging from downstairs.
"He found Mr Johnson on his back on the floor of the living room," Mr McGuiness said.
"Blood was coming from Mr Johnson's mouth, nose and eye and the blade was still protruding out of his eye when Mr Davy came downstairs."
It is claimed Mr Davy saw Griffin loitering nearby but the defendant then fled and stayed with friends in Framlingham Crescent.
Unemployed Griffin, who then lived with his parents in Thursley Road, Mottingham, had blood on his clothes and an injury to his hand following the stabbing, the court heard.
Griffin denies murder and is on bail on condition he lives in Dymchurch, Kent.
The trial continues.
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