Samurai sword used to kill man, court told

Richard Meakin died later in a Bury hospital after an artery in his thigh had been severed during the attack in Ramsbottom.

At Manchester Crown Court, Charles Garside, QC, prosecuting, alleged that Mr Meakin had been the victim of a revenge attack. Nathaniel Clarke-Collins, aged 19, of Moyse Avenue, Bury, Martin Nicholl, aged 33, of Hurst Street, Bury, John Watt, aged 22, of Square Street, Ramsbottom, and Stephen Goodwin, aged 22, of Bright Street, Radcliffe, have pleaded not guilty to murder. They also deny alternative charges of manslaughter and assault.

Mr Garside said the four men had admitted being at the scene of the attack, but only one admitted using the sword. "The prosecution say they were lying and trying to minimise what they had done," he said. "They were trying to deflect blame from themselves. This was not a random attack - it was in revenge for an assault on Watt just days earlier."

The motive for the attack seemed to be a feud between the victim, his brother Michael, and John Watt.

During an earlier violent confrontation, Watt had been assaulted in his flat.

On August 22, the Meakin brothers and a friend were at a house in Rostron Road, Ramsbottom, where drugs were available.

The four defendants, armed with the Samurai sword, went to the house knowing they were inside. The Meakins and the friend fled, but Richard Meakin was caught in an alley.

Mr Garside said: "Watt appeared to be holding a long object which the Crown says was the sword."

Richard Meakin was kicked about the head and body and stabbed eight times with the sword, which had a foot-long blade.

Shouts of "help me, help me" were heard along with others of "kill him" and "stab him". The sword was later found hidden in a gutter at the Ramsbottom Heritage Centre.

Mr Garside said Goodwin was the only defendant who admitted using the sword and said he had "struck one half-hearted blow with it".

Proceeding