A factory supervisor was hacked to death by two teenagers who slashed and chopped at him more than 100 times with a samurai sword, at one point trying to decapitate him.
CCTV footage, played in court today, showed how Robert Wilson, 53, from Birstall, was investigating youths hanging around outside the Thornton & Ross pharmaceutical plant in Linthwaite, Huddersfield, in January, when he was attacked by Kiyran Earnshaw, 18, and 16-year-old Luke Gaukroger, who passed a 20in sword between them.
Audio recorded from Mr Wilson’s phone call to a security firm captured the night shift supervisor’s pleas to the youths to stop their attack.
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Peter Makepeace QC, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court that Earnshaw started the attack after producing the blue sword from inside his tracksuit bottoms.
After he started raining blows on Mr Wilson, the younger teenager was heard repeatedly shouting: “Pass me the shank, pass me the shank.”
After multiple blows and kicks to Mr Wilson, Earnshaw passed the sword to Gaukroger.
Mr Makepeace said the boy approached Mr Wilson and using his right hand stabbed him with 11 full force blows, before handing the sword back to Earnshaw, who wielded the sword in a chopping action as one might use an axe.
Mr Makepeace said the pair paused at one point to catch their breath and to rifle through Mr Wilson’s pockets, taking his coat.
The prosecutor said that the pair then jointly resumed the attack, giving horrific details of what happened next.
Police arrived at the scene as the pair continued the attack. Mr Makepeace said Earnshaw was Tasered twice before he was arrested and officers used an incapacitant spray on the boy.
The court heard that Mr Wilson had left the plant to talk to the youths in the car park with colleagues Paul Thewliss and John Badejo.
Mr Badejo was seriously injured as he tried to help his friend and both men were forced to flee for their lives, Mr Makepeace said.
He said: “There is no suggestion they were anything other than polite and decent in their dealings with the youths once they met up in the car park.”
Both defendants have admitted murdering Mr Wilson and causing Mr Badejo grievous bodily harm with intent.
The prosecution opening is continuing and the pair will be sentenced later on Wednesday.
Mr Makepeace said the defendants were seen taking tablets “washed down with vodka and other alcohol” as they hung around Huddersfield with friends before the incident in January.
He said that, after his arrest, Earnshaw was slurring his speech, asking why he had been arrested and complaining of police harassment.
He told officers he had taken cocaine and the tranquilliser Xanax.
Tests on drugs Earnshaw had in his possession found they were Flualprazolam – an artificial substance similar to Xanax which produces drowsiness, confusion and disinhibition.
Mr Makepeace said a post-mortem examination on Mr Wilson “confirmed at least 100 sharp force injuries to the body” concentrated in the region of the head, neck and upper body.
The prosecutor said: “There was but one injury consistent with a defensive injury and that was to the left thumb indicating Mr Wilson was unable to put up any resistance.”
The court heard that Mr Wilson was married with two grown-up children and enjoyed gardening, golf and walking in the Yorkshire Dales.
His wife Elaine told the court his death was “completely incomprehensible”, adding: “How on earth have we come to this and why?”
She said she was sickened to receive a letter from one of the defendants saying it was the “worse night of my life and ‘I’m sorry'”. She told the judge she had been shocked to “feel so much hate”.
She said to the defendants: “I want you to know you have taken the life of a much respected, admired and good man.”
Mr Badejo told the court that on-site security guards at the Thornton & Ross plant had been replaced by CCTV cameras monitored by staff.
He said: “We should not have been doing those duties. There should’ve been security.”
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