Norwich murder trial told stabbing followed drugs row

Theodore Lynch, who is on trial for murder, is accused of getting into an altercation with Leslie Smith, 63, at his flat in Suffolk Square, Norwich, during which he fatally stabbed the victim.

Suffolk Square, Norwich (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)Norwich Crown Court heard Lynch had earlier gone up to Mr Smith's second floor flat to give him money to buy drugs for him.

Norwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)But Lynch later became "upset" after Smith told him he had spent the money and smoked the drugs, leading to the violent row.

CCTV footage showed Lynch "frantically" trying to leave the complex and "running" from the area following the incident, on October 5, 2021, although Mr Smith's body was not found until 12 days later.

Suffolk Square, Norwich (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)Residents had reported an unpleasant smell in the area to the council's housing officers and Mr Smith was discovered "slumped lifeless on the sofa" with his body in an "advanced state of decomposition".

An initial post-mortem examination revealed a "significant quantity" of blood in Mr Smith's chest cavity.

Also found was a "defect" in his neck which prompted a further post-mortem by a forensic pathologist.

A murder inquiry was launched after the further examination found Mr Smith died as a result of a penetrating wound to his neck.

Police at Suffolk Square (Image: Newsquest)Lynch, of no fixed abode, has gone on trial having denied the murder of Mr Smith.

Stephen Rose KC, opening the prosecution case on Tuesday said when Mr Smith returned "empty handed" after being given money to buy drugs Lynch and Mr Smith "argued".

Suffolk Square, Norwich (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)The prosecutor said Lynch was angry and "stabbed" Mr Smith, inflicting the wound "intending to cause him at least very serious harm if not worse".

A jury panel of 14 - made up of 10 women and four men - heard Mr Smith had been released from Norwich Prison on August 24, 2021, and was fitted with an electronically-monitored tag on his ankle.

Mr Smith had to adhere to a daily curfew between 7pm and 7am with the monitoring equipment finding he had left his property shortly after 6pm on October 5 but did not return until 7.18pm - almost 20 minutes after his curfew allowed.

Mr Smith was contacted by the monitoring company about the breach at 7.37pm on October 5 but the call was unanswered.Suffolk Square, Norwich (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)

Further calls to Mr Smith also went unanswered.

Mr Rose said: "The prosecution say, and invite you to consider, the reason he didn't answer those calls on October 8, 14 and 17 was that he was already dead in his flat but at that stage no-one knew anything about it."

Jurors were told there were a "multitude" of items found in the living room of Mr Smith's flat that can be forensically linked to Lynch.

The prosecutor said Lynch accepts he was "in an altercation with the deceased" in Mr Smith's flat.

Although he has denied having anything to do with causing the wound to Mr Smith's neck or being in possession of any weapon.

But Mr Rose insisted if the jury look at all the available evidence they would find that Lynch was "guilty of murder".

The trial continues.