Crabtree murder trial: Murder accused said ‘I’m not a bad person’ as he was arrested by armed police, jury told

A man accused of murdering a drugs courier in Peterborough told police ‘I am not a bad person’ as he was arrested, a court has heard.

Lewis Hutchinson was arrested at a home in Skegness on the evening of April 14 on suspicion of murdering Mihai Dobre. Mr Dobre died in the early hours of April 13 in Crabtree, Paston. He had suffered a gun shot wound to the head, as sat in his car as he delivered drugs.

Hutchinson has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but denies murder and conspiracy to rob.

At the trial at Peterborough Crown Court on Wednesday, PC Lee Giles, from Lincolnshire Police, was asked about the moment Hutchinson was arrested.

The jury heard police attended an address in Skegness at about 9pm on April 14.

Jury shown footage of arrest

Video footage, taken from PC Giles body-worn camera, was shown to the jury showing the moment Hutchinson was arrested.

The footage showed armed police calling for Hutchinson to come out of the property ‘with nothing in his hands.’

Hutchinson is shown coming out of the home, and being told to get on the floor, and crawl to where the officers were standing.

He was then put into handcuffs.

PC Giles was asked how he would describe Hutchinson at the time of the arrest.

He said: “He appeared intoxicated, by alcohol, drugs or both.”

The officer then confirmed Hutchinson had said ‘I’m not a bad person’ when he was arrested, and denied involvement in murder.

Barnaby Shaw, defending Hutchinson, asked PC Giles about police firearms training asking him if the training covered the risks of accidental discharge.

PC Giles confirmed it did, and said he was aware of incidents where firearms had been discharged accidentally.

Injuries were ‘unsurvivable’

The court also heard from pathologist Dr Virginia Fitzpatrick-Swallow, who performed the post mortem examination on Mr Dobre.

She told the jury a number of pellets fired from the shotgun had been found in Mr Dobre’s head.

She said the pattern of the pellets could indicate Mr Dobre had his head turned towards the window when he was shot.

Stuart Trimmer KC, prosecuting, asked Ms Fitzpatrick-Swallow if that sort of injury was ‘unsurvivable.’

Dr Fitzpatrick-Swallow replied. Yes, that would be unsurvivable.”

However, she said it was possible that Mr Dobre would not have died instantly, and would have been alive for a few seconds after being shot.

The court has heard it said that around the time the shot was fired, the car Mr Dobre was sitting in moved forward.

Dr Fitzpatrick-Swallow was asked if he could have operated the clutch after being shot.

She said; “I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to say definitely no - whether for a few seconds he had the presence of mind to operate the clutch, I don’t know.”

‘I realised it was something bad’

A statement from Mr Dobre’s friend, Alexandru Ruse, was also read to the court.

Mr Ruse said he considered Mr Dobre to be like a cousin, even though the pair were not related.

He said on the night Mr Dobre had been shot, he was called by Mr Dobre’s wife, Ana Sellng, telling him to come to Crabtree.

He said a friend drove him to the scene.

He said: “Mihai’s car was in the middle of the street. I ran to Mihai’s car. We got there about 12.35am to 12.40am. Mihai was in the driver’s seat, his wife was holding his head with paper.”

Mr Ruse said a number of people were also surrounding the car.

He said: “I took a dressing gown that was in the car and held it to his head to stop the bleeding.

“I realised it was something bad.”

‘He said it (the gun) went off by accident’

The court also heard Christopher Pycroft finish giving his evidence.

On Tuesday, Pycroft had told the court how he and Hutchinson plotted to rob a drugs courier, and when they went to carry out the robbery, the gun had been fired.

Nathan Rasiah KC, defending Hutchinson, has disputed Pycroft’s version of events.

Pycroft has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob in relation to the events.

On Wednesday, Pycroft told the court he had spoken to Hutchinson in prison while the pair were on remand following their arrest.

He said he had asked Pycroft why he had fired the gun.

He said: “He said it went off by accident.”

On Tuesday he had told the court the plan they had come up with was for Pycroft to go to the driver’s window of the car, and ask for the drugs - with Hutchinson then coming out to threaten the driver.

Pycroft was asked what the plan was if the driver had not handed over the drugs. Pycroft replied: “I never really considered it before.”

Judge Sean Enright also asked him if he had seen the shot fired.

He confirmed he had not.

Hutchinson, 29, of Eastern Avenue, Peterborough, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and not guilty to murder and conspiracy to rob.

Pycroft, 40, of Crabtree, Paston, Peterborough has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob.

The trial continues.