Jury sent out as three men deny murdering 'wrong man' Thomas Williamson

Jurors have been sent out in the trial of three men accused of killing Thomas Williamson. The 30-year-old had been out for a walk to clear his head when he was mistaken for a man who had punched someone outside a Tyldesley bar, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

Kane Adamson, 19, Joshua Prescott, 20, and Ben Dawber, 19, are alleged to have launched a 'ferocious' attack on Mr Williamson. All three men deny the charge of murder, and an alternate count of manslaughter.

After summing up the evidence this morning (February 14), His Honour Judge Maurice Greene told jurors they were required to deliver a unanimous verdict on all charges. During a trial which ran for several weeks, the court heard how the alleged attack followed two other men being involved in an altercation.

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A man called David Shuttleworth had punched another man, named Jake Dinning, who he thought had been 'in dispute' with his girlfriend outside Lounge Bar in Tyldesley shortly after 1am. It is alleged the defendants were driving past in a Chevrolet Kalos car at the time and chose to get involved.

The court heard Mr Shuttleworth ran off, believing the defendants were 'associates' of the man he had punched, and a 'reluctant' Mr Dinning was told to get in the Chevrolet. Prosecuting, Jason Pitter KC told jurors that having driven around 'on the hunt for Mr Shuttleworth', Mr Williamson was seen, and one of the car's occupants incorrectly identified him as the man they were searching for.

The court heard Mr Williamson died of 'multiple stab wounds'. One stab wound entered his neck and cut into a major vein while another to his chest penetrated his lung and