Murder accused Sam Field will now defend himself as his legal team exits
A murder trial jury heard the moment Samuel Field admitted to police that he stamped on an elderly man’s head – after his legal team left the court case.
Barristers acting for Samuel Field left the proceedings this week and the 40-year-old has now begun defending himself.
Well-respected barrister Naeem Mian KC, who has previously defended clients in some extremely high profile homicide cases, and junior James Smith-Wilds, had been representing Field, of Gold Street, Desborough, in the murder trial at Northampton Crown Court which is now into its third week.
On Wednesday (April 29) the court heard from leading medics about the brain and head injuries suffered by Martin Glynn in September 2024, three months before he died in a care home.
But following the afternoon’s appearance from expert witness neurosurgeon Howard Brydon, whose evidence did not always align with that of the other medics, Mr Mean and Mr Smith-Wilds exited the case and have not been replaced.
Instead, Field will now represent his own interests in court.
No more about the reasons for the departure of Mr Mian and Mr Smith-Wilds can be revealed at this stage of the proceedings.
‘I know what I have done’
Thursday’s (April 30) evidence covered Field’s police interviews, which were read to the jury.
Field was arrested just after midnight on the evening of September 21, 2024. The jury was told that when he was apprehended at the end of his driveway he said: “I know what I have done”.
During his police interview he told detectives that he had cannabis in his possession because of ‘the stress’.
"I’ve been so stressed,” he told them, “and I’ve been trying to get help.
"I didn’t know where to turn, where to go, you know, and it really helped. It’s as simple as that.”
He told the officers that he had been living in the flat in Gold Street for about two years and three months, and that he had known Martin Glynn for between 17 and 20 years.
He also told them that there was a ‘story’ behind what had happened with Mr Glynn.
"They’re trying to set me up in order to put me in prison,” he said.
“And.. so… ‘they’ I’m referring to specifically, I’ve got a lot of people hating me. My landlady being one of them..
"Because I’m building a case on them and taking them to court. I’ve got them on, erm, they have safety issues.”
He went on to tell them about a conspiracy he believed Mr Glynn was involved in against him, with an Irishman.
‘I used my foot and stamped on his head’
He said Mr Glynn was his ‘only friend’.
“He’s my next of kin. I’m his next of kin,” he said. “We’ve been friends for.. there’s no relationship, it’s just friendship.”
He told police he had been concerned that Mr Glynn had got a key to his flat copied and had given it to the Irishman. He then described what happened when Mr Glynn arrived at his flat on the morning of September 19.
“I punched him and he went down to the floor and I.. I.. used my foot and stamped on his head like that.. went bam bam.”
He also admitted kicking him in the head.
"He fell to the floor on the left,” he told police.
"Ok, and while he’s on the floor, what’s happened next?” asked the police officer.
"That’s when I stood, that’s when I stamped on his head,” said Field. He also confirmed he had kicked him in the ear. And in an attempt to cast the blame elsewhere, he went on to say that during the days Martin Glynn was in his flat, he had been out to Co-Op and that ‘anyone could have come into his property’.
"I do feel bad for what (happened to) Martin, he’s my long term friend. And erm, it’s absolutely awful what I’ve been going through and what’s happened to him.”
He said that he overnight, while he had been on the floor, Mr Glynn had ‘wet himself.’
"He was stinking,” Field told police officers. “I said ‘Martin you need to get a shower.’”
He said he ‘regretted’ the things he had done, and said he had been trying to look after Mr Glynn for ‘years’.
On Friday, Field was asked whether he would like to give evidence in chief from the witness box, and he declined ,which meant the defence case was also concluded.
Mr Field was also asked by High Court judge Mr Justice Stephen Eyre KC whether he wanted to make a closing speech on his own behalf, which he is not expected to do.
A closing speech by prosecutor Adrian Langdale KC is due to take place today (Tuesday, May 5). The judge will also give the jury members legal directions before they are sent out to consider their verdict.
Samuel Field, 40, formerly of Gold Street, Desborough, denies murder, and the alternative counts of manslaughter and GBH.
The trial continues.