Christopher Allbury-Burridge murder trial: Northampton cannabis grower fatally stabbed by accident in botched drug burglary, court hears

Those accused of murdering a Northampton cannabis grower claim he was accidentally stabbed in a botched drug burglary, a court heard yesterday (Tuesday, August 3).

Christopher Allbury-Burridge, 33, died from a stab wound to the chest at his house in Raeburn Road, Kingsley, in the early hours of December 11, 2020.

The murder and conspiracy to rob accused are: Joel Cyrus, 26, of Whitney Road, Leyton; Calum Farquhar, 24, of Liverpool Road, Leyton; Rakeem Leandre, 26, of Brewers Court, Norwich; and Jordan Parker, 24, of Chingford Road, Walthamstow.

Parker has pleaded guilty to possessing a knife and admitted accidentally killing Mr Allbury Burridge as he tried to break into the house, which the Crown Prosecution Service disputes.

James House QC, prosecuting, said: "He [Parker] will say it was accident, that he smashed the back door window and tried to get through but Christopher Burridge was swearing and shouting and throwing things at him.

"He put his arm out to get back out of the window [and Mr Allbury-Burridge was stabbed].

"They will say they went there to steal but they thought the house was derelict and that no one was home - the intention was burglary, not robbery.

"The prosecution say this claim of all four is all they are left with as their only option - the evidence gathered has provide presence of them at the scene, they have admitted as much.

"This is the only version they have left. Joel Cyrus admitted it and the others have jumped on the bandwagon."

After the attack, police found a knife sheath outside the house, which had Parker's DNA on, and were able to track down the attackers by following ANPR camera and mobile phone mast data.

Cyrus and Farquhar were arrested on December 14, Parker two days later with flight tickets to Antigua and Leandre the next day in Norwich.

Cyrus admitted going to the house thinking it was derelict with Parker and two unnamed men to steal the cannabis.

But he did not go around the back of the house as he could not get over the gate due to a knee injury, but he ran away when others came back as they said someone was there.

Parker then told him that he stabbed the occupant but he 'would not let anyone go down for what he did'.

But he did not say that to police, only saying the sheath could have been moved and the flights were legitimate.

Farquhar and Leandre gave no comments in interview, as did Cyrus and Parker to the other questions put to them.

Parker has since admitted having the knife and stabbing Mr Allbury-Burridge but it was an accident as he tried to get out of the door.

Mr House said it was 'nonsense' to think the house was derelict from the plants on the front garden to the light from the TV and lamp and all of the furniture in the back garden and inside.

Plus he said Farquhar had visited a week before on a reconnaissance trip, as his car and phone were in the area, so he would have seen then that it was not empty.

"When these four attacked, they knew perfectly well it was occupied and they knew they would need to use force to rob the cannabis," he added.

The trial continues.