Derbyshire grandfather died after he suffered three stab wounds to his legs

Derby Crown Court recently heard how former RAF serviceman Simon Jones, 57, of Belper, was allegedly attacked by John Williams in a car park at Chaddesden Park, Derby, and was later pronounced dead at the Royal Derby Hospital.

Williams and two other men, Kirk Guy and Jacob Ali, are on trial for his murder and for a second charge of conspiracy to rob.

Peter Joyce QC, prosecuting, said Guy arranged a drug deal with a friend of Mr Jones, called Carl Calladine, scheduled to happen on the evening of April 20, 2019.

He said Mr Calladine and Mr Jones drove in the latter’s VW Transporter vans to the car park at 9.35pm.

They were supposed to hand over cocaine to Williams and Ali who had gone to meet them in a blue Renault Megane, which belonged to Guy, and hand them cash in return, according to Mr Joyce.

Mr Joyce said: “That was the belief of Carl Calladine. But in fact no money was taken to the meeting by Ali and Williams as they and Guy had agreed that Calladine and Jones were to be robbed of the drugs and ‘done over’, as ordered by Guy, with a knife or knives.

“The entire meeting was a ‘set up’ arranged by Guy.

“At the park Calladine went up to the Renault Megane and was robbed at knifepoint of three packs of cocaine, his phone and the keys to the Transporter van by Ali and Williams.

“Calladine managed to run away but the Megane was moved closer to where the VW van was parked and Williams went over.

“Failing to get the rest of the drugs - there were supposed to be 10 packs in total - he attacked and stabbed Simon Jones.”

Mr Joyce added: “The wound that killed him was round 6cm deep, caused a particularly severe cut to an artery and was inflicted by this enormous knife.

“He suffered three stab wounds to the leg, one to the left and two to the right, one of which severed an artery causing an internal bleed which proved fatal and which killed Simon Jones.”

Mr Joyce said Mr Jones also suffered an injury to his face and two fractures to his ribs.

He said he was pronounced dead at 10.40pm that night.

Mr Joyce said: “The prosecution case is that it was Williams that actually stabbed Simon Jones and that the others, Guy and Ali, either intended to assist him or intended to both rob him and cause him really serious injury or to kill him in the course of the robbery.

“Guy set it up, Ali drove Williams to the scene and Williams was the killer.”

Members of Mr Jones' family as well as supporters of Guy, 34, of Haydn Road, Williams, 24, of Waterford Drive, and Ali, 20, of Ashworth Avenue, all in Chaddesden, were all in court to hear the case opened.

Mr Jones' family has previously described him as “a true gentleman who was adored by everyone”.

The trial, which is scheduled to last up to six weeks, continues.