Sam lay dying in arms of a friend

Feb 22 2008 by Chris Robinson, The Journal

A FRIEND of Samantha Madgin cradled the young mother’s body in his arms as she lay dying in an alley, a murder jury was told yesterday.

The teenager was knifed 10 times in an alleyway in Wallsend, North Tyneside, after she tried to break up a confrontation between two groups of men, it was said.

Newcastle Crown Court heard evidence yesterday from two friends who had chatted to the 18-year-old mother-of-one in the hour leading to her death on August 2, last year.

A 15-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has admitted manslaughter but denies murder.

Miss Madgin had earlier visited the home of friend James Patterson in Albert Avenue with three friends, including Kenneth Horseman and Steven Wilson, and they had a bottle of vodka with them, the court heard.

After they were told they couldn’t come in, the group drove at around 11pm to the home of another friend, Richard Kadar, at nearby Park View where they remained outside, talking and kicking a football.

Mr Kadar said: “They wanted to come in but I had work the next morning and my mother was coming back. After that we talked in the garden. They didn’t look one bit drunk at all.”

Alistair MacDonald QC, prosecuting, asked: “What was the mood of the group?” Mr Kadar replied: “It was fine, normal.”

The jury was told Miss Madgin had joined the men in kicking a football in the street before she, Horseman and Wilson left on foot after 20 minutes.

Jamie Hill QC, defending, asked Mr Kadar: “It’s not that you didn’t want to let them in because you were concerned that they were so drunk?” Mr Kadar replied: “They weren’t drunk at all, they were sober, fine, perfect.”

The group returned to Mr Patterson’s house, knocked on his front door and then tried to get his attention by throwing pebbles at a window, although he did not answer.

Mr Patterson said he heard voices in the street, some of which he recognised and others he didn’t, before it became quiet.

He told the jury: “I was talking to my girlfriend and there was a loud bang on the door. It was ‘Willo’ (Steven Wilson) braying on the door and shouting.”

Mr Patterson said his doorbell was “blood-stained” and that Mr Wilson was in an emotional state. They then ran to the alley where he saw Horseman “kneeling down with Sam in his arms”.

Mr Hill asked: “Did you see Steven Wilson pick up a vodka bottle in the alley, using the inside of his forearms, and carry it down the alleyway and put it in the back yard of (another house)?

Mr Patterson replied: “Why would I focus on him when my friend was in a bad way on the floor? I just thought the worst.” Neighbour Katrina Wandless told the court earlier that she had heard a female “peacemaker”, who prosecutors say was Miss Madgin, asking a group of males to stop arguing.

She said: “To my knowledge she was clearly not involved in this fight.”

The mother, who lives on Albert Avenue, then told the court she saw the 15-year-old walk out around 40 seconds after the confrontation continued, adding: “She stopped and turned around and she looked quite angry. She was frowning.”

Four men have admitted affray and one woman has admitted assisting an offender.

The trial continues.