The man accused of murdering Kameron Campbell in Bedford last summer will not be calling any evidence, his barrister said today (Friday).

Kevin Dent KC told a jury at Luton Crown Court that Frederico Saurini would not be going into the witness box saying: “The defence do not adduce any evidence in this case.”

Mr Saurini, now 52, of Palgrave Road, Bedford denies murder on the afternoon of Saturday, 20 August last year. He is aided in court by an Italian interpreter.

The jury at Luton crown court heard that after being stabbed, the 26-year-old victim started to push his bike along Palgrave Road before collapsing in the street.

Read: Jury told defendant said “I think I have stabbed him” in Palgrave Road murder trial

Neighbours called for an ambulance and the police. Mr Campbell was taken to the nearby Bedford Hospital just before 7pm, 20 to 30 minutes after he was wounded.

At the start of the trial, prosecutor Julian Evans KC said that Kameron Campbell had been involved in a row with Saurini’s ex-partner in the kitchen while the defendant watched TV in another room.

Kameron Campbell was said to have pulled a knife from his waistband and pointed it at her saying: “I am going to stab you. You f…… bitch.”

Mr Evans said Kameron Campbell went into the garden where he fought with the woman. He was over her holding a knife while she tried to kick him in the genitals and tried to bite him.

Having seen what was happening, the defendant is alleged to have pulled a hunting knife from a drawer, taken it out of its sheath and thrust it towards Kameron Campbell, who left the garden.

A neighbour saw him take his push bike, stagger and fall.

The defendant said: “I think I have stabbed him.”

The police kicked open the gate and arrested Saurini and the woman.

Mr Evans said when the flat was searched, officers found the knife, which had been cleaned. “The flat was in a poor condition and there was significant evidence of drug use,” he said.

When questioned, Saurini said he had taken one or two puffs of crack with his former partner that day. He said she regularly took heroin and crack.

He said Kameron Campbell would not leave and pulled out a knife, telling the woman: “I will kill you. I will kill you.”

He said he did not think someone should go to his home and threaten to kill the mother of his child.

A post-mortem examination found the victim died from a stab wound to the chest. It entered the front and emerged from the back. “The degree of force was towards the severe end of the scale,” said the prosecutor.

The jury was told the defendant had no convictions, cautions or reprimands in the UK or Italy. Kameron Cameron had previous convictions for possessing a blade and possessing heroin with intent to supply.

Judge Michael Topolski KC told the jury of 11 to return to court at 2pm on Monday.

Reporting by South Beds News Agency
Edited by Paul Hutchinson for the Bedford Independent