A Warrington dad accused of stabbing Billy Moore to death told a court this afternoon (Monday), that he collected knives and was acting in self-defence when he repeatedly stabbed his victim.
James Ireland is on trial at Liverpool Crown Court denying murdering 31-year-old Billy Moore who was repeatedly stabbed, including a fatal wound to the throat.
A jury has heard that Ireland, 41, of Lodge Lane, Bewsey, admits inflicting the injuries but claims he was acting in self-defence.
Following the incident on the evening of December 22 last year Ireland’s home was searched six days later and police found a knife in the pocket of his coat hanging in a hall cupboard
Beginning his evidence Ireland, who said he cannot write or read apart from simple words, told how he left school at 14 and went on to college to study painting, decorating and bricklaying.
He left after two and a half years after falling through a wire mesh window and injuring both arms leaving him with a claw hand. He said he was left-handed but adjusted to using his right hand.
Asked by his KC, Stan Reiz about knives Ireland said, “I collect them. They are nice to have. I have Samurais and other knives on plaques on the wall. I bought them from shops in the town centre and my nan and granddad bought me some over the years. I would put them on walls or window ledges.”
Asked if he took them out of the house he replied, “No.”
Questioned about two knives found in his hallway he said they were for cutting weeds and a knife in his bedroom he got from the town centre five or six years ago. “I bought it for my collection.”
He said he did not know why it was in his bedroom but never took it out of the house.
Ireland said that a knife seized from the wall of his living room he had bought about eight years ago from a site called Wish to put in his collection.
Referring to the knife found in his coat pocket the defendant said he had got it about three years ago from the town centre for his collection. He said he was not sure why it was in his coat and said he had probably used it for stripping wire to make his dog’s lead bigger.
The jury has been told that Ireland has previous convictions and Mr Reiz took him through these and Ireland agreed they were correct.
On July 31, 2003 he was convicted of wounding involving a gang fight in the town centre in which he punched a man when he was unconscious on the floor.
On December 7 that year he was convicted of another wounding offence involving an assault leaving a man with serious head injuries. Ireland told the court that the victim was saying things about his then girlfriend so he punched him which led to him falling backwards banging his head on the ground.
He also agreed that July 1, 2015 a knuckle duster was found under the car seat he was sitting in which he had put there after another person in the car had passed it to him.
Ireland pleaded guilty to those offences and also to a battery offence in December 2016 involving calling at the home of a partially sighted man and spraying him in the face with a fire extinguisher.
He told the court today, “I cannot remember, I was drunk at the time. I was alcoholic at the time.”
Earlier during the trial the jury has heard that the fatal incident happened after Ireland turned up at Mr Moore’s girlfriend’s home in Yardley Avenue, Bewsey after Ireland’s schoolgirl daughter and young cousin told him Mr Moore had made them uncomfortable by shouting towards them.
“Rather than simply seeking an explanation or some form of an apology, James Ireland launched an unprovoked and deadly attack,” claims Iain Simkin KC, prosecuting.
The case continues
