Trial begins of 4 men who deny murdering Scarborough man Solomon Robinson, as another admits plunging blade into his back

Dawid Goral, 20, Callon Brass, 21, Kieran Watkinson, 18, and Stevie Low, 22, are all accused of murdering 26-year-old Scarborough man Solomon Robinson, who was knifed to death near the statue of Queen Victoria in the gardens outside Scarborough Town Hall.

A fifth Scarborough man, 22-year-old Stefan Selvage, has already admitted murder after CCTV footage showed him following Mr Robinson into the park on a bike, before jumping off and plunging a blade into his back.

The harrowing footage, played in court on the first day of the trial at Leeds Crown Court today, showed that at least two of the attackers, all wearing dark clothes and hoodies, were wielding long-bladed knives, including a machete.

Mr Robinson staggered back towards the entrance of the gardens but collapsed on the pavement in a pool of blood, said prosecutor Tahir Khan QC.

His friends and others rushed to his aid and an ambulance was called. Paramedics arrived and Mr Robinson, who suffered an 11-inch-deep wound to his lower back, was taken to hospital by ambulance after suffering “catastrophic” bleeding.

Surgeons fought to save his life during emergency surgery, but Mr Robinson died just before 5am – about three hours after the attack.

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A post-mortem found that the cause of death was a single stab wound which had severed a major artery and resulted in “massive” blood loss.

Brass, of Eastborough, Goral, of Durham Street, Low, of Longwestgate, and Watkinson, of Endcliff Crescent, all denied murder following their arrests shortly after the incident.

The court heard that the five men were loitering outside the town hall in the early hours of Sunday October 20 2019, apparently waiting for Mr Robinson, who was talking to two friends at the other end of St Nicholas Street.

Prosecutor Tahir Khan QC said it was the Crown’s case that the fatal stabbing was not the work of Selvage alone and that others in the gang had taken part in a “joint” attack.

Witness Madeleine Cooper, who was staying at the Royal Hotel overlooking the gardens with her husband, saw the horror unfold as she looked out of her third-floor room just after 2am.

“It was about 2am when Mrs Cooper heard noises outside,” said Mr Khan.

“She looked out of the window and could see a group of perhaps five young men, wearing dark clothing and hoods, congregating on the steps of the town hall.”

She then saw Mr Robinson and two friends - a man and a woman both named in court - walk towards the group of men.

Mrs Cooper then saw “the glint of what she thought was a sword” brandished by one of the men who followed Mr Robinson into the town hall gardens.

“This person, who she said she saw with a sword, then suddenly lunged towards (Mr Robinson) who was walking with the girl,” said Mr Khan.

“According to Mrs Cooper, (Mr Robinson) turned and ran towards that same entrance. She then saw the person who had gone towards the victim with the (weapon) go towards the victim again, but at that point the victim fell to the ground.”

She said the men then ran off and heard someone call for an ambulance.

The young woman who was with Mr Robinson said she couldn’t see the attackers’ faces because they all had their hoods up and it was dark, but she did hear one of the gang shouting at Mr Robinson: “You’re a pussy.”

“She saw him begin to sway in the road (following the stabbing),” added Mr Khan.

“He then took a few steps and he collapsed on the edge of the pavement, on the road. Very quickly a pool of blood began to form on the road. She shouted for somebody to call an ambulance.”

Chilling footage of the incident showed the silhouettes of the hooded gang all grouped together during the attack.

Another witness, a man named in court who was socialising with friends after work, said he heard a “commotion” coming from the park.

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He saw a man with a blue top emerging from the park with his hood up.

“This male came to (the witness’s) attention because he was carrying something in his hand,” added Mr Khan.

“It appeared to be a bladed article about 25cm long, and at that point, having seen this individual brandishing this weapon, (the witness) heard somebody saying, “I’m not a pussy; I’m not bleeding”.

“The actual (proven) stabbing was carried out by Stefan Selvage with what we suggest was a machete, but he wasn’t the only person armed with a knife at this time.”

Mr Khan said that despite Selvage’s undoubted attack, the man who was brandishing the “long-bladed weapon” was in fact another member of the gang.

“(The witness), we say, was describing Dawid Goral,” added Mr Khan.

“Mr Goral was wearing a blue jacket and we say he was the only one of this group of five who was wearing a jacket like that. The overwhelming likelihood … is that the person that (the witness) saw was Mr Goral.”

Another male witness saw Mr Robinson bleeding “heavily” and a group of young men, wearing grey tracksuits and sports clothes, scarpering from the scene.

He said they were “boisterously” shouting at Mr Robinson, “You’ll never do anything” and “You’re a pussy”.

Mr Khan said it appeared that the gang were “wallowing (in) or celebrating” what they had done to Mr Robinson, whose family members were in court.

All five suspects were arrested shortly after the attack, but all denied their involvements in the murder.

However, Selvage pleaded guilty to murder the day before the trial was due to get underway.

The trial continues.