Jury retires in Sheffield city centre murder trial

THE JURY in the case of two men — including one from Rotherham — accused of murdering a man in Sheffield city centre last year has retired to consider its verdict.

Reece Radford (26) died on October 4 last year — five days after the confrontation in Sheffield city centre.

The two defendants — Dereck Owusu (39), of Strathmore Grove, Wath, and Louis James (47), of Manor Lane, Sheffield — went on trial at Sheffield Crown Court three weeks ago.

The prosecution said Mr Radford had been stabbed in a fight with the two defendants at Arundel Gate on September 29.

In his closing speech, Mr David Temkin said the prosecution’s position was that James had stabbed Radford and Owusu had kicked his head while he was on the ground.

Police had found no knife on either defendant but later had found one dropped in the drain under a bridge on nearby Shude Hill.