JORDAN WATSON 'LURED TO HIS DEATH BY LOVE RIVAL', COURT TOLD

Police who searched a suspect’s home found “an unusually large quantity of knives and weapons”, the Jordan Watson murder trial heard.

Carlisle Crown Court was told the collection at George Thomson’s Carlisle house included a dagger, a lock-knife, a machete as well as a stun gun and an air rifle.

Prosecuting barrister Simon Medland QC made the statement on day one of the trial of three men – Thomson, Brahnn Finley and Daniel Johnston – accused of murdering Jordan, 14.

His body was found at Upperby Cemetery on June 16.

Mr Medland said police searched Thomson’s home in Upperby.

He added: “A large Ghurka knife was found under George Thomson’s bed. It had some blood on it.

“Some of the blood could have been Jordan Watson’s and also Brahnn Finley’s.

“The sample is too small and too complex to enable the scientist to give a statistical evaluation of the findings.”

He added other weapons were discovered.

Mr Medland said: “They include, for example, a rope-handled dagger in a sheath, a red-handled knife, a wooden-handled lock-knife, a Stanley knife, three black-handled knives, a home-made weapon, a stun gun, a machete in a sheath, three other knives, a knife attached to a green vest, a replica rifle and an air rifle.”

The court earlier heard that residents living behind the graveyard where Jordan lost his life heard horrible screams.

A jury were told this provided no doubt about when he died - with the screams heard at about 11pm the night before his body was found in Carlisle’s Upperby Cemetery.

Mr Medland said: "Jordan's body was found by a passing walker at about 7.30am on June 16."

His body was in a corner of the old part of the cemetery.

"There was blood everywhere," said Mr Medland. "There was no doubt when the murder was committed.

"The area behind is residential and several people heard horrible screams at about 11pm."

The trial was told one of the accused, Thomson, 19, wanted Jordan's girlfriend to go out with him and stop going out with the 14-year-old.

The prosecution case is that Jordan was killed in a "brutal and sustained attack" so that Thomson could "get" his girlfriend.

Jordan Watson lost his life after suffering "terrible injuries" inflicted after being persuaded to go to the graveyard, the trial was told.

The prosecution in the case say the other two accused of murder - Finley, 19, and Johnston, 20 - were in the cemetery on Manor Road to "mind Thomson's back".

Mr Medland said Jordan's girlfriend "was the object of devoted attention for Thomson".

"Thomson wanted her to go out with him and to stop going out with Jordan Watson," added Mr Medland.

"He was generous to her and gave her presents. It was to provide him with the motive for Jordan's murder.

"He told her Jordan wasn't treating her right and if only she would go with him he would treat her like a princess.

"He said he wanted to kill him or that Jordan should be killed."

Mr Medland said the reason why Thomson had persuaded Jordan to go to the cemetery was so he "could be murdered".

Mr Medland told the jury: "I am sorry to have to warn you of a brutal and sustained attack on that small and slightly-built 14-year-old boy using a sharp implement or implements.

"I say a brutal and sustained attack not by way of any sort of exaggeration but because that is what the evidence shows."

Thomson, of Upperby Road, Upperby, Finley, of Furze Street, off London Road and Johnston, of Petteril Bank Road, Harraby, all deny murder.