Man killed by car threatened with stabbing, jury told

A man who was fatally injured after a car drove into a crowd had told a friend someone threatened to stab him outside a bar minutes earlier.

Tyler Fairman died in hospital on 12 May, three days after the 26-year-old was hit by a car on Gedling Road in Arnold, Nottinghamshire.

Conor Croft, a fellow player at Woodthorpe Park Rangers Football Club, told a jury at Nottingham Crown Court his teammate said a stranger had threatened him during an altercation that evening.

Duane Anthony, 40, of Marton Road in Bulwell, Nottingham, has denied killing Fairman and attempting to murder five others.

The court heard Woodthorpe Park Rangers had been having a presentation on the evening of 8 May at a pub in Sherwood, before they moved on to other venues.

Croft said he was in a car driven by Fairman, with three other passengers, that arrived in Arnold at some time after 00:30 BST on 9 May, where they were intending to continue celebrations.

He said he "heard a commotion" involving Fairman and a man wearing a gold chain he did not know outside a bar on Front Street.

"I've heard Tyler say 'he said he's going to [expletive] stab me'," Croft said.

Previously jurors had been told the deceased and the defendant were seen on CCTV outside the bar where there had been "some sort of a disagreement" between two groups of people.

Croft said Fairman was "very annoyed" and the altercation continued and that he held on to him to try and calm him down.

CCTV footage showed Anthony and others walking away from the scene, followed by some in the football group, with Croft holding back Fairman.

When they were waiting on the pavement, Croft was among the group struck by the vehicle, and the court heard he only remembered being on the floor bleeding with Fairman nearby.

Cory Johnson, the football club manager, was also among the group hit by the car, which he told the court led to him being knocked unconscious and going to hospital.

He said he had heard the "disagreement" involving some of his players outside the bar and heard a knife mentioned by another person, who had also behaved "in an aggressive manner" and before leaving had said: "I'll be back."

Tyrell Adams, who was unconnected to the football group, said he arrived at the bar on 8 May, when he was approached by the defendant, who was acting "drunk" and "aggravated" while claiming to know him.

"He was slurring his words, in your face, touching you... he was irritating," he said.

Adams said he was inside the bar and could see Anthony approaching people in a similar manner outside, but did not witness the argument.

He said he was being "drunk" and "nosey" after hearing a row at closing time and followed the footballers to the junction of Market Place and Gedling Road, where he "didn't sense any danger" before being hit by the car.

Patrick Harte, chairman of the football club, said he was not near enough to the altercation to hear what happened, but had tried to calm things down with some of his players in the aftermath.

He said he saw the car "coming off the street" and "across the lanes" and tried to shout a warning to the group who were struck.

"The car went up on to the pavement, and went straight into all of the people," he said.

"I've seen the car hit my friends, and my friends go flying."

Harte said he tried to aid the injured parties, including Fairman, who he found unconscious in the road.

"He wasn't responding but [he was] breathing, but it wasn't a normal style of breathing," he said.

"I could hear him struggling for his breath, and the pattern was concerning."

Anthony is accused of the attempted murder of Adams, Croft, Johnson and two other men who have not yet given evidence, as well as the murder of Fairman.

Also involved in the trial is Anthony's partner Destiny Carrier, 29 and of Lothair Road in Leicester, who has pleaded not guilty to one count of assisting an offender.

The trial continues.

Listen to BBC Radio Nottingham on Sounds and follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.