Model 'killed in sudden, brutal attack' after party

A male model was killed in an assault "so sudden, so quick, and so brutal" that he had no chance to defend himself, a court has heard.

Luke Harden, 36, died on Newchurch Road in Bacup, Lancashire, shortly after midnight on 1 November after paramedics were unable to resuscitate him.

Bhekisani Matabiswana, 26, has gone on trial at Preston Crown Court, where he denies murder.

The court heard the defendant, of St James Street, Bacup, tried to leave the country and was held at Manchester Airport two days after an altercation between him and Harden following a party.

The men were not known to each other, the jury was told, but had both attended a Halloween party at Rosemount Working Men's Club in Stacksteads.

Harden, Matabiswana and his girlfriend Nicola Chadwick were under the influence of alcohol and Harden may have been affected by consumption of ketamine and cocaine, the trial heard.

Also at the party was Chadwick's friend Helen Skinner and her partner Josh. Harden was there with his friend Matt Alden and his girlfriend Jenny Eccles.

At 23:24 GMT, Matabiswana and Chadwick left to go to another pub, walking down Newchurch Road.

Harden remained in the club, at one point slipping and falling from the back of the stage, though he suffered no apparent injury.

The court heard Skinner left at 23:46, followed by Harden, and both headed towards Newchurch Road.

Harden caught up with her and said he had "had enough".

She told him to "go home then" and he replied "I will do".

A witness driving his car, coming into Newchurch Road by the war memorial, told police Harden had tried to cross the road in front of another car and there was "some interaction" between him and the driver.

Five minutes later Matabiswana called a taxi by a corner shop on Newchurch Road.

Harden passed by, throwing a road diversion sign on to the ground before wandering into the road, then back on to the pavement.

Matabiswana and Chadwick crossed the street and, 45 seconds later, Harden crossed at the same point.

They were last seen on CCTV at 23:59:46.

Nicholas Rhodes KC, prosecuting, said Harden was killed in about one minute, beaten to death by Matabiswana, possibly because he had "interfered" with Chadwick.

Harden, drunk and staggering along the pavement "was in no condition to fight", he said.

Harden was beaten to the ground and stamped and kicked to the head, causing catastrophic damage to his brain.

He had no defensive injuries.

The attack must have been "so sudden, so quick, and so brutal", that Harden had no chance to defend himself, the court heard.

Home office pathologist Dr Charles Wilson said Harden's injuries were typical of an assault.

He had a swollen bruise to the back of his head, extensive facial bruising and cuts to his face, a fractured nose, fractured jaw, fractured larynx, bruising to the neck, arms and shoulder, and his brain was swollen.

He told the court the extent of the injuries meant it was hard to determine an exact cause of death.

Matabiswana may not have intended to kill, but he intended to cause "significant injury", the KC said.

Matabiswana did not call 999, the court heard, but used Harden's phone to look at his previous calls so he could call Harden's friends to tell them he was hurt.

Chadwick had lost her phone in the club.

A nearby witness heard screams and called an ambulance before trying to give first aid.

When paramedics arrived they were unable to ascertain what had happened.

Harden's friend Matt Alden arrived at the scene and Matabiswana told him Harden had fallen and was struggling to breathe.

Harden was on the ground with a swollen nose and lips and Matabiswan kept repeating "I tried to put him in the recovery position".

When the police arrived Chadwick told them she had been followed by Harden and he had fallen over.

The prosecutor said bruising on Matabiswana's knuckles and blood on his shirt was not from trying to assist someone on the ground.

Harden was pronounced dead and Matabiswana and Chadwick were arrested.

They were released under investigation on 2 November and Matabiswana was arrested at Manchester Airport, trying to board a flight for South Africa, bordering Zimbabwe, his country of origin.

Text messages recovered from his phone read "beat someone up for trying to rape some girl," "some guy who tried to rape a girl, I beat him up and he died", the court heard.

They also read "I just hit him, fists" and "I'm trying to make a run for it if I get the chance".

He was interviewed again on 4 November where his solicitor read out a prepared statement in which he denied murder and said "I had no intention to kill or cause grievous bodily harm to the deceased".

It said he acted in self defence after Harden tried to grab Chadwick.

In January, Chadwick appeared at the court accused of Harden's murder before the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed it would offer no evidence against her.

Chadwick was told she was free to go after Judge Robert Altham entered a formal not guilty verdict.

Matabiswana's trial continues.

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