A dramatic 999 call by an off-duty Cheshire police officer was played in court including the moment he witnessed a drug user plunge a knife into a man’s stomach.
Inspector Simon Owen had just left a pub in Brook Street, Chester, at 11.20pm on a Saturday last October when he saw John Joseph Moore, 52, of nearby Cornwall Street, stab Warren Hooper during an incident which also involved Moore’s brother Martin.
His 999 call was played at Warrington Crown Court where Moore was jailed for four years after admitting wounding with intent and threatening someone with a bladed article just before the jury was about to be sworn in.
As the officer surveyed the scene in Charles Street, he could be heard repeating to the operator: “He’s just stabbed him in the stomach. He’s stabbed him in the stomach. John Moore has stabbed him in the stomach.”
“This is bad, mate, This is bad,” he added. “Oh my God, there’s bottles and everything being used here.”
CCTV footage showed the build-up to the incident as the defendant, his brother Martin and a woman enter Brook Street from an alleyway followed by victim Warren Hooper and his girlfriend.
Paulinus Barnes, prosecuting, said the brothers appeared ‘angry’ with one shouting up to a window above the shops. Inspector Owen heard that man shout: “Throw me the piece. Throw me the piece!”
Mr Barnes said the inspector saw and heard a knife being dropped from the first floor window on to the pavement. He then saw John Moore bend down and pick the knife up, at which point he dialled 999.
The off-duty officer had known both brothers for many years and at one stage his running commentary suggested John had recognised him, yet this did not deter what happened next.
The prosecutor continued: “He followed the group from a distance back down Brook Street. He watches them go round the corner into Charles Street and from his vantage point at the alleyway at the junction of Charles Street, he saw as John Moore ran towards one of the other males, stabbed him.”
The brave officer gave chase and caught up with Martin Moore outside his home address in Cornwall Street where he was quickly joined by uniformed officers. Martin Francis Moore, 43, was yesterday (Monday, April 27) sentenced to four months’ jail after admitting threatening behaviour, again just prior to the start of the trial but he was immediately released having spent nine months on remand.
The prosecutor said the Moore brothers had claimed another man was involved but technical experts were able to synchronise the words spoken in the 999 call with the point at which the CCTV shows a man ‘clutching his stomach and fall to the floor’.
The victim suffered a ‘deep’ 2.5cm gash but was released from the hospital the next day. Mr Hooper, who himself is currently in prison, had refused to cooperate with police and declined permission for his medical records to be released.
The court heard John Moore’s record totalled 69 convictions for 180 offences, many involving bladed articles and public order matters.
Brian Treadwell, defending, said his client’s previous convictions were dominated by drugs and dishonesty related matters. He invited credit for the guilty plea.
He said the victim was taken to hospital but discharged the following day. Both he and John Moore were linked to the drugs culture. His client had been invited around the corner for a ‘straightener’ when trouble broke out.
“Mr Moore really needs to sort himself out,” said Mr Treadwell.
The judge, Recorder David Williams, said: “He’s a very lucky lad. He could be in that dock facing a murder charge. A few more inches up towards the heart and he would get a life sentence.”
