Murder suspect claimed car damage caused by tree, trial hears

Nidal Alboraiki is accused of deliberately driving his Vauxhall Corsa at Benjamin Morse following an argument, causing him fatal injuries.

It is further alleged he sought to pervert the course of justice by trying to get rid of the car hours later.

The 21-year-old admits driving the Corsa when it hit Mr Morse but denies both charges against him.

On Wednesday the jury heard evidence from Badidkhan Tavfiq who was allegedly asked by Alboraiki to dispose of the car.

He said: "He told me 'I drank too much last night and hit a tree. The tree feel into the car.'"

Having first met at Alboraiki's home in Foxhunt Road, Halesowen, Mr Tavfiq said he then followed the defendant to where he had abandoned the car.

Mr Tavfiq, added: "He [Alboraiki] opened the boot to take some things out and put them into his Megane.

"When I looked at the car [and saw the damage] I said 'you make any problems with the car?'

"I said I have got family and kids, don't put me on a problem.

"I looked at the car. If I was going to see any blood there I was not going to accept.

"I was afraid the car had hit someone or make some crime."

Mr Tavfiq added he asked Alboraiki if he wanted any money for the car, but was told he did not.

He told the jury Alboraiki then left, but that he received a call from him later asking him to recover a black 'telematics' box from inside the car.

Mr Tavfiq said he did so and arranged to return it to Alboraiki later that evening, but in the meantime the defendant was arrested.

Mr Bernard Tetlow QC, defending Alboraiki, put to Mr Tavfiq that his client had only asked for the car to be recovered and that he asked to collect it later in exchange for £200. Mr Tavfiq denied he had been asked only to recover the car.

Previously the trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court heard Arsenal fan Mr Morse was hit by the Corsa in Beach Street, Halesowen, in the early hours of May 1 having just been dropped off by a taxi with a group of friends.

It is alleged Alboraiki initially missed before turning the car around, accelerating toward the group and hitting 36-year-old Mr Morse, of Yewtree Road, Halesowen, from behind at around 26mph.

Alboraiki's younger brother, 19-year-old Ahmed Alboraiki, of the same address as his brother, is also on trial. He is accused of seeking to pervert the course of justice by taking a mobile phone from his older brother during his arrest and disposing of it. The phone has not been recovered by the police.

The two brothers deny the allegations against them. The trial continues.