Simon Johnson murder case: Gloves found with 'blood of victim and suspect's DNA'

Father of two Simon Johnson was stabbed to death after disturbing burglars in the early hours of August 11 last year at the three bedroom semi in Cradley Road, Netherton where he lived alone.

The 41-year-old - who separated from his wife and children in the summer of 2015 - was targeted six days after he showed a teenager the cannabis farm that was being cultivated at the address.

The 18-year-old told friends and this triggered a series of thefts of plants from the drug farm by several teenagers after Mr Johnson had gone to bed on August 10.

Tragedy struck at around 5.30am after the last of these - 19-year-old Damilola Johnson and a 16-year-old youth - woke him when they got into the house through a ground floor window left open by those who had stolen cannabis earlier, alleged Mr Simon Denison QC, prosecuting.

Mr Johnson - no relation to the accused - was stabbed four times, once under the left arm and the remainder in the back.

The victim had been dead for several hours when the body was discovered on the upstairs landing by a colleague.

A blood stained serrated bread knife taken from the house was found in the garden.

Forensic scientist Christopher McKenzie told the court: "There is extremely strong evidence that this was the knife used to stab Simon Johnson."

But a DNA search did not help to identify who had held it.

However the pair of gloves found in nearby Durham Road after the murder were stained with the blood of the deceased and had traces of the DNA of Damilola Johnson.

Mr McKenzie told the court: "The results are what I would have expected if Damilola Johnson had worn them.

"It was not possible to say when that might have happened. Bank cards belonging to the murder victim were also found lying in a nearby street following the killing.

The 16-year-old defendant has admitted being at the address at the time of the murder. He has also confessed to stealing cannabis and bank cards belonging to the deceased but denied any involvement himself in the murder.

He told police the person with him, and the person who killed Simon Johnson was Damilola Johnson, claimed Mr Denison.

Damilola Johnson, of no fixed address, denies being at the address when the crime took place.

He pleads not guilty to murder and burglary during which cannabis and bank cards belonging to the victim were stolen.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named, denies the murder.

Four other teenagers, who had nothing to do with the murder, have been dealt with separately after admitting either stealing cannabis from the victim or burgling his home in the hours before his death.