Peter Wass murder trial: Leeds jury sent out to consider verdict as Kaiden Williams denies Chapeltown murder

Kaiden Williams, 22, is accused of murdering Mr Wass in Chapeltown, Leeds, on March 2. He admits inflicting the fatal stab wounds which killed the 29-year-old father-of-two, but denies murder – claiming he was acting in self-defence after Mr Wass hit him with a baseball bat.

Williams, who has previous convictions for carrying a bladed weapon, admits picking up a long knife and concealing it inside his clothes before taking his dog for a walk that afternoon. He left his home in Edgware Mount, Harehills, and headed into Chapeltown.

CCTV played to the jury showed Mr Wass and his friends driving around the Chapeltown area in convoy looking for Williams. Various snippets of footage showed the two cars driving around the streets, and Williams walking with his dog. He was then seen running as the cars approached.

Williams said he ran off and hid in a garden, before Mr Wass found him, cornered him and asked “where’s my bread?”. The defence’s position is that Mr Wass aimed a baseball bat at the defendant’s head and hit him on the arm.

Those who witnessed the clash have refused to provide statements to police, but at some point Williams produced a long knife and plunged it into Mr Wass several times. Prosecutor Simon Myerson KC said it was likely a dispute over money stemming from criminality. Williams denies being part of a gang or knowing about any ongoing dispute.

Mr Wass died just minutes after three stab wounds were delivered during the confrontation with Williams, including a 22cm fatal wound to the chest from a large knife which went between his ribs and pierced the top of his heart. It happened near to the junction of Hamilton Place and Hamilton Avenue shortly after 2.30pm.

Williams told the jury a £50,000 ransom had been put on his head on Snapchat after Mr Wass died. He booked a taxi to Hartlepool with his girlfriend after the incident, where he stayed until the police arrested him 10 days later.

Judge Peter Kelson KC sent the jury out at about 11.45am this morning to begin deliberating. The verdicts available to the jury are guilty of murder, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty.