Forensics searching a home on Ripley Avenue in connection with the death of Trevor Bishop in North Shields(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

Meadow Well murder accused Tony Johnson claims victim Trevor Bishop came at him with knife

Tony Johnson is standing trial accused of murdering Trevor Bishop in North Shields, which he denies

by · ChronicleLive

Murder accused Tony Johnson told a court he was acting in self-defence when he punched his alleged victim and told a court "I'm sorry it's come to this".

Johnson is standing trial accused of murdering Trevor Bishop while socialising with him on the Meadow Well, North Shields. Trevor was left with facial fractures and bleeding on the brain at Trevor's sister, Lisa's, home, last March. Johnson denies murder and his stepdad, Paul Johnson, denies assisting an offender.

Giving evidence to jurors at Newcastle Crown Court, Johnson said on the afternoon of March 7, he was with his “dad” - stepdad Paul Johnson - at his house. He said Paul and his partner had a domestic dispute and he packed a suitcase and wanted to book a hotel room at the Premier Inn at Royal Quays for him and Tony but it was fully booked so Paul said they would go to Lisa Bishop’s house.

He said Trevor Bishop, who he knew and had socialised with before, answered the door and his dad told Trevor he’d had an argument with his girlfriend and asked if they could come in and he agreed. Johnson said: “Trevor said Lisa was asleep. Me, my dad and Trevor went straight to the kitchen and started drinking and smoking crack cocaine. Trevor had the crack cocaine and my dad had a little bit of cocaine.” He said they were drinking vodka and Jack Daniel's. He said after a couple of hours Lisa Bishop joined them.

Johnson denied he was flirting with Lisa but claimed she was flirting with him. He said there came a point his dad and Trevor went to the shop and he was left alone with Lisa.

He told jurors: “I was just sat drinking waiting for my dad to come back. She started doing my head in a little bit. She kept flirting with me, trying it on with me. I kept telling her I had a girlfriend.”

Johnson said Trevor and Lisa began to argue and there came a time when he wanted to leave. He said he was looking for his trainers and socks in the passage and added: “I turned round and Trevor came out of the front room into the passageway, aggressively with a knife.”

Johnson said Trevor didn’t say anything but had what looked like a small, sharp kitchen knife. He added: “He came at me with a knife.

“I quickly moved to the side and threw a couple of punches at him. I aimed at his face. I punched him about four times. I just had my head down and threw about four punches. I aimed for his head, I don’t know where they landed.

“He wobbled back into the front room. He just fell back and collapsed instantly onto the floor.”

He added: “I was panicking, I was scared. I was still looking for my trainers and socks. I could only find one sock. I put that sock on, put my trainers on and ran out of the door.”

Johnson said he wanted to go back to his mam’s house and asked why he didn’t stay to help Trevor, he said: “Because I was scared. He had just tried to stab me. I was scared and wanted to get away.”

He said he went to Meadow Well Metro station and called his best friend to pick him up and called 999 “because I knew Trevor was hurt and I was worried”. He said he knew he was hurt as he was bleeding.

He said his dad then arrived on the scene. He added: “My sock was stuck to my foot and had blood on it so I hoyed it away.”

Johnson said his friend took him to Marden Estate. He added: “I threw my trainers away. I was just panicking. My man is at the end stage of cancer and I didn’t want to make her worry or stress her out more than she was.

His barrister, John Harrison KC, asked him: “Why did you strike out at Trevor Bishop?” He replied: “Because he came at me with a knife and I was scared and acted in self-defence and hoyed a few punches at him.

“I didn’t intend for it to be as serious as it is. I only wanted him to drop the knife and back off for me to get my trainers and get out of the house. I’m sorry it’s come to this.”

Prosecutor David Brooke KC, cross-examining him, asked: “Is the real truth that you are a violent, aggressive man?” Johnson replied: “No sir.”

Asked why Trevor would have come at him with a knife, he said he had changed after coming back from the shop with his dad. He said: “I could sense he was being aggressive to everyone. Just with his body language and the way he was talking to everyone when he came back from the shop.

“He was talking to me differently and to my dad. He was being more of a d*** to me.”

He said Trevor didn’t threaten or shout at him but added: “He might have thought I had slept with his sister when he was at the shop, I don’t know.”

Asked if he said anything about sleeping with his sister, he replied: “No but he kept calling her a s*** and a s***. “Why else would he come to stab me. It’s the only reason I can think of.” Mr Brooke said: “Unless it didn’t happen and you’ve made it up.” Johnson replied: “No sir.”

Johnson added: “I didn’t mean to hurt him badly. I don’t know my own strength. I didn’t mean to hurt him as bad as it turned out.”

Tony Johnson, 36, of Princes Street, North Shields, denies murder and Paul Johnson, 55, of The Fold, Whitley Bay, denies assisting an offender. The jury were told Paul Johnson will not be giving evidence.

The trial continues.

Join our Court & Crime WhatsApp community for the latest updates sent direct to your phone