Mark Mason found dying in Rhyl Home Bargains car park a minute after this CCTV image was taken

CCTV footage of a fatal attack in which one man was murdered and two others were injured has been played to a murder trial jury.

A black BMW 4×4 is seen following a white Renault Kangoo van into the car park of Home Bargains, Rhyl.

Barely a minute after the image was taken, Mark Roy Mason, 48, lay dying from more than 20 stab wounds, Mold Crown Court heard.

Within a minute of these vehicles entering Rhyl's Home Bargain car park Mark Mason was found dying with multiple knife wounds
Within a minute of these vehicles entering Rhyl’s Home Bargain car park Mark Mason was found dying with multiple knife wounds

The wounds inflicted on Mr Mason, a dad-of-two from Rhyl, caused massive internal bleeding as well as bleeding to the heart, the court was told.

Prosecutor Paul Lewis QC said that a “turf war” over the sale of hard drugs was the motivation for the vicious attack in which two others, Justin Trickett and Sam Illidge were also injured.

Mr Lewis QC alleged the attack, which took place on October 27 was in revenge for an earlier attempted attack the same day.

Defendants James Davies, 21 of Moscow Drive, Liverpool; Anthony Baines, 31 of Sutcliffe Street, Liverpool and Mark Ennis, 31 of Bedford Road, Liverpool deny murder and maliciously wounding Justin Trickett and Sam Illidge, with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, on the same night.

The jury was told that a fourth man, Jake Melia, 21 of Eastbourne Road, Liverpool, had admitted all charges.

Mr Lewis played CCTV footage to the jury which showed the BMW closely following the van and apparently repeatedly flashing its lights.

He said: “You will see that having pulled into the store car park, the van stops. The BMW pulls up alongside it. It seems that the van then tried to move off again but the BMW blocks it and stops it from moving on.

James Davies (top left) Mark Ennis (top right) Jake Melia (bottom left) and Antony Baines (bottom right) are accused of murdering Mark Mason (main image)
James Davies (top left) Mark Ennis (top right) Jake Melia (bottom left) and Antony Baines (bottom right) are accused of murdering Mark Mason (main image)

“Figures then emerge from the BMW and banging and shouting can be heard,” he said.

“Someone can b e heard shouting “get off me car, get off me f….. car.”

Mr Lewis said that there was a lot of frenzied activity around the white van.

Two figures were seen running away – Mr Illidge the driver and Mr Trickett in the back, were chased by someone who appeared to lunge at one of them before returning to the van.

Shouts could be heard “stab him, stab him for f…’s sake.”

Floral tributes were left for Mark Roy Mason at Home Bargains in Rhyl
Floral tributes were left for Mark Roy Mason at Home Bargains in Rhyl

The attackers then all got back into the BMW and it drove off from the car park at 7.22pm.

Such was the speed of the attack Mr Mason did not have a chance to get out of the vehicle, Mr Lewis said.

A witness who was with his partner and son heard shouts of “stab him, stab him, kill him”.

There was screaming and he saw two men run through an alleyway from the car park into Marsh Road.

The witness took his partner and child home, dialled 999 and when he went to investigate found a man slumped in the passenger seat of the van.

A floral tribute near Home Bargains in Rhyl
A floral tribute near Home Bargains in Rhyl

Another witness saw three or four men around the van and he could hear shouts of: “I stabbed the b*****d.”

Police arrived quite quickly but the BMW had fled the scene.

Less than two hours later Davies and the other defendants they were back in Liverpool and the BMW has never been seen again, the couirt heard

Police officers and then paramedics did what they could to try and save Mr Mason’s life.

Llandudno Magistrates Court November 2nd - Four charged with murder of Mark Mason in Rhyl
Llandudno Magistrates Court November 2nd – Four charged with murder of Mark Mason in Rhyl

He was first given first aid at the scene, was rushed to Glan Clwyd Hospital but all attempts by medical staff to save his life were in vain and he died just after 8.30pm.

Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rogers found Mr Mason had wounds to the right ear, the back of head, chest, abdomen, left thigh, left wrist, right arm and shoulder and to the right hand.

The jury heard that Illidge and Trickett had refused to co-operate and they would not appear as witnesses.

Fingerprints from the three defendants and Melia were found on the van.

Mark Mason, 48, of Rhyl was murdered in Home Bargains car park

All defendants gave no comment interviews.

At the end of his interviews, Baines said he was the driver and was present but did not inflict any injuries.

Mr Lewis said that it appeared that the three defendants now claimed it was all down to Melia.

Earlier the jury heard claims that Davies and Melia were angry and contacted the other two following an attempt by masked men with machetes to attack them while they were said to have been dealing drugs at The Cob in Rhyl. They blamed Mr Mason and Mr Illidge for the attack, the court heard.

It was alleged that Baines and Ennis travelled from Liverpool and joined in on the Home Bargains attack.

The trial resumes tomorrow.

Read More…