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Youth 'died after attack'

Thursday, 16th December 1999.

A 17-YEAR-OLD was beaten up on New Year's Eve last year and died after spending the evening with two friends at their flat, Norwich Crown Court has heard.
Two men accused of the attack on Shane Champion, whose family live in Haverhill, deny murder.
Michael Cockery, QC, prosecuting, said Mr Champion had been invited to spend the evening with two friends, Richard Dunn and William Tomalin.
At 10.20pm "the door burst open" and Stuart Foote and Anthony Ralph came in and attacked Mr Tomalin, before Foote attacked Mr Champion.
He added Mr Champion struck his head on a fuse box and he claimed Ralph kicked him.
Mr Cockery said both men stamped on Mr Champion's head and kicked him about his face and head, continuing their attack even though Mr Champion appeared to be unconscious.
As the two left the flat in High Street, Hadleigh, they threatened Richard Dunn. Mr Cockery claimed there was a third man present but he took no part.
Police and an ambulance arrived and Mr Champion was rushed to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, where he died on March 7 from severe brain injuries. Foote, 23, of Ansell Close, Hadleigh, and Ralph, also 23, of Taylors Road, Hadleigh, both deny murdering Mr Champion.
Ralph has also denied common assault on William Tomalin.
In police interviews, both claimed they were in the King's Head pub on New Year's Eve and did no leave apart from going into the car park.
Both have admitted assaulting another man, Bradley Treadewell, causing him actual bodily harm on December 29 last year, Mr Cockery told the jury.
Mr Cockery said the pair had forced their way into Mr Champion's flat in High Street, where Mr Treadewell was staying, and demanded money and punched and kicked the "terrified" man.
William Tomalin told the court how two men burst in the flat on New Year's Eve.
He said Foote grabbed Shane Champion by the scruff of the neck and threw him against the wall and was "kicking and stamping over his body", asking where Brad was.
Mr Tomalin claim Ralph punched Shane when he was on the floor "for some considerable time" and also kicked him.
Mr Tomalin said when Shane told them he though Brad was with the police they began stamping on his head. But one of the two men accused of murdering a 17 year-old in a friend's flat has denied that he was there at the time the alleged attack took place.
Stuart Foote told Norwich Crown Court: "I was never there. I was in the pub."
Asked by Stephen Kramer, QC, defending, why two men in the flat, Richard Dunn, and William Tomalin had said he was one of the alleged attackers Foote claimed: "It might be because they thought I was ripping them off over supplying them with cannabis."
Foote admitted he had supplied them with cannabis. He said he only knew Shane as he was in the same flat with Bradley Treadewell.
Foote and Ralph have now admitted assaulting Mr Treadewell on December 29 last year.
Foote said on December 31 he was in the King's Head in Hadleigh at the time Mr Champion was beaten up. By late evening he had drunk about 11 pints of lager, a pint of red wine and taken an Ecstacy tablet.
He told the court he was in the pub until about 1am.
Earlier in police interviews read to the court Foote and Ralph denied ever going to the flat where Mr Champion was beaten up and said they were both in the King's Head pub at the time.
Foote denied he had gone to see Shane Champion as he had witnessed him (Foote) beating up another man two days earlier.
Michael Cockery suggested Foote went to see Shane "for a chat" and Foote replied "No".
Mr Cockery said Champion had witnessed Bradley Treadewell being beaten up two days earlier in December last year and Foote was anxious to see him.
Mr Cockery suggested Foote had asked where Bradley was as he wanted to ensure Mr Treadewell would withdraw his complaint against him. Foote replied: No."
"When told Mr Treadewell had gone to the police you started stamping on Mr Champion's head more severely didn't you?" said Mr Cockery.
"No", said Foote. Foote said he was not there when Mr Champion was beaten up.
Mr Cockery suggested: "You were a cold and callous person that night wreaking violence on Mr Champion, knowing exactly what you were doing?"
"No", replied Foote.
Ralph elected not to give evidence.
The case continues.

Picture Caption: Murder trial . . . Shane Champion who died on New Year's Eve last year at a flat in Hadleigh.

Haverhill Weekly News

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