Justin Griffith trial: Day 18 at Winchester Crown Court

As previously reported, Justin Griffith, 42, is facing a trial for murdering Sean Ember, 35, in Arcaro Road, Andover, on November 29 last year.

On Day 18 of the trial on Friday, May 30, Detective Sergeant Carl Holmes continued to give evidence in Winchester Crown Court.

Defence barrister Andrew Bird KC continued to question DS Holmes, who is the receiver in the case tasked with examining evidence to see if any action needs to be raised, about why the police didn't follow up on certain lines of inquiry.

One of these was evidence pointing to witness Fynn Richardson, whom the defence alleges was the one who committed the murder, having links to a gang.

Mr Bird asked Mr Holmes: "You were aware that Mr Richardson sent to a Snapchat group a violent video which he had received from Sean Griffith from another Snapchat group.

"Were you aware that many members of that group had the suffix 14 after the handle?"

DS Holmes replied: "No, but I am now."

Mr Bird continued: "Did you, as part of the investigation, link Fynn Richardson to a gang in Southampton?"

DS Holmes said words to the effect of 'Not exactly'.

Mr Bird then asked: Was it a reasonable line of enquiry to pursue Fynn Richardson's links to the SO14 gang?" and DS Holmes replied: "No".

Mr Bird then asked: "Was it from your perspective a reasonable enquiry to look to violent tendencies for FR?"

DS Holmes responded: "Yes. None of the versions of events suggests this is gang-related.

"Gang links, in my view, weren't going to help the issues being contested here."

The court has heard that FR sent money to a prisoner, Sean Griffith.

Mr Bird asked: Do you consider that to be a reasonable line of inquiry?

DS Holmes responded: "No. Who he sent money to a week before the murder isn't going to help us determine if Justin Griffith or Fynn Richardson stabbed Sean Ember in the neck."

Prosecutor Steven Perian KC later chimed in on the 'reasonable line of inquiry' discourse.

He said: "Can I now deal with the broad topic of 'reasonable line of inquiry?'

"Mr Bird used the term 'follow the money' - why didn't you follow the money?"

DS Holmes replied: "Following the money is helpful in contract killings, this isn't that, and I don't think it would have helped the case."

Mr Perian moved his line of questioning on to that of the knife that Fynn Richardson had in his possession in a Snapchat video played to the court.

He said: "Let's be frank about it, it is a zombie knife."

DS Holmes responded: "I know there is a legal definition of a zombie knife, I can't remember it off the top of my head."

Mr Perian then asked: "Was the knife ever recovered?"

DS Holmes replied: "No."

Mr Perian then asked: "What was the murder weapon in this case?"

DS Holmes clarified: "The murder weapon was a kitchen knife."

The trial continues.