Jonathan Clarke - the accused

A Shropshire man warned his co-accused he would “go the same way” as the man they allegedly murdered if he confided in anyone about the death, a court heard.

Jonathan Clarke, 19, from Telford, is accused of murdering Simon Everitt after lighting a match and throwing it on to his body after he had been tied to a tree and doused in petrol.

Co-accused Jimi-Lee Stewart told Norwich Crown Court he had helped kidnap the 17-year-old student with Clarke and Maria Chandler to teach him a lesson, but was “shaken, frightened and shocked” when Clarke allegedly set him on fire.

Clarke, of Queen Elizabeth Way, Malinslee, and Stewart, 25, and 40-year-old Chandler, both of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, all deny murdering Mr Everitt in June last year.

Stewart told the jury he had taken Mr Everitt to a remote woodland with Clarke and Chandler to scare him and to teach him a lesson and was “ashamed” he had kidnapped him and poured petrol over him.

Stewart claimed he and Chandler were walking back to their car when Clarke threw a match at Mr Everitt, setting him alight.

Speaking of Clarke after the incident, he said: “He told me not to say anything to anyone. He said I would go the same way as Simon.”

Stewart eventually told his mother what had happened because he “wanted a bit of advice”, but refused her plea to give himself up.

“I was frightened of what Jonathan would do and I didn’t know how to deal with it,” Stewart said. Stewart’s mother went to the police, but he denied all knowledge of the conversation with her “because I was told not to say anything by Jonathan”.

Under cross-examination, Stewart agreed he wanted to give Mr Everitt a “kicking” and to teach him a lesson for “spreading lies” about him and for sleeping with his on-off girlfriend.

The jury was told Stewart lured Mr Everitt to Corton, where he was beaten up by Clarke. Mr Everitt attempted to call an ambulance and Stewart pretended to help him – but agreed in court yesterday it was the last thing on his mind.

He kicked Mr Everitt, who was then put in the boot of a car driven by Chandler.

Prosecutor Mr Karim Khalil asked: “He had been beaten up twice, put in the boot of a car – how much more frightened did you want him to be? To make him think he was going to die?”

“Yes,” Stewart replied.

The trial continues.

By Crime Correspondent Kirsty Smallman