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18
Oct 2021
Harrogate man appears in court charged with murder
A trial opened today into an alleged murder on Harrogate’s Mayfield Grove.
Daniel Ainsley, 24, of no fixed address, appeared before Leeds Crown Court charged with the murder of Mark Wolsey on March 5.
Mr Wolsey, 48, died at the scene after police arrived at 38 Mayfield Grove at around 10pm.
Ainsley was arrested on suspicion of murder the same day. He denies the charge on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to an "abnormality of mental functioning".
He appeared before the court this afternoon and spoke only to confirm his name.
In his opening statement this morning, prosecutor Mark McKone QC told the court that Mr Ainsley had murdered Mr Wolsey by "stabbing him many times with a large knife".
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The court heard how the two men had been living in Mr Wolsey's bedsit and had known each other for three years.
Mr McKone said Mr Ainsley had lived in the bedsit after "losing his accommodation".
The prosecution said that at around 8.40pm on March 5, neighbours "heard arguing" coming from Flat 4 of 38 Mayfield Grove.
A 13-minute 999 phone call made by Mr Wolsey on the night was played to the court. In it, Mr Wolsey was heard asking for officers to come and remove Mr Ainsley from his bedsit.
After officers arrived, Mr Ainsley told them that he "just wanted his medication" and that Mr Wolsey was keeping it from him. Police later took him to Harrogate District Hospital to get some, Mr McKone said.
CCTV footage played by the prosecution showed Mr Ainsley leaving the hospital at 9.21pm and heading to Asda supermarket on Bower Road.
Footage from the supermarket then showed Mr Ainsley going to the kitchenware aisle and purchasing a box of knives before disposing of all but one.
The court was then shown footage of Mr Ainsley returning to Mayfield Grove. The prosecution then played a phone call made by Mr Ainsley at 10.06pm to the police where he told the call handler he had "killed someone".
The prosecution alleges that Mr Ainsley was able to make "rational choices" and had murdered Mr Wolsey.
Mr McKone said:
The prosecution will give further evidence tomorrow.
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