The jury in a Harrogate murder trial was played a 999 call today (June 16) which claimed a man was being tortured.

Jason Johnson, 27, denies murdering Paul Tillet at a flat on Strawberry Dale on Sunday, September 29, 2024.

Another man, Philip Watson, 34, pleaded guilty to murder at an earlier hearing.

Mr Johnson's trial at Leeds Crown Court today heard the phone calls made to police on the night of September 29.

Natasha Simpson, who made the 999 call, appeared in court for cross examination.

She made two calls to emergency services on the night, Jamie Hill KC, prosecuting, said.

The first was at 9.34pm to the non-emergency 101 number. Miss Simpson told the court that she rang that number to try to get officers to carry out a welfare check at Mr Tillet’s flat.

During the call, which was played to the court, Miss Simpson tells the operator that she heard a disturbance at the Strawberry Dale block of flats.

She said:

Miss Simpson told the call handler that she had been “walking by” and did not know the occupants of the flat.

Simon Kealey KC, defending, asked Miss Simpson under cross examination why she did not tell the police the truth.

She told the court that Laura Gwynn, who was in the flat when Mr Tillet was attacked, was in the car with her when they parked up on Mayfield Grove near to the flat.

Miss Simpson said Miss Gwynn was “worried” that police would think she was involved in the attack and was “angry” when it was suggested that she should tell the truth.

Twenty minutes after the first call, operators rang Miss Simpson back. However, she told the court that she could not remember the call.

At 10.46pm, Miss Simpson called 999 and told them that she was worried that officers had gone to the wrong flat. The call was played to the court.

She told the operator that Miss Gwynn “had seen a man tortured by Philip Watson”.

Crack cocaine

Mr Kealey asked Miss Simpson what they were doing in the hour and 12 minutes between the two calls. He asked whether they were taking crack cocaine. Miss Simpson said she could not remember.

He also asked whether she had taken drugs earlier in the day. She said she was not thinking about drugs and that she was thinking about checking on Mr Tillet.

Earlier in the trial, Mr Hill told the court that it was the prosecution’s case that Watson was the “main offender” and carried out most of the attack.

However, he said Mr Johnson encouraged Watson to murder Mr Tillet.

In a statement during police interview, Mr Johnson accepted he was present at the attack in Mr Tillet’s flat. However, he said “at no point” did he come into physical contact with Mr Tillet and that he considered the victim a friend.

The trial continues.