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Jo Cox case: Murder accused Thomas Mair 'had bag of bullets' | Jo Cox case: Murder accused Thomas Mair 'had bag of bullets' |
(35 minutes later) | |
The man accused of murdering MP Jo Cox had a bag of bullets in his pocket when he was detained, an arresting officer has told the Old Bailey. | |
PC Craig Nicholls also said he saw what looked like a gun in a bag and described Thomas Mair putting his arms up and saying: "It's me". | |
Mrs Cox, 41, was shot and stabbed in Birstall, West Yorkshire, on 16 June, a week before the EU referendum vote. | |
Mr Mair, 53, of Birstall, denies murdering the Labour MP. | |
He also denies grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of an offensive weapon - a dagger. | |
The court heard earlier how 77-year-old Bernard Carter-Kenny was injured as he tried to save Mrs Cox outside her constituency surgery. | |
PC Nicholls told the court he was on patrol in a marked police car in Birstall, near Leeds, with colleague PC Jonathan Wright when they were told to search for a man thought to be involved in a shooting. | |
Just after 13:30 BST they spotted a man on Leeds Road in a black baseball cap carrying a black holdall, and followed him to Risedale Avenue, a residential cul-de-sac. | |
'Heavy impact' | 'Heavy impact' |
The officers asked the man to show his hands and he dropped the bag. | |
He turned around to face the police, put his hands in his pockets and change fell out. | |
He put his arms up and said "It's me," PC Nicholls told the court. | He put his arms up and said "It's me," PC Nicholls told the court. |
The officers got out of the patrol car, ran towards him and rugby tackled him to the ground with a "heavy impact", the arresting officer said. | The officers got out of the patrol car, ran towards him and rugby tackled him to the ground with a "heavy impact", the arresting officer said. |
Head injury | Head injury |
A large amount of bullets were found in a plastic bag in the man's trouser pocket and what looked like a pistol in his bag, he said. | |
The man then told them: "I'm a political activist", PC Nicholls said. | The man then told them: "I'm a political activist", PC Nicholls said. |
The man was taken by ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary for treatment to a head injury resulting from being brought down and then on to a police station, the court was told. | |
Later the court heard from PC Ben Marston, a firearms officer who attended the scene after Mr Mair was arrested. | Later the court heard from PC Ben Marston, a firearms officer who attended the scene after Mr Mair was arrested. |
He told jurors the holdall bag had fresh wet blood in it and what looked like the end of a rifle. | |
PC Marston told them he recovered the firearm, which was set to "fire", and made it safe. | |
The jury also heard about a list of items found at the scene, including a dagger-type knife, a bag containing a leaflet about the EU referendum and a wallet containing cards, including a library card. | |
'Regular library user' | 'Regular library user' |
CCTV footage of Mr Mair visiting Birstall Library on 15 June - the day before Mrs Cox was killed - was shown to the jury. | |
It showed him walking up the ramp to the library with bags in both hands just before 17:00 BST, walking across the floor and sitting at a computer. | It showed him walking up the ramp to the library with bags in both hands just before 17:00 BST, walking across the floor and sitting at a computer. |
In a statement, library officer Beverley Fletcher said Thomas Mair was a regular visitor, coming once a week over a number of years. | |
He did not engage in conversation or eye contact and used only the IT services, she said, and she could not remember him borrowing a book. | |
Gardener role | Gardener role |
The Old Bailey also heard from one of Mr Mair's neighbours, David Thomas. He said the man he knew as "Tommy" had lived there for 20 years, with a younger brother and his grandmother, until she died. | |
He said Mr Mair would do her shopping and he gardened, mowing the lawn once a month. | He said Mr Mair would do her shopping and he gardened, mowing the lawn once a month. |
On 16 June, Mr Thomas said he saw the defendant leave the house wearing a white baseball cap, a dark green jacket, dark trousers and shoes and carrying a canvas shopping bag. | |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
Who was Jo Cox? | Who was Jo Cox? |
Jo Cox was a self-proclaimed "proud Yorkshire lass" whose work for charity took her around the world and whose political success led her to Westminster. | Jo Cox was a self-proclaimed "proud Yorkshire lass" whose work for charity took her around the world and whose political success led her to Westminster. |
The 41-year-old mother-of-two was elected as MP for Batley and Spen in the 2015 election and increased Labour's majority to 6,051 (from 4,406 in the 2010 election). | The 41-year-old mother-of-two was elected as MP for Batley and Spen in the 2015 election and increased Labour's majority to 6,051 (from 4,406 in the 2010 election). |
She described herself as "proud and humbled" to be the Labour MP for the place where she was born. | She described herself as "proud and humbled" to be the Labour MP for the place where she was born. |
Mrs Cox first worked in politics after graduating from Cambridge University in 1995, but then built a career working for charities including Oxfam, Save the Children and the NSPCC. | Mrs Cox first worked in politics after graduating from Cambridge University in 1995, but then built a career working for charities including Oxfam, Save the Children and the NSPCC. |
She was described by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as "a much loved colleague, a real talent and a dedicated campaigner for justice and peace." | She was described by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as "a much loved colleague, a real talent and a dedicated campaigner for justice and peace." |
Tireless campaigner turned political 'star' | Tireless campaigner turned political 'star' |