A man on trial for repeatedly stabbing a teenager phoned his brother to say he had “messed up and made a mistake”.
Jamie Goodege is accused of attempted murder after he allegedly plunged a kitchen knife into George Score’s chest before inflicting more wounds to the 18-year-old’s lower leg, arm, back and buttocks.
Goodege, 22, and George were stepbrothers at the time and living together at the family home in Fourth Avenue, Gillingham, with Goodege’s mum, Dawn, and George’s dad, Stephen.
Jurors at Maidstone Crown Court heard violence flared on January 25 this year when Goodege intervened in a heated row between George and his stepmum about cleaning his room.
The teen was lying on his bed at the time and, having first sworn at each other, he was allegedly straddled by his stepbrother and stabbed in the chest.
George, who later told police the first he was aware of the weapon was when it was stuck into him, then rolled over and blacked out.
When he came round, he had sustained a further five knife wounds and could hear Goodege, who was no longer on top of him, screaming “This is all your f***ing fault”.
He then left the house and made his way to The Strand, where he was arrested around 30 minutes later.
The court heard however that before officers arrived, he phoned his older brother Rhys Goodege.
Giving evidence yesterday (July 9), the 25-year-old said that on hearing his sibling’s voice he could tell “something wasn’t right”.
Recalling their conversation, which lasted around five minutes, Rhys Goodege told the jury: “I could tell in his voice he wasn’t his usual chirpiness.
“I just asked him if he was okay because I could tell something wasn’t right in his voice. His initial response was telling me he messed up and made a mistake.
“I questioned the mistake he said he made and he told me he had stabbed George.
“He told me that my mother and George were arguing and he could hear the argument and went upstairs. It was very loud and very aggressive towards each other.
“He said George had approached my mum quite close to her face and got in her personal space and was screaming at her.
“He told me he formed the impression George was going to become violent towards my mother and that’s when he told me he intervened and stabbed him.
“I asked him where and how many times. He told me he couldn’t quite remember, he had blacked out and it was done in an instant.”
The court heard the defendant, having told his brother he had then left the house and gone for a walk, asked to go to see him.
Mr Goodege, who was not living in Kent, continued: “I told him ‘You are always welcome here’ and advised him to just hand himself in.
“I said the best course of action was to just hand himself in. I explained why it would be the best course and avoiding the situation would make it worse.
“He agreed and then just hung up.”
Mr Goodege said he tried to twice call his brother but the phone went unanswered. He added he had not spoken to him since.
Goodege, an engineering apprentice, denies attempted murder, as well as the alternative, less serious offences of wounding with intent and unlawful wounding.
In his evidence to the jury, George denied he had ever got up from his bed during the row with Dawn Goodege or was “in her face”.
One of the first police officers to arrive at the property, Sgt Stephen Parkinson, described finding the teenager lying motionless on his bed, bleeding heavily and with two bathroom towels over his chest and leg.
His skin was grey and there was a “significant” pool of blood on the floor.
Initially concerned he was not breathing, the officer and his colleague PC Marcel Bibi administered vital treatment until paramedics arrived.
George was then taken to London’s King’s College Hospital where he underwent surgery before being discharged more than a week later.
The knife used to stab him was found by police on a kitchen worktop.
Stephen Score – George’s dad – told police the step-brothers had a “good” relationship, with no arguments or tensions in the months prior to the alleged murder bid.
Although he described Goodege as being “quite a loner”, Mr Score added he attended work, college, and football, and had applied to join the Navy.
The trial continues.
