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Folkestone murder trial hears Shane Myles confessed to stamping on Paul Wakefield's head to give family closure

A killer says he confessed to kicking and stamping on the head of a dying man “to give closure” to the victim’s family.

Shane Myles - who admits manslaughter but denies murder - told a jury he lied about attacking kindly 66-year-old Paul Wakefield at his Folkestone home because he was frightened.

Paul Wakefield died in hospital after being stabbed at his home in Coolinge Lane, Folkestone. Picture: Facebook
Paul Wakefield died in hospital after being stabbed at his home in Coolinge Lane, Folkestone. Picture: Facebook

The victim suffered a wound to his head and died in hospital.

Myles’ ex-partner, Kayleigh Halliday, of Crown Road, Sittingbourne, confessed to murder in a shock twist in the trial last month.

At Maidstone Crown Court this week, prosecutor Simon Taylor QC asked Myles: “What was the reason you changed your account?”

The 31-year-old, of Rock Avenue, Gillingham, replied: “I wanted to tell the truth.”

But the prosecutor argued he only changed his story after being confronted with forensic evidence.

Police at the scene in Coolinge Lane, Folkestone at the time of the incident
Police at the scene in Coolinge Lane, Folkestone at the time of the incident

Myles replied: “I know it looks bad but I wanted to tell the truth.

“I want the family to know the truth, hard though it would be for them to hear it. I did it for the family of Mr Wakefield. I wanted to be honest.

“I wanted closure for the family.”

Mr Wakefield died from his injuries after he invited Halliday to stay at his home.

The jury heard how Myles, who had been released from a prison sentence only days earlier, arrived at the flat in Coolinge Lane, Folkestone to apologise for stealing Mr Wakefield’s TV.

Read more from the trial here:

Myles claimed the victim kissed him on his cheek and he kissed him in return as they drank vodka and cider before Halliday began dancing, accidentally knocking over a TV.

The jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard how Mr Wakefield then ordered her to leave the flat at Spencer House. Myles told how he watched Halliday smash a vodka bottle over Mr Wakefield’s head before stabbing him in the stomach with the jagged bottle neck.

He said: “I shouted: ‘No’ but she did it. Then she said to me: ‘I think we’ve killed him’.

“I was panicking and then she said we should run away to Blackpool and I just wanted to get out.

“She told me to wait while she washed her hands with bleach. I then took Paul’s bank card, for which I feel ashamed, and I am very ashamed of stamping on his head.”

The jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard how Mr Wakefield had ordered Halliday to leave the flat at Spencer House in Coolidge Lane
The jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard how Mr Wakefield had ordered Halliday to leave the flat at Spencer House in Coolidge Lane

The two left 15 minutes later and went to Folkestone railway station. He said on the train journey he told Halliday that he would take the blame for the stabbing.

Myles had met Mr Wakefield in Folkestone after being introduced to him by Halliday.

“He was really good to us,” he said. “He would call me his son and Kayleigh his daughter. He was a good friend. He was funny.

“While I was in prison, he bought my son a buggy, things for the flat, a coffee table and a settee.

“I became suspicious about why he was buying this stuff. I suspected she was having an affair with him.

“I don’t know if it was ever true. I was reassured that nothing like that was going on,” he added.

Myles ended his evidence in chief with a dramatic outburst, shouting: “No more. I am not doing this anymore.”

A member of the security staff asked him to calm down and he replied “I am calm” before accusing people of laughing.

Myles told Judge Philip Statman: “I’m going back to prison. I’m not coming back.”

He was then led to the cells while the gallery was cleared and the case adjourned.

The trial continues.

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