Murder accused Ronnie Coulter 'confessed' to stabbing Surjit Singh Chhokar - nephew claims
Murder accused Ronnie Coulter confessed to his nephew that he had stabbed restaurant worker Surjit Singh Chhokar, a court was told today.
Murder accused Ronnie Coulter confessed to his nephew that he had stabbed restaurant worker Surjit Singh Chhokar, a court was told today.
Andrew Coulter, 35, was giving evidence for a second day at the trial of Ronnie Coulter who denies murdering Surjit Singh Chhokar – who was known by everyone as Chhokar - in Garrion Street, Overtown, North Lanarkshire Mr Chhokar on November 4, 1998 by stabbing him.
Ronnie Coulter has lodged a special defence blaming his nephew Andrew Coulter and David Montgomery.
All three confronted 32-year-old Chhokar following a row about a stolen £100 Giro cheque.
The witness has admitted striking Chhokar on the arm with a home-made bat, but denied stabbing him and said he did not have a knife with him.
Andrew Coulter, 35, the nephew of 48-year-old Ronnie Coulter, told prosecutor Alex Prentice QC that his uncle came to his flat shortly after the incident in Garrion Street.
Mr Prentice said: “How was he,” and Andrew Coulter replied: “not too good.'
The prosecutor then asked: “How did he appear,” and the witness replied: “I don't know how to describe it – shaken.”
Mr Prentice asked Andrew Coulter: “Did your uncle say anything to you,” and he answered: “Aye, that he had stabbed Chhokar.”
Andrew Coulter was asked if he could recall the exact words used by his uncle and stated: “Not exactly. I was in shock after that. I couldn't believe it.”
He went on to described Ronnie Coulter as being 'distressed” and added that his uncle had been physically sick.
The witness was asked by Mr Prentice: “How did you feel about the fact a knife had been used,” and replied: “Gutted.”
He was asked if his uncle had said anything else and told Mr Prentice: “No, I just couldn't believe it.”
The High Court in Glasgow heard that Andrew Coulter handed himself in at Wishaw police station on November 5, 1998. He was interviewed and told police he had hit Chhokar with the bat, but claimed there had been no one else with him that night.
Mr Prentice asked Andrew Coulter: “What were you thinking at the time,” and he replied: “I was going down for a murder that I never committed. I was getting the blame of stabbing him and I never had a knife.”
Andrew Coulter was then asked why he did not mention what his uncle had told him to the police and said: “He's my uncle. I was trying to protect him.”
The court heard that Andrew Coulter appeared in court charged with murder, but was released seven days later.
Ronnie Coulter denies the murder.
He also denies forging a £100.70 Giro cheque and breaking into Mr Chhokar's flat and stealing a cooker.
Andrew Coulter told the jury he never killed Chhokar. He said: “If I did it I'd put my hands up to it. I didn't kill him. The man in the dock did it.”
The convicted killer then told Ronnie coulter''s defence QC Donald Findlay: “I'm a one time killer, not a two time killer.”
Earlier Andrew Coulter was asked by Mr Findlay: “If you had actually managed to hit Chhokar on the head with your lead-filled bat, that alone might have killed him,” and he replied: “It could have done.”
The QC went on: “You went to meet Chhokar armed with a potential lethal weapon,” and Andrew Coulter said: “I wouldn't call it a lethal weapon.”
The court has heard that Andrew Coulter is a convicted killer who stabbed Patrick Kelly in the leg severing the femoral artery in September 11, 1999 – just 10 months after the death of Chhokar.
He was sentence to six years detention for the killing and was afterwards convicted of carrying a knife in 2005 and jailed for six months.
Mr Findlay asked Andrew Coulter: “You were prepared to carry a knife,” and he replied: “Not until that happened with Mr Chhokar, I never carried a knife. There were a lot of people after me. I just looked after myself.
The QC went on: “Even after your sentence for killing you didn't change. You are out and about with a knife and prepared to use it,” and Andrew Coulter said: “Aye.”
Mr Findlay then said: “You are still the same today,” and the witness responded: “No. I don't carry nothing today. Not a thing.”
Andrew Coulter was accused of choosing his words carefully while giving evidence and he replied: “No. All I've done is tell the truth.”
Mr Findlay told him: “You are trying to minimise what a bad individual you were back then,” and Andrew Coulter said: “No.”
The trial before Lord Matthews continues.