A police officer who was off duty during the early hours told a jury how he tried to “calm down” a group of men before one of them was fatally stabbed.

Pc Daischon Chin was testifying at the trial of Jahmari Beach, 33, who is charged with the murder of Daunte Woods, 27, outside Somerset Cricket Club in Sandys on October 25, 2020.

Mr Beach faces a second count of possession of a bladed article in a public place. He denies both charges.

The officer was questioned in the Supreme Court yesterday by prosecutor Daniel Kitson-Walters.

Mr Chin told the court that on the night of the incident he was walking to Somerset Cricket Club from his car when he saw several men involved in an argument.

He said he recognised four of the men at the junction of Somerset Road and Hook ’N Ladder Lane, including Mr Beach and Mr Woods.

He recalled being approximately 15ft from the men on the sidewalk when he saw the commotion.

At this point, the jury was shown a photograph of the layout of the area around the cricket club and, using a pointer, Mr Chin showed where he was at the time of the argument.

He said the men were all standing. “I immediately told them to calm down,” he added.

Questioned further by Mr Kitson-Walters, Mr Chin said he re-entered the club after leaving the scene but heard “screams” from outside.

Mr Chin said he immediately returned and saw Mr Woods lying motionless on the ground and bleeding from a chest wound.

“I checked his pulse, did CPR and tried to revive him,” he said. He added that a woman joined in to help.

He said he did his best to revive the victim until marked police cars arrived.

Mr Chin said he could not recall seeing Mr Beach at the scene after the stabbing.

The court also heard from Detective Constable Don DeSilva, of the police professional standards department, who said that on October 29, he was informed that Mr Beach had been discharged from King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

He said he could not recall the length of time Mr Beach had been admitted.

He added that, while questioning the accused, who was with his counsel, he observed Mr Beach grimacing in pain.

“He showed signs of pain and being uncomfortable, which was what I was trying to assess.”

Another officer, Acting Detective Inspector Annika Donawa, said she was an investigative assistant to the case.

She said that on October 29, Mr Beach offered “no comment” when questions were put to him.

The jury also reviewed CCTV footage taken inside the club and on the grounds of the property in the minutes leading up to the stabbing.

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Elizabeth Christopher and during questioning by prosecutor Adley Duncan, Ms Donawa explained what could be seen in the footage.

The first clip showed a bar packed with dancing revellers, where Mr Beach and Mr Woods appeared to have a conversation.

A camera positioned outside a door to the cricket club showed Mr Woods and Mr Beach exchanging words.

Questioned further by the defence, Ms Donawa said although there was no audio to the video, the men appeared to be arguing from their gestures outside the club.

The men were then seen in a parking area outside the building and at one point Mr Beach was passing when he appeared to speak to Mr Woods, who was sitting on a bike.

The trial, before Puisne Judge Juan Wolffe, continues.

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