Three men have been found guilty of murder and another two of manslaughter following a seven-week trial after the death of Mark Noke.
Tabone, 24, of no fixed abode and Roach, 40, of Steep Close were both found guilty of conspiracy to rob whilst Claffey, 29, of Keynsham Road had already pleaded guilty to this charge before the trial began.
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Aaron Morgan and Bradley O'Dell were convicted of the conspiracy and manslaughter.
Following the almost two-month court ordeal, here's everything we have learnt about the horrific incident that led to an innocent man losing his life:
Mark Noke. (Image: Hampshire Constabulary)
'I can hardly breathe'
Mark Noke, a 64-year-old man living in Warburton Road, Thornhill suffered a stab wound to his chest when a group of five masked men burst into his home in the early hours of February 25 last year.
On the opening day of the trial, a 999 call made by Mr Noke himself was played where he can be heard asking for help claiming he had been threatened and stabbed.
He told the operator: "Please come quick, I am passing out. I can hardly breathe," he said moments before he collapsed on his kitchen floor.
Prosecutor, Adam Vaitilingam KC told the jury that the knife had punctured the 64-year-old's lung and despite emergency services forcing entry into the flat to reach him, he was declared dead before he could be moved.
Police at Warburton Road, Southampton (Image: Solent News))
He said the five men had gone to the wrong flat by mistake and were planning to commit a robbery to steal drugs, £30,000 in cash and jewellery having previously been tipped off.
CCTV footage showed five men leaving the block of flats after the stabbing at around 1am, but none of the defendants would admit to having stabbed Mr Noke.
Days after this, the jury heard the evidence of the intended target of the robbery who admitted that he had been "showing off" valuables on social media such as gold, cash and watches.
'Cold-hearted killer'
After the prosecution concluded its case, Keiran Claffey was the first of the defendants to give evidence.
He told the jury "I am no murderer" claiming he was just a lookout and was stood away from the rest of the group during the failed robbery.
He added that "everyone's morale was down" when they learnt of Mr Noke's death, but Morgan's barrister, Kirsty Brimelow KC, said he "didn't care", branding him a "cold-hearted killer".
'I didn't wish for anything like that to happen'
Next up to give evidence was 32-year-old Aaron Morgan who the jury were told, had been dealing drugs on the streets of Southampton to pay off a debt he had built up.
The court was told how he and the rest of the group had gone to Warburton Road in a VW Golf, which he had previously bought and had been using to deliver drugs.
Once there, Morgan said he put on a Covid mask and some gloves which he found in the car before heading off in the direction of Mr Noke's block.
He claimed they were talking about kicking the door down once outside the flat when suddenly, it opened, leaving Morgan 'spooked'.
Flowers left at the scene of Mark Noke's murder (Image: NQ)
He said he ran away to the vehicle, where he was joined by the others.
"Leighton (Tabone) said that Keiran (Claffey) stabbed someone, and Keiran said 'I didn't mean to stab him'", Morgan told the jury.
"I didn't wish for anything like that to happen to anybody, especially a poor, innocent old man."
The court heard how the group then returned to Roach's home in Steep Close where the robbery had previously been discussed the day before and were panicking, prompting Morgan and O'Dell to return to the scene.
He claimed that when they got back to Warburton Road he saw police and paramedics.
"I felt terrible. My head went and at this point, I was just emotional."
Morgan was arrested on February 28.
He claimed: "The whole of Southampton knows he (Claffey) stabbed that poor man," adding that he didn't expect anyone to get hurt.
'I wasn't there.'
Beginning his case, Justin Roach, a convicted burglar claimed he was never at Warburton Road and said he was back at his home in Steep Close taking drugs.
The jury was told how Roach "fell off the rails" after his mother died in 2020 and would allow others to come into his flat whilst he stayed upstairs.
The prosecution claimed that the planned robbery was discussed at this property and that Roach had been involved in this.
Kirsty Brimelow KC accused Roach of going to Warburton Road with a pizza delivery box and a motorcycle helmet in a bid to get let into the flat, but he denied ever being involved at all.
Warburton Road, Southampton (Image: Solent News & Photo Agency)
He said he was "taking drugs" until he fell asleep and only heard about the incident the next day when his housemate told him what had happened.
Roach claimed he was worried by this as he had been "with the accused not too long before" when he went to Morgan's home to deliver baby milk on the evening of February 24.
Asked about his reaction to the news of Mark Noke's death, he said he was in "shock, disgusted" but continued to claim: "I wasn't there."
'I ain't a murderer'
The final defendant to give evidence in the trial was the youngest of the accused, Bradley O'Dell.
He broke down in the witness box after a day of questioning claiming "I ain't a murderer" and said he had only got involved in a planned "burglary" because he was "in a bit of debt" and needed to buy a cot, toys and clothes for his son.
The jury heard how O'Dell had been in his room that night drinking vodka when, he says, Claffey and Tabone approached the house, asking him to come to Warburton Road.
"I made a silly choice and I went out that night," he added.
When they arrived, he said Claffey and Tabone went ahead while Roach "was getting pizza boxes and a helmet out" but said he was not aware of any knife or gun.
O'Dell told the jury that he ran away when the door to Mr Noke's flat opened and later saw Claffey holding a "knife with blood on it".
Claffey's barrister, Brian St Louis KC claimed that O'Dell had conspired with Morgan in prison to blame Claffey for the murder.
But O'Dell claimed he was telling the truth, adding that he had been "labelled a grass" and "attacked twice" for what he was telling the court.
"I hope that poor man's family get justice for what happened, I really do.
"Your client killed the person, not us."
Justin Roach, Keiran Claffey and Leighton Tabone (Image: Hampshire Constabulary)
'Guilty'
Leighton Tabone did not attend court throughout the trial and was the only one of the accused not to give evidence in person.
The jury was sent out to consider its verdict on Wednesday last week and after a day and a half of deliberations, found Roach, Claffey and Tabone guilty of murder.
The five men are now due to be sentenced on Tuesday at Winchester Crown Court.
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