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‘I was f--king scared’: Undercover prison audio of man charged with stabbing murder played to court

Blake AntrobusNCA NewsWire
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Camera IconNot Supplied Credit: News Regional Media

An undercover recording of a man charged with the alleged stabbing murder of a father of five has been played to a jury, with the man claiming he was “chased” onto a Queensland highway and had a knife pulled on him.

Alex Robert Smart has pleaded not guilty to murdering Tylor Bell as his ute was stopped on the Bruce Highway, north of Gympie, on September 1, 2019.

Later that month, while he was in custody on remand, two undercover officers were placed in his cell.

The 29-year-old can be heard saying it was “bulls--t” and he was only defending himself.

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Alex Robert Smart is charged with murdering Tylor Bell on Father’s Day 2019.
Camera IconAlex Robert Smart is charged with murdering Tylor Bell on Father’s Day 2019. Credit: News Regional Media
Tylor Bell died from stabbing injuries.
Camera IconTylor Bell died from stabbing injuries. Credit: News Regional Media

“I was protecting myself, I was f--king scared y’know,” Mr Smart is heard saying.

Mr Bell died in hospital a week later from stabbing injuries sustained during the Father’s Day confrontation.

Earlier that day, his father Gregory and Mr Smart had been in a scuffle outside a Gympie shopping centre.

The court was told the Bells then left the centre.

Mr Smart hopped in a nearby car with two others and left in the same direction before pulling up behind Mr Bell’s car as it was stopped at the intersection of the Bruce Highway and Monkland St.

It was there that Mr Bell was fatally stabbed.

On the first day of the Supreme Court trial, Mr Smart’s defence counsel has told the jury that when the “why” question is examined, it “does not lead to a finding beyond reasonable doubt of murder”.

On Thursday, an audio recording of Mr Smart speaking with undercover officers in a watch house cell was played to the court.

In the audio, Mr Smart says he was getting iced coffee and cigarettes from the shops when the scuffle between himself and the Bells broke out.

“It got broken up so he jumped in the car and chased us up the f--king highway,” Mr Smart is heard saying.

“So he chased you?” one of the officers is heard asking.

Two undercover police officers were placed in Mr Smart’s (pictured) cell while he was on remand, with the audio played to a Supreme Court jury on Thursday.
Camera IconTwo undercover police officers were placed in Mr Smart’s (pictured) cell while he was on remand, with the audio played to a Supreme Court jury on Thursday. Credit: News Regional Media

“Yeah,” Mr Smart answers.

In the audio, Mr Smart is heard claiming a knife was pulled on him.

Multiple photographs of the silver Holden – the car Mr Smart travelled in before the fatal incident – were also shown to the jury.

Blood stains are seen around the rear passenger door.

One picture depicts a small black folding knife on the floor behind the driver’s seat.

Earlier this week, CCTV outside a shopping centre in Gympie was played to the jury, showing the heated exchange that took place between the Bells and Mr Smart before the stabbing unfolded.

Gregory Bell, Tylor’s father, gave evidence that he heard his son call Mr Smart a “junkie” as they left the shopping centre before seeing Mr Smart get out of a car behind them while they were stopped on the highway.

He gave evidence that he ran around to intercept Mr Smart but the 29-year-old had already been pulled into the other car.

At this point, his son told him he had been stabbed.

The trial continues.

Originally published as ‘I was f--king scared’: Undercover prison audio of man charged with stabbing murder played to court

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