Two men are facing trial for the murder of an Oxford man who was fatally stabbed after attempting to steal their high-end Cartier watch. Ryan Bryne, 24, of Hathaway Green Lane in Stratford-Upon-Avon, and 27-year-old George Stephens, who has no fixed address, are accused of murdering Tobias Bruce, 32, during a violent confrontation in Littlemore, Oxford, on February 25.
Bruce, of Arthray Road, was fatally injured when he was stabbed multiple times in College Lane at approximately 6:05 PM. Despite being rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital, he was pronounced dead on February 28 from five stab wounds. Both Bryne and Stephens are also charged with wounding with intent in relation to Brandon Day, who was hospitalized alongside Bruce.
During the opening of the trial on October 1, prosecutor John Benson KC outlined the events that led to Bruce’s death. Two groups of men had arranged a meeting to discuss the sale of the Cartier watch. Bruce, accompanied by Day and Iain Milligan, was allegedly interested in purchasing the watch from Theodore Mullings-Fairweather, who was with Bryne and Stephens. The transaction initially appeared cordial, with Mullings-Fairweather handing Bruce the watch to inspect and providing an authenticity card to Day. However, things quickly took a violent turn when Bruce suddenly grabbed the watch and ran off. Day and Milligan immediately pursued him, while Bryne and Mullings-Fairweather chased Bruce towards Cowley Road, and Stephens followed Day and Milligan towards Giles Close.
Witnesses reported seeing Bruce with blood pouring from his neck after being chased by one of the men, who was allegedly shouting, “Give it back.” Despite his injuries, Bruce managed to get into a passing car driven by Day, telling him, “I’m dying, I’m dying,” before being rushed to the hospital.
The court heard that Mullings-Fairweather fled to Dubai after the incident and is not on trial. However, he sent an email to a solicitor in April denying his involvement in the murder. Benson KC emphasized that while Bruce’s attempt to steal the watch was a serious crime, it did not justify the deadly violence that followed. The Cartier watch, which has never been recovered, was valued in the thousands of pounds, though its exact price remains unknown.