Judge sums up in soldier murder trial
JURY TOLD CHOICE IS ‘STARK’
A JUDGE in the trial of a soldier accused of murdering Alice Ruggles has begun summing up the case to jurors.
Prosecutors claim Lance Corporal Trimaan Dhillon slashed Alice’s neck in her bathroom after harassing and stalking her.
He denies murder, claiming the 24-year-old Sky employee accidentally stabbed herself after going for him with a carving knife.
Trial judge Paul Sloan QC began summing up the evidence to jurors at Newcastle Crown Court and told them they were the sole judges of the facts.
Judge Sloan said: “Facts are your area of responsibility.
“You and you alone are the judges of the facts.
“I won’t be repeating all the evidence you have heard.
“When it comes to facts, it’s your judgement and your judgement alone that counts.”
He added: “The prosecution brings this charge against the defendant and it’s for the prosecution to prove that the defendant is guilty.
“It’s not for the defendant to prove his innocence.
“In a criminal trial such as this the burden is always on the prosecution.
“How do they do that? The answer is by making you sure of it. “Nothing less than that will do. “If you conclude he did not commit the offence charged – verdict not guilty.
“If you conclude he may have committed the offence charged – verdict not guilty.
“If you conclude he probably committed the offence charged – verdict not guilty.
“If you are not sure your verdict must be one of not guilty.”
The judge said the jury have a “stark” choice between believing Dhillon’s version of events or accepting that the prosecution have proved their case.
He said: “The prosecution case here is it was the defendant who had the knife in his hand, and it was he who attacked Miss Ruggles with the knife and slashed her throat. “If you are sure the prosecution case is correct then you may have little difficulty in concluding the defendant was not acting in lawful self defence at the relevant time. “The defence case is it was Miss Ruggles who had the knife in her hand and she launched herself forward towards the defendant and all he did was reach out to stop her stabbing him and the knife went into her neck by accident. “If the defence case is or may be correct, you will have little difficulty in concluding the defendant was or may have been acting in lawful self defence and that in those circumstances your verdict will be not guilty of both murder and manslaughter.
“The issue is a very stark issue indeed for you to decide.”
Judge Sloan went on to say jurors must be sure Dhillon intended to kill Alice or cause her really serious bodily harm to convict him of murder. He added: “It matters not whether it was a long-standing intention or one formed on the spur of the moment.
“If you are sure the defendant had the knife and slashed her throat you may have little difficulty in concluding at the very least he intended to cause really serious injury, if not to kill her, and in those circumstances you will find the defendant guilty of murder.”
Dhillon is alleged to have murdered Alice by cutting her throat from ear to ear in the bathroom of her flat on Rawling Road, Bensham, Gateshead, on October 12 last year.
The jury is expected to be sent out to consider their verdicts this morning.
Dhillon, 26, of Glencorse Barracks, in Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland, denies murder. The trial continues.
When it comes to facts, it’s your judgement and your judgement alone that counts Judge Paul Sloan QC