Jury out to consider verdict in trial of murder accused

THE jury is out in the trial of murder accused Richard Lee following a fatal stabbing in a County Durham back lane. Lee armed himself with a knife and left his girlfriend’s home bare-chested to confront youths stealing motorbikes from a friend’s garage. But when Ryan Thompson, owner of the bikes, arrived on the scene at Gregson Street in Sacriston, a confrontation erupted between the two men. Prosecutors say Lee then chased 25-year-old Mr Thompson down an alley “jabbing and lunging with the knife” and stabbing him in the chest, causing a seven-inch deep fatal wound.

But the defendant claims he was trying to “scare off” Mr Thompson and caught him with a “wild swing”.

Lee, 25, of Viola Crescent, Sacriston, denies charges of murder and possessing an offensive weapon and his trial at Newcastle Crown Court began on February 6. Following five days of evidence from the prosecution and the defence, members of the jury were sent out on Wednesday to consider their verdict.

The prosecution claims even after the would-be thieves fled the scene on the night of September 2 last year, intoxicated Lee’s anger did not subside.

Mr Thompson was seen by witnesses staggering a short distance before collapsing from the stab wound which punctured the left ventricle of his heart.

Friends tried to resuscitate him and paramedics were quickly on the scene, but despite their best efforts he died just after midnight.

Opening the case last week, prosecutor Elvidge said: “The prosecution say at the point of the stabbing he was in attack mode and he was not using reasonable force to defend himself.”

Giving evidence in his defence, Lee argued a group of men including Mr Thompson started attacking him after “getting the wrong end of the stick”.

He said he was waving the knife at them in order to get them to “back off and let me explain”.

The trial continues.