THE jury has retired to consider its verdict in the James Stokoe murder trial.
Alexander Layton is accused of stabbing him to death in front of his young son following a road-rage incident.
The 34-year-old claims that Mr Stokoe threatened to 'cave his skull in' after they clashed when he was forced to brake hard when the defendant stepped out in front of his car when he got off a bus.
Mr Stokoe suffered six stab wounds while he was sitting in his car and was pronounced dead at the scene on Trenchard Avenue, Thornaby, at around 2.20pm on May 15 last year.
During his evidence, Layton told jurors that he was acting self-defence because he thought Mr Stokoe was reaching for a weapon in his BMW.
Following the fatal stabbing, Cleveland Police managed to trace Layton's movements as he left Thornaby and headed towards North Yorkshire where he was arrested the following evening at a pizza shop in Great Ayton.
Layton, of Shackleton Close, Thornaby, who is also charged with possession of a knife, denies murder.
Judge Howard Crowson told jurors to select a foreman and consider their verdicts at 11.42am.
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