THE judge in the Jack Woodley trial has begun outlining agreed legal directions in the case to the jury.

Following conclusion of the defence cases on behalf of the ten teenagers accused of the murder of the 18-year-old victim, Judge Rodney Jameson today (Wednesday April 27) addressed jurors at Newcastle Crown Court as to the law as it applies in this case.

He reminded them that it was agreed that on the evening of October 16 last year, at about 9.23pm, Mr Woodley was walking in The Broadway, Houghton-le-Spring, intending to catch a bus, having left the last night of the Houghton Feast funfair.

The judge said Mr Woodley was subject to unlawful violence in an attack beginning behind two green BT boxes, which ended in a nearby alleyway adjoining The Britannia pub.

Judge Jameson said although to some witnesses it seemed to last many minutes, it was actually all over in under a minute.

Mr Woodley suffered multiple contact wounds, but the cause of death, from which he died in hospital the following day, was a stab wound to the back.

One of the accused, a 15-year-old youth, has admitted inflicting the wound and has admitted the alternative charge of manslaughter, but denies murder in that he claims he did not intend to inflict really serious harm on Mr Woodley.

The judge said this youth was the first to leave the scene, heading down the alleyway to go home, and that it appears the stabbing was inflicted near to the green BT boxes and not in the alleyway.

Judge Jameson told jurors: “The prosecution say each of the defendants used violence in the attack, intending he (Mr Woodley) should be killed or caused really serious harm and, therefore, each is guilty of murder.”

He told the jury not to “guess” or “speculate” as to anything they have not heard given in evidence, but they could draw “logical conclusions” about the evidence they have heard.

Read more: Evidence heard from last of accused in Jack Woodley murder trial

Judge Jameson asked jurors to return separate verdicts on all ten defendants, firstly on the murder charge, and, if they find them not guilty, then on the alternative of murder.

He said if the defendant who committed the stabbing is cleared of murder then none of the other nine can be found guilty of the murder.

But if he is convicted of murder the other accused could be found guilty if they encouraged him to used unlawful violence, intending that Mr Woodley should be killed or caused really serious harm, not necessarily by stabbing, but in any way, by being punched, kicked or stamped on.

Judge Jameson will conclude outlining the directions tomorrow, when the prosecution closing speech should by given by Crown counsel Mark McKone.

Proceeding.

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