A man who died after his throat was cut at a family Christmas party has been described to jurors as a ‘controlling bully’.

Simon Birch was fatally wounded with a kitchen knife after a row with Adam Jenkins last on December 25 last year.

The men had been drinking at Mr Jenkins’ house on Sunderland Road in Newbottle, near Houghton-le-Spring.

Read more: Man dies in suspected Christmas Day assault in Newbottle

Mr Jenkins, 35, who owns a construction company, has been charged with murder and is currently on trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

The jury has been told Mr Birch, 39, was in a relationship the defendant’s sister Emma, and there were concerns he was being violent towards her.

Mr Jenkins’ father, Keith, said: “She said he did not hit her. It was always verbal. Subsequently I found out she had been hiding marks. “Simon had been hitting her and abusing her.”

He told the jury last summer he had to go and collect Emma from Lancashire after a weekend away with Mr Birch turned sour and she needed to get away from him.

The court was told Mr Birch had a ‘drug problem’.

Read more: Man charged with Christmas murder of Simon Birch in Newbottle

Emma’s mother, Susan Naisbitt, said about six months before he died Mr Birch has threatened her with a knife

She said: “He had been on something. He was jumping about. He had sent me a lot of texts about Emma. He had been ringing me.

“He said he was going to send his mam around to wring my neck like a chicken.

“He came into my house, walking towards me.

“He was spitting in my face, swearing, pointing his finger in my face.    

“I got outside and went towards his van. Birchy got into the other side of the van.

“He pulled a knife out of the side of the van and said: ‘You are going to get this.’”

Mrs Naisbett said Mr Birch was ‘controlling’ and ‘a bully’.

He was said to have stabbed Emma in the bottom with a dart while drinking in a bar at the house on Christmas Day.

Darren Naisbett, Mr Jenkins’ stepfather, said he ‘had words’ with Mr Birch over his behaviour that day.

Mr Naisbett said: “He was coming on ‘the big I am’, as he did in drink.

“I remember having a word with him because he was being an a***hole. He was saying he was a big man.”

The jury has been told some guests went to bed but the night ended in tragedy after an argument between Mr Birch and Mr Jenkins.

Mr Naisbett said: “I went into the kitchen and saw Emma covered in blood.

“She was in a right state, crying, and covered in blood, all over her face.

“I gave her a cuddle and went to go outside.

“Paramedics were working on him. I could see the paramedics were pumping his heart.

“There was no response.”

The trial continues.  

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