CCTV footage recovered from the house of a businessman accused of murder shows him run to his sister’s boyfriend armed with three knives before he slashes his throat, a court heard.

Police interviews with Adam Jenkins taken hours after Simon Birch was fatally wounded have been played to jurors at Newcastle Crown Court.

The construction firm boss was arrested after a Christmas Day family party at his home on Sunderland Road in Newbottle, near Houghton-le-Spring, turned to tragedy.

Read more: 'Colour was draining from his face' - how Christmas Day party turned to tragedy

In his first interview Mr Jenkins told detectives there had been a scuffle outside his house after he stopped Mr Birch from punching his sister.

He told police he did not have any weapons and did not inflict the wound on the 39-year-old Mr Birch.

Mr Jenkins said: “No, I was drunk but I would remember something like that.

“I don’t know who caused the injuries. I have not got a clue. It wasn’t me.”

But during a second interview, four hours later, at 10pm on Boxing Day, Mr Jenkins is told a post-mortem examination by Home Office pathologist Jennifer Bolton found both Mr Birch’s carotid artery and jugular vein had been severed with a single slash wound to the left side of his neck.

This time when he was asked if he caused the injuries he replied: ‘no comment’.

When Mr Jenkins is presented with the security camera footage from his own home he tells officers he cannot watch it, sitting with his hands over his eyes as the film plays.

The detectives questioning him tells Mr Jenkins it shows a ‘completely different series of events’ to those he described earlier that day.

She said it shows him jump over the wall at the back of the house, run towards Mr Birch with three knives.

Read more: Jury told man who died at Christmas Day family party was a 'controlling bully'

She said: “He turns his palms up. There is nothing in his hands. You changed one of the knives to your right hand.

“I think that is because you are right-handed and you know it will give you better control. You are forming your plan of what you are going to do when you meet Simon.

“You don’t just step towards him. You run towards him.

“You want to quickly inflict the injury, so it is speedy and fast. You have done that because of what happened with your sister. You were filled with rage. You were going to teach him a lesson for all of the domestics they had had.”

Throughout the second police interview, Mr Jenkins gave no comment replies to the statements made by the officers.

He occasionally shook his head but did respond when the officer asked: “Why was it that you decided to slash him across the neck?

“You did that because you know that is where the main veins and arteries to the brain are. You wanted to kill him.”

Mr Jenkins said: “No, I didn’t.”

The detective said: “He is standing still as you do it and that slash ends his life. It takes his life right there, as blood spurts from his neck.

“He dies there right in front of you.”

Mr Jenkins said: “No comment.”

He denies murder.

The trial continues.

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