Mark Robinson: Suffered fractures to jaw and spine in attack

Mark Robinson had emergency surgery after suffering a bleed on the brain during an alleged assault following a row over a £20 debt.

A medical expert told jurors at Teesside Crown Court how the 40-year-old had suffered two fractures to his jaw, two fractures to bones in his spinal column and three broken ribs.

Dr Curtis Offiah, a Consultant Neuroradiologist and Head and Neck Radiologist, outlined the findings of his medical examination of the injuries suffered by Mr Robinson on the third day of Raymond Whincup’s murder trial.

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Under cross examination from defence counsel, John Elvide KC, he accepted that the spinal injuries could have been caused by a fall against a radiator.

Mr Robinson suffered catastrophic head injuries in July 2020, and died more than a year later after never regaining his mobility and remained in intensive care for four months.

He was asleep in a friend’s flat in Redcar when he was viciously attacked by Whincup, the prosecution say.

Mark Robinson

Jurors had heard how Whincup, who lived in an upstairs flat on Station Road, Redcar, is accused of heading downstairs and carrying out the fatal attack.

At the time of the alleged assault Whincup was accompanied by his friend Lewis Skelton, who has since died, and both men were caught on CCTV coming and going from the block of flats.

Mr Skelton’s mother, Natalie, told the court how the pair had turned up unannounced at her home on the morning of July 28, just hours after Mr Robinson was found unconscious in the flat.

Toby Hedworth KC, prosecuting, asked the witness what she heard her son say while they were at her home.

She said: “Lewis said ‘I can’t believe how hard you hit him. I can’t believe what you have just done'.”

The witness said she was ill at the time and could not remember exactly what was said but assured the jury that she would have ‘grassed’ on her son if she believed he had anything to do with the attack.

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Under cross examination from Mr Elvidge, she denied that she had embellished her evidence to protect her son.

She replied: “I have called the police plenty of times about Lewis and I would grass on my own son – I would grass on anyone in that situation.”

Whincup, 36, formerly of Station Road, Redcar, denies murder.

The trial continues.