An alcoholic accused of murdering a man who died more than a year after he was knocked unconscious has denied inflicting the fatal injuries.
It is alleged that Raymond Whincup attacked Mark Robinson in a friend’s flat following a row about a £20 debt.
The 36-year-old was arrested at the time of the incident on July 28, 2021, and was charged with murder after Mr Robinson failed to recover from his injuries and died the following August.
Transcripts of his police interviews where he denied assaulting the 40-year-old were read out to the jury at Teesside Crown Court.
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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.
Following Mr Robinson’s death, Whincup was arrested and interviewed about what happened in Jonathan Gregory’s downstairs flat.
The officer said: “Mr Gregory said you had gone downstairs a few times and said you had knocked out with one punch.”
The defendant replied: “No.”
Continuing his questioning, the officer said: “Lewis Skelton told Mr Gregory ‘you can’t leave him downstairs with him – he is going to kill him’.”
Again, the accused simply replied: “No.”
Whincup told officers he had moved to Scarborough following the incident and had entered rehab to tackle his drug and alcohol addictions.
Previously, jurors heard from one woman the defendant met while living in the seaside resort told police that Whincup had said ‘he had smashed someone’s head in but didn’t really elaborate’.
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A medical expert told jurors how the 40-year-old had suffered two fractures to his jaw, two fractures to bones in his spinal column and three broken ribs.
Mr Robinson was asleep in a friend’s flat in Redcar when he viciously attacked by Whincup, the prosecution said.
Whincup, 36, formerly of Station Road, Redcar, denies murder.
The trial continues.
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