A man accused of murdering his brother by stabbing him in the arm and leaving him to bleed to death told jurors he had ‘no recollection’ of causing the fatal injury.

Inderjit Klare severed an artery in his younger sibling’s arm when they had a violent brawl inside their family-owned fish and chip shop after a drink and drug fuelled night out.

Jasreet Klare suffered several stab wounds to his back and cuts and bruises to his face and head when violence erupted between the pair last October, Teesside Crown Court.

The 43-year-old defendant accepts he caused the fatal injuries but maintains that he did not ‘consciously’ pick up the knife or deliberately leave his brother to bleed to death.

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During cross examination, Klare told jurors he just picked up the knife and was holding it in his hand while punching his brother.

The Northern Echo: Jasreet KlareJasreet Klare (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Jamie Hill KC, prosecuting, challenged the defendant about his version of events before quizzing him about how he never realised he had plunged a knife through his younger brother’s arm.

Klare replied: “I have no recollection of that knife going through Jasreet’s arm whatsoever.

“The only time I realised it went into Jasreet was when I realised that I had the knife in my hand and I was punching him on the back.”

Mr Hill continued: “Were you on top of your brother trying to stab him with the knife?”

The defendant replied: “No, I was not. I was on top of my brother but I didn’t have the knife in my hand nor was I stabbing him.”

The Northern Echo: Police at the scene of the alleged murder.Police at the scene of the alleged murder. (Image: Newsquest)

Earlier, jurors had heard how two eye-witnesses were forced to kick their way out of a window in the shop on Tenters Street, Bishop Auckland, fearing that Inderjit would turn the knife on them next.

Mr Hill asked whether they were correct to believe that they could be next.

He replied: “I can understand why they might think that but I am not a violent man.”

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Inderjit did admit that he had kicked his brother in the head while he lay on the floor injured but continued to deny that he had left his brother to bleed to death for 90 minutes before he eventually called the emergency services.

The 43-year-old had told jurors he had "instinctively" grabbed a kitchen knife and was punching his brother while holding it before throwing it away when he realised what was happening.

Inderjit Klare, of Eve Lane, Spennymoor, denies murder and the trial continues.