A man accused of murdering a drinker following a row about a puppy wandering around a pub has denied intending to kill him.

Richard Smith-Slater accepts that his flurry of four punches resulted in the death of Craig Gill but maintained that he never intended to hurt the man and acted in self-defence.

The 33-year-old admitted having downed 11 pints and taken a line of cocaine while he was in Blakes bar in the hours leading up to the fatal altercation.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the defendant lashed out with a dog lead because he was intimidated by the 61-year-old when he became agitated with him about his Staffordshire terrier.

Giving evidence, the father-of-two said he reacted instinctively when Mr Gill grabbed him and punched him four times to the face rendering him unconscious.

The Northern Echo: Craig GillCraig Gill (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Owen Edwards KC, representing Smith-Slater, asked: “Do you accept that you caused his death?” The defendant replied: “Yes.”

The barrister asked: “Did you intend to cause him serious harm?” Again, the defendant replied: “No.”

CCTV from inside the pub showed Craig Gill grab hold of Smith-Slater after he was whipped with a dog lead before being punched three or four times to the head.

Mr Edwards asked his client why he had reacted in that way.

He replied: “He said ‘I will knock you out, you ***’ – I reacted instantly because I thought he was going to attack me.

“I tapped him across the forehead with the leader.”

The 61-year-old fell backwards and hit his head on the floor of the bar in Newton Aycliffe after being knocked unconscious by the defendant.

Mr Edwards asked his client why he had thrown the punches. He replied: “I felt intimidated and scared. I just wanted him to let go of me so that I could go home.

“I couldn’t do anything else as I had my hands full with the dog.”

Under cross-examination from Nick Dry, prosecuting, the defendant accepted that he had trained as a boxer for a couple of years when he was around 11 years old.

The Northern Echo: Forensic officers working at Blakes bar in Newton Aycliffe where Craig Gill suffered his fatal injuriesForensic officers working at Blakes bar in Newton Aycliffe where Craig Gill suffered his fatal injuries (Image: TERRY BLACKBURN)

However, he denied working as an ‘unofficial doorman’ in the Newton Aycliffe bar during the day when there were no accredited door staff working.

Smith-Slater also denied that he was ‘angry’ at the time of the altercation with Mr Gill.

Jurors watched CCTV footage of the short-lived violence at the start of the defendant’s murder trial.

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They also watched body-worn footage when police arrested the defendant at his Newton Aycliffe home hours after Mr Craig was left unconscious on the bar’s floor claiming he had acted in self-defence.

The footage recorded the accused telling police that he had "sorted out a d***head" in the pub and "had done nothing wrong".

Smith-Slater, of Bury Road, Newton Aycliffe, has pleaded not guilty to murder and the alternative charge of manslaughter.

The trial continues.