Jury considers verdict in Newton Aycliffe pub murder trial

Richard Smith-Slater admitted delivering four punches to the head of Craig Gill when they clashed inside a town centre pub but maintains that he never intended to cause him any serious harm.

The 33-year-old fatally knocked out Mr Gill moments after he had whipped the 61-year-old with his dog lead in Blakes bar in Newton Aycliffe.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Mr Gill died several days after he was assaulted on July 8 last year.

Craig Gill (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Nick Dry, closing the prosecution’s case, said the defendant took a sneaky chance to deliver a ‘punishment’ beating believing that he was a law unto himself in the bar before swanning out of the premises.

Police body-worn footage recorded when he was arrested caught him telling officers that he had "sorted out a d***head" in the pub and "had done nothing wrong".

Owen Edwards KC, representing the defendant, told jurors that his client maintains that he acted in self-defence when he punched Mr Gill to the face.

He said: “He started to defend himself in the face of aggression and he was only using such force he felt was needed to be used.

Forensic officer working inside Blakes bar in Newton Aycliffe (Image: TERRY BLACKBURN)

“There was no evidence, whatsoever, of intention to cause really serious harm.”

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Earlier, the jury had heard how there had been some tension between the pair after Mr Gill had raised concerns about the defendant’s Staffordshire bull terrier pup wandering around the pub.

The barrister reminded the jury that Mr Gill had told his client that the dog should have been shot before threatening to knock him out.

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

The trial continues as the jury considers the verdicts.