A JURY has retired to consider its verdict in the case of a man allegedly murdered at a Metro station.

Jurors at Newcastle Crown Court had heard how 26-year-old Claire Park urged her partner, Sean Clarke, 25, to stab her former lover to death after a chance meeting on a crowded commuter train.

Ms Park allegedly screamed "like a banshee" until Mr Clarke plunged a kitchen knife she had given him into David Moorhouse's chest.

During the trial, the jury heard how, as the 37-year-old lay dying on the platform at Pelaw Metro Station, near Gateshead, the couple told him: "I hope you die."

Ms Park and Mr Clarke, who both deny murder, had an ardent dislike for Mr Moorhouse, the court was told.

Ms Park had been involved in a relationship with Mr Moorhouse, who had a conviction for indecently assaulting an underage girl, but later went back to Mr Clarke.

The couple, from Darlington, bumped into Mr Moorhouse and his friend, Michael Jackson, when they all got on a Metro train at Newcastle's Central Station on April 29, in the late afternoon.

The court heard that after the train pulled away, Ms Park hurled abuse at her ex-lover, before Mr Clarke became involved and started stabbing at him with a penknife.

When Mr Moorhouse and his friend got off the train at Pelaw, Mr Clarke and Ms Park followed, armed with kitchen knives from Park's bag.

The court heard how Mr Moorhouse, of Cruddas Park, Newcastle, died from a stab wound to the chest and had six further wounds to his body, right arm and right leg.

Mr Clarke and Ms Park, of Zetland Street, Darlington, fled to her mother's home in Wardley, Gateshead, where they allegedly disposed of the weapons in a neighbour's garden.

Ms Park told jurors she had brought out the knives as a warning to Moorhouse and his friend. She said she handed Mr Clarke a knife on the train to defend himself, and added: "It was to scare him Moorhouse away more than anything."

The trial continues today.