An elderly sex offender could have survived the stamping injuries he received to his face when he was attacked in his home, a murder jury heard yesterday.

But as well as the stamping to Arnold Hartley's head, he also suffered further trauma to the neck which led to his death.

Home Office pathologist Dr Mark Egan told Newcastle Crown Court yesterday how he believes Mr Hartley, who had served a year behind bars for sex attacks on children, was probably initially punched to the face which broke his nose.

There was then a stamping attack, which the doctor said was not necessarily fatal, but the 73-year-old was also asphyxiated by either a foot or his attacker's hands.

Dr Egan told the court: "The injuries to both sides of the neck represent application of pressure to the neck.

He told the court how Mr Hartley had inhaled some of the blood which was lost when his nose was broken.

But he said although the inhaled blood contributed to Mr Hartley's death, which he put down to asphyxiation, that alone was not enough to kill him.

He added: "Asphyxia is a lack of oxygen and clearly the blood in the windpipe and the lung interfered with oxygen getting to the blood.

"But pressure on the neck interferes with the nerves in the neck and this starts off a self maintained mechanism which slows the heart down and ultimately stops it."

Dr Egan told jurors he could not be certain if Mr Hartley was recieved the neck injury first and was stamped on as he lay dying or if it happened the other way around.

Adrian Brown, of Station Road, Redcar, denies murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Hartley, who lived at Queen Street in the town. The trial continues.