A MAN armed with weapons who killed a family dog and struck a fatal blow to a father was a "maniac" and told others in the house "do yous want to be ****ing next?”, a court has heard.

Nathan Davis, 26, is on trial for the murder of car was operator Craig Barker, 47, who was sliced in the neck with an axe at a property on Cleatlam Close in Hardwick, Stockton in July last year.

The family's Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Leo, was lying at the top of the stairs after being attacked by Mr Davis, and Mr Barker was slumped against the bath covered in blood, as people in the house screamed and cried in horror as they attempted to contact the police.

A jury at Teesside Crown Court yesterday saw police video interviews with children who were in the house at the time of the incident.

One of them said they were "scared", whilst another said they were "petrified" and the incident had left them not wanting to leave the house or go to the shops.

Both youngsters told police in their interviews that Mr Davis, after attacking the dog and striking Mr Barker, said “do yous want to be ****ing next?” to others in the room – something he denies.

Another youngster, who was in the house at the time of the incident, came out of a bedroom and saw the dog bleeding. She then went to the bathroom and saw Mr Barker covered in blood.

"I think it was all quiet and then some maniac just ran up the stairs. I heard everyone screaming," she said.

She also described Mr Barker as a “talkative person” who would “talk to anyone”.

Sarah Branighan, the partner of Mr Barker, said Mr Davis was waving an axe and hammer around and the incident had been a "hellish experience" which she "had to relive every day".

Peter Makepeace, cross examining, suggested to Ms Branighan that Mr Barker tried to grab the dog and and as he did, he was struck by Mr Davis.

Ms Branighan responded: "No – I was there, I know what I have seen."

Mr Davis, of Wylam Road, Stockton, denies one charge of murder and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon. He is expected to argue that he struck the dog when it bit him, and accidentally struck Mr Barker in the process.

The trial continues.