A MAN accused of causing the death of his mother when he stabbed her husband ten times in a 'catastrophic' explosion of violence did not give evidence at his trial.

Adam Burnside is charged with manslaughter after Susan Ward collapsed during the violent altercation in their home on Yarm Road, Darlington, in January this year.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 45-year-old had turned up at his parents' home after a heavy drinking session on the night of the fatal incident.

Nicholas Dry, prosecuting, told jurors that Burnside knew his mother suffered from serious breathing problems and didn't check to see how she was when he fled the scene.

In the prosecutor's closing speech, he told jurors that the death had devastated the loving couple's family and reminded them how Burnside's stepfather Paramijit Singh put himself in danger in a desperate attempt to stop his wife getting too upset.

He said: "Mr Singh's main concern, even as the knife came down on him, was to drive the defendant away from his mother fearful of the impact it would have had on his mother.

"He even offered the defendant a kitchen knife telling him to finish him off.

"His overriding concern was that no harm came to Susan."

He added: "There is no suggestion that she was the target of his attack but there was a severe risk that she could suffer an adverse impact on her.

"We don't know what she saw in the kitchen, Paramijit was unconscious at times and at the mercy of the defendant who continued stabbing him."

Mr Dry said the defendant was fully aware of his mother's medical condition and the risk his 'catastrophic violent' attack would pose to her health.

"The violence exploded unexpectedly – rapidly out of nowhere, late at night, Susan, on the brink of going to bed, to be thrust without warning into that nightmarish scenario without being able to stop her son.

"The very last thing Susan would do was shut the door behind her son, turn the key in the lock to keep him out, and then collapse completely overwhelmed by the attack."

Michael Wood, QC, who represented the defendant told jurors that he client accepted he had stabbed his stepfather and that his mother collapsed and died but said that 'does not mean he is guilty of manslaughter'.

He added his client was aware of his mother's breathing problems but not her heart condition.

Burnside, of Garrick Court, Darlington, who also accused of the attempted murder of Mr Singh, denied the charges but had earlier pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm for the attack on Mr Singh and the possession of a bladed article.

The jury is expected to start its deliberations today.