A dramatic recording of a 999 call has been played to the jury in the murder trial of a man accused of cutting his sister’s boyfriend throat after a Christmas Day party.

It was played as part of a police interview with Adam Jenkins, 35, who is accused of killing Simon Birch, 39, after he saw him punch his sister Emma.

Trouble flared at Mr Jenkins’ home on Sunderland Road in Newbottle, near Houghton-le-Spring, after a day of drinking and festivities.

Read more: 'Colour was draining from his face' - how Christmas Day party turned to tragedy

An emergency service call handler is heard asking if Mr Birch had been stabbed and a man’s voice replies: “Yes, he has yeah”.

A male and female voice, who police believe is Mr Jenkins and his partner, Natalie Shaw, can be heard screaming and shouting as they ask for an ambulance.

The call handler repeatedly asks if the man who stabbed Mr Birch is still there and the man replies: “Yes, yes, yes. It was a scuffle”.

During an earlier police interview, at around 6pm on Boxing Day, Mr Jenkins, who owns a successful construction company, told police there had been a scuffle outside after he stopped Mr Birch from attacking his sister.

Read more: Jury told man who died at Christmas Day family party was a 'controlling bully'

Police put it to Mr Jenkins that his was the male voice in the call and he had lied about what had happened in the first interview.

He gave a ‘no comment’ response.

The detective said: “In terms of that 999 call. You know exactly what had happened. You knew that person was still there.

“I put it to you, you know who stabbed him because it was you.”     

Mr Jenkins replied: “No comment”.

He denies murder and the trial continues.   

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