The jury in the trial of a man accused of stabbing to death his boyfriend in his student bedroom has heard closing speeches from counsel in the case.

Aaron Ray is accused of inflicting the fatal stab wound on Jason Brockbanks in the victim's fourth-floor room at the Mansion Tyne student accommodation block, in Howard Street, Newcastle, in the early hours of Saturday September 24, last year.

Newcastle Crown Court has heard it was more than three days later that the body of the 24-year-old Northumbria University student, from Whitehaven in Cumbria, was found by a staff member at Mansion Tyne.

She had gone to check on him, after concerns were raised by his parents having not heard from their son for several days.

Read more: Man in court for Jason Brockbank's murder accused of lying

He was found dead in the shower cubicle of his en-suite bathroom and the trial has heard the pathologist’s evidence stating he died from blood loss caused by a stab wound to the right side of his torso, just above the hip, which damaged blood vessels within his intestines.

The prosecution claim that the defendant was angry at messages he found on Mr Brockbanks’ phone from other men and in a fit of jealous rage turned a kitchen knife onto his boyfriend.

But, giving evidence to the trial, Mr Ray said he did not stab or deliberately hurt his boyfriend.

He claims that when he confronted him about the messages, Mr Brockbanks turned on him, and struck him to the head and neck.

Mr Ray claims he picked up the knife from a nearby desk and lashed out at Mr Brockbanks who then grabbed him in the struggle, causing the defendant to fall onto him backwards while still holding the knife.

He said he then left the room unaware Mr Brockbanks had suffered a stab injury, before he took a taxi back to his parents’ home in Sunderland.

The trial judge, Mr Justice Martin Spencer, told the jury it was the prosecution case that the defendant has contradicted himself and lied in court, but it was up to them to decide if he did lie and, “to what extent”.

He said even if he has been found to have lied it did not necessarily make him guilty.

“The defendant said he only contradicted himself because he can’t remember properly.

“You must be sure whether he told deliberate lies in the interview and you may use this as evidence to support the prosecution case.

“But he’s not to be convicted wholly or mainly, in effect, on the basis that he lied.”

David Lamb KC, for the prosecution, said the defendant “reverted to type” in confronting his boyfriend about his fidelity, having gone through his phone messages, as the trial has heard he did the same with previous partners who he accused of being unfathithful.

Mr Lamb said on seeing those messages from other men, “it would have been a red rag to a bull”, to the defendant.

“It lit a fuse and turned the volume up to 11 on an already violent, aggressive young man.

“He was not about to let Jason Brockbanks get away with his unfaithfulness.”

Mr Lamb said he stabbed him, “certainly once, probably twice and possibly a third time.”

He said the defendant’s account of being pulled backwards by the deceased, “doesn’t hold water or make common sense.”

Read more: Aaron Ray police interview during trial for murder of Jason Brockbanks

Defence counsel, Toby Hedworth KC, told the jury: “Emotion is the enemy of the task you have been asked to perform."

He said the jury had to be dispassionate and that the system in this country is that they should only convict if 12 of them were, “collectively sure the allegation is right”.

Mr Hedworth told the jury: “Anything else, and those 12 people on the jury must say, ‘not guilty’.”

He conceded the defendant’s memory of some events that night, and, “more importantly in that bedroom, is short of some important matters”.

But he added: “That shows he’s more likely being honest, but mistaken, and confused.”

Mr Hedworth said anyone wanting to cause serious harm with a knife such as the one that is alleged to have been used, it would have been, “easy to do.”

He said everything the defendant did after the event was, “entirely consistent with his innocence, accepting this relationship was over and moving on with his life.”

Read next:

               Accused in Newcastle student murder was making plans to go to Russia

               Sunderland man on trial for murder of Jason Brockbanks in Newcastle

               Man in court charged with murder of Northumbria University student

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Mr Hedworth told the jury if there was, “a realistic possibility” that the knife went into Mr Brockbanks accidentally, “then you must acquit.”

Mr Ray, 21, of Mayfield Road, South Hylton, Sunderland, denied the murder of Mr Brockbanks.

Mr Justice Spencer will sum up the evidence to the jury tomorrow (Tuesday March 21) before it retires to consider its verdict.