Newton Aycliffe pub murder trial is nearing an end

Richard Smith-Slater fatally knocked out Craig Gill moments after he had whipped the 61-year-old with his dog lead in town centre bar.

The 33-year-old delivered four brutal punches to his alleged victim when he tried stop the defendant leaving Blakes bar in Newton Aycliffe.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Mr Gill died several days after he was assaulted on July 8 last year.

Craig Gill (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Nick Dry, closing the prosecution’s case, said the defendant took a sneaky chance to deliver a ‘punishment’ beating believing that he was a law unto himself in the bar before swanning out of the premises.

“None of us needed to be here. This needn’t have happened,” he said.

“A man killed, murdered the prosecution says, in circumstances so utterly senseless, it beggars belief.

“Beaten to death in such a brutal manner. For what? An argument about a dog. It’s hard to believe that such a disagreement could bring us all here.”

Mr Dry said the defendant was ‘initially’ proud of what he had done when he knocked out Mr Gill until the consequences of what he happened ‘dawned on him’.

Police body-worn footage recorded when he was arrested caught him telling officers that he had "sorted out a d***head" in the pub and "had done nothing wrong".

Forensic officer working inside Blakes bar in Newton Aycliffe (Image: TERRY BLACKBURN)

Owen Edwards KC, representing the defendant, told jurors that his client maintains that he acted in self-defence when he punched Mr Gill to the face.

He said: “He started to defend himself in the face of aggression and he was only using such force he felt was needed to be used.

“There was no evidence, whatsoever, of intention to cause really serious harm.”

Mr Edwards dismissed the prosecution claim that Smith-Slater acted like the sheriff in a one-horse town when he punched Mr Gill four times to the head.

See more court stories from The Northern Echo by clicking here

• Man who smashed Mercedes into garden wall pleads guilty to catalogue of offences

• Murder accused felt 'intimidated' by drinker before knocking him out

• Gunshot victim 'lucky' reactivated pistol of Bishop man didn't fire straight

Get all the latest crime and court updates, for less than the price of a coffee, with a Premium Plus digital subscription to The Northern Echo. Click here

Earlier, the jury had heard how there had been some tension between the pair after Mr Gill had been raised concerns about the defendant’s Staffordshire bull terrier pup wandering around the pub.

The barrister reminded the jury that Mr Gill had told his client that the dog should have been shot before threatening to knock him out.

Smith-Slater, of Bury Road, Newton Aycliffe, has pleaded not guilty to murder and the alternative charge of manslaughter.

The judge will sum up the evidence on Monday before the jury retires to consider their verdict.

The trial continues.