Hartlepool teenager says he had 'fight' with Stockton man who died in stabbing
A Hartlepool teenager on trial for murder says he got into a fight with the victim but denied stabbing or intending to kill him.
Jesse Reaney, aged 18, is standing trial at Teesside Crown Court over the murder of David Cuthbert, 50, who was killed inside his home in Stockton on January 10 this year.
Layton Lightfoot, 18, and 19-year-old Charlie Wilcox, from Middlesbrough, are also jointly charged with Mr Cuthbert’s murder.
The trial has heard Mr Cuthbert died from catastrophic blood loss after he was stabbed to the chest.
Giving evidence on Monday, Reaney accepted going to Mr Cuthbert’s address in Egglescliffe Close, in Hardwick, Stockton, with his friend Lightfoot and Wilcox, who Reaney said he met for the first time that day.
He said Mr Cuthbert was a drug user and that Reaney and Lightfoot dealt in crack cocaine.
He said much of his memory of that day was “a bit of a blur” due to having taken a number of temazepam sedative tablets.
Reaney said Mr Cuthbert first refused to let the three defendants inside his house to smoke cannabis.
He said Mr Cuthbert then became “aggressive” toward him when he asked for money on behalf of one of the other defendants.
Reaney said he then climbed through a window for a “fight” with Mr Cuthbert and the pair exchanged punches inside.
He said at one point he became aware that Wilcox was holding a knife and he saw blood on Mr Cuthbert’s leg.
Reaney said: “I just panicked and thought ‘what am I getting myself into here’, so I have left the property straightaway.”
He said he left by the window he entered through and walked down an alleyway and into the street.
Peter Moulson, defending, asked him: “Did you intend that Mr Cuthbert be caused to die that day?” to which Reaney said “no”.
Mr Moulson asked: “Did you intend at any point Mr Cuthbert be caused really serious injury?”
Again Reaney, said: “No.” He added: “I just wanted him to stop attacking me so I was attacking him.”
The trial earlier heard how Reaney was arrested the following day at Lowthian Road, in Hartlepool.
All three defendants deny murder and the trial is continuing.