Teesside Crown Court murder trial hears details of Hartlepool defendant's arrest involving armed police
Details of the arrest of a Hartlepool teenager on suspicion of murder were today read out during his trial.
Jesse Reaney, 18, is one of three men standing trial at Teesside Crown Court over the murder of 50-year-old David Cuthbert on January 10 this year.
The jury has heard that Mr Cuthbert was found dead by family members inside his home in Egglescliffe Close in Hardwick, Stockton, after being stabbed in the chest.
Reaney, from Hartlepool, is charged with Mr Cuthbert’s murder alongside Charlie Wilcock,19, of Yarm Lane, and Layton Lightfoot, 18, of Stockwith Close, both Middlesbrough.
On Monday, the jury heard how armed police went to Reaney’s home in Lowthian Road on January 11.
A statement by the arresting officer described how uniformed and armed officers attended early in the morning as he was wanted in connection Mr Cuthbert’s murder.
Reaney answered the front door and was arrested shortly after 7am, after which he was driven to Middlesbrough in custody.
The court also heard statements from police and a taxi driver about the previous day. The taxi driver attended Middlesbrough Police Station as he could not wake Reaney to get him to leave his taxi.
Officers found a small amount of cannabis on Reaney and drove him back to Hartlepool.
Earlier that day on January 10, Reaney, Wilcox and Lightfoot are alleged to have forced their way into Mr Cuthbert’s home.
One of them is alleged to have confronted Mr Cuthbert with a knife over a debt before stabbing him in the chest.
The prosecution say all three defendants, who deny murder, are responsible regardless of who delivered the fatal injury.
The trial continues.