Lee Cooper murder: Teenager told police he attached Hartlepool man with a TV

Lee Cooper, 43, died in a brutal street attack in Stockton on December 23 last year after suffering 114 injuries.

Luke Pearson, 19, who is charged with murder, claimed that he did police a ‘favour’, a court heard today.

Pearson, of Westbourne Street, Stockton, is standing trial at Teesside Crown Court alongside co-defendant Neil Maxwell, 40, of Lytton Court, North Ormesby.

Both men deny murdering Lee Cooper.

After being arrested at the murder scene, the court heard how Pearson told officers in the police car: “How can you arrest someone for walking past?

“How come I’m the only one arrested when there was ten people there?

“I will not be going to court because I have done nowt.”

However, despite claiming to have done ‘nowt’, Pearson later told officers: “I think I just did yous a favour.

“That lad I assaulted, he was wanted.

“He’s got 21 slash marks and I have smashed a TV off his head, he’s not getting back up.”

In his official police interviews later however, Pearson remained silent when asked about the attack on Mr Cooper.

Maxwell was also arrested and interviewed by police, the court heard, and was shown CCTV of the assault on Mr Cooper.

He told officers that he did not know how a ‘pool of blood and teeth’ came to be in the centre of the road, prosecutor Jolyon Perks said.

Maxwell said: “It’s an absolute disgrace to be fair with you.”

He accepted that the CCTV showed him causing injury to Mr Cooper, but said he could not remember it.

Both Maxwell and Pearson deny murder.

The prosecution has now closed its case and the trial will now turn to the case for the defence.

The trial continues.