Michael Phillips murder trial: Judge begins to sum up evidence in trial of seven Hartlepool men

Teesside Crown Court heard its 31st day of evidence today, Tuesday, February 25, relating to events leading up to and after the fatal assault on Michael Phillips in a house in Rydal Street in the town on June 10 last year.

The defendants are Lee Darby, 32, of Ridley Court; Neil Elliott, 44, of Briarfields Close; Gary Jackson, 31, of The Darlings in Hart Village; John Musgrave, 54, of Wordsworth Avenue; Sean Musgrave, 30, also of Wordsworth Avenue; Anthony Small, 40, of Rydal Street, and Craig Thorpe, 36, of Young Street.

Darby and Elliott also deny burglary and Elliott denies assault.

The court has heard the case centres on the search for those responsible for stealing Elliott's daughter’s car.

The Honourable Justice Judge Jacobs began to sum up the evidence, detailing the statements of witnesses who saw what happened on that day and telematic data about phones and Facebook messages, which helped map out the defendants’ movements.

He also recalled the medical evidence, including the cause of death, which two doctors concluded was down to multiple torso injuries, with head injuries a contributing factor.

It was detailed to the court that the suggestion 39-year-old Mr Phillips had died due to the amount of heroin he had taken before the attack was ruled out, as was any notion he had taken any in the wake of the assault.

His summing up will continue into tomorrow afternoon, with the case adjourned until 10.30am in the morning.

Earlier, Mark Trafford, defending Thorpe, was the final defence barrister to address the trial in summing up.

He said: “He happened to be in a street with two people who happen to be his friends.

“As a result of that, he faces the most serious charge in the criminal calendar.

“He did what I expect any of you would do if you had been at the scene of a crime, he went to a police station and said ‘I was there.’”