Trial begins for man accused of murdering Northumberland man Andrew Peart

Andrew Peart was heading to the Co Op in Guidepost, Northumberland, when he walked onto a section of road close to an oncoming vehicle being driven by Jake McIntyre.

A court heard that a short verbal argument took place between the pair but McIntyre drove back around, got out of his car and attacked Mr Peart with a weapon.

Mr Peart initially survived the assault and carried on with his evening but jurors were told his condition deteriorated and he was later rushed to hospital.

Doctors discovered the 39-year-old had suffered a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain.

He died in hospital eight days later.

McIntyre, 28, of Stakeford Crescent, denies murder and is being tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.

David Lamb KC, prosecuting, said: "On the evening of the 22nd of August last year, Andrew Peart, known locally as Perdy, left his partner Sarah Gray's house to go for a walk.

"It would seem that he and Sarah had had an argument between themselves.

"Police were led to the assumption that as Andrew stepped out on the road he may have done so in front of a Mitsubishi Shogun motor vehicle, a motor vehicle being driven by this defendant.

"That resulted in some words being exchanged between Andrew and the defendant. It was a fairly minor episode and it was over quite quickly.

"Rather than leave matters, the prosecution say that this defendant drove away and double backed on himself and back towards where Andrew Peart was.

"A member of staff that was working at the Co Op shop heard shouting from outside the shop and she went to the door where she watched Andrew Peart being attacked by this defendant.

"The attack that she witnessed at that stage consisted of punches that resulted in Andrew stumbling backwards into some sort of bin then ultimately falling to the ground.

"Andrew eventually got off the ground and walked away while the defendant, this accused, got back in his Mitsubishi Shogun and drove away."

The court heard Mr Peart rang somebody after the attack to inform them he'd been just attacked by the driver of a car "with a bat."

Mr Lamb continued: "Initially, Mr Peart was capable of purposeful movement after being struck.

"He was able to communicate with others. He was able to walk between various addresses, addresses that were in the local area.

"However, gradually over the passage of time of around three hours after the attack Mr Peart's condition began to deteriorate.

"At approximately twenty past two in the morning in the early hours of 23rd of August last year, he was unable to walk without some form of assistance.

"He was taken to the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care hospital in Cramlington and then transferred to the RVI in this city where despite the best efforts of multiple medical professionals and spending time in operating theatres, Mr Peart died at around 12:20 in the morning on the 30th of August last year.

"He died, the prosecution say, as a result of a injury he received to his head after he was struck by this defendant with a weapon."

Jurors heard that Mr Peart initially visited a couple of properties following the attack to seek help and he initially appeared "fine" to friends, despite having a lump on his head.

But after his health began to decline and he was eventually taken to hospital by a pal in their van.

Medics battled to save Mr Peart and surgery was carried out to relieve pressure on his brain but he couldn't be saved.

Jurors were later played a video sent by the defendant following the attack where he admitted to having to change cars to escape the attention of the police.

He was heard to say on one: "It's a nightmare hiding from the police and having to change my f****** car again for giving some little crackhead street justice."

Another audio recording showed McIntyre say the altercation started when he beeped his horn at Mr Peart and as a result he produced a metal wheel brace from the car.

In another voice note, he said he wasn't using the Shogun for a while because police were "potentially looking for it because I wrapped a f****** pole around a little crackhead's head last night."

In another message, the defendant said: "There's no way I'm going to let him get away with that and it's either going to be me or him."

He was later arrested in the Lake District and told police in interview he felt threatened by Mr Peart who was shouting at him.

Mr Lamb added: "The prosecution's case is that this defendant is guilty of murder.

"The prosecution's case is he deliberately struck Andrew Peart to the head and as a result of the injury he inflicted on him, Andrew died."

The trial continues.