Connor Brown murder trial day five: Updates from court as trial of two men accused of murdering Sunderland teenager continues

Two men, Leighton Barrass, of Hartside Square, and Ally Gordon, of Polmuir Road, both 20 are standing trial at Newcastle Crown Court charged with murder.

Today marks day five of the trial.

Please refresh the page for updates from the court hearing.

1.18pm: Mr Whitfield QC has sought details about when the cocaine could have been taken from its levels and it is suggested 24-48 hours before for Barrass.

The doctor has been released from giving her evidence.

The hearing has concluded for the day and will resume at 10am tomorrow.

1.13pm: Moving on to the results of Barrass, Mr Hill QC has said they were taken over nine hours after the incident.

They showed he had taken cocaine, but not when.

Dr Garside has said it is possible to say he was under the affects of it at the time, but not definitively.

He also had a significant of Alprazolam - known as Xanax - in his system.

The court has heard it is an anti-anxiety medication not available in the UK.

It can be used to off set the feeling of “coming down.”

It can cause confusion and loss of coordination.

Cannabis levels were found at a low level.

They are discussing what impact they could have on each other and if there is an enhanced affect if taken together.

She has said it is possible but difficult to say as each person reacts different and it depends when each was taken.

1.05pm: Dr Garside has explained how drink and cocaine can act together, but it’s not possible to say what affects they would have had.

Codeine was also found, but in therapeutic levels.

1.02pm: Connor’s samples were tested for alcohol and a range of drugs, including medical drugs and otherwise.

The results show he had alcohol in his system, as well as evidence of cocaine.

The blood transfusions might have lowered the levels, but Dr Garside has explained the samples taken would not have had a great impact.

The equivalent blood alcohol concentration was 150 microgramme per 100 millilitre. The drink drive limit is 80mg, so Mr Hill QC has explained using that gauge, he would have been twice the limit.

Dr Garside says the average social drinker would have shown the affects of that amount:

In the case of cocaine, she’s explained the results of that on the body, with an initial “intense euphoric rush” which would wear off.

She also found a substance caused when people drink alcohol and the drug at the same time.

She could not tell when, or how much of, the drug had been taken.

She has said it is possible he had been experiencing the affects of cocaine at the time of the incident.

12.48pm: Dr Diana Garside is now giving evidence to the court.

She has given a rundown of her qualifications as a forensic toxicologist.

She tests samples from people to see if there are signs of the use of drugs and other materials in their body.

She received samples from Connor.

She was also sent a blood sample from Barrass.

12.37pm: The next evidence is from Diana Garside, who will address the court via a television link from her place of work.

The prosecution hope this will last just half an hour.

The court has risen while the link is set up.

12.35pm: Dr Bolton has said she has seen CCTV of the incident.

They are discussing how knives can cause injuries.

He has said she was shown two knives and has said they injures are consistent with one but not the other.

“Isn’t it the cause the injures, the serious injuries, are consistent with any similar blade?”

He says if there was a similar knife they would be consistent injuries.

Andrew Fisher QC, who is representing Gordon, has said she is aware of kicking, but has sought to clarify that there was no brushing consistent with that.

The injury to the right eyebrow could have been caused by a kick, but there was no bruising, which she agrees would have been present.

Dr Bolton has now been released.

12.29pm: The jury has now been brought back into court to hear Dr Bolton be cross-examined.

Jonathan Whitfield QC, who is representing Barrasss, has asked about a point she made as she opened her evidence, that the injuries are looked at from the view that a person is standing at the time.

The force and movement of the person has to be taken into consideration, they agree.

He has mentioned the fact that more than one person was involved.

He has highlighted that force can come from someone moving forward or by another moving towards it - if the blade is supported she has noted.

If two people are moving independently it’s not possible to say which way the force comes from, they agree.

11.55am: The court is taking a break to resolve a number of inquiries.

11.52am: The Anglo Arms knife is 90mm in length and is partly serrated.

The other, which has blood on it, is the same length, but is smooth.

She was asked to look at the blades as part of her inquiries.

She has been asked if the blade found on Gordon could have been used.

She has said it would have caused different injuries than the ones she found.

“I have no evidence as a pathologist that that knife with its irregular teeth, caused the wounds.”

She said it could have been used to cause one injury to Connor’s arm.

Of the other blade she said: “All of the injuries are consistent with being by the exact profile of that knife.”

There were no indications from the injuries that more than one knife was used.

11.45 am: Two knives, one recovered from the alleyway, and another have been presented to court.

Dr Bolton has been handed one, a Joker-style knife, which the judge has also looked at.

It has been handed to the jury for members to look at.

A second, which was taken from Gordon on his arrest, is an Anglo Arms lock knife, and has also been passed forward.

11.43am: A second post mortem examination was also carried out.

In conclusion she has said Connor died because of a stab wound to his chest which caused damage to the left side of his heart.

She has detailed the medical explanation of the problem that injury had caused and led to his collapse.

Of the stab wounds, three caused damage to bone.

She has detailed how “mild to moderate force” would have been used.

She said there were no defensive injuries to his hands to show he had tried to grab or push away a blade.

She had there were no injuries to say he had been kicked.

She ended her report by saying he had no natural causes which would have contributed to his death.

11.28am: Dr Bolton has explained she found a single hole in the sack around the heart.

She found further evidence of the medical procedures within his chest which had been used to try and save him.

There was evidence of internal bleeding, damage to the pancreas gland and damage to the bowel.

There were no head injuries.

Samples were taken for histology which can help find evidence of injury not visible to the eye.

Others were sent for toxicology tests, which were complicated because Connor had been given blood.

11.27am: Fourth stab wound

The next was on the back of his left shoulder and struck a rib, but did not damage the bone.

11.25am: Third stab wound

The third stab wound was also to the left side of his body.She has said this was “relatively superficial” compared with the other wounds.

11.20am: Second stab wound damaged bowel

The second stab wound had a stitch put in it by the resuscitation team.

This went into his abdomen and damaged his bowel.

11.17am: The fifth is lower down on the back and went into a rib bone.

On his left arm, the sixth, is also a sharp force injury, but more superficial.

Her checks documented 11 other injures.

These include a cut on his head, not caused by something sharp; grazing on his nose, his cheek, lip and above his collarbone.

He had an abrasion on his elbow and one on his right knee.

11.15am: Stab wound caused damage to heart

Dr Bolton has been asked to go through each of the injuries Connor sustained.

The court has been told it is not possible to say what order they happened in.

The first was a stab wound caused by a sharp implement, and some grazes.

It caused damage to one of his ribs and also went into his heart.

11.10am: Marks on his chest highlighted

Dr Bolton noted there were marks on Connor as a result of medical intervention.

This included on his chest, a sign of a procedure which would be a “last gasp” effort to try and save someone.

11.05am: Pathologist shown knife and back lane

Dr Bolton confirms on February 24, she was asked by police to attend the Royal Victoria Infirmary.

She was given a history of the treatment Connor had received and told what the police thought had happened at that stage.

She was shown photos of the back lane, but she did not need to attend the scene.

She was shown a photo of a knife, known as a Joker blade, which was 3.5in in length.

11am: Pathologist explains role

Dr Bolton has explained she is one of the Home Office pathologists for the North East and going through her role and how she can help police understand how injuries can play a part in someone’s death.

10.55am: Judge warns of distressing details

The judge, the Honourable Mr Justice Lavender has warmed said some of the members of the public may find some of the details distressing.

10.50am: Pathologist is first witness

The court has resumed for the day and the first witness of the day is pathologist Dr Jennifer Bolton.

Mr Hill QC has said after Dr Bolton, a toxicology expert will be giving evidence via a television link.

10.45am: Defendants brought into court

The defendants have been brought into court.

Gordon is in a suit and tie and Barrass a shirt and tie.

10.35am: Tributes to 'wonderful young man'

An 18-year-old Farringdon lad, Connor worked as a receptionist at Happy House GP surgery, in Durham Road.

He was a dedicated Sunderland AFC fan and followed them at home and away.

Wearside was left stunned by Connor's death and tributes from across the city flooded in for "the most wonderful young man."

10.30am: Trial continues at Newcastle Crown Court

Two men, Leighton Barrass, of Hartside Square, and Ally Gordon, of Polmuir Road, both 20, are standing trial charged with the murder of Connor Brown.

Please refresh the page for updates from the court hearing.