Connor Brown murder trial: Judge gives jury key points to consider as they deliberate verdicts on Sunderland men Leighton Barrass and Ally Gordon

On the 14th and 15th day of the trial of Leighton Barrass and Ally Gordon, the six men and six women jurors heard the summing up of the case.

After two hours of deliberations on December 10, the jury were released, as the case has not been sitting on Tuesday afternoons.

They will return at 10am on Wednesday, December 11, to continue discussions.

In his summing up, the Honourable Mr Justice Lavender put forward key points to consider, with the jury given a file of documents including maps and transcripts to help.

They will also be able to view CCTV clips of the defendants’ movements and of Connor and his friends in the time leading up to his tragic death.

He was stabbed five times in an alley off Park Lane in the early hours of Sunday, February 24, with a wound to his heart proving fatal.

The judge last week gave jurors legal directions with three options, guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter or guilty of neither offence.

He told them questions they must also take into account include:

*The “crucial nine seconds” not captured during the disturbance – the prosecution say this is when Connor and Barrass had first contact with each other

*At what stage Barrass was armed with the knife

*That all those involved, both defendants and witnesses, were under the influence

*That not every eye witness saw the full incident in the poorly-lit back alley

*The evidence of expert witnesses, including a pathologist, forensic scientist who specialises in DNA and a forensic toxicologist

*Comments made by each defendant to the police when they were in custody.

As they retired to discuss their verdict, the judge told them: “You have an important duty to perform, please do not feel any pressure by time.

“You must take as long as you need to arrive at your verdict.

“You have sat patiently, listened to evidence and submissions for now 15 days.

“Don’t have any concerns about keeping us waiting after all the time you have spent paying attention in this case.”