Jurors at Teesside Crown Court were shown the moment police located a knife hidden in a bush close to a Stockton bungalow, evidence prosecutors say links the weapon to the fatal stabbing of 49-year-old David Cuthbert.
Court shown search and house tour
During the trial, the prosecution presented video and photographic material that, they say, depicts the recovery of a distinctive blade from a shrub beside the BP garage on Egglescliffe Close, only metres from Mr Cuthbert’s home. The court was also taken on a virtual tour of the bungalow where officers recorded blood staining on a low chair, bedding and along the hallway where relatives found the victim.
Prosecuting counsel stated that a blue camouflage jacket was recovered nearby the suspected weapon. Jurors were told that harrowing footage, which the prosecution says shows the attack being carried out, was circulated among a number of people including the victim’s daughter.
Accused and charges
Three young men stand accused of both the killing of Mr Cuthbert and an earlier violent robbery of a woman shortly before the fatal assault. The defendants deny all charges and have pleaded not guilty.
- Knife recovered from a bush beside the BP forecourt on Egglescliffe Close
- Clothing (a blue camouflage jacket) reportedly found near the suspected weapon
- Forensic evidence and home video/photographic images presented to the jury
The prosecution says the defendants filmed themselves removing a board from a window, climbing into the property and then attacking Mr Cuthbert. They are also accused of filming the victim’s final moments before leaving the scene.
| Defendant | Age | Address (as reported in court) | Charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jesse Reaney | 18 | Lowthian Road, Hartlepool | Murder and robbery (deny) |
| Charlie Wilcock | 18 | No fixed abode | Murder and robbery (deny) |
| Layton Lightfoot | 18 | Stockwith Close | Murder and robbery (deny) |
Local impact and next steps
The case has reverberated in Stockton, with relatives of the victim described as distraught when they found him. The jury will continue to consider the evidence over the coming days as the prosecution sets out its account of the events and the defence cases seek to challenge those accounts.
Reporting from the hearing emphasised the proximity of the recovered weapon to the victim’s address and the presence of material allegedly showing the attack itself. The trial remains ongoing and further witness testimony and forensic details are expected as proceedings continue at Teesside Crown Court.
