The trial of a man accused of murdering a pensioner and attempting to murder a housemate is reaching the final stages.

Ahmed Ali Alid is accused of stabbing Javed Nouri six times after forcing his way into his bedroom in the asylum seeker house they shared in Hartlepool.

The 45-year-old then fled the scene and stabbed pensioner, Terence Carney, to death when he came across him on his regular early morning walk.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the accused stabbed the 70-year-old several times and left him to die in the street in the alleged terror-linked murder.

The Northern Echo:

A post-mortem examination established that Mr Carney had been stabbed six times in the chest, abdomen and back.

The jury had heard how the defendant was arrested nearby shortly afterwards and police found the fatally injured pensioner as they headed towards Wharton Terrace.

Jurors had heard how Alid accepted responsibility for both stabbings but maintained that he never intended to kill or seriously hurt either of the men.

The Northern Echo:

In his closing speech, Philip Sandiford KC prosecuting, urged the jury to convict the defendant of the murder of Mr Carney and the attempted murder of Mr Nouri following his attacks in the early hours of October 15 last year.

And John Elvidge KC, representing the defendant, reminded jurors of Alid’s claims that he had been tormented by Mr Nouri for several weeks before the stabbing.

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The Northern Echo:

The barrister also pointed out Alid had told them that the defendant maintained that he “lost his mind” after feeling stress build up.

The judge will sum up the evidence before the jury retires to consider its verdict.

Alid, of Wharton Terrace, Hartlepool, denies he murdered Mr Carney. He also denies the attempted murder of his housemate, and two charges of assaulting an emergency worker.

The trial continues.