JURORS in the case of a Carlisle hospital security guard who is accused of murder and attempted murder will resume their deliberations tomorrow.

Jack Crawley, 20, admits the manslaughter of Annan man Paul Taylor, 56, saying that he was stealing the former soldier’s car when he fell and was fatally injured. But the defendant denies murder.

He has told the Carlisle Crown Court jury of six men and six women that he only ever intended to steal Mr Taylor's car, not to murder him.

The prosecution say that Crawley met Mr Taylor, following previous sexual contact, late on October 17 last year because he intended to kill him. Crawley also denies attempting to murder a man near York on January 5.

The prosecution case is that Crawley subjected Mr Taylor to “multiple blows” with a hammer before hiding his body at Finglandrigg Nature Reserve.

He later told police where he had buried the body, though only skeletal remains were recovered. A pathologist confirmed that Mr Taylor sustained at least ten “impact” fractures to his skull and face.

According to the prosecution, Crawley used a hammer to inflict those injuries while Mr Taylor was alive. The defendant denies this, saying he used a hammer on Mr Taylor after he had died in an attempt to make his body “disappear.”

Crawley claimed he was being controlled by a London based criminal gang whose bosses gave him criminal "missions." That was why he wanted to steal Mr Taylor's car, he said.

He denies intending to kill him.

In the incident near York, Crawley claims he struck the man with a hammer while acting in self-defence. He told the court the man threatened him with a knife during a sexual encounter.

In the dock alongside Crawley is Marcus Goodfellow, 20, who denies that he knowingly helped his co-defendant to dispose of Mr Taylor’s car. The prosecution say he knew the car’s owner was unlawfully killed.

Goodfellow, of Greystone Road, Carlisle, who worked with Crawley in security at The Cumberland Infirmary, said he had no knowledge of what happened to Mr Taylor when he travelled in his Vauxhall Corsa with Crawley.

The two defendants were taking the Vauxhall Corsa to Appleby October 19 last year when Crawley crashed and they then abandoned the car.

Goodfellow said he first linked the Vauxhall to the then missing Mr Taylor some weeks later when he saw the car in a missing poster that was put up at The Cumberland Infirmary, appealing for information.

Crawley also denies intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm on the man near York during the incident. The allegation is an alternative to attempted murder.

When the jury came back into court at 4.20pm, they asked a question about whether Crawley was right or left-handed. The judge told them that issue was not one considered during the trial and they heard now heard all the evidence.

The Honourable Mr Justice Goose warned the jurors to only consider the case when they are all together and to carry out no research. They must decide their verdicts using only the evidence they have heard.

They will return to their deliberations tomorrow morning.