JURORS in the Jack Crawley murder trial at Carlisle Crown Court have reconvened to consider their verdicts.

Crawley, 20, has admitted the manslaughter of 56-year-old Cumberland Infirmary catering manager Paul Taylor on October 18 last year. He denies murdering him. He also denies attempting to murder a man near York.

Crawley, of Sheehan Crescent, Carlisle, claims he was working for a London based crime gang, and being forced to commit crimes. 

He has told the jury that he only ever intended to steal Mr Taylor’s Vauxhall Corsa on October 17 last year, but not to kill him. He claims Mr Taylor was fatally injured when he fell during a struggle.

Crawley’s denial of attempting to murder a man near York on January 5 is based on his claim that he acted in self-defence when threatened with a knife.

Crawley also denies a second charge – an alternative to the attempted murder allegation – that he intentionally inflicted grievous bodily harm on the man he hit with a hammer in the York incident.

Co-defendant Marcus Goodfellow, 20, of Greystone Road, Carlisle, denies “assisting an offender” – Crawley – by helping to dispose of Mr Taylor’s car while knowing it belonged to a person who was unlawfully killed.

He told the jury he had no knowledge of what happened to Mr Taylor when he travelled with Crawley in the Vauxhall Corsa on October 19 to Langwathby. Both men worked as security guards at The Cumberland Infirmary.

The jury are continuing to consider their verdicts.

Goodfellow, of Greystone Road, Carlisle, has been on bail while Crawley has been remanded in custody.