JURORS in the Jack Crawley murder trial at Carlisle Crown Court have reconvened and resumed their deliberations.

Crawley, 20, admits 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.

The defendant, of Sheehan Crescent, Carlisle, claims he worked for a London based crime gang, and was 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 as he stole his car.

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.

He 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 has told the jury he had no knowledge of what had happened to Mr Taylor when he travelled with Crawley in the Vauxhall Corsa on October 19 last year to Langwathby.

Both men worked as security guards at The Cumberland Infirmary.

The jury bailiff was re-sworn at 11.12am.

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