THE jury in the trial of a man who is accused of killing his great uncle with a steak knife then hiding the murder weapon with the help of his uncle, has retired to consider its verdict.

Adam Mason, 33, of Plough Lane, Tibberton, denies murdering Desmond Wooding at the 80-year-old’s home in Vines Lane on June 23 last year.

Mark Mason, 55, of Plough Lane, Tibberton, is alleged to have driven Adam Mason, his nephew, away from the scene with the prosecution saying he intended to impede the apprehension or prosecution of Adam Mason, knowing or believing him to be guilty of the murder or another arrestable offence.

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Yesterday the trial, which had lasted just over two weeks, came to its conclusion with the judge’s summing up. Sending them to retire Judge Robert Juckes told the jury: “You may have heard circumstances of a jury verdict given when it is not unanimous.

“If you have heard that can I ask to put that to one side. We look to you for an unanimous verdict, on which you are all agreed.”

The judge also made the point that the evidence of experts called was to be respected, but stressed it was “trial by jury, and not by experts”.

It is the prosecution’s case that Adam Mason left the Gardeners Arms pub and stabbed Mr Wooding to death in a ‘frenzy of drunken hatred’ following a family feud.

Prosecutor Adrian Keeling explained that there is 20 minute period where Adam Mason does not appear on any of the area’s CCTV before 9pm, with police highlighting this must have been when the murder was committed.

But Adam Mason told the jury that in fact, during the key 20 minutes, he had been outside the pub leaning on a wall and checking his phone, before his dog Savvy ran off and he went to get the German Shepherd dog back.

In his closing speech of the trial at Worcester Crown Court the prosecutor had highlighted that Adam Mason’s clothes worn on the day were never recovered, and claimed Adam Mason had later disposed of them and the murder weapon.

He also said Adam Mason had changed his initial account when it was contradicted by CCTV evidence and described it as a ‘remarkable coincidence’ that Mr Wooding’s DNA was found on Mason’s dog lead.

David Mason, summing up the defence’s case, called into question the prosecution’s account, saying not enough of it matched up for the jury to be certain of guilt.

And Mark Mason told the jury that he had simply picked up Adam Mason after being called, and used it as chance to let his dog out for a walk. Phone analysis had shown the pair had been in a golf course layby for around 10 minutes, and Mark Mason agreed this had been the case, saying it had been quick as he had wanted to get back and lock up his chickens before it got dark.

Yesterday afternoon, two hours into their deliberation, the jury sent a note to the judge asking the exact time Mr Wooding's lights had come on, on June 23.

The judge answered that there wasn't an exact time, and advised them to check images of Mr Wooding's house that has been provided to them.

The trial continues.