Simon Birch killing: Adam Jenkins guilty of Newbottle manslaughter

A man has been found guilty of killing his sister's abusive boyfriend at the end of a Christmas Day party.

Simon Birch, 39, was fatally wounded in the neck at the home of Adam Jenkins in Newbottle, Sunderland, at about 23:20 GMT on 25 December 2021.

Jenkins, 36, was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter after a three-week trial at Newcastle Crown Court. He will be sentenced on 17 July.

Prosecutors said he was in a "murderous rage" but he had claimed self-defence.

The court had heard that Mr Birch had been in a relationship with Jenkins' sister Emma for two-and-a-half years and that there had been multiple incidents of domestic abuse and violence.

The couple were invited to Jenkins' home to celebrate Christmas Day with multiple other relatives with guests enjoying a large dinner followed by games and karaoke in the bar built in the garden.

But at the end of the night Mr Birch launched a violent attack on Ms Jenkins in the living room, which led Jenkins to believe his sister had been killed, the court heard.

Mr Birch was pushed outside where Jenkins confronted him and slashed his neck with a kitchen knife.

Jenkins told the court he could not remember grabbing the knife or stabbing Mr Birch but he had not intended to harm the man he considered a friend.

After almost eight hours of deliberation, 10 of the 11 jurors agreed Jenkins was not guilty of murder.

The jury, which had lost a member to ill health, took a further three hours to reach a unanimous verdict on the manslaughter charge.

Det Supt Jane Fairlamb of Northumbria Police said it was a "tragic case", adding: "For this to happen on Christmas Day is especially poignant for Simon's family - what should have been a time of celebration and togetherness ended in the most devastating of outcomes."

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