- Man sentenced to eight years for killing his sister’s violent boyfriend during Christmas gathering in Sunderland.
- Adam Jenkins acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter by Newcastle Crown Court.
- Simon Birch suffered fatal neck wound, leaving the Birch family devastated.
Man sentenced to eight years in prison for killing his sister’s violent boyfriend during a Christmas Day gathering in Newbottle, Sunderland.
The defendant, Adam Jenkins, was acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court. The victim, Simon Birch, suffered a fatal neck wound.
The Birch family expressed their grief, stating that Simon was working on overcoming personal struggles, and his tragic death marred the holiday season.
During the trial, the jury heard that Simon Birch had been in a relationship with Adam Jenkins’ sister, Emma, for two and a half years, and there were several instances of domestic abuse and violence within the relationship.
On Christmas Day, the couple attended Jenkins’ house to celebrate with the family, but at the conclusion of the party, Mr. Birch initiated a violent attack on his girlfriend.
Jenkins testified that he believed Mr. Birch had killed his sister after repeatedly punching her, causing her to become unconscious and bleed on the living room floor.
Jenkins stated that he became locked in the kitchen while Mr. Birch was pushed outside, but he could still hear shouting and screaming, which made him fear for the safety of his family.
Jenkins, who ran a successful bricklaying agency, claimed that he could not recall picking up three knives from the kitchen but assumed he did so to defend himself, his sister Emma Jenkins, and his partner Natalie Shaw against further attacks from Mr. Birch. He also stated that he did not remember inflicting the fatal wound in the driveway but remembered attempting to perform CPR on Mr. Birch.
During the trial, it was revealed that the Christmas gathering had initially been a joyful occasion, with people enjoying themselves. However, there was an underlying sense of unpleasantness and tension between Mr. Birch and Ms. Jenkins throughout the day.
Excessive alcohol consumption was reported among several individuals, including Mr. Birch, who was found to be more than three times over the legal limit for driving, rendering him vulnerable.
In court, statements from Mr. Birch’s two teenage daughters expressed their devastation over their father’s death. They acknowledged that the trial focused on his negative aspects, such as drug abuse and violence, but emphasized that there was more to him than those negative aspects.
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