Motive for needle attack 'still unclear' - court

Gary Lewis was attacked as he served Mr Harris in his record shop

A nurse who injected a record shop owner with a muscle-relaxing anaesthetic intended "nothing less" than to kill him, a jury has been told.

Darren Harris, 58, from Middlesbrough, stabbed Gary Lewis in the backside with a syringe at the Betterdaze shop in Northallerton on 2 July.

Leeds Crown Court heard Mr Lewis came "very, very close" to death after the attack, with Mr Harris's motive still unclear when both sides made their closing speeches on Monday.

The defendant, who has worked as a nurse for 24 years, denies attempted murder and grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, but has admitted administering poison with intent to endanger life or inflict GBH.

Mr Harris did not provide evidence in his defence during the trial but told police officers in an interview he had been pushed to the floor by Mr Lewis when he visited the shop on 29 May, causing him injury.

However, CCTV played to the jury from that date showed no sign of animosity between the two men as they left the record shop carrying items.

After his arrest, Mr Harris told police his intention was to "frighten" Mr Lewis, and the syringe had been filled with water.

Prosecuting, Richard Herrmann told jurors the evidence against Mr Harris was "utterly overwhelming".

"It's nonsense that there had been an altercation. There was no altercation."

Mr Herrmann said the defendant would have known about the drug's effects through his job as a senior operating department practitioner at the James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough.

Mr Lewis came "very, very close" to dying, he added, and survived because of the urgent medical attention he received while Mr Harris sat in his car outside the shop.

"He intended to kill Gary Lewis," said Mr Herrmann.

"The only reason the defendant didn't make that short walk [to give evidence] was because he had no answers, or none that would have stood up to the scrutiny of being cross-examined.

"It's really difficult to actually know what his defence his."

Darren Harris has been on trial at Leeds Crown Court

Defending Mr Harris, Sean Smith said his client "doesn't have to prove anything".

"It's not much of a right if you are to be criticised for exercising it."

Mr Smith told the jury they "have to be sure he intended to kill" before asking them: "How can you be sure what was in his mind if he hasn't told you?

"You have heard nothing that has given rise to 'Oh, I can see why that happened'."

The court heard Mr Harris was seen squirting some contents of a syringe out of his car window before he injected Mr Lewis.

"If he was intending to kill, why not inject all of the drug?," Mr Smith said to the jury.

The jury is expected to begin its deliberations on Tuesday.

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