Danny Humble case: Ex-junior soldier denies inflicting fatal stamp

Danny Humble died after a fatal stamp to his head or neck caused a ruptured blood vessel

A former junior soldier has denied inflicting a fatal stamp on a man, adding he was "sickened" by the attack.

Danny Humble, 35, was repeatedly kicked as he lay on the ground after an altercation in Cramlington, Northumberland, in May last year, Newcastle Crown Court has been told.

Alistair Dickson, 18, has denied kicking and stamping on Mr Humble and said he tried to help him.

Mr Dickson, along with four other teenagers, denies Mr Humble's murder.

They are a 17-year-old, who cannot be named, Ethan Scott and Bailey Wilson, both from Blyth, and Kyros Robinson, from Seaton Delaval, who are all 18.

Mr Humble and his partner were on a night out when they met a group in an underpass, the court heard.

The 17-year-old had joked about Mr Humble looking like one of the TV presenters Ant and Dec, and although the couple initially took it in good humour, Mr Humble later pushed and then punched the youth, the jury was told.

Summing up, Judge Joel Bennathan QC, said several witnesses had seen a group repeatedly kicking Mr Humble as he was on the ground.

But Justice Bennathan said it had been dark at the time of the attack and some witnesses, who had been several metres away and had also been drinking alcohol, could not be sure who kicked and punched the victim.

'Backed away'

The hearing was told Mr Humble died after a blow to his head or neck ruptured a blood vessel.

During his evidence Mr Scott told the court he had swung a few punches at Mr Humble to defend his 17-year-old co-accused.

He then said he had "backed away" after seeing "Ali" - Mr Dickson - kick Mr Humble in the head.

However, in summing up Justice Bennathan said Mr Dickson had said he had seen others kick Mr Humble and that after the attack he had been "sickened" by what had happened and even "slapped" another man for making light of the attack.

Mr Dickson denied stamping and kicking the victim and said he had tried to help him when he realised he was unconscious by trying to flag down an ambulance.

He said: "I had done nothing wrong. Everyone tried to help. I was scared and I didn't tell police what my friends had done."

The hearing heard that four weeks before Mr Humble's death, Mr Dickson had been involved in a fight with another junior soldier at a barracks showing that he was "capable of violence".

However, Mr Dickson said he had punched the other man a few times because he had been "picking on me" and had called his father a junkie.

He said he had been depressed at the time because of lockdown restrictions had never acted that way before and never would again.

The trial continues.