THE jury in the Jock Straiton murder trial have started to hear the closing speeches from both sides.

At Chester Crown Court on Wednesday the jury of nine men and three women first heard the prosecution speech from Andrew Thomas QC.

Gordon Cole, defending Joshua Spruce, then spent two hours addressing the jury, saying his client had told the truth throughout the four-week trial - unlike his fellow defendants.

In his speech Mr Thomas said it was difficult for the jury to understand what it was really like when the events took place on July 26 last year.

But he said that the three men in the dock - Paul Blower, Joshua Spruce and Nigel Goolding - were all involved in the attack in a case of joint enterprise.

He said Spruce was involved in the attack from the beginning till the end, with the key piece of evidence being his neighbour Michelle Wilkinson overhearing a telephone conversation he made after the attack.

He added that Blower was the initial troublemaker who goaded Mr Straiton out of his flat by asking for a fight.

Mr Thomas said he had also lied twice during the trial.

He said Goolding responded to the call for reinforcements and he went to the scene expecting trouble.

Defending his client, Joshua Spruce, Mr Cole said the 20-year-old had admitted from the beginning to punching and kicking Mr Straiton and his evidence was the most reliable.

He said he committed the act in self-defence after the 59-year-old came out of his home with a hammer.

Mr Cole added that witnesses Christina Beadles and Stephen Moores had said Spruce was the one trying to calm things down when Tom Randals and Paul Blower initially got into an argument outside the flats.

He said that this was all prosecution evidence and had been analysed in full.

"We say it paints a very different picture that the prosecution would want you to have," he added.

He also warned the jury to be careful about evidence given to the court by Lauren Randals saying she was covering for her ex-boyfriend Blower.

The trial continues.