THE jury trying a Runcorn man accused of murdering Good Samaritan Alison Wilson has retired to consider its verdict.

The Widnes mum-of-two died six days after her jugular and facial veins were severed by a broken bottle allegedly wielded by Stephen Duggan.

The 36-year-old was trying to calm down a row between a couple whilst a woman was holding a baby.

Duggan, 28, of Water Street, admits manslaughter but denies her murder.

He denies wounding Ms Wilson’s friend Anthony Tomlinson with intent by hitting him on the head with the bottle ‘pole axing’ him to the floor and then thrusting the broken bottle at his face causing a serious wound to his cheek.

Duggan has told a jury at Liverpool Crown Court that he could not recall slashing her throat with the broken wine bottle in Frank Street, Widnes on March 7.

She and Mr Tomlinson, 43, were attacked as they stepped out of a taxi to intervene in a heated row between Duggan and a young mum carrying a six-month-old baby in a car-seat.

Duggan admits wounding Mr Tomlinson and assaulting the other woman, but denies a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on the baby, which fell to the pavement suffering facial injuries.

Questioned by his barrister, Peter Birkett, QC, Duggan has denied holding a bottle of Echo Falls red wine when he lashed out at Mr Tomlinson.

He said he had been arguing with the woman holding the baby when Ms Wilson approached.

Duggan said: “The male and a female came over and the female started grabbing the car seat. And then I noticed the baby on the floor.”

“I pushed Alison, I punched (the other woman), and then I saw a male walking over so I hit him.”

Earlier the court heard Mr Tomlinson was knocked unconscious and his cheek was cut open leaving his teeth and tongue visible through the wound.

Miss Wilson suffered a wound to the left side of her neck causing ‘catastrophic’ blood loss.

Duggan described ‘swinging’ at Mr Tomlinson, but claimed he did not have the bottle in his hand.

Mr Birkett asked him: “Did you at any time hold the bottle as a weapon?”

Duggan, who admits he was drunk at the time, replied: “No, never.”

Cross-examined by Gordon Cole, QC, prosecuting, Duggan denied he had been aggressive after an argument with the woman with the baby. He claimed he could not remember a bottle smashing, or what happened to Mr Tomlinson after he lashed out.

Mr Cole asked: “That bottle was used on Mr Tomlinson, but it was used on Alison Wilson as well?”

Duggan said: “Not by me ….. not deliberately.”

The jury has heard that when interviewed by police he claimed he could not remember causing the injuries to Miss Wilson.

He told officers: “Someone has died, she was a mum. I am just shocked, I can’t believe two lives are ruined.

“How can you go out celebrating a new job one minute and the next a woman is dead and you’re in jail?

“So many questions, so many what ifs.”

The case continues.