A FATHER murdered a 23-year-old man by thrusting a champagne flute into his neck, a jury heard.

Preston Crown Court was told Jack James Costello, 45, had first grabbed and bitten his victim in an unprovoked attack.

Costello admits the manslaughter of Jason 'Jay Jay' Taylor but denies murdering him.

On the opening day of a trial, the court heard Mr Taylor suffered catastrophic injuries and died in hospital following the attack at the former Esco-Bar in Darwen in the early hours of Sunday, January 28.

Prosecuting Jacob Dyer said: “This defendant is charged with the murder of Jason Taylor, also known as Jay Jay. He admits assaulting Jay Jay using a glass.

“He admits this attack caused Jay Jay’s death. He accepts he is guilty of manslaughter. What he does not accept is that he intended to do grievous bodily harm. So he denies that he is guilty of murder."

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The court heard that before the fatal assault Mr Taylor had exchanged words with Kayle Smith, the nephew of the defendant's former partner.

Mr Taylor had been talking to a friend of a friend, Zoe Broadhurst, at the bar before Smith leaned in and said: "Aren't you too good to be talking to him?"

Mr Taylor did not react to that comment but the court heard 30-year-old Smith headbutted the victim. But Mr Taylor 'did not appear to be overly concerned by that'.

But Smith spoke to his uncle, who marched over to Mr Taylor and put his arm around his neck as if he was going to speak to him.

The court heard Costello, of Victoria Street, Rishton, bit the ear of Mr Taylor for about six seconds, forcing the victim's head down.

A number of people tried to stop Costello, including his former partner Sharon Kitchen, who slapped him in the face.

Prosecutors say Costello, who was out celebrating his son's 21st birthday and had been given glass rather than a plastic glass because he had bought an expensive bottle of champagne, thrust the champagne flute into his victim's neck, severing his jugular.

Mr Dyer said the glass shattered when it made contact with the victim's neck with shards going into Mr Taylor's face.

Following that Costello threw the stem of the glass at the victim's shoulder.

He then landed a number of punches before being restrained by security staff.

Mr Dyer said: "This second unprovoked attack involved the defendant clamping his teeth onto Jay Jay’s ear, then thrusting a glass in his neck then lunging at him again.

“The blow from the glass caused a deep cut that severed the jugular vein. He suffered a catastrophic loss of blood and Jay Jay collapsed outside the bar. He was taken to Royal Preston Hospital but unfortunately died from his injuries at 11am. CCTV was received at the bar.

“Those involved can be easily identified. The bar was busy. The defendant himself has one eye. The defendant did surrender himself to the police station the following day.”

The court heard that Costello handed himself into police at Blackburn's Greenbank Police Station and answered 'no comment' to all questions put to him. He also declined to provide an impression of his teeth for analysis.

A pathologist found Mr Taylor, who had been out with girlfriend Amber Greenwood, had suffered a major injury to his jugular vein, a right ear injury consistent with a bite mark and bruising to the bridge of his nose.

The pathologist found that the neck injury was the underlying cause of death.

Mr Dyer said the defence will say that Costello threw the glass rather than thrust it into Mr Taylor's neck.

He told the jury that if they agreed with the prosecution then they should find the defendant guilty of murder but if not they should find him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

The trial continues.