A Marks and Spencer security guard is accused of killing a shoplifter with a single blow to the head, a court heard on Tuesday.

Jason Page fell to the ground as a result of the store security officer’s punch to the head. He died in hospital after suffering a bleed to the brain.

Sabuer Trabelsi, 44, who was working his last day at the shop, denied a charge of manslaughter at the start of his trial on Tuesday at Reading Crown Court.

A prosecutor said that the security guard lied to police and his colleagues about what had happened - claiming Mr Page was so drunk he lost his balance and fell over.

The jury heard that the M&S guard had chased Mr Page, said to be homeless, out of the shop in Lower Earley, Reading, Berks, after he “brazenly” stole £300 worth of meat from the shelves.

Meat and beer stolen

He allegedly worked with an accomplice, Oswold Walker.

They were both seen on CCTV walking into the Marks and Spencer shop on March 31, 2020, 30 minutes before it closed, the court heard. 

Mr Page had a “noticeable bulge” on his belly which was a plastic bag which he “whipped out” for Mr Walker to stuff it full of expensive meat, the jury were told.

The court heard that the pair were in and out in under a minute, with Mr Walker grabbing a box of Moretti beer as they walked out of the shop.

Mr Ward-Jackson claimed Mr Trabelsi chased after both men - followed by the M&S store’s manager, Elliot Cripps.

Mr Cripps managed to grab back the box of Moretti beer from Mr Walker, who then ran away in a different direction.

Prosecutor Charles Ward-Jackson said that meanwhile Mr Cripps and Mr Trabelsi carried on chasing Mr Page through the retail park towards the nearby BP garage in an attempt to grab back the bag of meat.

He said Mr Trabelsi managed to catch up with Mr Page and detained him as Mr Cripps ran up behind and grabbed the bag of meat.

'Knockout blow'

Mr Ward-Jackson said: “The defendants had recovered the stolen goods but that does not appear to have been their intention. What Mr Trabelsi was not entitled to do [as a security guard] was an unlawful and dangerous act.”

As Mr Page got back on his feet Mr Trabelsi delivered a “knockout blow”, causing him to fall backwards and crash onto the pavement, the court was told.

Mr Ward-Jackson described what happened in the moments after, saying: “From CCTV, we see Mr Page laying motionless and Mr Trabelsi and Mr Cripps walking away back to M&S. After a couple of seconds they go back and check on him.

“They lean over him. It must have been obvious to them that he had suffered a serious head injury. Having realised that Mr Page was injured Mr Cripps dialled 999.”

Different stories told to police

After the alleged attack Mr Page initially stood up and walked onto the ambulance to be checked over but he soon started bleeding from his nose and was taken to intensive care in hospital, where he died the following day from a brain injury.

The jury heard that a post-mortem examination found a number of injuries including a fracture to his skull, his right temple and his nose. The cause of his death was listed as a head injury. Toxicology reports showed a significant amount of alcohol in his blood.

Following the incident, Mr Cripps went back to M&S and told staff that Mr Trabelsi had “b—h-slapped” Mr Page and then punched him again. However Mr Cripps, from Ashbourne Crescent, Taunton, Somerset, who is charged with perverting the course of justice, told the 999 phone operator that Mr Page simply fell backwards.

Mr Trabelsi, from Kings Road, Reading, Berks, has also been charged with perverting the course of justice after changing his story several times. He initially told his boss over WhatsApp that Mr Page had tripped backwards and hit his head.

He then told somebody at work the following day that there had been a “tussle” and both Mr Page and him were fighting over the bag. He said he decided to let go and Mr Page fell backwards from the force.

When he was first arrested, he told police: “He lost his balance because he was drunk.” When he was arrested for a second time, officers showed him CCTV of the blow and he admitted it but claimed it was a “slap” and not a punch.

The trial continues.