Trial hears South Shields attacker 'snapped' before launching attack on ex and brother

A woman has told jurors her former boyfriend "just snapped" before he punched her in the face and allegedly launched a fatal attack on her brother.  Pearse Kavanagh attacked Sarah McQueeney at her home then turned on her frail sibling Philip McQueeney after he said "get off her, get off her, leave her alone" and caused him fatal internal injuries, it is claimed.  Newcastle Crown Court heard Mr McQueeney, 40, who had existing health problems, died within hours of the attacks on July 19 2022.  Kavanagh, 46, of Frobisher Street, Hebburn, South Tyneside, has admitted assault on Miss McQueeney and told police: "Aye, I punched her all over". He denies manslaughter and is being tried by a jury. Giving evidence, via videolink, at the trial today, Miss McQueeney told the court she and the two men had been at her home at Rowan Drive, South Shields, South Tyneside, watching Rocky 3 and drinking together before Kavanagh "just snapped".  Miss McQueeney told jurors: "We were all sitting watching the film then just all of a sudden Pearse started shouting." Miss McQueeney said Kavanagh called her a "f**ing bi**h" and added: "That's just before he hit me, punched me." She told jurors she was standing up when she was punched and said: "I had stood up as he was shouting at me, I had stood up before, to say something to him, probably trying to calm him down." Miss McQueeney said the punch hit her in the face and added: "It was hard, hard enough to throw my head back startle me.  "I just remember being startled and just blood everywhere." Miss McQueeney said her brother Philip was sitting on the floor throughout as he was weak and unable to get up.  Prosecutor Matthew Donkin asked if Mr McQueeney had done anything after the punch was thrown and she replied: "Yes, he was shouting 'get off her, get off her, leave her alone'." Miss McQueeney said Kavanagh then attacked her brother and told the court: "He just started kicking, he kicked him and Philip was hunched. He was just kicking him and then he left, he just walked out." She added that there were two kicks and they were "hard" and said: "I remember trying to protect Philip but I was just covered in blood." Miss McQueeney said after Kavanagh left the house she rang her mum and the police were contacted.  She said as she was left with the officers her brother told her "just go sis".  It was later that day, while at her mother's house, she was told that he had died.   Miss McQueeney said she had an alcohol problem at the time and told jurors: "I was drunk but there's certain points I can remember.  "It's very vague in some parts but there are some parts I do remember."   The court heard the police had performed CPR until the paramedics arrived but Mr McQueeney went into repeated cardiac arrest and died at hospital.  A post mortem showed he had suffered lacerations to his liver and the membrane over his small intestine and had blood in his abdomen, on top of his existing health problems.  Kavanagh denies kicking Mr McQueeney or inflicting blows to his abdomen and claims he acted in self defence.  The court heard he told police Mr McQueeney had gone to attack him with a vodka bottle so he punched him and gave him a black eye and they then ended up in a scuffle on the floor.  The trial continues.