A SHOPLIFTER who was caught stealing £300 worth of meat was ‘punched’ by a security guard which 'lead to his death', says the Crown prosecution.

Jason Page, 52, died outside the BP petrol station on Chalfont Way on March 31, 2021 after stealing meat from the M&S store round the corner.

He was 'pursued' by a security guard and the duty manager who are now on trial at Reading Crown Court charged with manslaughter.

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Sabeur Trabelsi, 44, of King’s Road, Reading is charged with manslaughter after allegedly ‘punching’ Mr Page in the face before he fell to ground and suffered from fatal head injuries.

Elliott Cripps, 27, of Ashbourne Crescent, Taunton, is charged with perverting the course of justice, along with Trabelsi, for allegedly lying about how Mr Page came to fall to the ground – namely alleging he had fallen as he tried to run away.

Opening the trial, prosecutor Charles Ward-Jackson said the M&S store had been subject to a spate of thefts so they had decided to hire some security guards.

Thabelsi was hired from Professional Security UK and started work at the store on February 3, 2021.

Mr Page was homeless at the time and living in the Salvation Army Hostel. He was known to abuse alcohol and drugs.

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Mr Ward-Jackson said on the day of the incident, Mr Page walked into the store at about 7.37pm with another man named Oswald Walker. They stole £300 worth of meat and a box of Moretti beer.

He continued to say they left the store and were followed by Trabelsi and Cripps. Trabelsi can be seen on CCTV taking the box of beer back from Mr Walker and goes to retrieve the stolen meat from Mr Page who is caught on CCTV making a 'defiant gesture and running away’.

Trabelsi and Cripps catch up to the men, Mr Walker runs off and Mr Page is 'wrestled to the ground' and the bag of meat is taken from him.

Mr Ward-Jackson said: "Mr Cripps then appears to either push or strike Mr Page. Mr Page then stands up, he's now empty handed so what the prosecution say is so far so good, the two defendants have retrieved the stolen goods.

"If they had returned and gone back to the store they would not be in the dock charged with these offences.

"Having stood up, Mr Page took a step towards the two defendants. Mr Trabelsi then strikes him with his right hand, hitting the left side of Mr Page's head.

"This must have been a forceful punch as it caused Mr Page to feel to the ground and in doing so he hit his head on the ground with consequences that turned out to be fatal."

Cripps then called 999 and Mr Page was taken to hospital. He had a fractured nose, skull and right temple bone as well as a black eye. There was bleeding to the right side of the brain.

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He was pronounced dead the following evening at 7.05pm after life support was turned off.

The two defendants were arrested the same day. Cripps told police Trabelsi had punched Mr Page but said he hadn’t mentioned it before as he was ‘scared’ of Trabelsi.

The trial continues.