By . Gerard Couzens . PUBLISHED: . 12:10 EST, 6 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:43 EST, 6 March 2013 . On trial: Darren Sapstead arriving at court yesterday. He begged jurors to find him not guilty . A British dad-of-two begged a jury today to acquit him of pushing an Irish tourist to his death on a Tenerife booze cruise. Kitchen fitter Darren Sapstead, 38, made his impassioned plea at the end of his three-day trial for Garry Walton's homicide nearly 17 years ago. Garry, 21, originally from Leeds, west Yorkshire, drowned on November 7 1996 after falling from a pleasure boat he had been partying on with nearly 50 other youngsters off the popular resort of Playa de las Americas. The apprentice builder, originally from . Leeds, west Yorkshire, drowned after falling from the boat the trio were . on in an incident originally written off by Spanish investigators as an . accident. A Spanish judge ruled out foul play but had Sapstead extradited in December 2005 after British sisters Katie and Lucy Smethurst started incriminating him despite initially telling Spanish and British police Garry had jumped in for a swim or fallen by accident. The defendant, facing up to 12 years in jail if convicted of homicide, told the jury in the Tenerife capital Santa Cruz today after being granted a last court address: 'These have been sad times both for the Waltons and for my family over the past 17 years. 'At no point have I ever changed my statement. 'I have always tried to help Garry, unlike Katie and Lucy as they have lied to the police in Las Americas and then to a judge in Tenerife and the police in England and now they want you to believe their story.' Denying state prosecutors' claims his mum had once threatened Katie, 17 when she took the fateful booze cruise with her then 14-year-old sister, he added: 'I have lost the last 17 years of my life as has the Walton family. 'I lost my business before when I was in prison on remand after my extradition. Drowned: Gary Walton, pictured centre, was on a party boat 'booze cruise' seventeen years ago when he was allegedly thrown overboard by Darren Sapstead who is on trial in Tenerife . Trial: Darren Sapstead, pictured left in court yesterday, denies pushing Garry Walton, right, to his death over the side of a pleasure boat in Tenerife 1996. The trial began on Monday, 17 years after Mr Walton died . Distress: The long-awaited trial comes after a protracted campaign by Garry's parents Robert and Catherine to unlock the mystery of their son's death . 'I went to to five different prisons on the Spanish mainland and I was then taken by boat to Tenerife. 'At no point in my life have I hurt or done anything to hurt anyone or anything. 'I am now here hoping for justice. I swear on my family's life I did not touch or harm Garry on that sad day. 'I tried to help him. I hope you make the correct decision.' His witness stand plea came after state prosecutor Debora Padilla accused Sapstead in a closing speech of depriving tragic Garry, who moved to Ireland with his family when he was a child, of the chance of having a family of his own. She added: 'From the moment of his death the lives of his parents and other loved ones have been cut short.' Describing Katie and Lucy Smethurst as 'young, frightened and intimidated' when they failed to point the finger at Sapstead in their first statements, she told the jury of eight women and one man: 'Many of you are mothers and know how vulnerable young girls can be at that age.' On trial: Darren Sapstead, pictured on the second day of his trial is on trial in Tenerife for allegedly drowning Gary Walton seventeen years ago . Agony: Gary Walton's parents Catherine and Robert are fighting for 'justice' for the son, who drowned on a 'booze cruise' seventeen years ago . Agony: The victim's father Robert Walton was in the Tenerife courtroom to watch the trial . Fight: Robert and Catharine Walton have been seeking justice for their son's death for 17 years . Pathologist Fernando Laino told the court earlier he found no signs of violence on Garry's body.But he said his drunkenness could have affected his ability to react and defend himself if he was suddenly lifted off his feet by someone bent on throwing him overboard. Tests revealed the apprentice builder was more than three times over the UK drink-drive limit when he died. Sapstead's defence lawyer Carlos Valenciano, in summing-up, said Katie Smethurst could not be considered a credible witness. Return: Mr Sapstead voluntarily returned to Spain to stand trial and could face 12 years in prison . Hearing: Proceedings opened on Monday after a long-running legal battle over Mr Walton's death . He accused her of trying to deflect . attention towards his client for fear she would be accused of killing . Garry or covering up his death. Mrs Smethurst admitted in court on . Tuesday she warned Darren off jumping into the Atlantic to try to save . Garry because it was too dangerous after he had thrown his alleged . victim a life ring. Mr Valenciano said: 'The death of . Garry Walton and the suffering it produced for Garry Walton's family as . well as Darren Sapstead and his family is tragic. 'But contrary to what the prosecution maintains, Darren is not responsible in any way for Garry Walton's death. 'In fact he was the only person to help him. Garry Walton died after falling from the Albatros off the coast of Tenerife, pictured . Mr Sapstead has voluntarily returned to stand trial on homicide charges in Tenerife . 'There is no material evidence someone threw Garry into the water and no material evidence that if someone did do it, that it was Darren.' Insisting Garry drowned because of the time he spent in the water, he added: 'If Katie had acted more quickly and had not prevented Darren from jumping in to help Garry, Garry and his family would be still enjoying the happiness of being together.' Jurors are due to be sent out tomorrow morning to consider their verdict. Homicide, a charge that does not exist in English law, is a halfway house between manslaughter and the more serious charge of murder which in Spain is a wilful killing which must also be premeditated.Sapstead denies the charge and remains on bail. Garry's builder dad Robert and mum Catherine are attending the trial and were today joined by Robert's two sisters Debbie and Rachel. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
Darren Sapstead denies pushing Garry Walton from boat off Tenerife coast .
Trial taken 17 years to reach court after originally being treated as accident .
Mr Walton's father Garry said family treated like 'dirt' by Spanish authorities .
Jury will be sent out tomorrow to consider their verdict .
By . Gerard Couzens . PUBLISHED: . 12:10 EST, 6 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:43 EST, 6 March 2013 . On trial: Darren Sapstead arriving at court yesterday. He begged jurors to find him not guilty . A British dad-of-two begged a jury today to acquit him of pushing an Irish tourist to his death on a Tenerife booze cruise. Kitchen fitter Darren Sapstead, 38, made his impassioned plea at the end of his three-day trial for Garry Walton's homicide nearly 17 years ago. Garry, 21, originally from Leeds, west Yorkshire, drowned on November 7 1996 after falling from a pleasure boat he had been partying on with nearly 50 other youngsters off the popular resort of Playa de las Americas. The apprentice builder, originally from . Leeds, west Yorkshire, drowned after falling from the boat the trio were . on in an incident originally written off by Spanish investigators as an . accident. A Spanish judge ruled out foul play but had Sapstead extradited in December 2005 after British sisters Katie and Lucy Smethurst started incriminating him despite initially telling Spanish and British police Garry had jumped in for a swim or fallen by accident. The defendant, facing up to 12 years in jail if convicted of homicide, told the jury in the Tenerife capital Santa Cruz today after being granted a last court address: 'These have been sad times both for the Waltons and for my family over the past 17 years. 'At no point have I ever changed my statement. 'I have always tried to help Garry, unlike Katie and Lucy as they have lied to the police in Las Americas and then to a judge in Tenerife and the police in England and now they want you to believe their story.' Denying state prosecutors' claims his mum had once threatened Katie, 17 when she took the fateful booze cruise with her then 14-year-old sister, he added: 'I have lost the last 17 years of my life as has the Walton family. 'I lost my business before when I was in prison on remand after my extradition. Drowned: Gary Walton, pictured centre, was on a party boat 'booze cruise' seventeen years ago when he was allegedly thrown overboard by Darren Sapstead who is on trial in Tenerife . Trial: Darren Sapstead, pictured left in court yesterday, denies pushing Garry Walton, right, to his death over the side of a pleasure boat in Tenerife 1996. The trial began on Monday, 17 years after Mr Walton died . Distress: The long-awaited trial comes after a protracted campaign by Garry's parents Robert and Catherine to unlock the mystery of their son's death . 'I went to to five different prisons on the Spanish mainland and I was then taken by boat to Tenerife. 'At no point in my life have I hurt or done anything to hurt anyone or anything. 'I am now here hoping for justice. I swear on my family's life I did not touch or harm Garry on that sad day. 'I tried to help him. I hope you make the correct decision.' His witness stand plea came after state prosecutor Debora Padilla accused Sapstead in a closing speech of depriving tragic Garry, who moved to Ireland with his family when he was a child, of the chance of having a family of his own. She added: 'From the moment of his death the lives of his parents and other loved ones have been cut short.' Describing Katie and Lucy Smethurst as 'young, frightened and intimidated' when they failed to point the finger at Sapstead in their first statements, she told the jury of eight women and one man: 'Many of you are mothers and know how vulnerable young girls can be at that age.' On trial: Darren Sapstead, pictured on the second day of his trial is on trial in Tenerife for allegedly drowning Gary Walton seventeen years ago . Agony: Gary Walton's parents Catherine and Robert are fighting for 'justice' for the son, who drowned on a 'booze cruise' seventeen years ago . Agony: The victim's father Robert Walton was in the Tenerife courtroom to watch the trial . Fight: Robert and Catharine Walton have been seeking justice for their son's death for 17 years . Pathologist Fernando Laino told the court earlier he found no signs of violence on Garry's body.But he said his drunkenness could have affected his ability to react and defend himself if he was suddenly lifted off his feet by someone bent on throwing him overboard. Tests revealed the apprentice builder was more than three times over the UK drink-drive limit when he died. Sapstead's defence lawyer Carlos Valenciano, in summing-up, said Katie Smethurst could not be considered a credible witness. Return: Mr Sapstead voluntarily returned to Spain to stand trial and could face 12 years in prison . Hearing: Proceedings opened on Monday after a long-running legal battle over Mr Walton's death . He accused her of trying to deflect . attention towards his client for fear she would be accused of killing . Garry or covering up his death. Mrs Smethurst admitted in court on . Tuesday she warned Darren off jumping into the Atlantic to try to save . Garry because it was too dangerous after he had thrown his alleged . victim a life ring. Mr Valenciano said: 'The death of . Garry Walton and the suffering it produced for Garry Walton's family as . well as Darren Sapstead and his family is tragic. 'But contrary to what the prosecution maintains, Darren is not responsible in any way for Garry Walton's death. 'In fact he was the only person to help him. Garry Walton died after falling from the Albatros off the coast of Tenerife, pictured . Mr Sapstead has voluntarily returned to stand trial on homicide charges in Tenerife . 'There is no material evidence someone threw Garry into the water and no material evidence that if someone did do it, that it was Darren.' Insisting Garry drowned because of the time he spent in the water, he added: 'If Katie had acted more quickly and had not prevented Darren from jumping in to help Garry, Garry and his family would be still enjoying the happiness of being together.' Jurors are due to be sent out tomorrow morning to consider their verdict. Homicide, a charge that does not exist in English law, is a halfway house between manslaughter and the more serious charge of murder which in Spain is a wilful killing which must also be premeditated.Sapstead denies the charge and remains on bail. Garry's builder dad Robert and mum Catherine are attending the trial and were today joined by Robert's two sisters Debbie and Rachel. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
originally written off by Spanish investigators trial in Tenerife . Trial: Darren Sapstead, pictured left in court yesterday, denies pushing began on Monday, 17 years after Mr Walton died . produced for Garry Walton's family as . well as to help him. Garry Walton died after falling from are due to be sent out tomorrow morning to consider their verdict. Homicide, a charge that