A mechanic told a jury he never attacked a hairdresser found badly injured in his Lindley salon.

Aaron Holroyd along with Joshua Gibbon are accused of attacking victim Marcus Sewell-Fletcher, leaving him with a catalogue of severe injuries including several broken ribs.

Holroyd told Leeds Crown Court yesterday (Wed) he knew Mr Fletcher was unconscious and bleeding from the nose after he had been punched by Gibbon, causing him to fall downstairs into the basement of the premises in Acre Street.

But he denied he then went and kicked or stamped on Mr Fletcher as Gibbon claimed in evidence. He told the trial at Leeds Crown Court that account was “a big fat lie.”

Holroyd, 24 of Briarlyn Road, Birchencliffe, and Gibbon, 25 of Quarmby Road, Quarmby, each deny causing Mr Fletcher grievous bodily harm with intent and arson at the salon being reckless whether life was endangered.

Holroyd said they went to the salon with Mr Fletcher for a drink in the early hours of February 18 and for a few minutes the atmosphere was good with all three of them laughing and joking.

After a few minutes he went downstairs to the toilet and as he returned upstairs he could hear Gibbon and Mr Fletcher arguing.

He heard Mr Fletcher saying “which one of you is going to suck my c..k” and described his friend as “losing it” after that.

The incident at Marcus Sewell Hairdressers on Baker St, Lindley.

He said Gibbon was screaming and shouting and sweeping hairdressing supplies and papers off the counter. Holroyd said he did not see Mr Fletcher touch Gibbon’s crotch as Gibbon said but did see Mr Fletcher try to grab his arms.

Gibbon pushed him away but when Mr Fletcher went back towards him Gibbon punched him causing him to lose his balance and fall down the stairs. He said Gibbon did not fall with him.

Holroyd said he went down to check Mr Fletcher had a pulse but when he touched him he was moaning “and I knew he wasn’t dead.”

Both he and Gibbon tried to lift Mr Fletcher but they could not do it. He knew he should have got help but was panicking and did not.

“I was drunk,” he said. “I didn’t want to get into trouble really. I didn’t want to take responsibility for what Josh had done.”

He said he did tell a girl outside what had happened but she did not want to get involved. Back inside Gibbon wanted him to help clean up. He said he felt threatened by him and punched Gibbon once.

He claimed Gibbon then assaulted him, swinging his arms repeatedly and one blow caught his nose which bled. He cleaned himself up in the sink and then left.

He told the jury he had not started any fire using hairdressing gowns and nothing was burning when he left.

The trial continues.