A teenager accused of murder told police that he had only been trying to protect a girl when he became involved in an early hours confrontation.
A jury at Bradford Crown Court today (Friday) heard summaries of interviews given by Jamal Buckle after he handed himself in to police last August.
Buckle, 18, of Elmfield Avenue, Golcar, has denied murdering 22-year-old Sean Annandale during the confrontation outside his home last year.
Mr Annandale was stabbed four times – including once in the heart – and the prosecution has alleged that Buckle armed himself with a knife before coming out of his flat.
But during his police interviews Buckle claimed that he had been attacked by Mr Annandale and he had only picked up the knife from the ground after an initial fight.
Buckle said that during a second fight with Mr Annandale he had thought he was punching him but he still had the knife in his hand.
The teenager said the injuries he caused were unintentional.
Buckle claimed that he had come out of his flat after seeing Mr Annandale and two other men “having a go” at his neighbour, Leah Owen.
“All I was trying to do was look after a girl, that’s all I was trying to do,” said Buckle.
“I’m not going to let three men start on one female because that’s not me.
“All I was trying to do was protect a girl and it turned into that ... all I was trying to do was help a girl. Help my neighbour.”
The court heard that Buckle himself had phoned for an ambulance before he was driven away from the scene by a friend.
The prosecution is expected to close its case on Monday.
The trial continues.
