A MAN accused of killing Craig Hepburn in Marsden said he saw his body lying in the road.

But he insisted to Leeds Crown Court he was not there when the fatal attack happened.

Luke Elliott, 23, told the jury at Leeds Crown Court how he knelt down and turned the man over to check if he had a pulse but ran off when he heard voices approaching.

Elliott and co-accused Anthony Driver, 36, of Grange Cottages, Marsden, are standing trial for the murder of Mr Hepburn, 19, of Paisley near Glasgow and the attempted murder of his friend Conor Paton, who survived the attack.

They deny murder and attempted murder.

The court heard yesterday Elliott, of Main Avenue, Cowlersley, admitted he lied a number of times during police interviews but maintains he did not stab anyone and was not there when the attack happened.

Prosecutor Peter Moulson QC told Elliott during cross-examination: “You can’t even get your lies right?”

He was referring to the route Elliott told police he took which was revealed as false when he was not captured on CCTV.

He also later admitted he was wearing gloves that night but denies washing blood-stained gloves in the sink at a house in Mount Road, as prosecution witnesses have claimed.

He admitted he told officers he met Driver near Fall Lane roundabout and shook his hand, which Mr Moulson alleged was to account for blood being found on him.

But Mr Moulson told Elliott: “You came to realise the quantity of blood on your black Adidas track suit bottoms and your training shoes wouldn’t account for it.”

He then accused Elliott of lying about the attack saying he was ‘off his head’ on alcohol and drugs.

The defendant said he was drunk but not ‘off his head’ and did not carry out the attack.

He said he had taken a short cut down some steps onto Manchester Road and came across a body in Old Mount Road, Marsden.

Elliott was then asked about why his ex-girlfriend had told police he had confessed to stabbing someone. He denied this saying she was lying.

Mr Hepburn and Mr Paton, who were visiting from Scotland, were attacked as they were returning to Craig’s uncle’s house.

The trial continues.