A MAN standing trial for murder has previous convictions for carrying knives and previously stabbed a shop-keeper when he accused him of stealing, a court heard.

Anthony Driver, 36, of Grange Cottages, Marsden denies killing Scottish piper Craig Hepburn (pictured) in a frenzied knife attack in Marsden. And he told a jury he was taking crack cocaine when he committed a string of earlier knife offences.

The prosecution say Driver and co-accused Luke Elliott, 22, are jointly responsible for the fatal stabbing of Mr Hepburn, 19, on July 6 last year.

Craig’s parents from Paisley near Glasgow, fought back tears in court yesterday as they heard one of the two men accused of killing their son, recall his account of the tragedy.

Driver gave evidence yesterday at Leeds Crown Court, claiming he tried to stop the fatal attack because he was on licence for robbery and did not want to be recalled to prison.

But prosecutor Peter Moulson QC during cross-examination said Driver’s offending had previously continued while he was on licence, and that he had also posted on Facebook he ‘hated Manchester City more than the police’ .

Driver told the court he was with Elliott when they came across a ‘big lad’ wearing a Manchester City shirt and another lad who spoke in Scottish accents.

He claimed Mr Hepburn allegedly became aggressive and ‘wound up’ about which football team he supported.

Driver said he pulled a can of beer out of his hoodie and offered it to the man in the Man City shirt but claims he shoved it out of his hand and punched him in the face.

Driver said he returned a punch but it didn’t cause any damage and he hurt his hand.

He said Elliott stepped in and the pair were ‘squaring up to each other’ and began fighting and he tried to separate them.

Driver said the other Scottish lad who was walking ahead of the group then came and pushed Driver who knocked into Elliott.

He said Elliott ran off in the same direction as the other Scottish lad and he had turned to Mr Hepburn and offered him a hand to get on his feet.

He said he tried but his legs wouldn’t hold and he was struggling to breathe and he told him to ‘**** off’ so he backed off.

He said Elliott returned and went up to Mr Hepburn and struck him again. Driver said he saw something ‘shimmer’ and noticed blood seeping through the Manchester City top turning it red.

He said he realised at that point how bad it was and began walking away, as did Elliott, and the pair then ran along Manchester Road.

The court heard earlier they met other young people near Fall Lane roundabout and all of them returned to a house in Mount Road and drank beer and listened to music.

During cross-examination Mr Andrew Hall for Elliott, accused Driver of telling young people at the house his version of events while Elliott was out of the room, because he knew he would be arrested.

He told Driver: “I suggest you sat there for some hours convincing them of your innocence and Mr Elliott’s guilt.”

But Driver said he was telling the truth and simply told police what had happened.He admitted in early accounts he held back that he had punched the victim once.

Elliott, of Main Avenue, Cowlersley, and Driver, of Grange Cottages, Marsden, deny murder and the attempted murder of Conor Paton.

The trial continues on Monday.