A TEENAGER accused of a brutal murder claimed to be 250 yards away at the time, a court heard.

The 16-year-old, who can't be named, along with 18-year-olds Christopher Murphy and Graeme Slavin and two 17-year-olds deny murdering Birkby taxi driver Mohammad Parvaiz.

The 42-year-old father-of-three was battered to death at Field Head in Golcar on July 22.

A sixth defendant, 19-year-old Michael Hand, was not in Leeds Crown Court after changing his plea to guilty last week.

Yesterday the jury was read transcripts of police interviews with the 16-year-old at Dewsbury police station on July 26 and 27.

The youth admitted drinking with his fellow accused and several other people in a park near Field Head on the night of the attack.

But he said he had not heard anyone talk about attacking a taxi.

And when a detective asked him if he was responsible for Mr Parvaiz's death he replied: "No, I was around and heard smashing but then I ran off.

"I heard four or five smashes and I absolutely legged it."

He claimed he and Murphy were in a group some 250 yards from the murder scene when the attack started.

But he said that Slavin, Hand and the two 17-year-olds were not with them.

He said: "I saw Murphy just to my left as I was running. I left him at Longwood Rec and haven't seen him since."

But in later questioning, the youth admitted that Murphy may not have been with him far from the murder scene when the fatal attack started.

He said: "I'm not 100 per cent sure that Murphy was with me.

"We met the next day and he asked me to say I was with him."

The 16-year-old said he hadn't realised a man had been murdered until the following day.

He said: "I saw it on the news and I thought 'oh no, what have they done?'

"I didn't know what to do so I just kept quiet."

Earlier the court heard transcripts of police interviews with Slavin on July 25 at Dewsbury police station.

When asked about his swollen knuckle Slavin said: "I've been punching the walls of my cell because I've been bored."

In earlier interviews with Det Con Karen Stead, Slavin repeatedly replied to questions with "no comment" on the advice of his solicitor.

The trial continues.