Accused murderer Gregory Dill claimed he feared for his life at the time he fatally stabbed a 33-year-old Warwick man.

Dill, of Angle Street, on Friday testified in his own defence at his Supreme Court trial.

The 34-year-old accused has denied murdering David Riley on May 24 this year.

Mr. Riley was found lying in the doorway of a friend's apartment on Angle Street in Pembroke after he had been stabbed in the stomach.

Dill admitted to the four-man, eight-woman jury that he and the victim had a telephone conversation after Riley consumed Dill's wine without his permission.

He said the pair made a deal that Dill would bring some beer to the friend's apartment the next time he visited.

Upon seeing Riley the evening of May 24, Dill said he questioned him about the beer.

Dill said Riley refused to buy any beer, leading to an argument between the two men.

At one point, Dill said, Riley picked up a knife, grabbed him by the throat and made stabbing motions with the knife.

Dill said another man in the apartment, Kent Lowe, gripped the knife from Riley's hand and separated the two.

"As I was going out the door, David was trying to get at me,'' he added. "He was trying to get away from Kent so I got a pipe, thinking that he was still behind me. I didn't know if he still had the knife.'' Upon realising that Riley did not have a knife, Dill said he threw the metal pipe away and left the yard.

Dill said he and Riley had another confrontation at Swinging Doors bar on Court Street in the presence of a friend.

Dill said: "He (David) put his hand into the garbage while I was trying to talk to Maxwell and pulled out a bottle.'' Upon seeing David wielding a bottle, he said he left the area and headed to Maxwell's apartment.

While sitting in the apartment, Dill said he got a "hunch'' that if Riley visited the apartment again, he would "act up'' again.

"I felt frightened, not knowing what to expect,'' Dill explained. "For my protection I picked a knife up off the counter and put it in my pocket.'' He said the black-handled knife had a six-inch blade.

While he was smoking outside the apartment, Dill said Riley returned to the apartment, went inside, and locked him out.

He said he looked through the glass and saw David rushing toward the door.

"I saw his hand go down and pull a stick out,'' Dill said.

He said David chased him with the stick raised and when he caught up with him he began swinging the stick at him, striking him in the chest and leg causing him to fall to his knees.

Dill, demonstrating to the jury, said Riley continued to beat him and tried to strike him on the head.

"I thought that this guy was going to kill me,'' Dill said. "So I pulled the knife out of my pocket and held it up. I closed my eyes and thrust it forward.

I was frightened for my life.'' He said once he pushed the knife forward "everything just stopped'' and when he opened his eyes he saw Riley running. Dill said he later called Police.

The trial continues today before Chief Justice Austin Ward. Lawyer Archibald Warner appears for Dill.