Murder accused Julian Washington has told a court that he has no idea how DNA evidence that could link him to a shooting ended up on bullet cartridges retrieved from the scene.

Taking the stand at his Supreme Court trial, Mr Washington maintained that he’d never fired a gun in his life — and said particles from his clothing alleged to be components of gunshot residue must have come from other people.

The 24-year-old, of Grace Lane, Pembroke, is charged with the premeditated murder of Stefan Burgess, as well as the attempted murder of Davano Bremer, plus using a firearm and handling ammunition.

Both men were shot at a party in a residence along The Glebe Road, Pembroke on the night of January 8, 2012.

Mr Burgess was shot twice in the upper body by a black-clothed gunman who burst into the gathering and opened fire. Mr Bremer, also hit, was wounded in the groin.

Recounting in court how he had spent the weekend of the shooting, Mr Washington told the jury he had spent the previous night in Hamilton Police Station after police arrested him for having an outstanding warrant.

He said that after being released the next morning, he later went around to socialise at his friend Jerome Dublin’s house on St Monica’s Road.

A group of them later travelled to the Mid-Atlantic Boat Club, arriving at about 9pm for some drinks.

“I got a message that said there had been a shooting up Glebe Road,” he said. “Everybody got the message.”

He told the court there were CCTV cameras “all over the place” at the club.

The court heard earlier in the trial from Detective Inspector Michael Redfern, who had asked if any security camera footage had been collected from the Mid-Atlantic Boat Club.

However, police didn’t manage to obtain any video of that night from the club, with the officer saying he believed the system hadn’t been working.

Mr Washington yesterday testified that he left the club for St Monica’s Road “probably five minutes” after news of the shooting came by phone.

The accused said he’d ridden pillion on a friend’s bike, and had to find a route around the police block on The Glebe Road. He said he’d later taken a drive toward the Shelly Bay area before finishing the night at his girlfriend’s house on Factory Lane.

Mr Washington had to attend Magistrates’ Court the following morning, and got a lift into town from a friend. They were stopped on Canal Road by police.

“They said I had a warrant for not attending court. I told them I was just going to court, and they said it was also for another matter,” he told defence lawyer Larry Mussenden.

He said he was searched by being patted down by the officer, arrested and handcuffed.

“I told them I had nothing to do with this,” he said, adding: “I didn’t shoot Mr Burgess.”

He also said: “They’ve said I handled .45 calibre cartridges. I have not handled no .45 cartridges.”

Asked if he had held a gun before, Mr Washington replied that he hadn’t — but that he had handled a friend’s imitation firearm before.

The Crown has shown the court a video clip that appears to show the accused handling a weapon; according to Mr Washington, the imitation — described as a BB gun — appears in that scene.

“I got questioned about that video when it was found,” he said. “I didn’t get charged.”

Asked by Mr Mussenden how he could have been a possible contributor to the DNA recovered from the cartridges, Mr Washington said: “I could have touched somebody, shook their hand — I left clothes at Mr Dublin’s yard, workout clothes, all different things. I can’t say how it got there or when it got there.”

He agreed that a gunshot residue (GSR) expert had detected particles on various items of his clothing.

“Do you have any explanation for one- and two-component particles could have got on there?” Mr Mussenden asked.

“I have touched a lot of people — I greet a lot of people, give them hugs,” Mr Washington said, adding that friends have borrowed clothing off him.

And he said the Dublins were licensed fishermen who melted down scrap metal, including lead — a component of GSR — to use as fishing weights.

The court heard that Mr Washington had often handled the gear at the family’s yard, and had taken part several times in the making of metal weights.

The trial continues today.