A man accused of manslaughter told a Supreme Court jury how he had held a murder victim but said it was for self defence not to help his friend kill him as the Crown allege.

Keniel Alfred Ingham 33, of Rocklands Estate, Warwick, is charged with unlawfully killing Jermaine (Red) Pitcher outside Champions Club in February, 2000.

Yesterday Ingham took the stand and told of a night of violence outside the Reid Street club which put him in hospital with serious stab wounds.

Ingham said he had gone to the club with Ryan Tiger Ball but saw his friend get into an argument with another man outside after they had left at closing time.

He said: ?It looked like it was getting halfway to a fight, I started to go towards Tiger. While I was doing that someone came at me from behind and knocked me off the sidewalk.?

He said he turned and knocked out his attacker, Shane Fox. ?Tiger starting kicking the guy, I kicked him a couple of times as well.?

A girl begged them to stop and then Ingham began looking for belongings scattered in the fight. ?Another guy came towards me, he had a rope he was swinging in his hand. I was in a defensive stance.

?He came directly at me and swung it in an overhand motion, the blow glanced off my face.?

Ingham told the court he rushed at his attacker, Jermaine Pitcher, and clasped him to stop him swinging the thick rope which had a large weight attached.

He then felt a forceful blow to his left arm and let go.

?I could not feel my fingers, they stopped moving.? The gash was deep and wide said Ingham who said he then moved away.

As someone helped him tie up his arm he noticed a cut to his stomach.

?I was terrified, scared of how seriously I was injured.?

He got in Ball?s car but Police stopped them driving off and told them to wait for the ambulance.

Ingham said he only learned of Pitcher?s death later and that when Police came to talk to him at hospital he assumed they were coming to talk about his stabbing but instead they arrested him and took him to Westgate.

Ingham said he didn?t see who was stabbing him while he held Pitcher.

Director of Public Prosecutions Vinette Graham-Allen said: ?I am going to suggest to you that it was while you were holding the deceased that you got chopped on your hand with the knife that Tiger had.

He replied: ?Quite possibly, I wasn?t holding the guy deliberately for him to do that, it?s quite possible he came along and done those things while I was holding him but I wasn?t holding him for Tiger to do that.?

Miss Graham-Allen said Tiger had come from his car with a knife in his hand followed by Jamal (Knolly) Robinson and Ingham but the defendant denied it.

He also denied acting with Robinson to punch Mr. Pitcher. ?There was a Police station right there, I am not going to do that kind of c**p, I got more sense than that.?

The Crown said Ingham picked up those injuries while Ball was frantically stabbing Mr. Pitcher as Ingham held him in a headlock.

Ingham denied that and attempting to leave the scene but said he had been trying to get to hospital when Police delayed their car.

During her summing up Ms Graham-Allen said medical evidence had shown the deceased?s wounds were consistent with being held.

And she doubted that Ingham would not have looked around to see who was stabbing him.

However defence lawyer Larry Scott doubted whether Ingham would be so stupid to deliberately hold Mr. Pitcher while such a large knife, which could go through two people, was being wielded.

He said the more innocent explanation rang true.

The deceased had a total of 17 external injuries including the fatal stab wound went in between Mr. Pitcher?s ribs and through the left lung causing it to collapse.

The trial continues today before Puisne Judge Ian Kawaley.