Antoine Anderson denied shooting his "good friend" Aquil Richardson dead when he took the stand at Supreme Court yesterday.

He told the jury hearing his murder trial that he bought Mr. Richardson drinks at a party two days before he was gunned down on Boxing Day 2007.

That party in Southampton culminated in the shooting of a man named Jakai Harford who had family links to Anderson.

However, 31-year-old Anderson yesterday refuted the idea that Mr. Richardson, 30, was involved in the Harford shooting and was gunned down in revenge.

Wearing a smart blue suit, he opted to testify as the first witness for the defence after the Crown closed its case against him and co-accused Philip Bradshaw after two-and-a-half weeks of evidence.

In answer to questions from his lawyer, Benjamin Nolan QC, Anderson said he'd known Mr. Richardson since the age of 17.

"Was there any change in your relationship in 2007?" inquired Mr. Nolan.

Anderson replied: "No sir. It never changed. It's been the same since I met him. We were very tight friends. Very close."

He said he'd been at a party in Camp Hill, Southampton, on Christmas Eve 2007 when Mr. Richardson invited him and his friends to a party at a neighbouring venue. However, after Mr. Richardson left, two unknown men walked in brandishing firearms and he and his friends decided to leave too.

Anderson told the court that as their convoy of cars left a few minutes after midnight, Mr. Harford got shot in the shoulder by a third unknown gunman and was driven to the hospital.

Mr. Nolan asked him: "Have you any reason to suspect that Aquil Richardson had anything to do with Jakai Harford's shooting?"

Anderson replied: "From what I saw, no."

According to prosecutors, the accused men arrived on a motorbike at the Richardson murder scene in Camp Hill, Southampton, on the night of Boxing Day 2007. Bradshaw is said to have been the pillion passenger, wearing a jacket with a fur-trimmed hood that he'd borrowed from family friend Malika Gumbs.

According to witnesses at the scene, the pillion passenger shot at a group of men which included Aquil Richardson and Lavar Smith before dismounting and shooting Mr. Richardson twice in the head at close range while he was on the ground.

The defendants who are brothers-in-law both stand charged with murdering Mr. Richardson and wounding Mr. Smith in the leg under the principle of joint enterprise. They have pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Asked about his movements on Boxing Day, Anderson said he spent the day at work as a truck driver for Wheels Cycles before visiting his sister Tyeasha Anderson in Curving Avenue, Pembroke. He said he then headed to a friend's house in Pond Hill with Bradshaw, and left him there when he headed up to St. George's.

He told the jury that he and Bradshaw returned to his sister's around 10.45 p.m. He admitted he lied to the Police when he told them after his arrest that he'd been there all night.

"Sorry ladies and gentlemen of the jury, and my lord (Chief Justice), but I was under a lot of pressure and at the time I could not prove that I went down the road (to St. George's).

"I panicked. I just said I was with her. I figured that way they would leave me alone," he claimed yesterday.

Anderson denied Ms Gumbs' claim that he returned to his sister's house with a woolen ski mask. He said a ski mask found by Police at his mother's home was from "Army days in North Carolina" and an eye mask was from a Halloween costume.

He also denied Ms Gumbs' claim that he instructed his sister to tell the Police he was home all night, saying to the jury: "She doesn't like me because I feel she eats all my sister's food."

Ms Gumbs told the trial she was left in fear for her life after Anderson repeatedly contacted her about the case, and was moved to a new residence by the Police as a result. Anderson agreed that he contacted her on various occasions saying this was to confront her over rumours she was spreading.

"There was a very nasty rumour going around that I was involved, or killed my friend and I didn't like it. It stemmed from a 'he said, she said' conversation...but the moral of the story was that Malika was the one spreading this nasty rumour so I confronted her," he admitted.

Gunshot residue was found on clothing items said by prosecutors to belong to Anderson, which were seized during the Police investigation. However, shown a pair of navy blue pants he told the court he did not recognise them, nor a pair of blue jeans said to be his.

Prior to Anderson taking the stand, the last witness for the prosecution revealed Aquil Richardson's extensive history of trouble with the law. In answer to questions from Bradshaw's lawyer Anesta Weekes QC, Detective Constable Cheryl Beach confirmed he was facing charges in the Supreme Court at the time he was killed. This stemmed from his arrest on July 8, 2006 on a public street, when he ran off and allegedly dropped a gun loaded with two bullets as he did so. Cocaine, cannabis and more than $6,000 was reportedly found at his home after a search.

Prior to that incident, the detective confirmed Mr. Richardson had been convicted of possessing a firearm and ammunition, escaping lawful custody, possessing cocaine with intent to supply, and possessing ecstacy, cannabis and drug equipment.

The case continues.