Leigh Park murder trial: Murder accused Kevin Batchelor said he 'poked' George Allison with 30cm carving knife after 'fearing for my safety'

Kevin Batchelor, 26, inflicted a ‘catastrophic’ fatal blow to the back left shoulder of George Allison, 21, at Cherelle Ash’s home in Tichborne Grove, Leigh Park, after 11pm on Saturday May 23 last year, a murder jury were told.

The trio, who were joined by friend Chellby Ferrol, had been enjoying a ‘bubbly’ evening until tensions started to escalate between Batchelor and Mr Allison, Winchester Crown Court heard.

The pair came to blows before Mr Allison collapsed after a carving knife up to 30cm long was sunk into his body.

Ms Ferrol was also left with a large gash to her upper left arm and blood pouring from the wound after trying to ‘get between’ the fighting men.

After being arrested by police Batchelor said in his interview he ‘did not intend to kill George or cause serious injury’ to his ‘life-long friend’ he ‘grew up with’.

Batchelor said Mr Allison started ‘moaning’ at him. Tempers flared in the kitchen before emotions boiled over. ‘I was near the back door and he was near the sink and we ended up punching each other,’ Batchelor said in a statement to police.

‘I threw the first punch and then he came at me. It all happened so quickly. I remember we were holding each other.

‘I heard a metallic sound and thought he had a knife so I picked up a knife and poked him in the left shoulder. I was fearing for my safety.

‘George had earlier been playing with a knife and it was all going through my head. I thought he still had a blade.’

After throwing his T-shirt to the injured Ms Ferrol, Batchelor then followed the fatally wounded Mr Allison into the living room. ‘I saw George collapse,’ Batchelor said. ‘I lifted his shoulder up and used a blanket to try and prop him up.’

But bare-chested Batchelor then fled the scene and rode off on his dying friend’s bike.

He added: ‘I regret not staying. I will remember what happened for the rest of my life and will have to live with it.’

Batchelor declined to answer any police questions after his statement was read to officers during his interview, the court was told.

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Batchelor, of Camborne, Cornwall, denies murder and claims he was acting in self-defence. He also faces an alternative to wounding with intent on Ms Ferrol while trying to inflict GBH on Mr Allison – with this charge being unlawful wounding to Ms Ferrol.

(Proceeding)

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