Defendant claims he killed Northampton teenager while defending himself from knife attack

Kane Allaban-Hamilton, 18, from Camp Hill, told the jury at Northampton Crown Court yesterday (March 28) Liam Hunt was armed with a knife during the fatal fight last year.

But he then admitted to the court he pushed the knife into Liam's neck - inflicting a seven-centimetre deep wound - while defending himself from the 17-year-old.

Allaban-Hamilton is the first out of the seven co-defendants to take the witness stand.

He told the jury he had his headphones in as the group walked to the scene of the fight and thought they were on their way to smoke cannabis as a friend's house.

But as they arrived at St George's Street, he said a fight broke out between one of his co-defendants, Derice Wright, 18, and Liam.

He said: "Liam pulled a knife from his waistband. I wanted to protect my friend.

"I punched Liam in the face... he went at me with the knife to get me in [my chest]. I grabbed the knife by the blade. He was trying to push it into me and I'm pushing it away."

But then, Allaban-Hamilton claims, Liam slumped downwards on one side because he had been stabbed in the leg by Wright.

"Because of my pushing, the knife went into Liam's neck," Allaban-Hamilton said.

"As soon as I knew what happened I turned and ran."

He claims he took the knife with him as it was stuck in his hand. He was arrested from hospital later that night while being treated for deep cuts to his thumb and forefinger.

He told the jury: "Derice admitted stabbing Liam in the leg to me and my co-defendants when we were in prison transport.

"He said to me, 'Kane, you better admit to what you done'. I told him, 'I'm going to admit to what I've done but I expect you to do the same'."

Several notes and letters written by Allaban-Hamilton in prison instructing Wright and his other co-defendants to say Wright had stabbed Liam in the leg were read out in court.

The trial will continue on April 3 (Tuesday).