Defendant denies having a knife the night man was stabbed in alleged 'sudden and savage' attack

Connor Morris admitted he hit James Robinson twice with his fist in his head

A defendant has denied having a knife or picking up a fence post and hitting the victim of a stabbing on the head, a jury has heard.

Connor Morris admitted he hit James Robinson twice with his fist in his head "because at that moment in time he was attacking my friend and he had the better of him".

After punching Mr Robinson, he said he went over to a bicycle on the floor to ride off on it "because I was currently wanted for recall and I didn't want to get caught at that moment in time".

Simon Eckersley, defending Morris at Nottingham Crown Court, asked him in the witness box: "Was that your decision or did someone tell you to take the bike?"

He replied: "My decision".

Mr Eckersley asked: "Just dealing with the allegation against you, did you do anything else to him other than punch him twice?"

He replied: "No".

When asked, he also denied picking up a fence post and hitting him on the head or coming into possession of a large knife, with a 14-16 inch blade, and stabbing him.

Morris, 20, of Amesbury Circus, Aspley, went on trial on Wednesday, September 9, accused of wounding with intent to Mr Robinson and robbing a boy of a bicycle on the same date. He pleads not guilty.

Mr Robinson had cycled to Chesil Avenue, Radford, when he was stabbed on February 24 this year.

Jonathan Straw, prosecuting, had said Mr Robinson was the subject of a "sudden, savage, mercifully short-lived attack at the hands of, we say, three men".

"During the attack he (Mr Robinson) was stabbed a minimum of six times to the back".

One of those stab wounds was so deep it caused a Grade 4 tear of his right kidney and he had to have a nephrectomy - the removal of a kidney.

The jury have been told one man - who is not in the dock - has already pleaded guilty to wounding with intent.

He inflicted stab wounds to Mr Robinson - one which penetrated his kidney - before it is alleged a second man, Morris, joined in the attack.

Mr Straw told the jury: "You are going to have to decide what he (Morris) does. Whether it is this defendant and what it is he has got with him. Is it a piece of wood? Is it a second knife? Because again he (Mr Robinson) is stabbed. He goes to the floor and all three men now are joining in the attack. He is stabbed further; he is kicked and stamped to the head."

The attack happened after Mr Robinson had cycled to the area with a young boy. Mr Robinson went to visit a person and left the boy with the bikes - one valued in the region of £1,000.

The case continues