A man accused of murder has described the neighbour who he stabbed to death as "obnoxious".
Jeffrey Kelly today recounted the moment he knifed Derek Burns in the heart from the witness box at Liverpool Crown Court. His trial previously heard that the pair had spent the afternoon of May 15 this year drinking in the block of flats where they both lived on Newsham Drive in Tuebrook.
They then had a disagreement over building work, after which Mr Burns followed Kelly back to his apartment. While he managed to shut the front door behind him, his flatmate - who had armed himself with a kitchen knife - began kicking at it.
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The 56-year-old killer picked up a steak knife and opened the door, at which point he claims that the deceased attacked him. Kelly says he acted in self-defence when inflicting three stab wounds to Mr Burns' chest and one to the upper neck, causing his death aged 49.
Giving his evidence this morning, Kelly said that Mr Burns "wasn't a friend" and he "didn't like him" because he had "caused me so much trouble". The defendant also described his flatmate as "obnoxious".
But he denied any intention to kill him or seriously injure him. Kelly said that in the aftermath: "I couldn't believe what I'd done, I was in shock."
Recalling the incident, he stated: "He lunged for me, going for my throat. He clashed his head down on my forehead.
"I was pinned with my back against the wall. I struck him then with the knife, I thought it was twice.
"After I've struck him with the knife, he's still pinned me with his head against my head. I tried to fight him off with the heel of my hands.
"I didn't realise I had the knife in my hand. I was trying to push Derek away.
"I was pushing him to his chin and his head. It might have marked him.
"I pushed him to his body. I pushed him, again with the heels, to his torso."
Andrew O'Byrne KC, prosecuting, asked Kelly why he had not grabbed his phone and called the police instead of arming himself with the knife. He replied: "I didn't have it immediately on my person.
"I was still worried about the door opening. At the time I wasn't aware where I'd left my phone, I don't think.
"I had other things on my mind at the time. I was preoccupied with what was going on - I didn't think at the time."
Quizzed on why he suffered no injuries during the altercation when Mr Burns was stabbed to death, Kelly responded: "I think I was faster than Derek."
Kelly denies murder and manslaughter. The trial continues.
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