A MAN accused of murdering a friend and neighbour with a large ceremonial sword has told a jury that he had not intended to kill him.

Douglas Plumpton, known by the nickname ‘Rasta Jack’, wiped away tears as he said, “I was angry and scared but I never meant to kill him.”

Liverpool Crown Court has heard that victim Iain Maddocks died on his 32nd birthday after calling round at Plumpton’s flat in the block where they lived in Whetstone Lane, Birkenhead.

Plumpton had loaned him £180 and Mr Maddocks had agreed to pay it back at £70 a month but in March this year he only gave him £40.

Two days later on the afternoon of Good Friday, March 30, he called again at Plumpton’s home and it was during that encounter at the front door that he suffered the fatal injury.

Despite treatment by paramedics and the air ambulance being called in Mr Maddocks died in hospital about an hour and half later having suffered five stab wounds and two groups of slash type wounds.

A pathologist found the cause of death was shock and haemorrhage caused primarily by a cut to his femoral artery in his left leg.

26-year-old Plumpton has admitted manslaughter but denies murder.

He told the court that he had two replica swords, one Saxon and one Viking, as he was a history lover and was writing a novel in the style of ‘Game of Thrones’ and wanted them to help make scenes realistic.

The jury has been shown the Saxon one which had been found to have blood along 19 cm of the two inch thick sword from the tip.

Plumpton, who confirmed that his mum had bought him the title of a lord of the manor, said he was going to hang the two swords on his wall. He also told how he has helped with Love Activists and the homeless.

Mr Maddocks called at his flat on the fateful afternoon after earlier being told to “f…. off” and started shouting through the door and asking why the defendant had damaged his car.

Plumpton, who stood in the witness box with his head bowed while quietly giving his evidence, said that after he opened the door Mr Maddocks produced a kitchen knife and so he reached back into his flat and grabbed the sword which was against the sofa.

“I slapped him twice on the arm with the sword and he dropped the knife between the two slaps. I jabbed him twice and kicked him in the balls,” he said.

“He stepped backwards. I told him to ‘f... off’ and he tried to grab the sword off me and said ‘what the f… are you doing?’

“I looked at him and said, ‘what the f... am I doing? What the f... are you doing?’

“We grappled over the sword, he tried to kick me but I was too far away. I don’t know if he was frightened or angry or both.”

He said that the second Mr Maddocks had let go of the sword “I pulled it back and had it at the side of me.”

Cross-examined by prosecuting QC Gordon Cole he denied that the victim had been fighting for his life.

He said the incident was “etched on my brain” but said he could not understand how Mr Maddocks suffered the fatal wound to his leg as he had not stabbed downwards.

Asked if the victim had been on the floor when he stabbed him outside the front door, Plumpton said, ‘no.’

“He went on the floor because the sword had gone into his leg. HIs hand went towards his groin and then his leg. He leaned backwards and his legs went out and he slid down the wall.”

The case continues.