Fear factor for accused

THE man accused of stabbing Allan Raymond Ward to death at a party in Charters Towers claims he was scared and trying to defend himself.

Patrick Michael Liddy, 29, gave testimony yesterday during his murder trial in the Supreme Court in Townsville.

Liddy allegedly used a kitchen knife to stab Mr Ward, 32, in his back and side before delivering a fatal wound to his stomach. The knife remained lodged in Ward’s spine.

Liddy told the court that early on November 19, 2015, he decided to leave and took his phone, which had been playing music for the group.

He told the court Mr Ward said “It’s just a f--- ing phone”, grabbed his shoulder, then threw a punch. Liddy said he was punched again and ended up on the ground of the carport. He told the court Mr Ward then sat on his chest and hit him more than 10 times.

“I was getting pummelled. I thought I’d be seriously hurt or knocked unconscious,” he said.

Liddy said he waved his arm around, looking for something to defend himself with and felt a metal object. It “turned out to be a knife”, which Liddy said he tried to hit Mr Ward with.

On questioning from prosecutor Nathan Crane, Liddy said he could not recall the knife going into Mr Ward’s body.

“You’ve told us about every single detail that you can recall from the night … but you can’t tell us about the time that you stuck a knife into Allan Ward’s body with force, that it lodged in the vertebrae?” he asked. Liddy replied yes. The Crown alleged Liddy suffered a cut to his forehead during the fight with Mr Ward. He then allegedly walked to the kitchen, leaving a path of blood, retrieved a 30cm knife and returned to stab Mr Ward.

Liddy denied that, saying the knife was on the floor, underneath a dartboard.

He told Mr Crane he had not seen a knife earlier and agreed people had been playing darts all night.

“People weren’t stepping over knives to retrieve darts, were they?” Mr Crane asked. Liddy replied no. The trial continues.