‘I THOUGHT I WOULD DIE’ - MURDER ACCUSED
A man accused of murdering a rival during an armed street battle has told jurors, "I was fighting for my life".
Mohamed Rahman, 43, is on trial for murdering Alan Stokoe, 26, of Chester-le-Street, during a knife fight outside of the home of Laura McGee, who they had both had relationships with.
Mr Stokoe died from a wound that went through his neck and severed his carotid artery and jugular vein.
Prosecutors claim after the murder, Rahman concocted a "pack of lies" to try and get himself out of trouble and put the blame on Mr Stokoe.
Rahman, of Eamont Gardens, Hartlepool, denies murder and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and is being tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.
Speaking from the witness box, Rahman, who was also stabbed during the violence, said he came out of Miss McGee's house with a knife to deter and scare Mr Stokoe, who he claimed had issued threats.
Rahman told jurors he had not wanted to fight and added: "That would be insane, a knife fight, I know that's what the prosecution are trying to say, that we've arranged a knife fight, no."
R ah man, who said he feared he was about to die, said when Mr Stokoe fell to the ground and appeared to be badly injured: "I just saw my whole world just shatter right in front of me."
The court heard Rahman had been visiting Miss McGee's home at Melville Street, Chester-le-Street, last July and he said Mr Stokoe had called up and made threats by phone.
Rahman said he took a kitchen knife outside the house as a deterrent and had been "unwilling" to engage in the fatal clash.
During questioning through his barrister Kirsty Brimelow QC, Rahman told jurors Mr Stokoe had made an "aggressive noise" as he ran towards him, "like a charging noise".
Rahman said he told Mr Stokoe 'give up, stop it, you win' during the clash and added: "He was throwing me all over, he's got the knife, I know I've been stabbed.
"I thought I was going to die at any second. I thought any second he's going to put that
knife through me.”
Rahman said he went back into the house as he feared there may be "someone to come and finish the job off "on him and an ambulance was called.
The trial continues.