A MAN alleged to have helped his vengeful half-brother murder a former boxer with an axe has been accused of telling a series of “half-truths”.

Anthony Middleton was said by prosecutor Jamie Hill to be on his third account of events on the night Mark Denton died.

Mr Hill said Mr Middleton and co-accused David Sowerby had “executed” the victim who was struck repeatedly in the face, back and shoulders with a camping axe during a New Year’s Eve ‘rave’ party in Hartlepool.

Teesside Crown Court heard how 21-year-old Mr Middleton originally told police he was responsible for the murder of Mr Denton but had acted in self-defence when attacked with a kitchen knife.

But, giving evidence in the duo’s trial, he said he was in fact lying to save his half-brother. He said he merely punched the former boxer – once ranked England’s second best amateur middleweight - although he admitted later burning Mr Sowerby’s clothes and washing his own in an attempt to conceal evidence.

Mr Hill said that after 24-year-old Mr Sowerby struck the first blow, Mr Middleton then took over with the axe and “kept going when he [Mr Denton] could not fight back”.

Mr Middleton, of Bruntoft Avenue, Hartlepool, whose evidence was inaudible at times, denied this.

Mr Hill also claimed that after killing the victim Mr Middleton “celebrated” by going to bed with a woman.

He said: “You were not just buzzing, you were in celebration mode weren’t you?”

Mr Middleton said he was scared after the attack and said he was making things up as he went along.

Mr Hill said: “You were telling half-truths to cover up what you had really done.”

The barrister ended his cross-examination of Mr Middleton by asking him to explain to Mr Denton’s family why he was murdered.

The defendant replied: “I wish it never happened but I could not stop it. It was unavoidable.”

The Crown says co-accused Mr Sowerby, of Allerton Close, Hartlepool, was seeking revenge against 31-year-old Mr Denton after he was punched to the floor in a previous incident following a row about a woman. He is due to take to the stand on Thursday (June 19).

Both men deny murder and the trial continues.