JURORS have heard how a suspect admitted murder during police interviews following his arrest.
Alexander Layton is accused of stabbing James Stokoe to death following a road-rage incident after the defendant stepped out in front of his alleged victim's BMW.
Mr Stokoe confronted Layton and he reacted by grabbing a large kitchen knife out of his rucksack and plunging it into leg while his young son was sitting on a child seat in the rear of the car, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Following his arrest he was reported as saying 'I shouldn't be treated any differently just because I have murdered someone' while he was in a cell and the defendant confirmed making the admission.
Mr Stokoe died at the scene on Trenchard Avenue, Thornaby, after being found seriously injured in a silver BMW at around 2.20pm on May 15 last year.
Following the fatal stabbing, Cleveland Police managed to trace Layton's movements as he left Thornaby and headed towards North Yorkshire where he was arrested the following evening at a pizza shop in Great Ayton.
In a prepared statement read out to arresting police officers gave his version of events after Stokoe stopped his car and started shouting at the defendant.
Layton said: "He preceded to open the driver's door, looking angry and shouting at me. I shouted back because I was scared.
"I believed he was reaching for a weapon, I had a knife in my rucksack, which I was going to take camping, I panicked and got the kitchen knife out and stabbed him once, maybe twice, in his right leg as he was trying to get out of the car.
"The driver's side door was open and his leg was out of the car."
The 34-year-old, of Shackleton Close, Thornaby, who is also charged with possession of a knife, denies murder.
The trial continues.
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