A man who suffered severe facial injuries when he was attacked with a vodka bottle has denied inflicting fatal injuries of a man found dead in his flat.

Joseph Sencer has categorically denied leaving his friend, Carlos Boyce, for dead when they brawled during a drink and drug fuelled fight last November.

The 36-year-old was accused of fatally attacking Mr Boyce while he was giving evidence in the murder trial of Lee Hogg and Terry Dalton.

Teesside Crown Court heard Mr Spencer tell Dalton’s defence barrister, Sam Green KC, he was absolutely positive that he was not responsible for inflicting the fatal beating on his friend.

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The barrister asked: “You were entirely responsible for the injuries to that man, weren’t you?”

Mr Spencer replied: “Course not. I’m innocent here. Carlos was a friend of mine. Carlos was loved by the community.

“He was a decent bloke. I’m a decent bloke. Them two guys came to my flat and attacked us.”

The Northern Echo: Carlos BoyceCarlos Boyce (Image: Cleveland Police)

Mr Green put it to the witness that he and Carlos had a dreadful fight with each other that night – "one armed with a screwdriver and one armed with a knife".

Mr Spencer categorically denied the allegation telling he was "totally wrong".

In his evidence in chief, the witness told jurors how was knocked unconscious during the alleged assault and when he came round, he found his friend laid on the floor in the hallway.

In his confused state he wandered to a nearby shop where he was caught on CCTV buying sweets and drinks while his face and head was covered in dried blood.

A passing motorist stopped to help him and that was when the emergency services were called and Mr Spencer let the police into his flat where they discovered Mr Boyce.

The 36-year-old father-of-one was declared dead at the scene.

Mr Spence said the alleged murderers were ‘bullies’ who carried out a brutal attack on Mr Boyce inside his flat.

He said: “They were steaming into him; they were both giving him a good hiding using their fists and stamping on his head.

“I pulled them off and they smacked me with a full bottle of vodka and put me to the ground.”

Hogg and Dalton left to scene in a Land Rover Freelander before they were caught on CCTV inside a shop in Nunthorpe where they were laughing and joking with each other.

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Jurors heard how Hogg started to search for flights from Teesside Airport after learning of Mr Boyce’s death.

The were later arrested after being asked to leave Chequers Inn, in Dalton on Tees, near Darlington, for being rowdy.

Hogg, 38, of Lindisfarne Road, Ormesby, Middlesbrough, and 53-year-old Dalton, of Ellerbeck Way, Ormesby, both deny murder and causing grievous bodily harm.

The trial continues.