A MAN accused of murdering his stepfather’s drinking friend during a row over name-calling has told a jury: “I didn’t want any of it to happen.”

Christopher Morgan, 24, began his defence at Teesside Crown Court yesterday and insisted he did not intend to harm his victim.

Morgan has admitted manslaughter but denies murdering Jonathan Gilbert at his home in Sycamore Gardens, Crook, County Durham, on April 20.

The prosecution alleges his sustained punching, kicking and stamping was certain to have caused serious harm or death.

The 43-year-old father-of-two – known as Gilly – died in hospital from brain-bleed injuries ten days after being beaten unconscious in his lounge.

A dispute between the pair arose a week before the attack when Mr Gilbert is said to have called jobless former factory worker Morgan “a half-breed”.

Morgan told the jury yesterday he went to his home to have it out with him, and his stepfather David Pinder – who shared the house – intervened.

He said he elbowed Mr Pinder out of the way before brawling with Mr Gilbert, pulling him off a sofa, kicking him and stamping on his head.

He said he stamped on the victim’s head to stop him getting back up, because he feared his stepfather was about to get involved again and hit him.

“I didn’t want to take the two of them on,” Morgan told the court. “I was just trying to keep him on the floor at the time while I dealt with David.

“I didn’t mean to cause him harm, like. I didn’t mean to seriously hurt him. I didn’t want none of it to happen.”

Morgan denied claims from Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, that he was “making it up”

after mentioning Mr Pinder’s involvement. During police interviews, the defendant did not talk about elbowing his stepfather out of the way or fearing he would attack him.

Morgan said he was “still out of it” when he was quizzed after drinking cider, lager and vodka and taking amphetamine and mephadrone.

He admitted lying in interviews about stamping on Mr Gilbert, but told his barrister, Jamie Hill, that he “didn’t want to drop himself in it”.

The judge in the trial of Morgan, of Thornfield Road, Consett, is expected to begin summing up the case today.