A youth accused of the racist murder of a black teenager has told a court he tried to help the victim.Anthony Walker, 18, was killed with an ice axe in Huyton on Merseyside in July - and Michael Barton said he tried to remove the weapon.Barton, the 17-year-old brother of Manchester City footballer Joey Barton, is on trial at Preston Crown Court charged with murder.
His cousin, 20-year-old Paul Taylor, has already pleaded guilty to murder and admitted it was he who swung the axe.
However,
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Barton was also charged with murder as the prosecution claims he supplied the weapon and was part of the attack.
It is alleged Barton and Taylor began hurling racist abuse at Anthony, his cousin Marcus Binns and his girlfriend Louise Thompson outside a pub.
Prosecutors say the trio did not respond to the baiting and walked away, but they were followed into a park and attacked.
Barton said he was not involved in any altercation outside the pub and only went to the park because Taylor had told him they were going to have a fight.
The pair then jumped over the wall and began walking along the path, where they "bumped into" Anthony, Marcus and Louise.
Barton said: "One of the lads and the girl ran off so I chased the lad. Paul stayed there.
"I chased the lad up Grahams Road, then I heard a glass bottle smash so I went back to the park to see if my cousin was all right."
Asked what he saw on his return, Barton said: "Anthony Walker. He was lying there. He had something out of his head. I tried to help him. I tried to remove the weapon gently.
"I felt sick and in shock. When I couldn't move it I ran away back to the car.
"There was blood on the top of my right hand. I kept my hand in front of me in case blood dripped on to my clothes."
The trial continues.
His cousin, 20-year-old Paul Taylor, has already pleaded guilty to murder and admitted it was he who swung the axe.
However,
Advertisement
Barton was also charged with murder as the prosecution claims he supplied the weapon and was part of the attack.
It is alleged Barton and Taylor began hurling racist abuse at Anthony, his cousin Marcus Binns and his girlfriend Louise Thompson outside a pub.
Prosecutors say the trio did not respond to the baiting and walked away, but they were followed into a park and attacked.
Barton said he was not involved in any altercation outside the pub and only went to the park because Taylor had told him they were going to have a fight.
The pair then jumped over the wall and began walking along the path, where they "bumped into" Anthony, Marcus and Louise.
Barton said: "One of the lads and the girl ran off so I chased the lad. Paul stayed there.
"I chased the lad up Grahams Road, then I heard a glass bottle smash so I went back to the park to see if my cousin was all right."
Asked what he saw on his return, Barton said: "Anthony Walker. He was lying there. He had something out of his head. I tried to help him. I tried to remove the weapon gently.
"I felt sick and in shock. When I couldn't move it I ran away back to the car.
"There was blood on the top of my right hand. I kept my hand in front of me in case blood dripped on to my clothes."
The trial continues.
