10:00am Wednesday 16th December 2009
By Jon Livesey
A YOUNG man accused of murdering Louise Evans in a Burnley park has claimed he tried to stop her killer but was knocked to the floor by two punches.
Anthony Wood, 21, of Elizabeth Street, Burnley, is accused of planning and encouraging the brutal assault which killed the former Haslingden High School pupil.
The prosecution says he took a knife with him to Towneley Park with the intention of killing the teenager and later handed it to Matthew Maw, 19, who carried out the attack.
Giving evidence at Preston Crown Court Wood, who was part of a group that had gone to the park in July, said he took the knife to cut up food.
And he told the court how he tried to intervene when Maw began 'constantly hitting' Miss Evans and that he was knocked to the ground by two blows.
Maw, also of Elizabeth Street, has already admitted Miss Evans’s murder but Wood denies the same charge.
Wood admitted having a brief argument with former Haslingden High School pupil Miss Evans after he refused to buy alcohol for her earlier in the evening, but said it was 'over and done with' in five minutes.
The court then heard how a group, including Wood, Maw and Miss Evans had returned to the hostel to get supplies after deciding to stay out for the night.
Wood, who admitted having enough alcohol to feel 'merry' said: "There were cheesy buns, packets of crisps, chicken bites, biscuits, scotch pancakes and margarine.
"I took the small knife because it's easier to cut the buns with. I don't like big knives."
Patrick Cosgrove QC, for Wood, asked the defendant why he did not just take the 'butter knife' on its own instead of the one used later on Miss Evans.
Wood said: "It crumples the bun. I like the bread to be smooth for the butter."
He then described hearing the fatal attack by Maw on the victim.
Wood said: "I heard constant thudding. It was quite dark from where I was standing but it sounded like someone was constantly hitting someone.
"I sort of put my hand on Matthew's shoulder to push him away and asked him what he was doing and told him to get off her and leave her alone.
"He turned around and smacked me in the face on my eyebrow and my cheekbone. After the second blow I fell to the floor."
Proceeding
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