A MAN accused of murder only hit his victim once in self-defence, a trial has heard.

In cross-examination of a teenage prosecution witness, defence barrister Simon Jackson told the court it was victim Raich Keith Alcock who swung the first punch at the accused, Christopher Singleton.

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The defence barrister said it was only when the punch failed to land that his client landed a single blow to Mr Alcock’s jaw which caused him to fall back and bang his head.

Mr Jackson described to the jury how in the early hours of the morning of the altercation, Mr Alcock had been with the female witness, who is 16 and from the Accrington area, Singleton, and men including Peter Cornish and John McCabe, also known as Burnley John, in Accrington town centre.

The jury was told Mr Alcock and Mr Cornish went to an off-licence to buy a bottle of whisky but when he returned the victim was angry at other members of the group for drinking cans of cider and beer he had left with them.

Given evidence the teenage witness said: “Chris was involved in an argument with the man (Mr Alcock). It all kicked off.

“It started and then Chris started on the man because he was starting on Pete about who had drunk the last bit of whisky.”

The witness said that initial altercation took place outside Accrington Town Hall and Singleton then followed Mr Alcock, 52, to the Broadway pub.

Once there the witness said she saw Mr Alcock give Singleton his phone, bank card and £20.

Mr Jackson said: “When this happened did Mr Singleton say ‘I don’t want your property?’”

The teenaged witness answered: “Yes.”

Singleton, 37, formerly of Derby Street, Accrington, is then said to have handed back the cash and card but kept the phone.

The witness described how after that incident Singleton followed Mr Alcock back to his home in Arnold Street, Accrington.

Asking the witness what happened when the pair arrived at Mr Alcock’s address, Mr Jackson said: “I put it to you there was a verbal exchange between the two with Mr Alcock saying something along the lines of ‘come on then’ and he’s put his jacket on the gate.”

Witness: “No.”

Mr Jackson: “Mr Alcock came across and took a swing at Mr Singleton.”

Witness: “That’s not what happened.”

Mr Jackson: “That blow didn’t land.

“Mr Singleton retaliated by punching him in his jaw.”

Witness: “Chris punched him. But not like you have said.”

The witness described how Mr Alcock was knocked to the floor but he had his eyes open and began making a snoring noise.

The court heard how Singleton and Mr McCabe then carried Mr Alcock into his kitchen. But as he continued make a snoring noise and thinking the victim was laughing at him the defendant is alleged to have picked him up twice before punching him twice.

Mr Alcock, suffered a fractured skull, fractures to both plates of the bone over the tops of the eyesockets, swelling on the brain, and bruising to both sides of the jaw following the alleged attack on September 6.

He was pronounced dead 10 days later.

Singleton has pleaded not guilty to murder.

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