A MOTHER-of-four has denied harming a man who was bludgeoned with a meat cleaver and blamed her friend.

While giving evidence at Preston Crown Court, Joanne McNally said her friend Rhea Parker started attacking Philip Preece inside his home on August 2 last year.

Mr Preece, 56, survived the sustained attack, which left him with a fractured skull and other serious wounds. He was hospitalised for five weeks.

The court heard the pair visited Mr Preece’s home in Whalley New Road, Blackburn, to borrow money from him so McNally, 49, could buy the drug spice.

While giving evidence, McNally said Mr Preece refused to give her any money and swore at her. McNally said Parker pulled a meat cleaver out of a bag she was holding.

When questioned by her counsel, John Jones QC, about what she did with it, McNally said: “She started attacking him.”

The court heard McNally’s reaction to the alleged attack was to run away by the front door.

McNally said Parker was hitting the victim on the head.

Earlier Parker had blamed McNally for the attack and claimed she had started hitting Mr Preece with the weapon.

The court heard the bag, which had allegedly carried the weapon, was picked up by McNally and taken outside.

McNally said she did not know why she did that, she “just picked it up.”

McNally said she gave the bag to her boyfriend, Daniel Marsh, near a bus stop and he dropped it in a bin behind a betting shop. McNally said she also took off her flip-flops as they had blood on them.

The court heard Parker, McNally and Marsh later went to McNally’s home and smoked spice.

McNally said: “I said, ‘What on Earth is going on? What have you just done that for? She said she was going to kill herself.”

When asked if she went to the house to intentionally hurt Mr Preece or rob him, or planned anything with Parker beforehand she said “no”.

Simon Csoka QC, defending Parker, said McNally told the police during her interview she didn’t have the bag and would tell the police if she found it.

He said: “How would it damage your position to tell the police how your boyfriend had disposed of the bag?

“I don’t know”, she replied.

“Because the bag had your fingerprints on it?” Mr Csoka QC said.

“No”, replied McNally.

McNally, of Whalley New Road, Blackburn, and Parker, of no fixed address, have each denied the attempted murder of Mr Preece on August 2 last year, and alternative charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The trial continues.