Murder accused acted in self-defence, court hears

A man claims he was acting in self-defence when he fatally stabbed a man four times in the back, a court has heard.

Mark Carpenter, 57 denies murdering Harry Jackson, 28, on 28 May.

The jury at Plymouth Crown Court heard Carpenter claimed Jackson had assaulted him twice before he stabbed him in self-defence.

Prosecutor Dan Pawson-Pounds said Jackson's body was found at the bottom of the stairs by another resident in a multi occupancy house in Embankment Road, Plymouth, Devon, about five hours after the incident.

He said Jackson had suffered four horizontal stab wounds to his back which were in a straight line, as well as a potentially fatal slash wound to his left wrist which severed a major artery.

The prosecution said the wrist wound may have been caused as Jackson tried to defend himself.

He added that Carpenter, of Embankment Road, Plymouth, accepts inflicting the knife wounds and admitted intentionally assaulting the victim, and accepted the stab injuries led to his death.

The court heard Carpenter did not call 999, but did contact acquaintances and buy alcohol from shops over the next five hours.

He also had blood staining on his clothes and tried to clean up blood from various places in the property.

Pawson-Pounds said Carpenter claims he acted in lawful self defence and said Jackson had assaulted him on two separate occasions that afternoon.

He said Carpenter claimed in the second altercation Mr Jackson was sitting on top of him on the floor with his back to him and the defendant grabbed a knife from a bedside table and repeatedly stabbed him.

Carpenter said Mr Jackson tried to bite him but there was no injury consistent with a bite mark, the jury heard.

The trial continues.

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