Men accused of Telford attack say victim was a drug dealer

The teenager suffered a broken eye socket and cuts during the incident, in King Street, Dawley, on the morning of June 19 this year.

Kyle Turner, 33, and Matthew Walls, 32, who both live, in King Street, are also accused of having an unlawful weapon - Turner a hammer and Walls a machete.

Giving evidence on oath, both defendants told the jury that the victim supplied drugs to them on a regular basis and they had arranged to meet him outside a social club.

Turner, a painter, told the jury he got involved in the fight to help co-defendant Walls, a childhood friend, who was scuffling with the victim.

"I'm not guilty. I did nothing wrong except help someone not to get hurt. It all happened quite quickly. If I was able to pause and rewind, it wouldn't have happened," Turner said.

The case so far:

• 'I saw a hammer being swung and hitting the person on the floor': Witness tells court of Telford attack

• Teen attacked by pair carrying hammer and machete in Telford left with broken eye socket and cuts, court hears

• Youth injured in Telford hammer and machete attack, court told

He said he was a heroin and crack cocaine user and had bought some before turning away. He said he then heard the sound of scuffling and saw Walls and the victim fighting.

"I literally went round the corner and and there was a hammer on the floor so I picked it up," Turner said.

He also claimed that he saw the victim holding a "Rambo" type knife which he managed to knock out of his hand. Turner denied carrying the hammer with him.

Walls, a crack user, told the jury he spent £100 a day and owed drug debts. He said the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, snatched £40 from his hands.

Dashcam footage from a passing car and CCTV images from the area were also shown to the jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

The films show a man on the floor next to a goods van with three men standing over him, appearing to repeatedly hit him, and Turner holding a hammer.

The defendants deny all charges. The trial continues.