A TEENAGER accused of murder claims he only stabbed the victim once out of self-defence, the Old Bailey heard today (May 22).

Danny McLean, along with six other teenagers, are accused of murdering Shakilus Townsend on July 3 last year.

They allegedly lured the 16-year-old, of Tanners Hill, Deptford, to Thornton Heath before beating him with a baseball bat and stabbing him to death.

McLean had organised an ambush on the teenager after finding out his girlfriend had been cheating on him with Shakilus, but claimed he only wanted to fight him one-on-one.

The defendant claimed that, finding out Shakilus was on his own, he chased and caught up with him.

But McLean said Shakilus then pulled a knife and that he stabbed him in self-defence.

The defendant said: “I'm not sure where I stabbed him but I only stabbed him once.”

Prosecutor Brian Altman told McLean that no knife belonging to Shakilus was ever found at the scene.

He told the defendant: “You've just made it all up haven't you? Just made it up.”

McLean told him: “If I was lying I wouldn't admit to stabbing him in the first place.”

Mr Altman said: “You're taking as much blame as you're prepared to take.”

The defendant replied: “That's not true. I could have kept my mouth quiet and not said anything.”

Mr Altman asked: “Was it you who stabbed him in the stomach deliberately twisting the blade as it went in?”

He replied: “I didn't do no twisting whatsoever.”

McLean claimed he was accidentally hit with a baseball bat by a 17-year-old co-defendant, after which he ran off and did not see anything else.

He claimed the co-defendant was trying to knock the knife out of Shakilus's hand.

But one witness claims he saw a man “raining blows down on the victim” with the bat.

The prosecution claim the fatal wound was caused by a butcher's knife eight to nine inches in length.

McLean, aged 18, Tyrell Vito Ellis, aged 19, and Andre Johnson-Haynes, aged 18, from Croydon, are charged with murder.

Also charged with murder are a 16-year-old girl and three 17-year-old boys who cannot be named for legal reasons.

They all deny the charge.

The trial continues.