ONE of the men accused of murdering Stephen Lawrence has told the Old Bailey he had nothing to do with the teenager's death.

Gary Dobson took to the witness box today as the defence started its case in the Stephen Lawrence murder trial.

Dobson, 36, and David Norris, 35, deny murdering Mr Lawrence, 18, in Well Hall Road, Eltham, in 1993.

Dobson told the court he was "disgusted and embarrassed" by the racist language he used as a teenager.

He said he could not defend or justify the words he used in 1994 when secretly filmed by the police.

Earlier, a video of racist rants by the two defendants was shown to the jury.

Dobson said he was "not proud" of using the word n****r to describe one of his then workmates.

Dobson's barrister Tim Roberts asked him why he had used the language. Dobson responded: "I don't know why I used it. Stereotyping I suppose."

Police surveillance video shot over several days, captured the outburst.

When asked by Mr Roberts if he had anything to do with the events that lead to the death of Stephen Lawrence, Dobson said: "No I did not."

Dobson claims he was at home all evening on April 22 1993, apart from going to visit his friends Neil and Jamie Acourt at about 11.45pm to borrow a Bob Marley CD and smoke a joint.

Key forensic evidence was found on a Supertramp jacket belonging to Dobson, but he said he had not worn it for three years before Mr Lawrence was murdered.

He said: "I wore it to school once or twice and had the complete mick taken out of me."

Dobson also claimed that another key exhibit, a cardigan, belonged to his father.

He told the court he heard about the murder that night when another boy visited the Acourts' house, but that they did not talk much about it afterwards.

In cross examination prosecutor Mark Ellison put it to Dobson that the racist language he was seen using in the footage was not an act, but was part of the real him coming out.

Dobson said: "I wouldn't say it was part of me. I would say it was an ignorant young fellow speaking like an idiot. "

When asked by Mr Ellison if when he used the word he thought all black people were n****rs, Dobson said: "I suppose so. I didn't see it as such a bad word to be honest.

"To be honest with you it's disgusting."

The jury heard that in police interviews Dobson repeatedly denied knowing co-defendant David Norris.

He said: "The only reason I can give you for that, I stupidly thought people's names I mentioned would be getting visits from the police. I stupidly denied knowing him."

The trial continues.