ONE of two men accused of killing a man in Great Yarmouth claimed his co-defendant was to blame as he saw him “pole-axe” the victim with a punch and he had only intervened to pull him off the victim.

Archibald Kerr, 52, was found with injuries comparable to those from a “bad traffic accident” in the hallway of his flat in Deneside, in the early hours of January 31, and it is alleged he was attacked by two men looking to take revenge on his son, James Flynn.

Mr Kerr died two months later from pneumonia linked to his injuries.

Darren Peake, 37, of Gloucester Avenue, Gorleston, and William Rowley, 37, of Wellington Road, Gorleston, both deny murder.

Giving evidence on Wednesday Peake said earlier that evening he had tried to break up a fight between Mr Flynn and Rowley, and claimed Mr Flynn had glassed Rowley.

He said he left the nightspot with Rowley who was bleeding from cuts he received and said: “I tried to calm him down.”

Peake said they were walking back to Rowley’s brother’s home when the house where Mr Flynn’s father lived was pointed out.

He said without warning Rowley had rushed off and he saw him punch Mr Kerr. “I saw him throw a punch and saw the person go back. He was poleaxed.”

He assumed the person was Mr Kerr, who was a friend, and said: “At first I was bewildered. I could not see them then I started to run. I see the garden wall and Wazzo (Rowley) bent over punching .”

He said he leaned over a wall and pulled Rowley back and realised he had something in his hand which he did not realise was a fire extinguisher.

He said he had not stayed at the scene but had later phoned Rowley to ask why he had done it.

When he got home he found he had some of Rowley’s blood on his clothes, so he had put them in the sink.

He said at first he had not told police the truth as he was scared of Rowley.

In cross examination he denied he had washed the blood from his jacket because he knew it was that of Mr Kerr.

The trial continues.