THE man accused of murdering Ben Ford, repeatedly denied stabbing him when quizzed by detectives, a court heard.

He claimed he caused nobody any injury during violent scenes in a garden, Hull Crown Court was told.

Ashley Grant, 26, of Fairway, Waltham, denies murdering Mr Ford on June 19.

The prosecution claims he twice stabbed 23-year-old Mr Ford, of Duke Street, Grimsby, in the back with a knife during a fight in Hanson Way in the town.

The third day of the trial was told that, during police interviews, Grant repeatedly denied knowing anything about the stabbing of Mr Ford.

He said he and Jamie Rushby went round to Hanson Way but at first nobody hit him and he did not hit anybody.

He saw a group, including Mr Ford and Jamie Short, walk into the garden.

"They just started laying into us with big sticks," he claimed.

He denied hitting anyone, adding: "I couldn't because I was getting battered."

He claimed he fell to the ground and was punched and kicked. He then hid in a bush because he was scared.

During a second interview, it was suggested to him that he had stabbed Mr Ford and had taken a knife from a kitchen block, but he repeatedly made no comment.

He insisted he did not have a knife with him at any time, although he admitted being in the kitchen and that he could possibly have touched a knife.

He denied earlier hitting Mr Ford with a hammer on the side of the head and denied lunging at him with a knife.

Grant is due to give evidence in his defence today.

The case continues.