Connor Palfrey, 24, told Newport Crown Court he was in shock after witnessing 17-year-old Tristan Kerr being stabbed during a fight in a flat in Abertridwr. He said he fled the property and was later arrested by armed police in Hereford.
Palfrey, who denies murder alongside three co-defendants, said he had no idea that Georgie Mears was carrying a knife when they went to the flat. He told the jury he was "devastated" by Mr Kerr's death and wanted to apologise to his family.
Background and events leading to the stabbing
The defendant, who left school at 16 and worked "on and off" on building sites, said he had recently supplemented his benefits by selling cocaine and cannabis. He said he knew Mr Kerr "as one of the younger boys from the area" and that, while both were involved in drug dealing, they did not work together.
Palfrey acknowledged there had been an "incident" with Mr Kerr weeks before the fatal stabbing but described it as a "misunderstanding" that had been "sorted" when they talked. He said he returned to south Wales to meet co-defendant Ricardo Elliot, and had known Mears for a "couple of months" before the stabbing.
On February 4, Mears and Elliot stayed at Palfrey's home in Abertridwr. The next day, Manny drove the trio to Cardiff Magistrates Court to see Palfrey's cousin Kai Raven. After getting food at the Big Buddah chip shop, the group returned to Palfrey's flat.
The stabbing and aftermath
Palfrey said he was driven to the Piccadilly pub in Caerphilly, inhaled nitrous oxide in the car, and then went to Llanbradach to collect a drug debt. He said Manny suggested going to a property on Lower Francis Street in Abertridwr, a known "crack house", to collect money from Connor "Custard" Davies.
When they arrived, Palfrey entered first and sat in the living room with Davies and Mr Kerr. He said Mears entered about "30 seconds, maybe a minute" later and began "bickering" with Mr Kerr before they fought. Palfrey described seeing Mears pull out a knife "and stick it in the side of his gut".
Palfrey said he picked up a plank of wood "because I didn't know what was happening" while others restrained Mears. He fled to Manny's car, unaware Mr Kerr had suffered a fatal injury. The group drove to Hereford, where Palfrey was arrested by armed officers from West Mercia Police.
Defence and trial status
Asked if he went to the flat to kill Tristan, Palfrey replied: "No, not at all." He said he had no reason to want Mr Kerr dead and no intention to cause serious harm. He added: "I'm devastated. I'm sorry to his family. It wasn't anything to do with me. I wanted no harm to come to Tristan. He was a kid from the area."
The trial has heard Mears claim he stabbed Mr Kerr "out of fear", believing he was going to be stabbed and robbed. Palfrey, of Aberfawr Terrace, Abertridwr; Elliot, 26, of no fixed abode; Manny, 24, of Commercial Street, Senghenydd; and Mears, 19, of Cavendish Close, Thornhill, Cardiff, all deny murder. The trial continues.
