A trainee footballer heard a defendant in the Damilola Taylor murder trial "bragging" that he had murdered the schoolboy, a court has been told.

The 18-year-old, giving evidence at the Old Bailey, told the court: "He was boasting. He seemed happy for what he had done.

"He said the reason why he had killed him was because he was mouthy. He was getting too lippy."

He was boasting about how he killed him, that he had no regrets

Witness

In a conversation, which allegedly took place in Feltham young offenders' institution last year, the witness asked the defendant if he regretted what he had done and was told by him that he would do it again.

"I thought it was sick," said the footballer, who was doing time for robbery.

Two 16-year-old brothers and a 15-year-old boy deny murder, manslaughter and assault with intent to rob Damilola, who bled to death from a thigh injury caused by a broken beer bottle on the North Peckham Estate, south London, in November 2000.

The footballer, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said one of the brothers claimed police were trying to "stitch them up" for the boy's murder.

'I don't care'

On another occasion he heard the youth repeat his admissions through the back windows of the cells, the court heard.

"He was boasting about how he killed him, that he had no regrets. Every time, his response was `I don't care'," the witness said.

Later, he admitted he had only been on the same wing as the defendants for three days.

The footballer said he had been sentenced to 18 months detention for a robbery in which a 70-year-old woman suffered a broken shoulder as her bag was snatched.

Cross-examined by Baroness Mallalieu QC, defending one of the brothers, the youth agreed that a policeman working on Damilola's murder had seen his sentencing judge in his chambers.

But he denied making a deal with police.

The trial continues.