A former inmate of a young offenders prison told the Damilola Taylor murder trial that the alleged killers were "going to beat someone up and it got out of hand".

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he had discussed the murder with one of the boys accused of stabbing the 10-year-old to death.

They never went over there to kill him

Witness

"He spoke about it frequently," the 18-year-old told the Old Bailey. "He was the one who brought it up.

"I know there was some sort of fight. I think from what I was told it was something to do with a green bottle.

"They never went over there to kill him. It was more than like going to beat someone up and it got out of hand."

Police meetings

Under cross-examination, the witness said he had met with police at Feltham Young Offenders' Institution (YOI) on 20 occasions.

But the teenager denied having been recruited as a police informer.

The youth, who was awaiting sentence for three knife-point robberies, said officers asked him to contact them if he had any information.

Damilola died on November 27, 2000, from a thigh injury caused by a broken beer bottle on the North Peckham Estate, south London, where he lived.

Two brothers, both aged 16, and a 15-year-old youth deny murder, manslaughter and assault with intent to rob.

The trial continues.