Ernest Norton was playing cricket with his teenage son

Ernest Norton died after he and his son James, 17, were targeted by a gang as they played cricket in a park in Erith, south-east London, last February.

The Old Bailey heard a tape of the boy, now 12, telling officers he had gone to the park with some other youths to fight another gang.

Five boys, now aged between 12 and 14, deny manslaughter and violent disorder.

'Different story'

The boy, who was the youngest in the group, sat in the dock beside his mother as the tape of his interview at Bexleyheath police station was played.

He said he threw about five stones at the Mr Norton and his son, who he claimed had told him and his friends to "eff off".

In the interview an officer asked him: "Were you trying to hit the men?" He replied: "Not really."

His mother told him to say "yes or no" and after being asked again he admitted: "Yeah."

The boy told the police how the day began with he and his friends taking a bus to the Bluewater shopping centre and having a meal at McDonald's before returning to Erith.

He then described what happened when they were at Erith leisure centre, where Mr Norton and his son were having a bowling practice in the tennis courts.

"We went near the tennis courts. This man said to him 'eff off you little runt'. We all started throwing stones. This boy threw a rock at the man and he collapsed. We all ran away."

The trial was adjourned until Friday.