Lee McKnight murder: Co-accused denies being in attack house
Family handoutA murder suspect has denied being in the house where a man was attacked and said he played no part in him later being thrown into a river.
Lee McKnight's body was found in Carlisle's River Caldew on the morning of 24 July last year.
Carlisle Crown Court has previously heard the 26-year-old, who owed drug money, had been asked to an address in Charles Street during the early hours.
Arron Graham, 26, is one of six people who deny murder.
The other five suspects on trial, including a father and son and a mother and daughter, all from the city, are:
- Jamie Davison, 26, of Beverley Rise
- Jamie Lee Roberts, 18, of Grey Street
- Coral Edgar, 26, of Charles Street
- Carol Edgar, 47, of Charles Street
- Paul Roberts, 51, of Grey Street
Mr Graham, of Blackwell Road, is the second of the defendants to give evidence.
He told the court he had been drinking on the night of 23 July with Jamie Lee Roberts at an address in Grey Street, before they visited Mr Graham's girlfriend nearby.
The jury heard he was unsure of the time he left to go home, although he said it was "getting on" for daylight.
He said he did not go to the Charles Street home of co-accused Coral Edgar at any point.
Asked by his barrister, Fiona Horlick QC, whether he had assaulted Mr McKnight, Mr Graham said: "No, definitely not."
He also denied helping dump Mr McKnight's body in the river or having abandoned a Nissan Navara car in woods.
The court had previously heard Mr Graham's DNA was found on the driver's controls and Mr Davison alleged in his evidence that he and Mr Graham abandoned the vehicle after Mr McKnight's body had been disposed of.
However, Mr Graham said he had come across the car on 24 July having cycled out to the woods after being asked to do so that morning by Mr Davison, who had told him he had been involved in a police chase.
He added the keys were already in the ignition but said he could not move it because it was "stuck".
Ms Horlick asked him: "If you had known that car had been involved in the killing of Lee McKnight, in one shape or another, would you have touched that car?
"No. Definitely not," Mr Graham responded.
The jury has been told Mr McKnight suffered 36 lacerations to his head and other injuries thought to have been caused while he was secured to a chair.
A farmer found his body, partially wrapped in a curtain, at about 05:00 BST.
The trial continues.
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