Murder accused claims victim 'tried to rape him'

Alfie Miller was arrested outside Darren Hughes' flat in Longhedge, Salisbury

A 22-year-old man accused of stabbing a friend to death after drinking and taking cocaine told police the victim had tried to rape him, a court has heard.

Darren Hughes, 52, was found by neighbours with a fatal knife wound in the bathroom of his flat on Davies Road in Salisbury, Wiltshire, at about 07.45 BST on 3 May this year.

Alfie Miller, of Willow Drive in Durrington, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of Mr Hughes murder, which he denies.

Neighbours found him "hysterical" in the street outside Mr Hughes flat, saying: "I've stabbed someone. I think I might have killed him."

Opening the case on Wednesday, Prosecutor Ray Tully KC said a woman living nearby had heard "howling" and looked out of her window to see the defendant laying in the road covered in blood.

"She heard him saying 'I've stabbed someone, I think I might have killed him'," Mr Tully said.

"She also heard him say 'he was attacking me, he was trying to rape me'."

A number of residents tried to provide first aid to Mr Hughes and an ambulance and air ambulance were dispatched, but he was declared dead at the scene at 08.45 BST, the jury were told.

'Self-defence'

When Mr Miller was arrested outside the flat, he admitted he had been taking cocaine and cannabis but added: "It was fully self-defence."

The defendant went on to say: "He was flirting with me, he was saying things that just weren't right. I went to the kitchen to grab a knife and I just plunged it into his chest and ran.

"I told him all night I was straight."

Mr Tully told the court the defendant was described as "tearful, emotional and agitated" by officers who took him to Melksham Custody Centre.

While he was being booked into custody, Mr Miller was heard saying: "Oh my god. Why didn't I just run out of the flat?"

Mr Tully said: "We respectfully suggest that is a very good question - one posed by the defendant and one you [the jury] will want to think about long and hard during the course of this trial."

'I panicked'

"When asked if he had any marks, [Mr Miller] replied 'He's not grabbed me at all. It's all been verbal. I panicked. I literally had five seconds to think about what to do. I should have run out of the flat'."

Mr Miller told two nurses at the custody centre he had consumed half a litre of vodka over the course of the night, taken 1.5g of cocaine and smoked cannabis.

The defendant also told them: "He got me to take a Viagra when I was totally mashed. He was an older man. I didn't know what to do."

The jury heard that Mr Miller and Mr Hughes had been in contact since at least 2022, when the defendant was 18.

Messages recovered from their mobile phones revealed that on one occasion Mr Miller had apparently tried to initiate sexual activity with Mr Hughes.

The trial continues.