Murder accused says fatal Grantham stabbing was 'accident'

Tony McDermott was found dead at a house on Eton Street in Grantham in 2023

A man accused of killing a close friend told Lincoln Crown Court a fatal stab wound was an "accident."

Nicholas Ward, 37, denies murdering Tony McDermott, 38, at their shared house in Grantham last October.

Prosecutors allege Mr McDermott suffered blunt and knife injuries, including a stab wound to his leg, which caused him to bleed to death.

Mr Ward told jurors he must have "lost control" after drinking and taking drugs with his friend of 20 years.

The court heard Mr Ward was celebrating getting a new job.

He said the two of them began drinking at their Eton Street home and at some point Mr McDermott went out to buy some cocaine which they both used.

Mr Ward said he began arguing with Mr McDermott after he looked round and noticed his work tablet computer was missing.

"I said, 'Where's the tablet?'

"I'd shown him it earlier in the evening and he said, 'It was decent.'

"He said he 'hadn't seen it' and 'I don't know what you're talking about.' "

Mr Ward added: "Tony punched me in the jaw, we had been friends for 20 years and never laid hands on each other.

"I punched him back in the face. We just started fighting in the dining room. It continued for a while."

Asked if he caused the blunt and incision injuries found on his friend, Mr Ward replied: "I must have done, I must have lost control, I can't remember any of it."

When asked why he would do that to his friend, Mr Ward said: "I don't know."

Mr McDermott's body was found at a house in Eton Street on 14 October 2023

Mr Ward told jurors he did see a knife at the end when it went into Mr McDermott's leg.

"Tony came at me with the knife," Mr Ward said. "I grabbed hold of the handle.

"We've gone close to each other, I tried to rip it out of his hand, it's gone into his leg."

Mr Ward added: "By accident, just by accident.

"Tony pulled it out. He sat down on the sofa beside me. We spoke for a little while.

"The next thing I know I opened my eyes and there was blood all over the floor where there wasn't before.

"I looked to my right and Tony was no longer there. I jumped up and saw him on the floor in the hallway.

"I checked his pulse and couldn't find one so started CPR."

Mr Ward said he realised Mr McDermott was dead.

"I just wanted to get out of the house," he said, telling the jury he panicked and did not ring 999.

Mr Ward also denies a second charge of manslaughter relating to the death of Mr McDermott.

The trial continues.