A TEENAGER accused of killing Adam Rogers with a single punch told a jury he had been threatened and felt scared.

The 17-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admits punching Mr Rogers, 24, who died after suffering brain injury when his head hit the pavement.

But he told the jury he had been acting in self defence during the incident in Northgate, Blackburn town centre, last July.

Before the boy spoke in his defence, the court had been told of three previous incidents involving the teenager, including striking a man who had put his arm around him.

During the Preston Crown Court trial the prosecution has argued Mr Rogers, of Dukes Brow, was acting as a 'peacemaker' and was unlawfully struck by the 17-year-old defendant.

But the boy denies the charge of manslaughter.

Recalling the events of July 4 into July 5, he said he had been 'happy, enjoying the night' with his friends.

The teenager denied being angry during the early exchanges between the two groups, when a fight between him and Carl Rutherford had been diffused.

But after the second fight broke out, he claimed Mr Rogers had said 'Come here you little s***', then followed him, putting an arm around him 'quite hard' and saying 'Oh I'm going to do you'.

The defendant told the court that was when he stopped, turned and punched Mr Rogers: “I was trying to push him off me. He was threatening and his face looked pretty angry. His mates were fighting... he was taller than me.

“I was scared. I just thought at the time someone had hold of me in Blackburn town centre and I was worried. I just wanted to get him off me, to shock him.

"There's not a day runs by without me thinking about it.”

Barrister Michael Lavery told the court that the youth received a reprimand in 2006 after headbutting a schoolfriend.

In 2007, the jury heard, the defendant was given a final warning from police after admitting an offence of affray.

He had told a stranger in Great Harwood to hide his beer, but when the man put an arm around his shoulder, leaned down and threatened him, he punched him to the floor and then kicked him.

In January 2009, the court heard, the defendant was given a fixed penalty notice for being drunk and disorderly in Darwen Street, Blackburn. He was intoxicated and moving his head towards the chest of another man.

The teenager from Rishton accepted his involvement in the previous incidents and said he was 'not at all' proud of those matters.

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