A MAN accused of murdering his mother's ex-lover admitted using violence towards him hours before he died.

Daniel Antonious Delker, 24 denies killing witchcraft enthusiast James Bowman, 44, in Cornholme, Todmorden, on September 15 along with his co-accused, David Terance Sandham, 24, of The Croft, Cleveleys, Blackpool.

His brother, Nicholas Grundy, 22, of Ernest Street, Cornholme, was acquitted of the same charge earlier this week after Mr Justice Gage said that the evidence against him was insufficient.

Mr Bowman's body was discovered by a hill walker on moorland above Todmorden in September last year. He had been badly beaten.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Mr Delker, of Shackleton Road, Kirkham, near Preston, visited his mother Melanie Payne on September 14 and stayed overnight.

When giving evidence, he said he got up in the middle of the night to let one of his mother's dogs out and saw a man near the house with a bunch of wild flowers.

He said the man, who he now believes to have been Mr Bowman, was performing a hand gesture over the flowers which he thought was associated with certain powers.

"I ran out at him, stood up on the wall and swung at him to thump him," said Mr Delker.

"He moved backwards and I went to jump over the wall. I had my hands on the wall, swung my legs over and as I swung my legs over I caught him in the face."

He said he thought his punch must have made contact with Mr Bowman's face in order for his blood to then get on to his boot.

The then left. Mr Delker went back into the house.

He said when he arrived at his mother's house he overheard a conversation between his her and Mr Grundy about flowers being left.

He said: "She looked them up in a Wiccan book. They were all listed and had marks next to them. She was worried it was some kind of spell." When asked if he had anything to do with Mr Bowman's death, Mr Delker replied: "No".

(Proceeding)