A TEENAGER accused of murdering a man in a Blackburn park kicked him 'hard' during a confrontation, he admitted to a jury.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was involved in a fight in Queen’s Park on May 30, which left Christopher Folkes, 36, with severe head injuries.

He died the following day in hospital.

Yesterday at Preston Crown Court, the teenager, who denies murder, insisted he was not the only one involved in the attack, but admitted he had stamped on Mr Folkes.

He told the jury that he had been walking with friends in the park when a man shouted insults at one of his gang.

The teenager told the court the pair were soon 'throwing punches' at each other through the park before he tripped Mr Folkes and brought him to the ground.

Prosecuting, Francis McEntee asked if he had then kicked Mr Folkes.

The teenager admitted he had, saying: “Not very hard, but hard.”

Later, Mr McEntee suggested he had kicked Mr Folkes in the face as he was lying on the ground.

The 16-year-old said: “Possibly, yes.”

Mr McEntee added: “You stood above him and when he brought his hands down from his face, you kicked him to the head, rendering him defenceless.

“He was limp and he was lifeless, wasn’t he?”

The teenager denied that Mr Folkes was unconscious at the time.

He also said that three other men with him at the time joined in the attack on Mr Folkes, and that he had not dragged the victim away to the side of the lake as he lay unconscious.

The jury was told that the teenager had texted his ex-girlfriend after the attack saying he was going to jail for eight years.

Mr Folkes, of Oban Drive, Shadsworth, died in hospital on June 1 following the attack.