A CO-DEFENDANT told a murder trial the deceased started the trouble after a discussion about the rivalry between the Blacon and Lache areas of the city.

Glen Robert Baker, giving evidence at Chester Crown Court, said tensions mounted between co-accused Wesley Dennis Rowlands and the alleged victim David Lavender, 37, after talk turned to Blacon and Lache as the three drank Jack Daniels in Edgar’s Field Park, Handbridge.

He told the court: “It was between Dave and Wesley. It was mainly about families. My family’s bigger than your family and when your family come round my area...”

Baker, originally from Gloucestershire but living in Pulford Road, Blacon, at the time, claimed Lavender, from Lache, threw the first punch at Rowlands, of Chevron Close, Blacon.

Both had ended up on the floor. He had tried to pull them apart.

David Lavender had then thrown a punch at him, which missed. Acting in self defence, Baker had pushed him back with his right forearm across his chest, causing ‘Lavo’ to fall into a bush.

Baker, 32, told police Rowlands then acted ‘like a monster’ and in a statement said: “Wesley stamped on David Lavender’s face up to six times. I tried to pull him away and stop him.”

Baker said the deceased was breathing when he left him. He just thought he was drunk. He had called a taxi for him after speaking on the phone to his sister Casey Mitchell who had previously been in a relationship with Mr Lavender and has a child by him.

Under cross examination, Baker was questioned about asking his sister earlier that night whether she wanted him to hit Mr Lavender.

He said it related to an incident two weeks earlier when the deceased had turned up at her Blacon home ‘causing a nuisance’.

Baker couldn’t explain his remarks but commented: “I didn’t join in, that’s all I can say.”

Rowlands’ barrister Andrew Thomas QC challenged Baker over his account about the subject of the argument being about Lache and Blacon, saying it was ‘something else altogether’.

He accepted there had been ‘some kicking’ but accused the co-defendant of underplaying his own role.