A 15-YEAR-OLD accused of trying to kill a man in a knife attack told jurors he ‘didn’t realise’ he was stabbing his alleged victim.

As the trial into an alleged gang stabbing in Oxford continued yesterday one of the accused took to the witness box to give his version of events.

During the trial at Oxford Crown Court jurors have been told how four boys, all aged between 15 and 18 at the time, had gone out 'looking for trouble' ahead of the violent attack.

Prosecutors claim Barry Sheldon was knifed and left for dead minutes after another man was accosted and threatened with a knife.

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Talking of the knife attack which prosecutors described as 'sustained' one of the boys, the youngest, told jurors he did stab him but that he never intended any harm.

He said: "I believe [the knife] was still in my hand from the first incident.

"Ethan Broster [a co-defendant] threw a punch or something. [Mr Sheldon] hit me with, I now know, was the case of his snooker cue.

"[Mr Sheldon] must have thought it was me that did it so when he turned around he struck me with the case of his snooker cue.

"I reacted by what I thought was at the time throwing punches. I can't remember how many times I was just swinging my arm."

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He said that he then saw blood and he stopped the attack after realising he was holding a knife. He then fled the scene, he told jurors.

Asked why he had knifed the man he answered: "I didn't realise I was" and repeated he had no intention to kill him.

Speaking of the run up to the incident he said he had been drinking and there had been a 'good, happy vibe'.

Asked about the alleged attempted robbery and the knife threat on the first man he said he had only threatened him because he was 'scared' after the man pulled out a mobile phone.

He said: "I was probably just scared at that point. I thought he was going to call the police."

He added that his co-accused, the only teenager who can be named, 18-year old Ethan Broster, had in fact given him the knife but he could not explain for what purpose.

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During cross examination it was put to him that the boy thought Broster was a 'snitch' and had given information to the police.

The boy accepted that that was what he thought and added that he was 'disappointed' by accounts given to the police.

All four deny one count of attempted murder and an alternative count of grievous bodily harm with intent.

A single count of robbery has now been dropped after it was argued there was 'no case to answer' and two of the boys continue to be charged with attempted robbery.

The 15-year old pleaded guilty this week before the jury panel to threatening another with a bladed article.

The trial continues.