NIGEL Goolding has denied doing anything other than punch Jock Straiton.

The 20-year-old from Winnington told the murder trial at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday he simply punched Mr Straiton once in the face as he tried to get up, because he did not want to get hit with the hammer.

He denied kicking Mr Straiton in the back of the head, and told jurors he did not see Spruce kick him there either.

Of the punch, the Northwich Cricket Club player said: “It had force, but it was not a full force punch.

Asked in cross-examination how traces of Mr Straiton’s blood where found on the armpit of his t-shirt if all he did was punch the victim once in the face, he replied that he did not know.

He said he then started pulling Spruce away and told jurors he did not see Paul Blower ‘lay a finger’ on Jock.

Andrew Thomas, prosecuting said: “There was a lot more violence used than you are prepared to talk about isn’t there?”

Goolding replied: “I can only talk about what I saw.”

Accused of passing the blame on to others in his original police interviews, he replied: “I accept there were things I wasn’t certain about, that I should have thought more clearly about before blaming other people.”

Mr Thomas added: “Is it the real position that you are just not prepared to tell the truth about what you and your friends have done?”

Nigel Goolding, Paul Blower and Joshua Spruce all deny murder.

The case continues.