The York teenager accused of murdering a psychiatric patient has told a jury that he punched the alleged victim in the face three times and gave one kick to the head and shoulder as the man lay on the ground.

But Jamie Richardson, 18, denied that he intended to kill 54-year-old Marcus Pullan or cause him really serious injury.

"How did you feel when you heard Mr Pullan had died," defence counsel, Geoffrey Marson QC, asked Richardson.

"I couldn't believe it," replied Richardson.

"How do you feel now about what you did to Mr Pullan?" he was asked.

"Gutted," he replied.

"Was there any justification for hitting him in the way you did?" asked Mr Marson.

"Because he grabbed me."

Richardson, then of Bootham Crescent, Clifton, York, denies murder.

Giving evidence at Leeds Crown Court about the alleged attack in March, Richardson claimed he had drunk between nine and 11 pints of bitter between 11am and 6.45pm.

Richardson claimed that as he walked towards the city centre along Heslington Road near The Retreat hospital, Mr Pullan approached from the opposite direction and asked for a cigarette. Richardson refused, but then followed Mr Pullan into the hospital grounds.

Under a tree, he offered the older man a cigarette and Mr Pullan grabbed his shoulder, alleged Richardson.

"I panicked because I had never seen him before and I was threatened," claimed Richardson. He alleged that he punched Mr Pullan's face three times with his right fist. At the second blow, the older man fell back against the tree and at the third he fell to the ground.

"Then what did you do?" asked Mr Marson.

"I kicked him in the head and shoulder area," replied Richardson. He claimed the kick was of "medium" force.

"At the time that you were punching and kicking Mr Pullan, did you intend to kill him?" Mr Marson asked.

"No".

"Did you intend to cause him really serious injury?"

"No, I never," answered Richardson.

He admitted he had initially lied to police.

Richardson described how he had tried to help Mr Pullan and get him into a wheelchair, claiming he had had difficulty lifting him.

The trial continues.

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