Blaine Hammond murder accused claims he put victim in box during efforts to help him

Blaine Hammond, 22, was found with multiple severe head injuries in a green utility box, formerly used for telecommunications equipment, down a quiet cut near some allotments at Saltburn Road, Sunderland.

Newcastle Crown Court heard doctors and paramedics attended the scene but nothing could be done to save his life.

Anthony Keating, 23, of Palmerston Road, Sunderland and Louis Whelan, 23, then of Saltburn Road, Sunderland, both deny his murder and are being tried by a jury.

Giving evidence from the witness box today, Whelan has told jurors Keating and Mr Hammond had been at his home on December 2.

He admitted Mr Hammond ended up badly injured during the visit but told the court: "I put all my effort into trying to help him."

Whelan said he had never met Mr Hammond before that night but told jurors: "In my mind the mate of a mate is a mate before you even know them."

He told jurors they all were "getting on alright" at the start of the visit but at some point he went to the bathroom then came back out to "a bit of hell on".

Whelan told the court he heard Keating say "he's taking your money, he's taking your £20" and then violence broke out.

He added: "I said 'get the f*** out', I said 'both of you get the f*** out, you bunch of thieves', I said that a few times.

"It all happened in a split second."

Whelan said at some point Mr Hammond appeared to "gesture to push me or hit me or whatever so I hit him" and that caused him to drop to his knees.

He added: "He started crawling to the front door.

"At that point Anth booted him in the head, full on."

Whelan added: "Two minutes later he was crawling out of the front door. I thought he had fallen down the steps, I still do to this day.

"I could just see him face plant my stairs."

Whelan said Mr Hammond ended up at the bottom of the outdoor stairs, snoring, with bubbles of blood coming from his nose.

He told jurors: "I admit what I done, aye I hit him, I basically knocked him out with that punch.

"I thought he was going to be alright, will jump up in five to ten minutes, he was just snoring at the bottom of my stairs."

Whelan said he had no phone but made attempts to get others to ring for an ambulance for Mr Hammond.

He added: "I put all my effort into trying to help him at that stage, after."

Whelan told jurors he "didn't think he was going to die" and admitted he put Mr Hammond inside the green box.

He added: "I thought it would be better to put him in there than leave him in the middle of the street. It was freezing, it was cold."The trial continues.