A father-of-five accused of stabbing a close friend to death told jurors he “just lost control” during a fight between the pair.

Ajay Porter, of no fixed address, is on trial for the murder of Derek O’Hare, 66, outside his home in Dover, last December.

The 36-year-old, who has pleaded not guilty to murder and possessing a bladed article, argues his actions were reasonable and necessary to defend himself.

Giving evidence today, Porter told Canterbury Crown Court he and Mr O’Hare were friends, but in the days leading up to the incident, Mr O’Hare accused him of stealing his drugs.

The court heard Porter intended to visit Mr O’Hare on December 11 last year - the day of the alleged murder - to “resolve the whole thing”.

Giving evidence from the witness box today, Porter said he went unarmed to the block of more than 50 flats in Anstee Road at approximately 10pm.

Porter told the court he was not expecting violence, however, Mr O’Hare attacked him with a wooden stick shortly after he arrived.

“I came up around the corner of the stairs and I got hit in the head,” he said.

“It hurt, it knocked me back and blood was pouring down my face.

“He hit me maybe four or five times and then more when I reached the landing.

“I don’t know why I kept on going forward. I thought, ‘If I turn I might be hit on the back of the head.’

“He kept on swinging at me, and I pleaded with him to stop but he carried on.

“I put my arms up to defend myself. I grabbed the bat to try to get it off him.”

Jurors heard how Porter previously said in police interview he blacked out once a struggle for the stick broke out and he had never seen a knife during the night in question.

But speaking from the witness box today Porter admitted not only had he seen the knife, he had used it to stab Mr O’Hare.

“The next thing I see is something shiny - it was the knife,” continued Porter.

“Derek had the knife - it looked quite big, silver. I let go of the bat and then I tried to get the knife off him.

“I grabbed him by his wrist and used force to get the knife. Then he’s stumbled back and eventually fell over.

“As he’s fell over, I’ve fell on top of him. I basically got the knife off him as he’s falling. We’ve had a scuffle.

“I stabbed him. I thought it was in the shoulder area. I know I stabbed him, but after that I don’t know - I can’t account for all the injuries.”

Last week, the court heard evidence from pathologist Dr Olaf James Biedrzycki, who performed a postmortem on Mr O’Hare.

Giving evidence, he said the victim had been stabbed seven times - sustaining wounds of various depths to his back, chest and shoulder areas.

The fatal injury, the doctor said, was a 12cm puncture wound to his chest.

It cut through one of Mr O’Hare’s ribs, through his left lung and punctured a major artery next to his heart.

“I stabbed him because I was scared, I was panicky,” Porter explained during his evidence today.

“At the time I stabbed him, he was attacking me, hitting me and I was trying to get him to stop fighting me.

“Then a lady started screaming and a man told me to f**k off. The man was saying [Mr O’Hare] is in a bad way.

“I didn’t think there was anything wrong with him and I was saying look what he’s done to me.”

Porter’s barrister Ian Henderson KC asked: “In [police] interview, you talked about blacking out - is that correct?”

“No, I lied,” replied Porter.

“What is the last thing you can remember when you were fighting with Derek?,” asked the lawyer.

“Stabbing him,” responded Porter.

“Why did you stab him?” asked the lawyer.

“I can’t explain. If I’m being honest, I just lost control of myself in that situation. I can’t say much more than that,” responded Porter.

Porter attended proceedings dressed in trainers, black trousers and a grey sweatshirt.

Opening the case last Tuesday, prosecutor Nina Ellin KC said the defendant’s actions on December 11 constituted a “vicious and merciless attack”.

“Shortly after 10pm on Monday, December 11 last year, following a disturbance outside his flat, Derek O’Hare was found slumped on the landing with blood around his body,” said Ms Ellin.

“Emergency services were called and they attended, but despite lifesaving efforts being made, he was pronounced dead at 10.55pm that night.”

The trial, which is set to last another two weeks, continues.