A man accused of murdering a pensioner at his Maidstone flat has claimed he was “talking absolute rubbish” when he told others he had killed a man.

Labourer John Barham, who has a string of convictions for violence, denied he stabbed John Birney, 69, to death because he found out he boasted he had sex with his girlfriend.

The 26-year-old former body builder said he had never attacked the victim and did not kill him.

“Why would I attack an old man like that?” he said.

Asked if he had anything to do with Mr Birney’s death, he replied: “No, I didn’t.”

Barham, of Quarry Road, Tovil, and Allison Tomlin, 48, of no fixed address, both deny murder.

Mr Birney’s decomposing body was discovered at his ground floor flat in Rocky Hill Terrace in Rocky Hill on June 8 last year. He had not been seen since May 30.

He was covered with a curtain on a sofa bed. One of his hands was tied with a belt which came from Tomlin’s coat. Two knives were on the floor next to him and another blade was wedged in the window.

A post mortem examination revealed he had 10 stab wounds, including one to the back of his head and others close to his neck. One of his eyes was missing.

Both Tomlin and Barham have claimed in evidence that they did not know each other and only met after their arrest.

Barham said he met Mr Birney through his Russian girlfriend Alina Korosteliova. Mr Birney and Miss Korosteliova had been in the same hostel and were “drinking pals”.

"It was me talking absolute rubbish, basically" - John Barham, on his murder boasts

After his release from jail last February, he said he went to Mr Birney’s flat four or five times up to May.

“He was alright,” he said. “He was quite funny. He kept trying to give me alcohol. I didn’t drink. I would rather smoke (legal high) Spice.

“I used to see him when he walked past the building site. His knees were ruined. He couldn’t straighten his legs.”

Barham claimed he ended up with Mr Birney’s blood on his jeans after the victim was punched by Miss Korosteliova and his nose bled.

“I found it quite amusing,” he said. “I was just watching.”

Barham insisted there was nothing going on between his girlfriend and Mr Birney.

Asked if Miss Korosteliova told him Mr Birney had raped her, he replied: “If you knew Alina, that couldn’t happen. He is an old man.”

He admitted carrying a bolt and a knife, which he said was to defend himself.

Asked if he “mouthed off” about killing someone, he said: “At some point I think I was, yeah.”

He agreed he said he caused injuries to the top part of the body and Miss Korosteliova to the lower part.

“It was me talking absolute rubbish, basically,” he said.

He also agreed he had spoken of setting up a “poor girl” for murder.

Prosecutor Simon Taylor asked: “Isn’t it true you got that blood on your jeans because you were there when you killed him?”

Barham replied: “No, because I didn’t kill him.”

Asked if he was jealous of Mr Birney because he was saying Miss Korosteliova was his girlfriend, Barham said: “I would find it quite funny because my missus is absolutely beautiful. You really think that would bother me that much?”

Mr Taylor suggested Barham had wanted retribution.

“I didn’t murder John Birney,” said Barham.

The trial continues.