Electrician denies murder of butcher Jamie Roberts

An electrician accused of murdering a Black Country butcher has told a court he punched him to the ground in self defence.

Mitchell Jones, aged 24, of Chad Road, Coseley, denies kicking Jamie Roberts in the head as he lay on the pavement outside the Rose of Kashmir Indian restaurant in Dudley.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard yesterday that Jones hit him in the face, knocking him to the ground.

Jones claims Mr Roberts was being "loud and abusive" and was deliberately leaning into his chair. He told the court: "He wanted to fight me. He got up out of his chair and came square face to face with me and kept verbally abusing me."

Jones has pleaded not guilty to murdering the 36-year-old father-of-two, who was a partner in the J & G Butchers business in Russells Hall Road, Dudley.

The prosecution alleges that Jones kicked Mr Roberts, of Malthouse Drive, Dudley, in the head as he lay on the ground.

But Jones says he only punched him to the ground and then fled the scene.

The jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court has previously heard from witnesses that the pair had been arguing inside the restaurant before moving outside.

They said Mr Roberts had been knocked to the ground after being punched in the head and banged his head on the pavement as he fell.

Jones told the court that Mr Roberts left the restaurant first and said to him "you and me outside".

The trial continues.