A TEENAGER on trial for murder has told a jury he was knifed first before he made the “split-second decision” to retaliate by stabbing his alleged attacker.

Elijah Clark made the statement whilst he was being cross-examined by defence counsel David Etherington KC at Chelmsford Crown Court, where the defence opened their case on Monday.

The trial follows the death of Braintree teenager Andy Wood, who met with Clark to carry out a drug deal in February last year.

Clark, 18, denies murder, manslaughter, possession of a bladed article, and actual bodily harm.

Gazette: Teenager - Andy Wood was 16 when he died last yearTeenager - Andy Wood was 16 when he died last year (Image: Essex Police)

The prosecution says Clark armed himself with a knife, lured Mr Wood and his friend into woodland, and stabbed Mr Wood before fleeing the scene.

But Clark, of Gloucester Avenue, Chelmsford, told the jury it was not he who armed himself with a knife, but Mr Wood and his friend.

Clark explained how he met with the pair to carry out a drug deal before being attacked, forcing him to grab a knife from Mr Wood and his friend so he could retaliate in self-defence.

He said he had only been expecting to meet Mr Wood – who was known by customers as ‘Mr Deals’ – rather than Mr Wood and his friend.

He said: “I was only expecting to meet one person – Mr Deals.

"It made me a bit nervous because I wasn’t expecting to meet anyone else.

“As I got closer, I have noticed one of the guys has a knife in his left hand - just pointing it towards me.

“I said 'what’s going on?' and he just says 'give me the money'.

“I’ve took a step back and I zipped up my pocket in my jacket, put the money in.

Gazette: Meeting - Elijah Clark and Andy Wood planned to meet in an area known as mud hills in ChelmsfordMeeting - Elijah Clark and Andy Wood planned to meet in an area known as mud hills in Chelmsford (Image: Press Association)

“Then he’s lunged at me with the knife.”

Clark continued by explaining how he wrestled the knife from one of the individuals and stabbed Mr Wood in self-defence.

He said: “I've grabbed his wrist and peeled back his fingers and taken the knife off him.

“That’s when … it all happened so quickly - it was a split-second decision.

“I put the knife in the direction of Andy and I felt the knife make contact and I saw the other male run off, so I ran the opposite way.”