A MAN accused of murdering Mansoor Mahmood has told a court he only realised he had stabbed the father-of-two when he heard him scream.

Drug dealer Niron Parker-Lee denies the murder charge, insisting he was acting in self-defence when he pulled a knife out during an altercation with Mr Mahmood.

Parker-Lee told Birmingham Crown Court he had been waiting for a taxi in Brierley Hill High Street when he was spotted by Mr Mahmood on October 15, 2016.

He said he backed off as Mr Mahmood crossed the road towards him, telling the jury: "He was saying 'what the f**k have I told you about being around here?' That’s when I told him to f**k off.”

Parker-Lee continued: “I backed off into the alleyway because of the way he was coming at me.

“Punches were thrown by both of us and we were kicking out at each other."

The 21-year-old, who emerged from the alleyway first, said: “I wanted to get away from him. I was running away and I heard him shouting ‘come on then’. I turned back around and could see him trying to reach for something so I pulled out my knife.

Parker-Lee told the court he began carrying the knife for his "own protection" after a previous run in with Mr Mahmood and two other men - who he claimed had chased him into a chip shop armed with a mallet, knife and baseball bat for dealing drugs on their turf.

"I just wanted to warn him off," Parker-Lee, of Blewitt Street, Pensnett, said.

"He came at me again and threw a punch at me. I came under him at that time, I didn’t realise he had been stabbed. Everything happened so quick. The only time I realised he had been stabbed was when I heard him screaming and saw blood.

"That's when I turned around and ran off."

Christopher Millington, prosecuting, has alleged that Parker-Lee had taken his knife out as Mr Mahmood had crossed the road - alluding to CCTV footage that shows the defendant appear to lift his left arm up and later shows a "long, dark object" in his hand.

However Parker-Lee was adamant he hadn't removed his weapon until later.

He explained the arm movement by saying he had put his phone in his pocket and referring to the object, he said: "I can't explain what it is in my hand but I know that it is not the knife.

"It was not my intention to cause him an injury and I am so sorry for that. It happened in the heat of the moment. I did stab him but I didn't mean to cause that injury to him. He was coming at me and I was running from him.

"I didn't want to take his life away. I saw him going for something on his waistband and from past experiences with this man - where he has attacked me with knives - I was not taking any chances."

A wounded Mr Mahmood, who managed to stagger into Dixi Chicken takeaway to seek help, was rushed to Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital but despite efforts to save his life he was pronounced dead at 6.53pm.

The court was told that Parker-Lee was arrested at a property in Northfield, almost 11 months later on August 31, 2017.

The father-of-one told the court he had been laying low as he was "frightened".

The trial continues.