AN ALLEGED murderer has said he 'thinks' he killed a man in a garden in Basingstoke, a court has heard.
James O'Connor is one of a gang accused of fatally attacking Frazer Brabant on October 31, 2019. Mr Brabant died of his injuries in hospital on January 21, 2020.
O'Connor, 25, from Fairfield, Whitchurch is accused of murder.
Lee Wood, 32, from Griston, Thetford, Norfolk; Forhad Miah, 32, of Chestnuts Close, Oakley; and Scott Neale, 35, from Spindle Close, Oakridge, have all been charged with murder, conspiracy to commit GBH with intent and violent disorder.
Ricky Lewis, 40, from Candover Court, Basingstoke, has been accused of conspiracy to commit GBH with intent and violent disorder.
READ MORE: Frazer Brabant murder: Accused had no part in a fatal attack
O'Connor has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter along with Miah and Wood, while Neale has pleaded guilty to the charge.
On Monday, May 22, O'Connor gave his evidence during the trial held at Winchester Crown Court.
He was asked by his defence barrister Iggy Hughes whether he was one of the men at the address on the night of the fatal attack and who killed Brabant.
O'Connor said: "Yes, I think it was me."
During the rest of his evidence, the court heard that O'Connor worked as a drug runner and had 'tagged' along with a group of guys he believed to be from London to attend the address.
One of these men he believed to be Neale but did not recall seeing any of the other accused men.
He said: "They started getting jumpy saying they had a location for someone that had been repeatedly robbing their drug lines and had robbed one of their lines the night before.
SEE ALSO: Frazer Brabant murder: Alleged attacker sent text saying 'he is dead'
"They then said they were going to go up to this house and find the guy (Frazer) if he was there and give him a good kick-in."
When asked by Hughes why he went along O'Connor said he wanted to "get in with these lads".
The court heard some of the men were armed with baseball bats.
Talking about the incident O'Connor continued: "As we approached three of us cut up the outside window of the house while the rest went in through the back.
"I walked towards the front door. We could hear the smashing of windows, shouting and screaming.
"The shouting continued, the front door slung open and Frazer came running out the front door. He struck me as I went to grab one of the lads to go at him to the side of my head. It caused me to blackout, I can’t remember what happened after that.
"The next thing I remember was I was in the garden standing over the top of Frazer with a machete in my hand."
The court heard that O'Connor told the other men 'I think he is dead'.
READ ALSO: Frazer Brabant murder: Man attacked for stealing cannabis, court told
O'Connor continued: "They (one of the men) said that when they went through the house the machete was in the living room and they grabbed it and started smashing the bedroom door to get Frazer out.
"Then it got stuck in the door and he (Frazer) came out the door and attacked them. The last guy coming out of the house spotted me on the floor where I had been hit.
"He told me that as he approached me I was delusional, quite amped up and I was not listening to what anyone was saying.
"I was holding my head and he said I snatched the blade out of his hand and ran into the garden."
When asked by Hughes if he remembered striking Frazer, O'Connor answered no.
The trial continues.
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