An Ipswich drug addict accused of murdering a Trimley man has denied “cooking up” a story about the father-of-five robbing a drugs ring.

Giving evidence during his second day in the witness box at Ipswich Crown Court, Tecwyn Parker said he had been told by one of his sisters that 41-year-old Dean Stansby had robbed the “AJ and Sky” ring of £3,000 and a quantity of drugs.

He denied a suggestion from Paul Keleher, who is representing his co-defendant Daniel Kaganda, that it was a story he had “cooked up” since he had been charged with Mr Stansby’s murder.

Parker, who claims that Mr Stansby was stabbed by Kaganda, said that during a video link court hearing after he and his co-defendants were arrested they had tried to get him to “take the rap” for Mr Stansby’s murder.

“They were telling me to own up to something I hadn’t done,” said Parker.

He denied a suggestion from Mr Keleher that he had killed Mr Stansby and that Kaganda and his other co-defendants were telling him to take responsibility for what he had done.

He said he had felt intimidated and had led his co-defendants to believe he would withdraw his police statement in which he blamed Kaganda for the killing.

During his evidence Parker accepted that he had told a female friend who had been in a violent relationship that he was a murderer and said he had said it because he thought it would make her trust him.

Parker, 48, formerly of Downside Close, Ipswich, Jason Ruby, 45, of Risby Close, Ipswich, Kaganda, 24, of London and Amiadul Islam, 25, of London, have denied murdering Mr Stansby on February 8 last year.

Ruby has also denied conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine between November 10 and July 6 2017.

The court has heard Mr Stansby came into Ipswich on the evening of his death to buy drugs from the “AJ and Sky” supply ring.

Joseph Hallam QC, prosecuting, has claimed that Parker, Kaganda and Ruby had confronted Mr Stansby on the evening of his death in retaliation for an earlier incident in which he had allegedly tried to rob Parker of some drugs.

Mr Hallam claimed that Islam was in telephone contact with his three co-defendants during the confrontation and was encouraging what was happening.

The trial continues.