A SUFFOLK man has denied stabbing a man in the face, causing a cut that needed seven stitches.

Danny Cole told a jury he had seen another man hit Christopher Damerell, the victim of the alleged attack, with a hammer during an incident in Greenfield Road in Lowestoft and denied causing any injury to Mr Damerell himself.

Giving evidence at Ipswich Crown Court, Cole said he had been watching television at a house in Greenfield Road when Mr Damerell’s stepson, Daniel Greenwood, had called round.

He said Mr Greenwood, who had been drinking, was asked to leave by the owner of the house and shortly afterwards a number of windows at the property had been smashed.

Mr Greenwood and his brother Jamie had then barged through the front door and there had been a scuffle in the hallway, he said.

Cole said his mother had arrived at the house and she had prevented the Greenwood brothers from getting back into the house and had stopped him and other occupants from leaving the property.

He claimed he had seen Daniel Greenwood carrying a knife and told the court that he had panicked and had picked up a kitchen knife to defend himself. “I panicked because someone else had a knife,” Cole said.

He said he was worried that the Greenwood brothers were trying to get back into the house and he was also concerned for the safety of his mother, who was outside.

He had left the house through the back door and claimed he had seen Mr Damerell at the front gate holding a knife down by his side.

Cole said he had then seen the owner of the house where the windows had been broken walk up to Mr Damerell and hit him on the head with a hammer causing Mr Damerell to fall over and hit his head on the ground.

Cole denied slashing Mr Damerell’s face with a knife.

Cole, 24, of Greenfield Road, Lowestoft, has denied wounding Mr Damerell with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm on August 27, 2011, having an article with a blade and assaulting Jamie Greenwood by beating.

It has been alleged that Mr Damerell had left his home in nearby Briarwood Road after hearing a disturbance and was stabbed in the face by Cole.

After his arrest Cole said: “I’ve done nothing wrong. All I’ve done is defend myself and my family.”

Mr Damerell told the court he had not been aware of his stepson Daniel Greenwood smashing windows of a house in the area on the night in question.

He denied leaving his house carrying a knife and denied being involved in an incident in the street.The trial continues today.