A man accused of being involved in an attack which left a Lowestoft man with serious head injuries has denied being present when the alleged assault took place.

Darryl Long told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court he had gone to his friend David Canty’s flat in Marine Parade with two other men to smoke cannabis after they had been out drinking together.

When they got to the flat he claimed that Scott Foskett, who he had met for the first time earlier that day, had hit Mr Canty on the side of the face.

Long said that he and Christopher Colton, the other member of the group, left the room and stood on the landing and couldn’t see what was happening.

He claimed he heard the sound of banging coming from the room and heard Foskett say: “Why are you disrespecting me like this. Is it because I’m younger than you?”

Long said he had been in shock and had stayed in the landing because he was frightened.

When he entered the living room he claimed he found Mr Canty slumped on the sofa.

He was bleeding from the nose and had a swelling to the side of his face and when he asked him if he was OK he claimed Mr Canty told him to get out of his flat.

Long claimed that Foskett had handed him a piece of wood and he had taken it because he was scared of Foskett.

He denied assaulting Mr Canty and denied taking his mobile phone.

The court has heard that as a result of the alleged attack Mr Canty suffered multiple facial fractures and swelling to his brain.

He spent four months in hospital and on his release went to a brain injury rehabilitation centre.

Foskett, 34, of Ashfield Crescent, Lowestoft; Colton, 40, of Dutchmans Court, Lowestoft; and Long, 35, of York Road, Southend, have denied causing Mr Canty grievous bodily harm with intent on November 10, 2015, and robbing him of a mobile phone.

The court has heard the defendants were captured on a number of CCTV cameras in Lowestoft with Mr Canty prior to the alleged attack.

The trial continues.