A STABBING suspect has told a jury if had wanted the victim in the case dead he would have killed him and was instead acting in self defence. 

Alex Potter, 32, made the claim when he was being cross-examined about his involvement in a knife attack in April which left Lee Jackson in hospital.

The incident followed a lengthy dispute after Potter’s partner, Bibi Stone, sold Lee Jackson a PlayStation several weeks earlier.

Incident - police cordoned off St John's Green after they failed to arrest Alex PotterIncident - police cordoned off St John's Green after they failed to arrest Alex Potter (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest) Mr Jackson claimed he was owed money for a subscription taken out on the PlayStation after he sold the console, and was alleged to have sent threatening messages to Stone’s mother asking for the money back.

Stone, 38, joined Potter in attending Mr Jackson’s flat in St John’s Avenue on Saturday, April 13.

In a fight which lasted around two minutes, Potter stabbed Mr Jackson twice with a kitchen knife, but says he seized the weapon from Jackson and acted in self-defence.

Answering questions from prosecuting barrister Lucy Sweetland, he said: “If I had brought the knife… you don’t take them to play, do you?

“If I wanted to kill him, he would have died.

“I stabbed him once in self-defence – once.

“If I am going there to do what you’re trying to tell me I did, I wouldn’t have stabbed him once.”

Ms Sweetland accused Potter – who said Mr Jackson came to the door armed with a knife – of pursuing the man into his flat with Stone.

She said: “If this is right, the position is you have now got this big knife and Potter is empty-handed.”

Potter replied: “Yeah, I didn’t know what else he’s got on him.”

After the fight, Stone left the scene with a jar of change whilst Potter left with the same knife he used to stab Mr Jackson tucked into his trousers.

Trial - Bibi Stone denies five offences but has admitted burglary and criminal damageTrial - Bibi Stone denies five offences but has admitted burglary and criminal damage (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest) Stone was arrested whilst Potter disposed of the knife in a salt bin near Southway and fled the scene.

When asked why he did not hand himself in for another week, he said it was because he didn’t want a wound he sustained in the fight to get infected.

He said: “Because I wanted to wait for this to heal – I don’t know why I waited seven days.

“I’ve been in police cells – I didn’t want it to get infected.”

The trial continues.

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