Teenager accused of Walsall town centre murder 'disgusted with himself' when he saw attack video, court told
The teenager accused or raining down blows on a stricken man in a town centre attack said he was "disgusted" when he saw video footage and never meant to cause serious harm.
The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is one of nine accused of murdering Bailey Atkinson in Walsall town centre.
As he gave evidence at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, he was quizzed about his part in the role in the attack in the early hours of January 28 last year.
After telling jurors he "thought it would be a few bruises" inflicted on Mr Atkinson, and that he "didn't think it would go as far as it did", the teenager was seen striking the 20-year-old eight times.
During cross-examination it was put to him that the blows he was landing would caused serious harm.
"I didn't think it would," he responded, saying he was "aiming for his shins". He later said it was only in the days after that he saw "how hard it looked" and he was 'disgusted with himself'. Prosecutors accused the teen of moving Mr Atkinson's legs, which the victim had positioned to try and protect himself, to hit him on other parts of his body.
The teenager said that during the attack he moved another defendant away, and "started realising how serious it was getting", adding: "I would never have wanted to seriously hurt someone like that."
When the prosecutor said: "It must have been apparent to you collectively you have caused very serious injuries," the teen replied: "It did when I saw the video."
The 17-year-old said he was "off his head" at the time having taken nitrous oxide earlier in the evening, but in the car afterwards was "shaking and panicking".
He later disposed of the red-handled machete he held during the attack in a bush.
"I panicked, I didn't want to have it so chucked it in the first bush I saw," he said.
Earlier during cross-examination, the teenager said the machete - which was next to him in a blue Seat Leon allegedly used to pursue Mr Atkinson in Walsall town centre - was "blunt and rusty", a claim the prosecution disputed when a photo, taken after it was found in the bush and before it was moved, was shown to jurors.
