The man accused of leaving a rival in a coma after punching and kicking him during a drunken fight, told a jury “I punched him but I never kicked him".

Liam Bayliss said he recalled the moment his victim Joe Shaw collapsed after he had been out drinking with friends.

He is accused of leaving him with life-changing injuries after he was punched to the ground and then kicked in the head.

Mr Bayliss said: “Joe Shaw closed his eyes and fell backwards.

"I wasn't expecting that to happen not one bit. He went back and his head hit the ground it was like a loud fudd noise.

“I stepped back and looked straight down at Joe. He was lying lifeless on his back.”

He told a jury at Canterbury Crown Court he admitted causing serious harm to victim Joe Shaw but denies the more serious charge of doing it intending to cause serious harm.

Bayliss, 24, of Newcastle Hill, Cliftonville, said he had gone out with a pal, Kevin Conlin to the Rokka Bar in town.

"We went to the Royal Public House, The Rokka and Cliques nightclubs where I had three or four beers, a Jack Daniels and coke, a cocktail mix, and rum and coke.”

He was asked about his recollection of events on the evening in March this year.

Bayliss answered: "My memory is not too good because I was very drunk and when I first left the Cliques I was in an agitated mood.

"I remember getting grabbed by the scruff of my neck by my friend Kevin Conlin and we moved towards Harbour Street towards the taxi office. I was going to get a taxi back to Kevin's house.

"I remember arguing with a male and a female for reasons I don't know why. It ended by me shaking his hand and giving the girl a cuddle.”

He said his friend then dragged away towards another taxi rank

He told the jury: “I shouting randomly I was getting more agitated and angry because Kev was trying to control me.

"I was trying to start a fight but I don't know why...” - Liam Bayliss

"I was shouting what’s everyone doing? Where’s the party? Somebody shouted back saying: 'Look at the state of you. You are wrecked’. So I walked over to them.

"I was being loud and shouting: ‘Someone hit me!’. I was in a drunken state of mind. I was trying to start a fight but I don't know why.”

He claimed Mr Shaw then slapped him twice in the face and telling him to be quiet and the two ended up fighting.

“He said come on let’s go and took off his top, I stepped back to the middle of the road. He was coming towards me.

"Joe seems up for a fight and I was egging him on. He carried on walking and I was throwing punches to put distances between us.

“The first two missed but the third hit him in the face. I was hoping someone would have got in the middle. I had changed my mind after seeing the size of Joe who was bigger than myself.

"I thought I had started with the wrong person and `I was going to get beaten up. I didn't want to fight.”

After the incident Mr Shaw was taken to hospital where he has remained with life-changing head injuries.

The trial continues.