Teen accused of murder tells court: 'It's tragic, I never meant for that to happen'

A teenager accused of murder said that he punched Danny Humble and claimed that a co-accused kicked him in the head but told a court: "It's tragic, I never meant for that to happen."

Ethan Scott is one of five teenagers standing trial accused of killing Mr Humble as he walked home from a night out with his partner, Adele Stubbs.

He was allegedly punched, kicked and stamped to death in Cramlington, Northumberland, over him looking like Ant and Dec, Chronicle Live reports.

Scott said that he became aware of a teen, aged 17, speaking to Mr Humble as they left an underpass.

He told Newcastle Crown Court : "That's when he said he looked like Ant from Ant and Dec. He said it in a joke way. I heard Adele say he gets it all the time, she was smiling and seemed like she took it in a funny way.

"I just kept walking ahead. Everything was fine. I got out of the other side of the underpass and I heard [the 17-year-old] saying 'what you doing' then I turned round and saw Danny push [him] then punch him. I didn't know why he would do that.

"I ran over to try to get in-between them because he's my friend and this grown man is hitting him."

Scott added that he was trying to stop Mr Humble from hitting the teenager but he didn't manage to get between them.

He claimed: "[Mr Humble] threw a punch in my direction. I managed to get out of the way, I closed my eyes and swung a punch with my right hand because he tried to punch me."

Scott, who said thinks his punch connected with his cheek, said Mr Humble ended up on the ground in a sitting position.

He added: "Then I went over and threw two more punches because he could've got back up and and tried to hit him again.

"Then I saw Ali [Alistair Dickson] run over and kick him in the head."

Scott said he