Carpenter, 24, denies at Shrewsbury murder trial that he was go-between

Damen McDonough also told a jury at Birmingham Crown Court he had not deliberately picked up two kitchen knives and an axe from his home before leaving with Peter Clinton and Aaron Doran to meet a gang led by Scott Cooke.

Mr Cooke, 23, died after being stabbed through the heart by Clinton at Monkmoor Recreation Ground on December 27 last year.

McDonough, 24, of Darville, Shrewsbury, told the jury he knew Mr Cooke had been 'enraged' after being told the three men had broken into his friend Mark Williams' home in Abbots Road, Shrewsbury, that day.

McDonough admitted having phone conversations with Mr Cooke in which he agreed to 'set up' Clinton by getting him to the recreation ground for a showdown.

He denied there had been any agreement for a 'big mass brawl' and said he, Clinton and Doran only grabbed the weapons, which were tools left in his work van, after getting there and being confronted by a group of up to 12 armed men.

McDonough said: "Scotty said 'this is stupid, all I want is a one-on-one with Clinton, fist fight, no weapons'.

"I asked him if this could be sorted out by any money being handed over but he wouldn't have it. He wanted it out with Clinton.

"Scotty just ran at him. I thought they were just fist fighting, I couldn't see anything in their hands. Then everyone started shouting 'he (Clinton) has stabbed him' (Mr Cooke).

Prosecuting counsel Mr Bob Price, cross-examining McDonough, said: "You were acting as a go-between weren't you?"

"No, they (Mr Cooke's gang) were threatening to come down my house and kick my doors in if I didn't bring Clinton to them," McDonough replied.

McDonough, Clinton, 25, of Caradoc View, Hanwood, and Doran, 25, of Cornmill Square, Shrewsbury, all deny murder and aggravated burglary.

The trial continues.

By Wayne Beese