A 19-YEAR-OLD has described driving Will Blencowe to Stratford-upon-Avon after he had fatally stabbed Connor Tremble.

Bradley Townsend, of Field Assarts, Witney, gave evidence this afternoon in Oxford Crown Court about a journey he and his brother made during the evening of February 13 this year.

Blencowe admits stabbing Connor inside the 17-year-old's flat in Fairacres Road, Oxford, at around 6pm, but denies murder.

Opening the case last week prosecutor Richard Barton said 21-year-old Blencowe would argue he was suffering from a mental condition and was also acting in self defence.

Today Mr Townsend said he received a call from Blencowe's co-defendant, Bradley Jones, at around 11.30pm asking for his help.

He said: "(Jones) said 'can you come see me? It is urgent'.

"I asked him why and he said 'it is urgent, you need to come and see me'."

Mr Townsend added that after driving to Moreton-in-Marsh, in Gloucestershire, where he and his 18-year-old brother Declan met Blencowe and his other co-defendant Grant Clemens.

He said: "Will asked if I could give him a lift to a hotel, as he had nowhere to stay that night.

"It was quite late and I didn't really want to go and I said I couldn't.

"But he asked me quite a few times and eventually I gave in."

After dropping him off at a guest house in Stratford-upon-Avon, Mr Townsend said he was pulled over by the police, who told him Blencowe was wanted for attempted murder.

The witness said after initially lying to the officers about seeing him, he decided to come clean after discussing what had happened with his mum and brother.

Jones, 21, of New Road, Bledington, and Clemens, 23, of Stockwells, Moreton-in-Marsh, are also on trial and both deny perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.

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