A ‘VULNERABLE’ man accused of stabbing a bookseller to death claimed knife-wielding attackers unexpectedly pounced on him on the day of the murder, jurors have heard.

Michael Danaher declared he was the victim of a random attack hours after killing Adrian Greenwood and returning to his Peterborough home, prosecutors allege.

The 50-year-old denies murdering the Christ Church graduate but insists he killed the 42-year-old in self-defence on April 6.

In a video interview played to Oxford Crown Court yesterday, a witness told officers the defendant claimed he was left shaking after a visit to Southend to collect items from a storage unit he intended to sell.

The witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said Danaher believed two men half his age leaped on him, brandishing a blade, but he managed to fight them off before swiftly escaping.

Unemployed Danaher, of Hadrians Court, Peterborough, said the weapon was hanging from his cheek at one point during the attack, the witness explained.

The witness said Danaher described how he was left with cuts on his fingers after grasping the blade, which he said had snapped from its handle.

The defendant did not explain what happened to the blade or why he was targeted by the men on April 6, the witness told officers.

The witness revealed to police Danaher complained of back, chest and rib pain the next day, spotting dried-up blood and a scab on the defendant’s cheek.

Danaher also had injuries on his hands which looked like paper cuts, as well as bruising, the witness said.

The witness continued, telling officers Danaher revealed a Nikon camera he intended to use as a ‘hobby’ and a ‘really old’ copy of The Wind in the Willows he was expecting to sell for £2,000.

During the trial, the jury of eight men and four women heard Mr Greenwood’s name featured on a list of high-profile people the prosecution allege Danaher was plotting to rob, kidnap or blackmail.

Prosecutor Oliver Saxby QC told the court the alleged murder was sparked by Danaher’s interest in Mr Greenwood’s rare first edition of The Wind in the Willows, worth about £50,000.

Mr Greenwood sustained more than 40 injuries to his head, chest, neck, back and limbs, including 16 stab wounds, as well as more than 20 areas of bruising, grazing or scratches, a pathologist told the court.

Prosecutors allege Danaher caused the injuries using a blade discovered in his home, which had snapped off from a knife handle uncovered in Mr Greenwood’s Iffley Road home.

Danaher pinched the rare book, along with Mr Greenwood’s mobile, wallet, laptop, camcorder and Nikon camera, Mr Saxby said.

In his defence case statement presented to prosecutors, Danaher claims the pair were arguing when Mr Greenwood fled, clenching a blade when he returned.

The defendant, who is left-handed, claims he grabbed the knife before ‘lashing out’ at Mr Greenwood while grasping the blade, jurors were told.

The trial continues.