Thame murder trial: Murder accused gives evidence at court

Benjamin Eyles took to the witness box at Oxford Crown Court yesterday.

The prosecution allege that Nathan Braim, 20, of Broadwaters Avenue, Thame and Eyles, 19, of Monks Hollow, Buckinghamshire, killed Joshua Harling on the night of July 22 last year – which they both deny.

The 19-year-old accountant had got into his green VW Polo to drive away after a street fight – jurors have previously been told – but his car flipped upside down after crashing into parked cars in Chinnor Road, Thame and he could not be saved.

See also: Joshua Harling murder trial continues at Oxford Crown Court

Eyles told jurors he had known Braim since he was 17-years-old.

He denied knowing Mr Harling prior to the night he died.

Pictures of Eyles handling lots of cash were shown to the jury, and he said: “I’m disappointed in myself, I tried to fit in with a crowd because I thought that’s who I was.”

He told the jury he ‘genuinely, bitterly regrets’ his involvement with drugs.

He then described the events of July 18, when he and his friends heard a friend had been chased in Elms Park, Thame.

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He said: “We heard a friend of ours had been chased in the park so we went to Nathan’s house to get some so-called weapons.

“We left with a white pole and a shovel – I wasn’t intending to do anything with it, it was more for self-defence.

“We didn’t know who this anonymous character was.”

Eyles said on July 22, he went to Thame ‘just to hang out’.

Oxford Crown Court

After parking in Cotmore Close, Eyles said: “I noticed the green Polo and there was a man staring at me.

“It reversed out as soon as I made contact with him.

“We started walking down the cul-de-sac and I saw the green Polo again.

“Joshua jumped out from the green Polo, I saw he was carrying a silver bar.

“He came out with this bouncing and leaping action.

“As I’ve turned around he was doing a downwards strike to Nathan.

“He was then turning around and ran at me with the pole and he lightly grazed my arm with it.”

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After running round the back of a car, Eyles said: “That’s when I saw what I thought was a punching action.

“Nathan did what looked like two blows, one to the chest and one to the arm.

“Mr Harling jumped back into his Polo, which was three to four metres away, he went to start it and it stalled.

“That’s when Nathan booted the back of the windscreen.

“I was panicking for about 30 seconds because after he booted the windscreen, Nathan said he had stabbed him.

“I wanted to go home because I felt sick – I told Nathan to get in the car if he wanted a lift home.”

The trial continues today at 10.30am.