An accused murderer today (FRI) told an Old Bailey

An accused murderer today (FRI) told an Old Bailey jury how he stamped on his victim’s head in a drunken rage.

Stephen Jones, 38, originally blamed two friend for the sadistic killing in which the murderers smeared salt into Terrence Phair’s mangled face.

When officers arrived at his Peckham home they found the body battered beyond recognition and the three friends covered in his blood.

Mr Phair was in a coma for four hours before he died.

Jones told police he met up with pals Timothy Cronin, 30, and Tina Fowler, 33, for an all day cider and lager drinking session before moving on to Mr Phair’s Peckham home.

And at the flat in (3) Burchell Road, which he shared with Cronin and Fowler, the two pounced on the 48-year-old man kicking him to death, the court has heard.

Jones, originally from Oldham, told police he nothing to do with the savage killing.

But today he changed his story and confessing that he flew into a rage and attacked Mr Phair.

He said: ‘I stamped on his head about five times, but I did not kill that man.

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Demonstrating his actions to the jury: ‘They weren’t big stamps, they were only little.

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Asked by prosecutor Mark Dennis what had caused the violence, Jones said: ‘Cronin called Mr Phair a paedophile and a fight started.

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But he denied boasting he, ‘killed a dirty paedophile,’ and adding: ‘The drinks are on me.

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The defendant also denied rubbing a pot of Safeways salt in the dying man’s face, joking: ‘I don’t have salt in my food.

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‘Fowler got the salt and did it.

There was no need for that at all.

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But Mr Dennis said Jones should rip up his original statement and said: ‘I suggest you knew what you were doing and you did it when drunk and in spite.

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The court heard Fowler and Cronin met their victim in an alcohol rehab centre in Beckenham, Kent and stayed in touch after they left.

Mr Fair eventually invited the couple to move in to his flat after they had nowhere to go.

The court heard how the heavy drinking trio met up at Jones’ home in Carlton Grove, Peckham.

At the flat Fowler attacked Jones’ housemate, Geoffrey Boynton, hospitalising him for five days in a chilling foretaste of what was to come, the jury heard.

It is alleged the gang then went to Mr Phair’s home to carry on their session and to kill the victim.

Jones then rang the police pretending to be Mr Boynton blaming himself for the earlier attack and then begged a passer-by for help with Mr Phair.

When the police arrived, the court heard how Fowler and Cronin were ‘bloodstained, loud, unsteady on their feet, excitable and hysterical.

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Fowler was trying to resuscitate the victim by giving him heart massage.

Jones, who also has drink problems, was staying with his friend, Mr Boynton, in nearby (82) Carlton Grove.

Fowler, who was Cronin’s girlfriend escaped justice when she committed suicide seven months ago.

Cronin has admitted manslaughter and will be sentenced later.

Jones alone stands accused of murder on February 8 this year a charge he denies.

The trial continues.

ends