A MAN accused of a knife attack during a house move told jurors he was headbutted by his alleged victim and only struck him with a blade out of fear.

Jonathan Simmonds, of Cherry Tree Way, Witney denies wounding with intent, unlawful wounding, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intimidation.

Prosecutors at Oxford Crown Court allege that the 54-year old 'slashed' his victim Andrew Betts with a knife before punching the woman Mr Betts was helping to move out, and later intimidating her on social media and in person.

As his trial continued today, Simmonds took to the witness box to give his version of events.

He told jurors that when he arrived home on the afternoon of May 26 last year he found Mr Betts carrying the woman he was helping, Dawn McMillan, down a stair case, saying she was 'in no fit state', having urinated down her leg.

Simmonds told the court: "I said look mate get out of my house. He said what are you going to do about it or something and I said just get out, and he headbutted me and hit me a few times.

"I was scared. He was 100 per cent facing me, I slashed out to him."

READ AGAIN: First day of the trial 

He described Mr Betts as a 'man mountain' and claimed that his personal belongings were stolen during the incident. He went on to deny later hitting the woman who was moving out of his home or intimidating her.

The trial continues.