A TEENAGER accused of slashing his friend's face with a craft knife gave different versions of what happened that day, a court heard.

In Daniel Reader's initial defence case statement, he said he was with "Welsh Adam" Davies on the afternoon Jack Berry was attacked, April 1 last year.

In his second statement, he said he went in a taxi with Mr Berry and his friend Tom Bassett to see Dawn Evans and Paul Courtney at Tailyour Road in Crownhill.

There they were both chased and caught by 'Scousers' who were after Mr Berry for money he owed them, he said. They told him to stab Mr Berry but he refused, punching him instead.

Reader denied giving the knife to Astra Widdicombe to dispose of and making admissions to Mr Berry's parents.

Plymouth Crown Court heard that when charged, Reader told police: "It's all lies - I was not even there."

A forensic scientist reported that the chances that blood found on Reader's white Reebok trainer was not Mr Berry's was a billion to one.

Reader decided not to take the stand in his own defence yesterday, but the jury heard from co-defendant Dawn Evans.

She said she and her then partner Paul Courtney were both heroin addicts.

Reader, known to her as 'Little Man' or 'Pops' had supplied her with heroin since he was 13, and had recently introduced her to Mr Berry, who he said was his 'runner', Nathan.

Evans, 41, said Mr Berry arrived to collect money and she went to the bank at Crownhill to draw a further £20 to make up the £200 she owed Reader.

When she returned, Reader walked up to the house and asked her to pay off Mr Berry's taxi from the £200.

He then barged past her into the house and they saw Mr Berry jumping out of the rear bedroom window. Reader ran back out of the front door shouting: "Get him!" she said.

Reader, aged 18 and of Newcastle Gardens, Whitleigh, Evans, aged 41 and of Tailyour Road, Crownhill, and Courtney, aged 40 and of Aylesbury Crescent, Whitleigh, all deny conspiring with Mark Masher to cause Mr Berry grievous bodily harm on April 1 last year.

Reader also denies wounding Mr Berry with intent to do him grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife.

The trial continues