The voice of an accused murderer shook as he recounted the evening he fatally stabbed a Sanctuary Point drug dealer, saying he was grabbed by the throat so hard his knife-wielding arm "accidentally reflexed".
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"He grabbed me by the throat ... I couldn't breathe ... he said 'I'm gonna kill you c---,'" Raymond Allen told a jury on the fifth day of his Supreme Court murder trial.
"I accidentally reflexed and put my arm up ... As he let go I just ran for my life."
Allen is accused of murdering army veteran turned dealer David McArthur at his Palm Beach Caravan Park cabin about 8pm on July 25, 2021.
He has not denied stabbing Mr McArthur with defence barrister Gabriel Wendler telling the jury the knifing was in self-defence.
"I think I f---ed up bad," Allen claims he told his uncle after the incident.
Read more on Raymond Allen's murder trial:
He took to the witness stand on Friday where he divulged his version of the events.
Allen said he bought one gram of ice off Mr McArthur in April however he didn't have enough money to pay the full amount, which angered the ex-veteran.
"He got angry because I only had half the money and pulled a bat on me," Allen said.
The accused murderer said he arrived back at Mr McArthur's cabin with Dean Vimpani and another man on July 25 with a loose idea to rob him of drugs.
Vimpani's role was to turn off the power to Mr McArthur's cabin, while Allen entered with a knife in his hand to "staunch" him.
However Allen claims Mr McArthur choked him "so friggen tight" he cut off his breathing.
"My reflexes had just gone stab," Allen said, explaining his right hand jutted out at approximately shoulder height.
"I seen the blood and I ran for my life.
"I didn't expect anything ... I just wanted to try and rob him."
Asked why he stabbed Mr McArthur, Allen said "I was scared I was going to die".
The jury was shown CCTV footage of Allen leaving the caravan park with Vimpani while holding the blood-covered knife.
Allen confirmed he lied to a woman at the park who heard the commotion when he said Mr McArthur "raped my daughter".
"I gave that explanation because I could hear him screaming and I didn't want to get in trouble," Allen said.
Allen denied claims that the third man in the car, who gave evidence on Thursday, had warned him about Mr McArthur being in the army.
He also denied there was sophisticated planning involved in the proposed robbery.
Paramedics declared Mr McArthur dead at the scene that night. The trial, before Justice Desmond Fagan, continues.
Read more Illawarra court and crime stories here.
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Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
