A 61-YEAR-OLD accused of stabbing a man in his home claims he acted in self-defence during an attempted robbery by a drugs runner.

Kenneth Tracey, of Deepdale Road, Breightmet, told a court he stabbed Thomas Laisby, a “drugs runner” who would supply him with heroin on behalf of dealer, Tariq Khan.

Bolton Crown Court heard Tracey claim he acted in self-defence after Mr Laisby, aged 19, and another man, Jamie Cooper, went into his home in the afternoon of April 19 last year.

Tracey said: “Thomas Laisby came into the house first. I was bashed up against the wall. They were screaming in my face that they wanted my stash of cannabis and wanted my money.

“They were under the impression I had a stash as my house smells of cannabis because I was smoking it all the time.

"I told them I didn’t know what they were on about, they seemed to get more aggressive, shouting screaming to the point I was shoved down my hallway into my kitchen.

“I lost my balance and more or less fell into the kitchen. I tried to grab the oven to stop myself from falling, but I ended up on the floor.

“They started hitting me and kicking me. I was on all fours then rolled up in the foetal position. I was screaming ‘okay, okay let me get up’ but I was told ‘don’t mess with us’.”

Bolton Crown Court heard Tracey picked up a filleting knife from the draining board and swung it towards Mr Laisby.

He said he regrets stabbing him. Mr Laisby is alleged to have wrestled with the defendant with the knife before running out of the home and leaving in a waiting car outside.

Tracey said he received a call shortly after the incident from Mr Khan telling him of Mr Laisby’s injuries and warning him not to call police or harm would come to his wife and son.

Mr Laisby suffered two stab wounds and a punctured lung.

Tracey denies wounding with intent and unlawful wounding.

The case continues.