A MAN has admitted killing a teenager in a fight outside a Farnworth takeaway, but says he was acting in self-defence.

Mahmoud Maksoudian, aged 22, of Madams Wood Road, Little Hulton, told a jury at Manchester Crown Court that he only used a knife on 16-year-old Andrew Holland after being attacked by three youths.

Maksoudian denies murdering Andrew Holland and stabbing his friend Curtis McAtee on Friday, August 17 last year.

Maksoudian, a spray painter, gave evidence yesterday and the court heard that after work at Ahura Autos Ltd, in Farnworth, he was planning to spend the night at home watching DVDs with his girlfriend.

They had stopped at the Plodder Lane takeaway for some food and as he was waiting for his order Maksoudian, who was born in Iran, said he noticed a group of youths and saw one of them cross the road and come towards him.

Maksoudian told the jury that the youth was Andrew Holland, who was acting aggressively.

Toxicology tests later showed Holland, who had a number of previous convictions for public disorder and criminal damage, was three times over alcohol drink-drive limit.

Maksoudian then told the court that he asked Holland to leave and became abusive to him a couple of times in an attempt to make him go away.

The court heard how Holland swung a punch but missed Maksoudian, who pushed Holland in the face causing him to stumble back and shout for his friend.

Maksoudian said he was then surrounded by Andrew Holland, Curtis McAtee and Jack Mundy.

He said McAtee punched him in the face, adding: "Then all three were kicking and punching, I was trying to punch back to defend myself."

Realising he had a knife in his pocket from work, Maksoudian said he decided to reach for it.

He said: "It was just to scare them, that's all it was.

"I know it was the wrong decision, but they just kept coming."

The jury heard how Maksoudian dropped the knife on the ground, and that when he bent down to pick it up McAtee kicked him in the face.

He told how he punched McAtee with his right hand and said he must have stabbed him with the knife in his left hand as they were moving around.

Maksoudian added: "I had no intention to injure Curtis, I just wanted them to go.

"I was tired, I was hungry, I didn't want to fight."

Maksoudian was less clear about how he came to injure Holland.

"I can't tell you how it happened, I just cannot remember. I didn't want this to happen," he said.

Maksoudian admitted lying to the police at first, claiming the knife was not his.

The case continues today.