News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A man accused of murdering a dad-of-two in a hit and run attack said he only wanted "to scare" his friend for "banter".

Michael Haigh admits being the driver of a Jeep Cherokee which struck Ryan Kennedy and forced him into a wall in Gable View, Norris Green.

The 25-year-old claims he hit his "best mate" by accident and has admitted manslaughter, the Liverpool Echo reports.

But prosecutors say he "deliberately drove" the car at his friend after an argument about a hunting dog, which was overheard by a neighbour.

Haigh told Liverpool Crown Court it was just “banter” and the two pals were calling each other names “as we always have done”.

He said: “I revved the car to give him a fright. He was laughing. He said ‘come on,’ messing around.

“I put the car into drive, put my foot down on the accelerator and the car just went forward. By the time I pressed the brake the car had slid and hit Ryan through the wall."

Haigh told the jury that he couldn’t explain why he left his friend to die.

He said: “I still to this day don’t know why I drove away. It was like it wasn’t real. He looked into my eyes. At the time he needed me most in his life, I don’t know why, but I drove away.”

Ian Unsworth, QC, defending, said: “Was it your intention to hit Mr Kennedy?”

He replied: “No, absolutely not. Just to scare him, just messing about.”

Haigh said he and Mr Kennedy had been friends since the age of 14 and “were like brothers”.

He admitted they went badger-baiting in North Wales, along with their friend Reece Welsh.

The court heard Mr Kennedy and Welsh were jailed for badger-baiting in June 2014 and banned for life from owning, keeping or transporting dogs.

Haigh said a friend, who he would not name, bought the Jeep and he insured himself to drive the car and borrowed it to go hunting with Welsh.

The defendant said he woke on the day of the of Mr Kennedy’s death and realised the hunting dog, called Jake, was ill.

He said they went to see Mr Kennedy to see if he had a number for a vet.

He said Mr Kennedy told him the dog looked like it was going to die and it was agreed he would have to “take the risk of losing the dog” by seeing a local vet, who might see the scars on its face and call the police.

After the “accident”, Haigh said he told the Jeep’s owner about the crash and did not know what happened to the car.

He also refused to name the friend who gave him a place to stay for eight days, before he handed himself into the police.

Haigh said he switched off his phone because he “couldn’t handle” seeing tributes to Mr Kennedy.

He said: “I was terrified. I was trying to come to terms with the fact of what had happened. I felt too ashamed to face his mum, my family, reality really.”

Haigh, of Buttermere Crescent, Rainford, denies murder.

The case continues.