An epileptic plasterer who killed a banker with one punch told police he snapped when one of his victim's friends said he was a mixed race 'half chap', a court heard today.

Trevor Timon, 31, hit Oliver Dearlove, 30, while he spoke to a group of women he knew outside a wine bar in Blackheath, south-east London, after telling him: 'I'm going to knock you out.'

Unemployed Timon, who had a pint of beer and two glasses of Champagne that night, apologised to the victim's family when he was charged with murder by police, his Old Bailey murder trial heard today.

But he also told detectives that he 'panicked' and punched him after feeling threatened by Mr Dearlove and his two friends, one of who he claims referred to him being mixed race.

The unnamed 'chubby guy' also looked like he was trying to get something from his pocket, Timon claims.

In the dock: Trevor Timon, 31, hit Oliver Dearlove, 30, while he spoke to a group of women he knew outside a wine bar in Blackheath - but he claims that a friend of Oliver's made a comment about him being mixed race

Tragedy: Oliver Dearlove, pictured with his girlfriend Claire Wheatley in August this year, was floored with a single punch and died in hospital 24 hours later

'The chubby guy mentioned his friend, 'she's with the half chap'. All of them laughed,' his police statement said.

'The chubby guy then leant on the shop and it looked like he was trying to get something from the bottom of trouser leg with his right hand.

Oliver Dearlove's girlfriend Claire Wheatley outside the Old Bailey in central London today, where Trevor Timon is on trial accused of killing her boyfriend

'I panicked as I thought all three of the men were about to attack me. I punched the man to the right of me with my left hand.

'I punched him with a closed fist to his left cheek. I did this as I thought the men were about to attack me. I was scared and I panicked as I was alone and there were three of them.

'I then ran off and jumped on the bus.'

Timon said he flew to Ireland from City Airport to see his mother for two days, handing himself into police on September 1.

Mr Dearlove, who worked for a boutique private bank, had asked a young mother if her feet hurt after she removed her high-heel shoes, then complimented her 'beautiful baby', jurors in Timon's murder trial have heard.

Timon handed himself in on 1 September last year, four days after the attack on August 28, telling police in a prepared statement he punched Mr Dearlove because he thought he and his friends were going to attack him.

When he was charged with murder, he said: 'I didn't go out with an intention to kill anyone, no intention of violence or threatening behaviour. Sorry to the family.'

Timon admits manslaughter after throwing the fatal punch, but denies murdering Mr Dearlove in an 'unprovoked and senseless' attack.

Timon was born in Greenwich Hospital on 22 May 1985. He attended Cherry Orchard infants' school, Sherington primary school, which are both in Greenwich, and Eaglesfield secondary school, in Shooter's Hill, leaving with three GCSEs.

Tributes: Flowers and messages for Oliver at the spot where he was killed in Blackheath

His parents split up in the early Nineties and he lives with his mother, younger brother and sister in Plumstead, southeast London.

He told jurors he worked as a plasterer for about four years after leaving school, but quit work after he was diagnosed with epilepsy following a seizure.

'I haven't been able to work. I stay at home pretty much,' he said.

Timon said he was very close friends with one of the women, whose birthday was being celebrated on the night of 28 August last year, but denied he had ever been romantically involved with any of them.

Kind: Mr Dearlove, who worked for a boutique private bank, had asked a young mother if her feet hurt after she removed her high-heel shoes, then complimented her 'beautiful baby', jurors have heard

He told jurors he had bought the woman a cake and went to Bingo with her on her actual birthday days earlier, arranging to go to Morden's nightclub, in Blackheath, on the weekend.

Timon said he was in a 'happy' mood when he went in to the club with three pals and bought a bottle of champagne to celebrate when the four girls arrived.

His barrister, Courtenay Griffiths QC, asked: 'When you left Morden's, were you drunk?'

'No,' Timon replied.

The lawyer asked him: 'How much had you had to drink that night?'

Timon said: 'A pint and a half and two glasses of champagne, if that.'

He said he left the club to share a taxi home with the women, and asked what mood he was in, Timon said: 'I just wanted to get home. I was happy, not drunk.'

The court heard Mr Dearlove had been on a reunion night out with pals from Portsmouth University on Saturday 27 August last year, which involved drinking in pubs, watching the football and a curry.

He lived with his long term girlfriend, Claire Wheatley, in New Eltham and worked as a Relationship Manager for Duncan Lawrie Private Bank in London's Victoria.

Timon, of Plumstead, south-east London, admits manslaughter but denies murder.

The trial continues.