Accused admits slapping dead man

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A youth has admitted slapping the face of a man he is accused of murdering.

Kes Ingoldsby, 18, slapped Stephen Langford as he lay on the ground in December 2006 and shouted: "That's what you get", the jury was told.

Inner London Crown Court heard he walked away without calling an ambulance, but did not realise Mr Langford was seriously hurt.

Mr Ingoldsby, 18, from Henley, Oxon, and James Diggens, 19, from Reading, Berks, both deny charges of Murder.

Late-night argument

The aspiring music producer told the court: "I feel terrible. I wish it had never happened."

The jury was told the fight happened after an argument in a late-night takeaway in Henley.

Mr Ingoldsby said he had felt intimidated by Mr Langford, and that the father-of-two had been staring at him and his girlfriend "aggressively" while they were in the takeaway.

He had tried to attack me. I did not know he was seriously injured. Kes Ingoldsby

Mr Ingoldsby told the court that it was the heavily-built Mr Langford who had lunged at him and tried to grab him as he left the takeaway.

The jury heard that his co-defendant Mr Diggens then punched Mr Langford to protect his friend.

Mr Ingoldsby told the jury: "I just thought he was knocked to the ground and was dazed.

"I bent down and slapped him in the face with my left hand. I did not have time to think - I just did it.

"I did not know whether he was going to get up or what he was going to do.

"I walked around him and shouted 'That's what you get'.

"I don't know why, I just thought that at the time and that he had tried to attack me. I did not know he was seriously injured."

The case was adjourned