O'Brian said in a Police statement that he stabbed O'Brian while he was in desperate financial straits.

John O'Donald Fox, of Bridle Hill, Smith's Parish told Police after the November 2, 1993 incident that he stabbed O'Brian in a fit of depression and then fled the scene, a Supreme Court jury heard yesterday.

O'Brian sustained knife wounds to his elbow, arm and left side of his stomach which damaged his intestines and caused multiple wounds to his pancreas.

Fox, how has been on trial since Monday, has pleaded not guilty to the charge and also denies wounding O'Brian with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Earlier this week O'Brian told the Supreme Court that after letting Fox into his Langton Lane apartment to use the phone book he felt a blow to the side of his head which knocked him to the floor.

He said Fox demanded money hit him several more times before he could escape and get help.

Fox's Police statement, which was read in court yesterday by Sgt. Mike Chlebek, indicated that he was in dire need of financial help at the time of the attack.

"My bills were mounting and I got caught up on drugs, at the time no one could help me,'' Fox said to Police. "With bills and rent, I owed $3,500 and it all came to a head.

"On November 1, I asked Mr. Joe Fortuna, who I had known for some time, for help and he told me to come back and see him the next day.

"When I went to Marshall's Maintenance, where Joe worked, I met O'Brian who told me that Joe was not there. He contacted him for me on his beeper number.'' Fox added: "I spotted Joe later on and when I asked about the money he told me that it was a bad time for him. He was my last hope.

"After that I wanted to drown myself in alcohol so I went to the Spinning Wheel night club.

"I saw a friend of mine who gave me a piece of rock cocaine. I was so depressed that I didn't even smoke it. I had to find someone to help me.

"I decided to go and find my friend Andre Thompson to see if he could lend me some money.'' Fox told Police that he went to Langton Lane apartments to see if Thompson still lived there.

"When I was at the apartment building I saw the man from Marshall's (O'Brian) through his kitchen window and I knocked on his door.

"O'Brian let me in and I asked him if he knew where Thompson stayed. He did not know so I asked him if I could use his phone to find out where he lived.

"We were looking in the telephone book together and I guess, because I was so depressed, I picked up a knife on the side of the table and stabbed him. We scuffled and he yelled for help.

"I ran out of the apartment, jumped into the car I arrived in and went home.'' Fox told Police that he was not sure why he did it but "it must have happened because of my emotional feelings.'' He added: "I stabbed from the bottom up, I saw his guts spill out. The knife broke and I left it inside the house.

"When I got home I put my clothes in a trash bag and put it in a trash can across from Darrell & Seaman Modern Grocers. I threw them away because they had blood on them.'' Crown counsel Mr. Stephen Harrison is expected to finish the prosecution's case today when the trial continues before Puisne Judge the Hon. Mrs. Justice Wade.

Lawyer Mr. Archie Warner appears for Fox.