The man accused of stabbing to death a young father yesterday broke down and wept as he was forced to look at photographs of his alleged victim.

Randy (Chicken) Burgess cried as he stood in the Supreme Court witness box where he was reliving the night he came to blows with love rival Dean Antoine Young.

Burgess, 34, is accused of murdering Mr. Young at the Border Lane, Pembroke home of his then girlfriend Trina Todd on October 9.

The Cashew City, St. David's man has denied murder and claimed he acted out of fear and self defence.

Mr. Young, 31, the ex-boyfriend of Miss Todd and the father of her child, is said to have gone to the house early that day after telephoning and hearing her scream while she was punched by Burgess.

On the fifth day of the murder trial, Burgess took the stand to give his version of the day's events but after looking at the photograph depicting Mr.

Young's injuries, he began to sob and said: "I never meant to hurt that boy.'' He added later: "I have cried every single night since I was arrested. I pray for him every night and his family.'' The court has heard how bad feeling had grown between the two men for some months prior to the fight.

Mr. Young is alleged to have made "constant'' indirect threats to Burgess, causing both Miss Todd and the accused to inform Police and consult a lawyer over a restraining order.

Burgess said he was openly afraid of Mr. Young, who had a reputation of being a good fighter, and so tried to avoid him wherever possible.

But following a row with Miss Todd, Burgess and Mr. Young got into a fight in Miss Todd's kitchen at about 2 a.m.

As a result, Mr. Young received 23 knife wounds to his back, left arm and right hand which culminating in severe internal injuries. He died about an hour later.

Yesterday Burgess, a car painter who worked at Bermuda Motors, spoke of his love for Miss Todd and said he never intended to hurt Mr. Young.

Turning to the fight, he told the court: "He got out of the car and started heading towards me. He was running very fast.

"I started running back towards the house. At one point I was trying to get my cell phone. I wanted to call the Police.

"He was telling me `I'm going to f***ing kill you'. I thought this guy had come to do damage. I ran into the kitchen area. He was running behind me still shouting `I'm going to f***ing kill you'. I really felt threatened.

Man `never meant to hurt' stab victim "I reached for a knife from the butcher's block. I told him to stay away from me and that I had a knife.

"He just ignored me and came running towards me. He was wrestling with me. He tossed me up against the wall. He had me by my throat. He almost lifted me off my feet. I just started lashing out towards him. For a split second I thought this guy was going to kill me.'' Burgess said after a few seconds Mr. Young released his grip, so he tried to get away.

"He grabbed me again around my neck. I started to lash out trying to get him off me. I was terrified,'' he added.

The court heard how Mr. Young staggered from the house into the driveway. He then collapsed on nearby Parsons Road.

Burgess told the court he left the house still clutching the knife because he feared Mr. Young would get his friends or come back at him with a weapon.

He dialled 911 and told Police officers he had stabbed someone and needed help. A few minutes later, while being chased along the street by men on bikes, he dialled 911 again, this time giving his name, and again asking for help.

Burgess eventually managed to wave down two passing Police cars. He told them what had happened and was taken to Hamilton Police Station soon after 3 a.m.

Mr. Young was dead on arrival at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Burgess broke down again when he told the court how he had not realised how seriously injured his love rival was.

"At first, I really felt bad about what had happened,'' he said.

"I knew something was wrong with him, but I did not know he had died. I found out when they put me in the jail area.

"I lost it. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't talk. I held my head in my hands.'' Director of Public Prosecutions Khamisi Tokunbo said he doubted the authenticity of Burgess's outburst of emotion in court and accused him of telling three different versions of what had happened at the house.

He said much of the detail he had given in court about the physical assault on Miss Todd, the seriousness of his relationship with her and the contents of the telephone call from Mr. Young, had not been included in the statement he gave to Police or during a conversation he had with a Police Inspector.

Mr. Tokunbo said Burgess was lying when he said he had officially lived with Miss Todd at her home for three or four months prior to the attack.

He also accused Burgess of going into a rage on October 9, punching and choking his girlfriend over her relationship with Mr. Young, causing her to flee the house in terror.

And the prosecutor said during the early morning phone call, he believed Burgess had challenged Mr. Young to go to the Border Lane house to fight.

Mr. Tokunbo said: "The truth of the matter is that you were assaulting her.

You said you `weren't going to take this s**t anymore'.

"I put it to you that you weren't going to take this s**t anymore and you started to act like a crazy person.'' Burgess admitted punching Miss Todd in the arm and shoulder twice but said she did not run from him afraid and he said he did not invite Mr. Young to the house for a fight.

Burgess said: "I have not lied. I am telling the truth in court today. When I gave my statement to the officer I was in no fit state to give it.'' Broken down: Randy Burgess