A DRUG dealer accused of murdering a Southampton man has told a court he had no part in the killing – because he was sitting on the toilet when it happened.

Pierre Lewis told jurors how he and two friends accused of murdering Jahmel Jones were only at the flat where the fatal shooting took place because he was constipated and needed to use a toilet.

But, taking the stand in his own defence, 20-year-old Lewis went on to tell the court how his co-accused Isaac Boateng and Jemmikai Orlebar-Forbes had told him what happened – and insisted that Jahmel had pulled the gun on them.

Winchester Crown Court has heard how Jahmel, known as “Lucky”, suffered two gunshot wounds when a gun was fired inside 69 St Mary Street in April last year.

But giving evidence, Lewis told how there was a scuffle and the gun went off accidentally inside the property, which was then the home of drug users Derek Saunders and Susan Moran.

Lewis, 20, said: "I didn’t see anybody in the flat and didn’t look into the living room because I needed to use the toilet real bad. I was in there for a while and I was playing music on my mobile phone loudspeaker.

“I heard a knock on the front door and a few seconds later I heard scuffling of shoes and some raised voices.

“Then there was a sound like a bang against a wall. I heard Isaac’s voice and it was an anxious tone so I started to come off the toilet.

“Then I heard Jemmikai’s voice and he said something like “Get back,” or “Back up”. Then there was more scuffling and then I heard two bangs.”

Lewis told the court he emerged from the toilet to see Jahmel’s body on the floor and ran out of the flat after seeing his friends leave.

He said after catching up to them they told him Jahmel attacked Boateng before drawing the gun on Orlebar-Forbes.

‘Tussle’ Lewis, of London, said: “Isaac said he opened the flat door and got smashed straight to the floor.

“Jemmikai said he came out of the bedroom and saw Isaac, then went towards the guy but had a gun pulled on him.

“He said he grabbed Lucky by the hand and there was some tussling before it went off.”

The court also heard Lewis say Orlebar-Forbes took the gun with him before they ran back to a flat in Graham House, Northam, where they had been staying.

From there they took a taxi to Basingstoke where they were picked up by Rachel Kenehan, who was the girlfriend of Lewis at the time, who drove them to London and let them stay in her flat.

Lewis, of Castlenau, Barnes, Orlebar-Forbes, 20, of Cloudsdale Road, London, and Boateng, of Mill Farm Crescent, London, all deny murder.

They have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Rachel Kenehan, of Hewlett Road, London, who is also on trial, denies conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, assisting an offender, and perverting the course of justice.

Proceeding.