The boy, who can't be named for legal reasons, said he saw Richard Martin approach as they were outside a party in Gorringes Brook, Horsham.

Richard Martin, 19, of Heath Way, Horsham, denies murdering Ricky, and denies wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to the anonymous teen.

"I saw him (Martin] out of the corner of my eye," the witness said in a videotaped police interview, shown to the jury today.

"He took his arm back to swing, and just literally swung the nunchuk at Ricky's head."

He said he tried to protect Ricky, lying on top of him and shielding him with his arms and body.

Earlier, he said, Martin had walked past them to leave the party, and Ricky swore at him and told him not to come back.

He recalled Martin saying something like: "You wanna stop being so mouthy," to Ricky.

He thought it was about five minutes later when Martin returned and carried out the attack.

Martin swore at Ricky while hitting him, he said, saying something like: "You'll shut up now," or "Now you're shutting up."

Prosecutor Charles Miskin had previously told the court that Ricky had died of head injuries caused by the nunchuk - a martial arts weapon with two solid sections joined by a short length of chain.

Mr Miskin said Martin, who had gatecrashed the Pimps and Hos fancy dress party on November 3 last year, had been asked to leave.

He said Martin left but came back with the nunchuks and attacked Ricky, hitting him around the face and head.

Mr Miskin said the other teenager was injured when he tried to intervene.

Ricky was taken to East Surrey Hospital, in Redhill, then transferred to St Georges Hospital, in Tooting, London, where he was pronounced dead from a fractured skull and internal bleeding.

The weapon, which was found in bushes behind the Rising Sun pub, has been shown to the jury.

The case continues.

Ricky Butler - add your condolences


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