A Penryn man denies repeatedly stabbing someone in an altercation that took place when he tried to collect a £200 drug debt.

Simon Luke Tripp, of St Thomas Street, denies attempted murder and assault causing grievous bodily harm with intent and says it was in fact his friend who stabbed Adam Jenson-Lee, of Falmouth, on September 11, 2017.

Two witnesses say that Tripp told them he had stabbed someone that night.

He was also identified by victim Mr Jenson-Lee as the perpetrator.

Prosecuting, Jason Beal highlighted the fact that text messages were found on Tripp's phone including one that read: "People take the p**s but I don't stand for it. I'll make someone eat out of a straw if they f**k with my money I need to live. It's the only way these degenerates understand."

Tripp appeared at Truro Crown Court today to give evidence.

He said that he was under the effects of drugs when the messages were sent and was "probably delirious".

He said he had gone to Mr Jenson-Lee's address with his friend on August 17, 2019, to collect a years-old drug debt that was allegedly paid to heroin user Jenson-Lee in order for him to procure an amount of cannabis that never materialised. They were unsuccessful and later returned to the house in the early hours of September 11.

At the time a heavy drug user himself, Tripp said he had taken between 10 and 30 benzodiazepine (Xanax or Valium) pills that had caused him to 'black out' and forget the exact details of what happened next.

He says that Mr Jenson-Lee came out of the house brandishing a chain which he swung at Tripp, grazing his skin.

A chain was later recovered by police and forensic analysis showed that it held DNA from Tripp and Mr Jenson-Lee, as well as an unidentified third individual.

By Tripp's account, he then fled the scene and sat in his car. He says that his associate came and sat in the car shortly afterwards, although he did not see any blood or a knife on him. He told the jury that later that night, his associate told him that he had stabbed Mr Jenson-Lee.

Tripp then called his uncle, a convicted drug dealer, and spoke to him for nine minutes.

He said that he could not recall what they spoke about.

Tripp also called his ex-girlfriend several times before she picked up. She and a friend then went to the property Tripp was staying at.

The two women also gave evidence today. His ex-girlfriend said that she had arrived at the house to find both men "not in a good way".

Tripp's associate had suffered a head injury and had a visible wound, she said. Tripp, she added, was "all over the place and frantic".

She said: "He said about being in a fight. He said that he’d stabbed someone. He was very all over the place talking about money or drugs or something."

Cross examining her, barrister Piers Norsworthy, defending Tripp, claimed that she was trying to "get back at" his client who some months earlier had posted something personal about her on Facebook, to which she admitted she had had an "extreme" reaction.

She said: "In no way whatsoever did I want to get back at him."

The trial continues.