A man accused of knifing a father-of-three to death on the Southall street where Kate Middleton’s mum grew up said he burnt his clothes because he was involved in another fight on the same night.
Sanjay Salhotra, 26, murdered Harinder Rattan, 41, in a revenge attack after he was humiliated by the older man when he was hit by a crowbar the previous month, the Old Bailey heard.
Inderjit Bhachu, 27, is alleged to have spotted the victim on the night of the fatal attack and alerted Salhotra.
Mr Rattan was stabbed several times in the chest and left for dead on Clarence Street, Southall, on January 4 this year - the road where The Duchess of Cambridge’s grandparents used to live.
Mr Salhotra and Mr Bhachu later went to Staines Reservoirs, near Heathrow Airport, with the help of his brother, Shamaun Salhotra, 29, where the men burnt their clothes, it is said.
Mr Salhotra denies trying to cover up the murder and claimed he was "paranoid" after he lashed out at three men who had attacked him on Clarence Street that same night.
Giving evidence, he told jurors he punched and kicked one of his attackers and thought he might have been the man police found lying on the road.
He admitted lying to police when he was later arrested, but added: “I didn’t think I was going to get charged with murder.”
Prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC said: “The truth, Mr Salhotra, is that you wanted to get your own back for what you considered to be humiliation on Clarence Street at the hands of an older man and when Bhachu presented you with the opportunity you took it and you stabbed Mr Rattan in a merciless attack, didn’t you?”
The defendant replied: “No, I didn’t.”
Prosecutors say Mr Salhotra carried out the attack and that Mr Bhachu was there at the time. Mr Bhachu then allegedly drove Mr Salhotra out of Southall to the reservoirs, picking up a can of petrol on the way.
The court has heard they stopped in a car park where Mr Salhotra stripped and burnt his clothes.
Sanjay Salhotra and Bhachu, both of Clarence Street, Southall, deny murder.
Mr Salhotra’s brother, Shamaun, also of Clarence Street, denies perverting the course of justice.
Mr Bhachu also denies an alternative charge of conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm, but has admitted perverting the course of justice for driving Mr Salhotra to Staines Reservoirs.
The trial continues.
