A man who is accused of threatening occupants of a house in Magdalen Road, Norwich, while armed with a 'Rambo-style' combat knife or machete told police in interview that he never threatened anyone and was not armed with any weapon.

A man accused of threatening occupants of a house in Norwich while armed with a 'Rambo-style' combat knife or machete denied making threats or having any weapon and said he bore 'no malice' when he had called at the address.

Stuart Stanger, 48, is alleged to have walked into the house on Magdalen Road, in Norwich, and told the occupants they were going to 'die one by one', Norwich Crown Court was told.

But after he was persuaded he had got the wrong house he left after shaking hands with one of the men, the court heard.

Stanger, of Magdalen Road, Norwich, denies affray and having an article with a blade or point on August 28, last year.

In police interviews read to the jury, Stanger claimed he had called round at the address after he thought it was occupied by a man he met earlier in the evening who had told him to 'watch his back' .

He claimed he had called at the address as he wanted to know what the problem was.

He said after getting no reply and finding the door unlocked he had let himself in.

'I was wrong. I should not have walked into someone else's house. I was only there to speak to him. At no stage did I take a machete or large knife with me.'

He said the incident only lasted a short time and after the man told him he did not have any problem, Stanger said he left the property.

'I never went round that house with any malice. I never went round there to threaten anyone.'

He added: I was not aggressive. I was not threatening anyone's life.'

Stanger also went into the witness box to give evidence and again told the jury that he never made any threats or had any weapon.

He said that he thought the man who made the comment did not want to say anything in front of his friends and he had shaken his hand before leaving the address.

He said he had gone home and the next thing he knew he saw police outside his home..

Stanger said he was told he was being arrested.

'I had not threatened anyone . Not a word of a threat had come out of my mouth.'

Asked by Jamie Sawyer, prosecuting, why he thought anyone would make up the allegations, Stanger replied that they could be wanting to get criminal compensation.

He admitted he had criminal convictions and was on licence at the time but said: 'I walk away from trouble. I don't want to go back in prison.'

The judge is expected to sum up later today and jury will then retire to consider its verdict.