A bricklayer who denies taking part in an attack on Kingston Mosque is “no angel” and lied to police during his interview, a court has heard.

Martin Pottle, 23, a former Orleans Park School pupil from Feltham told the court he originally lied to police as he was hungover and scared of being remanded in custody as he was on bail in connection with another offence.

Earlier in the trial the court heard that in a police interview in January 2010 he had claimed he never went into East Road, but went to Sainsburys with a friend to buy cigarettes. Accused of lying by the detective, he denied it. But on Thursday he told the jury he had been lying all along. He said: “I should have told the truth on the day. I was wrong. I didn’t have a solicitor and I just wanted to get in and out.”

But he denied attacking the mosque or urinating on it saying: “You have not got any evidence of me doing anything. I didn’t see nothing and I didn’t chuck nothing. How can I be bang to rights? You are guessing I was involved.”

The court also heard about his previous convictions, for disorderly behaviour in October 2006, April 2007, February 2010 and an incident of affray in 2011 with his co-defendant Paul Abley. Mr Pottle said: “I admit I’m no angel.”

Kingston Guardian, 24 March 2012

Both Pottle and Abley are friends of former EDL youth leader Joel Titus. The 2011 incident of affray was a pitched battle between rival gangs of football hooligans outside Liverpool Street station, as a result of which Pottle, Abley and Titus all received prison sentences.