A PRISONER accused of murdering another inmate said two other men came into his cell and carried out the attack.

Marcus Nelson, aged 30, claimed he and co-defendant, Aaron Gordon, aged 24, were threatened with a knife when two other inmates burst in and assaulted Patrick Butler at HMP Risley.

But at Chester Crown Court on Thursday, Nelson refused to name the prisoners which he said killed 41-year-old Mr Butler.

Nelson said: "If I identify who is responsible for this it will be another 12 people sitting there having to judge on my death.

"I look at it like this, if I name who did it then it would be like sentencing myself to death."

He also told the court that grassing' would endanger the lives of his 11-year-old daugh- ter and 10-year-old son.

The pair, from Wolverhampton, deny murdering Mr Butler also from Wolverhampton on November 13, 2005.

Mr Butler, in jail for a string of car crimes, died of massive head and neck injuries.

Earlier in the trial it was alleged Nelson and Gordon, cousins by marriage, had attacked Butler in Nelson's cell, fracturing his skull.

His body had been dragged and dumped under a stairwell on C Wing, where all three were inmates.

Giving evidence, Nelson said he had pulled the body out of his cell because he did not want to be blamed.

"I realised that I had to take control of the situation. Not only was it my cell, but also the possibility of me being blamed, like I am now."

Nelson admitted taking a mop to clean the victim's blood stains in his cell.

The trial continues.