THE jury in the trial of a Brixham man accused of assaulting a teenager with a knife is due to retire today to consider its verdict.

Mark Thompson, 36, of Overgang, is alleged to have told the youth "Go on, be a man", while brandishing a kitchen blade.

The first day of his trial at Exeter Crown Court heard prosecution evidence that a fight started when a drunken Thompson smashed a mirror and assaulted a woman at a property in the town.

He is then said to have pulled a knife and assaulted the youth who tried to intervene, leaving him with cuts to his arm, hand and neck.

But on the second day of his trial Thompson said it was the teenager who produced the nine-inch kitchen knife and threatened him.

Sean Brunton, defending, asked Thompson whether at any stage he had assaulted the woman.

"No, sir, I did not," he replied.

He admitted drinking with friends in the Spratt and Mackerel earlier in the day before visiting the house and getting into an argument with the woman.

He claimed the alleged female victim was drunk and spat at him.

"Did you try to hit her with the mirror?" asked Mr Brunton.

"No," Thompson said. "We were shouting at each other."

He said when the male youth arrived the pair had a bit of a scuffle then he ran upstairs and came back down with a knife."

Thompson denied brandishing the knife and making threats to the youth. He said he deliberately broke the knife after wrestling it from the teenager's hand.

The jury has already been told that when a second youth grabbed Thompson in a bear hug the defendant executed a backward headbutt to free himself before landing a punch to his face.

Thompson said he could not remember headbutting anyone.

Thompson denies one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two of assault by beating.

A verdict is expected today.