A former teacher has denied trying to kill a friend by hitting him over the head with a hammer during a drunken attack.

Richard Hurworth, 43, said he remembered little of the incident, which left Archibald Gwata rushed to Watford General with a suspected fractured skull on Thursday, October 21 last year.

Hurworth, who has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and attempted GBH, said he could recall striking towards Mr Gwata’s head after finding him in his bedroom at the multi occupancy house in Whippendell Road, Watford.

The prosecution allege Hurworth struck his friend numerous times with a hammer without provocation, hitting him in the face, arm and ribs as he sat in the garden.

Mr Gwata told the jury at St Albans Crown Court how he initially fled over the garden fence.

He returned later and ran out of the front door onto Whippendell Road with Hurworth in pursuit.

Mr Gwata told police Hurworth then threw the hammer at him, but missed.

Yesterday (Wednesday), Hurworth gave an account to the jury how the former teacher, who was “down on his luck” since returning from Thailand spent the day leading up to the attack on his friend.

Hurworth said he went to Watford town centre around 10am and “after briefly looking for a job” bought a bottle of Jameson whiskey for a friend’s 18th birthday.

After four to six “18-year-old birthday boy measure” shots at his friend Charlie’s in Water Lane and smoking some cannabis Hurworth went back to his Whippendell Road home.

Hurworth could not remember if he had visited a pub on the way back that afternoon, but he offered to treat “Archie”, who he lived with, to a few drinks.

The pair finished a bottle of red wine before visiting The One Bell public house in Watford High Street.

They then made their way to another pub in Market Street.

Hurworth did not know its name, but said it was near where he went to AA [Alcoholics Anonymous] meetings five times a week.

After more drink including sambuca shots, the pair returned home.

Hurworth said when he returned later, having gone to a nearby shop for more alcohol he unlocked his bedroom door to find Mr Gwata inside.

Hurworth said: “I remember Archie being slightly lower than me and me hitting him once.”

“I have a slow motion memory of me hitting him once in the face.”

Hurworth admitted having a hammer in his room he kept in a builders bucket used for carrying out odd jobs for friends.

He said: “When I returned from Thailand where I was a teacher, being down on my luck, I managed to get a bit of work from friends as a decorator.”

Mr Gwata was transferred from Watford General to Northwick Park Hospital, where initial fears of a fractured skull were allayed.

He was treated for cuts and a swollen right side of the face.

Hurworth admits causing ABH on his friend, but denies the two more serious charges.

The trial continues.