Mr Newlove confronted the gang outside his Warrington home

Garry Newlove was attacked outside his home in Warrington after confronting youths about damage to his wife's car.

The woman told police investigating the murder that her son told her he "knew he would not get away with it".

At Chester Crown Court four teenagers and Adam Swellings, 19, of Crewe, Cheshire, deny murder.

The 47-year-old suffered serious head injuries after the attack on 10 August and never regained consciousness, dying in hospital two days later.

The mother of the defendant, who cannot be identified, told the court that she was sitting with her son at Cheshire Police's custody suite in Runcorn when he said: "I knew I wouldn't get away with it."

He told me he tried walking away but the man was ranting and raving and 'so I punched him in the face' Defendant's mother

When she asked him what he meant by that he told her he "knew he would get charged", the court heard.

She asked him if he took part in the attack and the teenager said he had "punched and possibly kicked a man".

She said: "I asked him why did he do it, and he told me he tried walking away but the man was ranting and raving and 'so I punched him in the face'.

"I asked him why he had not said anything to the police and he said he was scared of what would happen. He said he tried sticking to his story and he hoped he would be okay.

"I said he should have told the police. He was crying and said he was scared."

The prosecution said Mr Newlove's street had been plagued by gangs

The mother also said her son named another defendant as taking part in the attack on Mr Newlove.

She said her son told her he was sorry and did not mean to do it.

The court earlier heard transcripts of the youth's police interviews in which he claimed he was not present during the attack and had actually tried to help Mr Newlove.

The boy told police he had consumed nine or 10 bottles of Stella Artois and one three-litre bottle of Frosty Jack's cider in the hours before the attack.

He said: "I said I would go and get a police officer but as I passed the man I tripped and lost my shoe."

Earlier, the jury was told Mr Newlove was kicked with such force that one of the defendants left a shoe lodged under his body.

Could it be that part of the night has been blanked out because it was so horrendous, what happened to Mr Newlove? Police officer interviewing the 15-year-old defendant

He denied telling his friends he had taken part in the attack on Mr Newlove, claiming he had arrived at the scene only after the sales manager was on the ground and unconscious.

The 15-year-old defendant also told police he had drunk five bottles of Stella Artois and a two-litre bottle of Strongbow cider but was unaware of the assault.

When questioned the youngest defendant said he only learnt of Mr Newlove's fate when he was arrested.

But the interviewing police officer was recorded asking: "Could it be that you were so drunk that night that that part of the night has been blanked out because it was so horrendous, what happened to Mr Newlove?"

Two 17-year-olds, a 16-year-old and a 15-year-old, deny murder along with Adam Swellings, 19, of Crewe, Cheshire.